D.C. United, with as positive an outlook as they’ve had in years, is aiming high. With Lucas Rodriguez arriving soon from Argentina and Wayne Rooney heading a new generation of DCU positivity, coach Ben Olsen faces the pressure of maintaining last season’s run of success.

Included in that pressure is filling the roster holes that made the 2018 unbeaten streak unexpected. The backline may or may not be good enough. Depth up top is in question after Darren Mattocks departed to Cincinnati. Shoring up a midfield driven by the emergence of No. 6 Russell Canouse could become a goal of the offseason.

With preseason looming on the horizon, we take a look at the most intriguing position battles across the roster. Today, we’ll zoom in on the right backs, of whom there are conspicuously few on the current roster.

Let’s take a look at the participants:

PAUL ARRIOLA

Arriola played all over the field last year, as a ball-hawking center midfielder, an endline-to-endline right winger and an overlapping right back. It’s possible that his position will have to move full time to the backline, and perhaps that’s for the better — Arriola was solid at right back late last year and fit DCU’s style well. 

Arriola started D.C.’s playoff loss to Columbus (before being subbed for Nick DeLeon, who as you might remember had a bit of an eventful sub appearance). Arriola’s USMNT chances would pick up if he proves he can play the right back position at a high level.

AKEEM WARD

D.C.’s newest rookie! Ward, a fullback who can play on the right or left, comes from the Creighton Blue Jays and could have an immediate shot at playing time. 

The options behind him, starting left back Joseph Mora and Arriola, are sparse. Toronto FC chose DeLeon in the re-entry draft. Oniel Fisher is out of contract. Chris Odoi-Atsem is battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Behind Arriola and Mora, there is a noticeable gap on each side of the defense. Center back Jalen Robinson shifted to right back a couple times in 2018 and could have to do so again if Ward doesn’t prove capable as a backup.

.@akeemjward, the newest member of the Black-and-Red speaks on being drafted to his hometown club. ♥️?#DCU | #SuperDraft pic.twitter.com/iwVfUGWEcj

— D.C. United (@dcunited) January 11, 2019

At both right and left back, D.C. have few options unless they re-sign Fisher or look to the MLS market. Some domestic options:

— Experienced right back Marc Burch is a free agent. He likely wouldn’t demand a huge salary and wouldn’t have to play a ton of minutes. Remember that Burch played in D.C. from 2007 to 2011 and could be interested in returning. 

— A few other free agent options: Sheanon Williams, Sal Zizzo, Roy Miller, Jason Hernandez and Sean Franklin. Zizzo would be the best option of the bunch, though none are particularly enticing. The return of the longtime DCU starter Franklin doesn’t seem likely considering how disastrous he looked in 834 minutes last year for Vancouver.

— D.C. should at least inquire about FC Dallas’s Ryan Hollingsead. FCD are promoting a youth movement, and while the fan favorite Hollingshead isn’t exactly old at 27, he could be further pushed out of minutes by Homegrowns. Hollingshead’s best position is right back, but he can play basically anywhere.

— An intriguing younger option could be Columbus’s Connor Maloney, a former SuperDraft pick. Maloney has seen some minutes behind Harrison Afful and looked fairly competent.

— SKC’s Seth Sinovic is a starting-caliber left back who would demand a larger fee than Maloney or Hollingshead. KC have youth depth starting to emerge at full back with Jaylin Lindsey, and they just signed Rodney Wallace with the intentions of converting him to defense. Sinovic could become available at some point in the first few months of the season if things go a certain way.

This position is the most immediate urgent need for DCU. They’ll have to explore options in other leagues as well.

Harrison Hamm is a sportswriter who covers American soccer and MLS for FloFC. He also covers sports for FanSided and The Comeback, and has freelanced for the Washington Post.