When the Crew led at halftime last year, its record was 12-0-3. This season, it's 0-0-3.

The Crew's record when it scored first last season was 13-0. This season, it's 0-0-4.

"It's that desire to put a team away when we need to," midfielder/forward Pat Noonan said. "We need to bring that up a notch."

The problem, it would seem, is fitness. Tired teams break down late in games. Players also get hurt, and the Crew has had more than its fair share of injuries, especially those that come from exertion.

Did the Crew (0-2-5) get fat and happy during the offseason?

"We went way deeper in the (2008) season than we've ever gone," Crew strength and fitness coach Steve Tashjian said. "I gave them more rest, and they needed that rest. Are we a victim of circumstance? Yeah, a little bit. You're going to be a bit less sharp when you don't start as early."

The Crew has given up a tying goal in the second half of its past three games, a trend that will give it pause tonight against the Kansas City Wizards (3-3-2), who have scored five of their 10 goals in the final 15 minutes.

If the Crew gives up a late goal again, Tashjian will take it personally.

"When we're scoring goals late, we say guys are fit and they're playing well, so it wouldn't be fair to say it's not a fitness issue when we're taking goals late," he said.

"But the goals we're taking are coming from pretty atypical mistakes on our part. My ego says we're making tactical mistakes, and my objective side says I'm going to take a look at things and make sure fitness is not the issue."

Tashjian has put the heat on himself for the injuries. Crew players have missed a combined 28 games because of injuries.

"I base my job on us not having soft-tissue injuries," he said. "I can't do anything about Will (Hesmer, who suffered a sprained left knee and could miss a third consecutive game). Frankie (Hejduk), when he's away on national duty, I can't do anything if he's not with me.

"I can't explain away Cory Elenio or Adam Moffat (hamstring strains). Those happened because I didn't get the training volume right."

The players often shrug off the injuries, saying that all 24 players should be capable of playing well enough to win, no matter who is injured and unable to play.

Still, there was a buzz at practice this week when Hejduk returned. The team captain had missed more than a month because of a hamstring strain.

Also returning will be Gino Padula, from a red-card suspension.

Coach Robert Warzycha is looking forward to having his regular defense back on the field.

"It's the first time since Houston (the season opener) that we're going to have a chance to play the back four we had last year," he said. "We were pretty good (then)."

smitchell@dispatch.com