RSL Offseason 2014-15 News Thread

I've been exited for this off season.
I'm hoping now that jeffson creissar is settled we can start overhauling this team. New CBA and draft are going to be huge in what we're working with though

 

I can't wait until Ned is off this team. heartbeat of the team my ass...

A gold star for Ned for being the best jogger on the team.

Top 3 players I don't want to see on this team next year.

Ned, Wingert, Findley.

Beltran sucks offensively but he;s usually not this bad defensively.

 

Guys I don't want in an RSL jersey next year:
Borchers, Wingert, Grabavoy, Findley. Beltran is real goddamn close but I think completely gutting the defense would be a bad idea.

 

This would be my list as well. Although I do think we'd be fine losing Beltran as well. I think Mansally would do well enough, so it wouldn't be completely gutting the defense. The downside would be having new outside backs in the system between a new starter and a backup, and injuries could really throw things out of whack.

I think CB is fine with Salcedo/Schuler and we'd still have adequate backups for the most part.

Get some actual speed in the midfield!

 

******** that. You want the best player at spots 1-32. No matter who they are, and no matter if they slip a few spots.

We need to upgrade the starters outside - midfielders and backs in particular. Garth has a clue. Let's see what happens. Doesn't mean that players who have started wouldn't be great bench players.

RSL

 

More than dumping these guys, I think it's about getting the youth on the field. Next year should finally be the year we see Gil instead of Ned, Seba instead of Javi, Salcedo instead of Borchers, etc. Cassar will likely keep some of those older guys as leaders (a la DDR in Toronto or Mastroeni in Colorado before he became coach), but I pray he doesn't keep them as starters. LA showed us today that our veteran core is simply not good enough anymore. When it comes to those outside backs, I say we get a massive overhaul. Beltran is good to stay, but Wingy, Mansally, and Balchan just aren't good enough. This needs to be our biggest focus in the offseason.

Really, when it comes down to it, we need to realize that we are in the post-Kreis era, which means that Cassar needs to build his own team now rather than living in the house that Jason built. We could see some huge changes next year, and rightfully so. Jason is gone, it's time to move on.

 

It'll depend on what the salary cap looks like, but right now I wouldn't want to keep some of the vets as backups, due to their salaries.

 

You know what I would actually like to see? A change in system. The diamond is found out. Unless you completely overhaul the players within it (and even then, it has massive flaws) it isn't working. Any team that can hit a long diagonal ball with pace will be the formation. Clos the middle, quickly spring wide, abuse the outside backs

I would like to see a mind shift change to width from the midfield

 

So...more of a trapezoid?

 

I was all set to come on here and write about how I'm giving up for the offseason, and I'd see everyone next March, but dammit, I still like this team. I'm actually interested and excited to see how badly we fail at reconstructing. The bastards.

 

A pentagon!

 

I think there is a good chance we see Borchers in a coaching roll with RSL.

 

Before we jump all over the "dump Borchers" train.....think about this. How many seasons has Schuler been able to play a the full season? The kid is fragile. Last thing I want to see is a CB pairing of Salcedo/Maund for half the season.

I am also all for a change away from the diamond. Don't really know what I would prefer, but the good teams in this league, I believe, have figured out how to beat it, and are spending the money to do just that.

 

I'm not sure we need to completely change who we are. The Diamond works just fine, remember, with an average budget this team managed the 4th best record in the league. Had Beckerman not been called into the national team and leave us without a real Commanding DM out there for a big part of the year, we would have given the Seattle and Los Angeles a run for it.

I do think we can upgrade and find tactical adjustments, but the fundamental strategy still works. Cassar pushed for more offense this year and left us very exposed on counters. That's an adjustment he can fix. This team still has a lot to give. It's not realistic to expect the Supporters Shield and MLS Cup every year with a mid market budget in a league that prides itself on Parity. Just because we don't win one, doesn't mean we need to blow things up.

Though I do agree some personnel changes need to be made. Some vets need to be looking at less minutes next year.

 

If we keep the diamond we HAVE to change the wide players (midfield and outside backs). Our lack of speeding is damning and will be exploited more and more if we remain stagnant on player selection/rotation.

 

IMO any system can work it's just a matter of having the right pieces and a high level of execution. So, I'm not whole heartedly against the diamond. However, I will say that this system puts a huge amount of pressure on the outside backs, and IMO that is our least deep position and frankly the weakest position for most if not all MLS clubs. I think we would be better suited to a system that doesn't emphasize our weaknesses.

 

So, now that all is said and done, I walk away with a smile and pat on the back of the 2014 Royals. I felt they would not reach the playoffs, but they did. When they did reach it they held their own for half of a series against the most talented team in the league. One bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch folks. Like at the end of last season, I think RSL is in a position where it needs to sell off some of the higher priced and over the hill or under performing talent and use the revenue and reduced payroll to bring in some new blood. This will be the most important off season in 5 years. If Lagerway leaves that importance gets racheted up a few notches.

Like 15, I think the system needs to be revisited. LAG completely exposed the main problem of our diamond...lack of width and offensive pressure from the outside backs.

 

I think the formation matters very little. Today's game is fluid enough that a diamond or flat-4 or bucket midfield can all look very similar to each other once the game starts. I have no problem with RSL sticking with the diamond.

Here are my hopes and dreams for next year:

KEEP:
1. The short-passing, possession-oriented style of play
2. Lagerway (at all costs)
3. Gil and Velasquez (not necessarily on the protected lists, but I hope they are around next year and get significantly more playing time, with giving Javi more rest)
4. Borchers, but play him significantly less than this year - he may be an expensive player to have sit on the bench, but I think he makes up for that with locker-room presence and in mentoring our younger CBs at practice.
5. The other obvious players: Rimando, KB, Sabo, Plata, etc.

LOSE:
1. Wingert - to be replaced by someone with speed and the ability to cross. I'd be happy to pay a lot of money for this kind of player.
2. Findley - to be replaced by someone with speed and the ability to dribble and shoot. Someone like Oba Martins would add an incredible dimension to this team.
3. One-dimensional attack: this season we attacked over and over from the left channel with Javi and/or Plata trying to work intricate passes through a clogged box. They're extremely good at it and had some success, but we needed more options than just that one. Replacing Findley with someone else might help in this regard (or if Jaime starts to gel with the team more).

ADD:
1. A backup for KB. Maybe Grossman is the man for the job, but I'm not yet convinced.
2. Speed, anywhere on the field

INDIFFERENT:
1. Grabavoy - he's getting older, but I'm fine with him sticking around for another year. Again, some of his minutes need to be replaced with Gil, Luke, and Velasquez (or a new midfielder if we pick someone up).
2. Formation (see above)

I realize all of that might not be possible with the salary cap, but given that we have no idea what's going to happen with the CBA, I can dream, right?

 

In regards to point 3, we haven't attacked down the right since we lost Russell. It's been YEARS of attacking mostly down the left, which also contributes to teams being able to defend us easier. As the players have become older and slower, it's become that much worse. Our attack consists of running down the left, giving it to Plata, and hoping he makes something happen or gets it to Sabo.

I also wish we'd stop passing around the back for half the game. Teams have figured out that if they shout down what little counter attack we attempt, we'll immediately go back to the defense. It gives teams that much more time to setup, and we don't have any kind of speed to answer to it. Add in the fact that teams have started putting more and more pressure on the defense, and we've started seeing a lot more sloppy turnovers. What bothers me most about this, is if they have 2-3 guys pressuring our defense, SOMEONE should be open in the midfield. Instead of finding them, we keep trying to dick around passing it around the back only to give it away cheaply.

Another thing that's bothered me when watching us lately, is the complete lack of movement. You'll see someone make a run in midfield, they didn't receive the ball so they just stand there marked. So you'll see whoever has the ball stand there with a defender on them and nobody to pass it to because everyone made their run then just stood there. Move around a little more. Show for the ball!

I still think we should be getting rid of a chunk of the old guard. Ned, Borchers, Wingert, and Findley should all go. I don't really agree with keeping any around as backups, because I think Cassar will fall into pressure to play them, and stifle any sort of improvement we could make with new guys. I'd rather thank them for their service, and move on with guys that know it's their time to shine, without any looming shadow of players that have been with us for 5+ years.

 

No one understands this better than RSL, from top to bottom they've show that they are happy just making the playoffs. Anything more is just a bonus.

 

This team has some pretty decent young players. Sure would be nice to have a head coach willing to give those guys some real time next season. Thanks for all the things they have done for this club in the past but goobye Borchers, Findley, Grabavoy and Wingert.

 

Wow!!! All of these negative comments after one horrible game!,,Do none of you remember how Real got to the playoffs- with the veterans.. Nat is the anchor back there. Ned hustles more than Gill, and is a team player more so than Valquez ,and Wingert saved games many times. . Real needs forwards not forwards like the one who got all that money to seat the bench and not scored once!,, This team has given the fans many wins and enjoyable games to watch. I wish I was a person who can see into the future and "know " that with the younger players Real will be so much better. It is because of the veterans' mindset that Real has won so many games over the years..