Real Salt Lake 2011 MLS Season Preview

AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

Los Angeles and New York get a lot of the glitz and glamour, but is there a better team, a team more well-rounded than Real Salt Lake?

The team was unsuccessful in defending its MLS Cup championship, but as a team they looked as dangerous as ever. Finishing second in the Western Conference, Salt Lake had the Newcomer of the Year award winner, surrendered the fewest goals in the league (20) and had the best goal differential (plus-25).

The best thing to like about the 2011 version of this club? It returns practically everyone from the core of last year’s team. Actually, an impact player was added to its roster. An elite team with continuity from year-to-year is very dangerous.

Alvaro Saborio made a huge impact on the team in his debut season in MLS, scoring 12 goals and winning the Newcomer of the Year award. He was rewarded for his efforts with a new Designated Player contract. He’ll need to be just as strong this year, with Robbie Findley leaving and trying his hand in Europe.

Findley wasn’t a major contributor last year, struggling with form and injuries and missing time because of his inclusion on the World Cup squad. But when he was around teams still had to think about him. Now, however, it’s all up to Saborio.

He’ll have plenty of support in the midfield, though. Javier Morales is the stand-out of this unit. He’s a playmaker in the center of the midfielder who can both get his own shot off and create for others. He’s also aided by Andy Williams, a playmaker himself with good pace, and newcomer Arturo Alvarez.

Alvarez is an offensive-minded player who many think will thrive with this club. He’s a bit temperamental at times, but he has been a prominent player on all his teams while in MLS and will only improve RSL.

Backing them up is midfielder and team captain Kyle Beckerman. He is a tenacious player who always goes in hard in his challenges on the ball, and he is a good leader.

The stingy defense is led by goalkeeper Nick RImando. His quick reflexes helped him post the second best goals against average in the league (0.67) and the most shutouts (14). He also finished third in save percentage (78%).

In front of him is as solid a group as any, headed by Jamison Olave. The centerback is the best player on the backline. He is joined by Nat Borchers, Robbie Russell and Chris Wingert.

Like any team, avoiding injury will be the biggest issue this team has. It will be a little more difficult to do with so many games. There are MLS matches and US Open Cup matches. The team also qualified for Superliga and is currently in the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Champions League. Depth and overwork will test this team.

A second strike partner will need to be found to support Saborio. Cody Arnoux came to the team in a special draft and he impressed Everton enough to earn a one-year contract with Everton in 2009. Fabian Espindola had a goal and an assist in the team’s recent 2-0 victory over Saprissa in the Champions League. So options are there.

This is a very dangerous team with talent, key players signed to long-term contracts and youth to develop. They won the 2009 MLS Cup as a heavy underdog, but now this club will aim to become a dynasty and win another trophy, this time as a legitimate threat.

Real Salt Lake prepares for the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League. Video from YouTube.

Should the New York Red Bulls Loan Teen Prospect Juan Agudelo?

In the New York Red Bulls first game after the summer transfer window closed they play a Real Salt Lake team that was very active in player movement.

The movement featured a lot of players going away from Salt Lake, on loan to be specific. The team has temporarily moved a number of younger players to USSF Division-2 Pro League teams in an effort to get them more playing time.

David Horst (24), Collen Warner (22), Chris Schuler (22), and Alex Nimo (20) all had seen limited MLS regular season action and were loaned out to get more game experience. With no reserve division in place for youngsters to see some action, Real Salt Lake added to their loaned list when they sent highly regarded 16-year-old prospect Luis Gil, who had yet to play in a league game yet has been dubbed a future “number 10” for the United States National Team, to AC St. Louis.

All the activity is a creative solution to the youth development issues that plague the league. The players may not be ready for the demands of MLS, but there is no longer a reserve division in place in order to get players much needed game experience.

Still, Real Salt Lake is the only team in the league to use loans as an option. It’s difficult to figure why other teams have not taken the same route.

With that in mind the question is, should the New York Red Bulls loan out the highly touted Juan Agudelo?

Submit Vote vote to see results The 17-year-old forward is a tantalizing prospect. He represented the United States in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, scored the equalizing goal against Brazil in the U-20 Copa Chivas tournament, had a strong performance in the Milk Cup where the United States was crowned champions, and was recently named to the U-20 roster for a tournament in Peru.

For New York, he has appeared in three U.S. Open Cup games and also played in exhibition matches. Scheduled so the reserves could get some time, Agudelo scored twice against Army and once more against Rutgers.

While he has shown to be a dangerous player, he has not played a single league game for the Red Bulls. He also does not appear to be remotely close to the field as he is buried on the depth chart behind Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel, Macoumba Kandji, Salou Ibrahim, and Connor Chinn.

Currently, it is not a bad thing to be training with the likes of world-class forwards Henry and Angel, watching them, and learning the position and the game from two elite players. However, there is no substitute for experience gained in live games; something Agudelo is getting none of currently.

With so much depth at the forward position, no reserve league, and the future of a promising young player at stake it might be in the best interest of New York to follow Real Salt Lake’s strategy and loan Agudelo next season.

Photo from newyorkredbulls.com

Real Salt Lake 2010 MLS Season Preview

AP Photo/George Frey

Last year many people scorned Real Salt Lake. The club finished the regular season with a losing record of 11-12-7, yet still made the playoffs and went on to win the MLS Cup.

Many outsiders felt that this was an aberration and an embarrassment to professional sports. They chastised the MLS playoff format for allowing too many teams in.

Head Coach Jason Kreis believed in his team the whole way and got the job done, regardless of how they finished the regular season. In 2010 Salt Lake returns the majority off their championship-winning core and will be out to prove that they are a talented team, not a fluke.

Real Salt Lake is a balanced team, efficient on both offense and defense.

The defense is led by goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

Rimando enjoyed what was arguably his best season in his 10-year MLS career. He posted a 1.14 goals against average, his lowest total since 2005. Rimando shined in the playoffs being the star in the team’s two penalty shootout wins, including in the MLS Cup championship which earned him MVP honors.

His entire starting defense—Chris Wingert, Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave, and Robbie Russell—returns and the groups chemistry should be a huge advantage.

The midfield will be stabilized by US International Kyle Beckerman. He is an aggressive and tenacious defender and will continue to be a great leader for the team.

Javier Morales will handle the attacking portion of the midfield. After a 2008 season where he scored six goals and registered 15 assists, the Argentine had a down year in terms of production, putting forth totals of only one goal and five assists.

However, he played a part in all three of the team’s goals in the playoffs, scoring one and assisting two. The 2009 All-Star will look to improve upon his statistics and has started off the 2010 campaign with a bang scoring two goals and assisting one in the team’s 3-0 in the first game against San Jose.

Up top, Robbie Findley is one of the top forwards in the league.

He was tied for third last season in goals, 12, and added four assists. He has good speed and does a good job of getting behind the defense and getting in position to take high quality scoring chances. He also is still a candidate to make the US National Team roster that will take part in this summer’s World Cup.

He loses strike partner Yura Movsisyan, who left for Europe, but the team found a very talented replacement in Costa Rican International Alvaro Saborio.

A member of Costa Rica’s 2006 World Cup squad, Saborio has made 55 appearances with the Ticos and scored 22 goals, including one 79 seconds into a 2009 World Cup Qualifying match against the United States.

Salt Lake also brought in two talented rookies.

The team acquired heralded 17-year-old prospect Luis Gil, who has dazzled in youth international tournaments at midfield. The team may be slow to bring him on, but he is an exciting prospect for their future.

Collen Warner is the other rookie, drafted in the first round by the team. He was a top scorer and playmaker for four years at the University of Portland and could play a big role as a substitute for Salt Lake.

What the team needs to improve on is winning away matches. The team was almost unstoppable at home, going 9-1-5 with a goal differential of +23. In matches outside of Rio Tinto Stadium, however, the team was 2-11-2 with a -15 goal differential.

Somehow they were able to survive on the road during the playoffs, but they cannot expect to be taken serious as contenders without performing better on the road.

Real Salt Lake started off their defense of the MLS Cup strongly, drubbing San Jose 3-0 in the season opener, but the target is on their back and challenges await them.

Even after winning it all in 2009 the club is still not a conventional pick to repeat. However, they are a very talented and balanced squad with good leadership and chemistry, and if they can learn how to be more consistent than they will be right in the thick of things come playoff-time.