A common refrain of Sporting Kansas City season previews from offseasons past is “get a center forward.” Here are some quotes from past ASA and MLSsoccer.com previews to that effect:

• “Up top, SKC again has depth, but are still lacking a proven MLS goal-scorer.”

• “There are a few questions, though, with Kristzian Nemeth stepping into the club's starting center forward role.”

• “However, the talk will almost always turn back to that No. 9 position. It's not that Sporting have been completely deficient there over the years, it's just that they've never really found a solution that stuck.”

• “What Vermes hasn’t done (yet) is land the forward #SKCnation yearns for.”