Joseph out tonight with a knee strain. Glad Dempsey has been getting time and has shown he can play at this level.
Right now the level Dempsey is playing at is pretty low. The competition the Rev braintrust has chosen to prepare against, with the exception of Santa Clara, seems quite soft. Based on his one televised performance so far, Dempsey is a work in progress with a long way to go. That Nicol has faith in him means a lot, but it remains an open question whether he will even reach the level of Leo Cullen, never mind Cancela and Joseph (the two players who need backup).