MLS Preview: Real Salt Lake

By: Laurie | March 21st, 2008

Today Fitz is bringing you the preview for his team, Real Salt Lake. When he’s not here, he will entertain you on a day-to-day basis over at RSL Offside. And while you’re at it, we’ve got Fitz and the whole gang of bloggers over at MLS Offside, ready to keep you entertained.

Nuts and Bolts

The definition of insanity – one of them, anyway – is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. So when Jason Kreis took over a winless team in May of last year, he started an overhaul that continued through last month.

And now, only seven players on the 28-man roster remain from before Kreis took over. In this offseason, he and GM Garth Lagerwey drafted four rookies, signed three potential first-team defenders, traded for Dema Kovalenko and signed forward Kenny Deuchar out of Scotland. This is not your ex-girlfriend’s (or ex-boyfriend’s) Real Salt Lake.

This team is going to need time to jell. The defense has been remade, Kyle Beckerman didn’t train a full speed until this month, three U23s haven’t trained with the team since RSL left for Argentina … you can’t just expect RSL to come roaring out of the gate.
Having said that, kudos on the remodeling job …
** 25 of the 28 players are younger than 30.
** 11 of the 28 will be younger than 25 on opening day.
** We can safely assume that eight to 10 starters for the opener will not have been on last year’s opening-day roster. The exceptions? Nick Rimando, yes. Andy Williams, maybe, based on his preseason form. Carey Talley, possible but not likely.
** Let’s look even further ahead and play along with a scenario where the players RSL hoped would develop quickly do just that. Tony Beltran earns a spot in the lineup by the end of the season, joining Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave and Ian Joy in the back. Now let’s say Matias Cordoba’s slow start is behind him and he’s trucking along by July. Kovalenko and Kenny Deuchar remain yearlong starters. That is – in this scenario, which is just me playing along – seven starters who were not with the team last year. Could happen. Then again, it could not. That’s why I’m blogging and not on sitting in a tent on the Jersey Shore with a crystal ball telling you that a one-legged blonde will enter your life in the next two days.

The point – and yes, there is one – is that RSL has a plan, and my initial hunch is, I like it. I joined the bandwagon at the right time.

I won’t promise a playoff berth. There are so many new parts, plus Nathan Sturgis and Robbie Findley and Chris Seitz figure to be gone a while, and injuries happen, and we really don’t know how some of these young pups will perform. So if RSL sets itself up for success in 2009, 2010 and beyond, and retains the Rocky Mountain Cup for good measure, consider it a good season.

The star:

I don’t think there is one. There are some nice pieces to the puzzle. Kyle Beckerman could be the guy who makes this team go. Kenny Deuchar, if he comes close to matching his Scotland record, could be considered a star. But I don’t think there’s anyone on this team who, by himself, will cause a fan to buy a ticket just to see him play. Nothing wrong with that, by the way – especially with the salary cap that, if I understand it correctly, pays minimum wage.

DP or not?

None. Spending too much on a DP hampers your depth. And Kreis and Lagerwey are about stocking the roster so there’s competition at every spot. Other than outside fullback, and maybe outside mid, they’ve done that.

The newcomers: Who is going to come in and make a difference?

How much time do you have?

The defense received an overhaul, and deservedly so. The 45 goals allowed tied for third-worst in the league. Among the six players legitimately competing for a starting spot, four were not with the team last year: left back Ian Joy, central backs Nat Borchers and Jamison Olave, and outside back Tony Beltran, a rookie whose speed and fitness have been impressive.

I’m not close to being done, by the way.

Dema Kovalenko, brought in a trade with New York, looks to be the starter at outside mid, which, if I understand Kreis’ system correctly, is really sort of an inside mid with the outside back providing the width. Kovalenko’s best position is in the center, but RSL is loaded there. I think he’s out of position, but let’s see how he adapts to Kreis’ system.

Kenny Deuchar, a goal-scoring machine in Scotland who scored 63 goals in 90 games for Gretna, was the other big offseason signing. He’s the target forward Lagerwey and Kreis craved. Hopefully his work permit issues will be resolved soon.

Other newcomers include mid Matias Cordoba (much hype, but a disappointment in camp), David Horst (could he patrol the central back with Olave in two years? and Alex Nimo (give him time – he’s 17).

Keep an eye on:

Beltran – Not old enough to drink alcohol yet, but his speed, and therefore his ability to provide some wide support, could help him earn some starts.

The forward partnerships – Who makes the best fit with Deuchar? Yura Movsisyan, who’s had a prolific preseason? Fabian Espindola? Robbie Findley, whose finishing hasn’t looked good with the U23s (albeit from the outside mid position)?

Kovalenko – I declare April 30 as the over/under for his first disciplinary-caused suspension. Seriously, I like the deal. Cards aside, I like what he brings. Just, you know, don’t be stupid. And he’s not a natural outside mid. We’ll see how he does in Kreis’ system, where Dema will play toward the middle, forcing the outside back to supply the width (thanks to my readers for steering me right).

Olave – I don’t know much about him, but Lagerwey loves the guy.

The stadium in Sandy – I’ve read it could be finished in time to have two home games this season. Looks like it’ll be beautiful, though.

Williams – There have been nothing but good reports on his fitness and form in preseason camp.

We’ll win the league if…

… everybody jells quickly. Deuchar repeats his Scotland form. Robbie Findley finishes better than he has in the Olympic qualifying. Rimando has another stellar season. The revamped defense works well together. Several vets have career years. RSL does enough to qualify for the playoffs, then becomes one of those teams you don’t want to play in the playoffs because of their hard-nosed style. Chivas USA’s bus makes a wrong turn en route to the Western Conference final.

We’ll be in trouble if…

None of the forwards work well with Deuchar. There’s not enough attacking options wide. The new defenders aren’t as good as we thought.

You might not know…

Real Salt Lake has averaged seven wins per season.

Yura Movsisyan is the highest MLS draft ever who was not a Division I college player or a youth international. The Wizards drafted him fourth in 2006. He played at Pasadena City College.

Kreis is the only player in MLS history to score the first goal in franchise history for two teams. Nonetheless, Frank Yallop has not signed him to play for San Jose. Sorry Melissa