Just call Jalil Anibaba the Dynamo's paramedic. He is always there in case of emergency.

During a game at San Jose in May, Anibaba moved from his usual position at right back to goalkeeper when Tyler Deric received a red card.

Last weekend against Vancouver, Anibaba again switched positions on the fly when center back Raul Rodriguez suffered a groin strain. Anibaba moved to the middle of the park in the 13th minute to play a position he had not played since 2014.

Anibaba said on both occasions it was no problem to do what the game called for. He simply had to change his mindset.

"When you're the last line of defense you have to keep things a lot more simple," he said. "You're not getting into the attack as much, but the same principles apply. You have to compete. You have to do your job. You have to defend."

Anibaba helped the Dynamo keep a fifth consecutive clean sheet in home league games. In doing so,his performance is indicative of what the club has come to expect under interim coach Wade Barrett.

Barrett's first order of business when he took over was to improve the defense. That had mostly to do with discipline and attitude more than it had to do with personnel.

It has worked, too. Houston has conceded eight goals in 11 games in all competitions with Barrett in charge. Three of those have come in the last six games.

On Sunday against San Jose the Dynamo will have a chance to set a club record for consecutive minutes holding opponents scoreless in home league games. Their current streak sits at 491 minutes and includes the last five full games.

If they can keep a clean sheet for the first 56 minutes on Sunday they will eclipse the record of 546 minutes.

"I don't mind asking for perfection," Barrett said. "I don't mind asking that we prevent every single dangerous opportunity from happening on our end. I also know we'll probably come up short in a couple of those instances. If we expect that we are going to limit those chances, and if we expect that we'll cut out every single pass...then it makes everybody's job a little bit easier."

It seems like everybody's job would be easier if the lineup was at full strength, but Barrett does not want that to be the case. Because his approach is all about accountability and discipline he wants every player to be prepared.

That attitude is being tested now on the defense. Anibaba moving to center back in the middle of the last game was necessary because of heavy injuries.

Left back DaMarcus Beasley recently had minor knee surgery Center back Agus suffered a knee injury July 20 against FC Dallas.

The Dynamo still had enough defenders to play their normal positions until Rodriguez came off last weekend. Barrett said this week he does not expect any of those three to be available Sunday.

Anibaba is likely to start Sunday's game at center back unless Barrett decides to put midfielder Ricardo Clark back there. No matter what happens, Anibaba said, he will be ready. It is more about the new defensive mindset than it is about any one player.

"We have worked really hard to be more stingy on the defensive end," Anibaba said. "It is a credit to the whole team."

Corey Roepken is a freelance writer.