Since it feels wrong to still be posting in the 2020 offseason thread, and even though it's over 10 days until the RSL season starts, felt like we needed a new thread since the preseason is now behind us. Starting XI thoughts: With Wood arriving in the next few weeks, I've been thinking about what the starting lineup for this squad looks like to begin the season. Here are Doyle's thoughts on the matter: I mostly agree with this. Including Putna being the favored starter at least through the first handful of games. I think once Wood is integrated he's almost certain to slide into the #9 role, even though I have concerns about form and fitness. The backline is essentially set barring a last minute signing. So what about the rest? I do agree that it's going to be either Ruiz or Everton at the #6, and that Kreilach will be in his preferred #8 role. Some see Ruiz and Everton playing together with Kreilach playing in the #10 role, but that has lots of issues with it. We might see it from time to time, but you aren't taking full advantage of several players abilities in that situation. First, RSL needs creativity and Kreilach isn't really that creative player with the ball at his feet, but Rusnak CAN be. Yes, he's been hit and miss over the last 2 years but in order to give this team the most opportunity for success you need to have him in that role. If not, you need to bring a playmaker into this squad. Second, Kreilach is effective just being on the field. You could put him at CB and he'd still make a difference. He showed he could be effective at a false 9. He did reasonably well playing on the wing or as #10, but his spot - the place he excels the most is in that #8 role. He is that box-to-box guy. Third, I'm not a fan of Ruiz and Everton together. They have the same instincts. I remember watching them play together at home last year and focused on them. They consistently headed to the same spots. I view Ruiz more as a #8 than a #6, partly because I think he's better slightly higher up field where he can put that rocket of a left foot to use at times. He also doesn't have quite the range and bite that Everton has. Neither of them have quite the experience or vision that Kreilach has to facilitate transition into the attack from that #8 role. Finally, if Wood is at #9, Rusnak at #10 and Kreilach at #8 - what about the wingers? My guess is that Julio has the biggest lock on that right now. Coming into this season I'd have expected Jeizon to be in the running, but until we see him on the field there is nothing to indicate he's in the mix. I think it's a bit of a toss up between Rubin and Meram, and we'll likely see both of them in that spot. I feel Rubin is a better "fit" for this team's composition. So my Starting XI would be: 4-2-3-1: Putna; Toia, Glad, Silva, Herrera; Ruiz (Everton), Kreilach; Rubin (Meram), Rusnak, Julio; Wood Note: it could take a couple games for Wood to find his way there. Meram and Everton are the most likely swaps that I see at this point at their respective positions. I'd also hope to see Jeizon and Ochoa make their way into the mix as the season progresses.
The last preseason game with LAG was really interesting in that it saw the Uzi's at the midfield duo spot with Kreilach ahead of them. It spoke to me that Freddy is seriously considering a "double destroyer" setup. Granted, Rusnak didn't start that one, so we don't know for certain that Freddy prefers Kreilach in the attacking mid role. What was interesting is that the 61' subs of Rusnak/Glad/Herrera seems to have been to get the "first team" some minutes together. From what I could gather, the lineup from min 61-76 was this: Rubin Rusnak - Kreilach - Julio Luiz - Ruiz Toia - Glad - Silva - Herrera Ochoa Personally, I've been in favor of Kreilach sitting behind Rusnak since he came. I think Freddy has been infatuated with getting Kreilach further up the lineup so he can be an option on crosses and it has killed so much of the rest of the flow of the team. I also won't pretend to think that Ochoa was the first choice GK. I think Freddy goes with Putna for the first run of games, at least. I don't have any reason to believe Jeizon will be a serious contender this year. Chang and Dougy were the other two subs in the LAG game - to me that says they're the first choice subs after the guys that the 61' guys replaced. Jeizon's only mins in the Arizona portion of the trip were against Phoenix - granted, as a starter - but he was subbed off there and didn't feature in either of the other games. This is how I see Freddy's depth chart right now, assuming the 4-2-3-1 and only using a player's name once: GK: Putna, Ochoa, MacMath, Dewsnup RB: Herrera, Brody, Powder, Halsey CB: Glad, Holt CB: Silva, ??? LB: Toia, Morgan, Schmitt CM: Ruiz, Portillo CM: Luiz, Besler RW: Julio, Meram AM: Kreilach LW: Rusnak, Chang, Ramirez FW: Rubin, Martinez, Iloski, Garcia, Davis
Pretty sure Powder is a LB, Schmitt is LW, Meram is LW, Chang is RW, Ramirez is RW. Martinez almost plays as a winger, Davis is listed as a Forward on the team site, but that doesn't mean much. Not sure if Garcia is a forward or a winger. I think I'd prefer that first choice (Ochoa has to start double digit games this year though, not real picky if MacMath gets more games than Putna though) lineup if we stick with the 4-2-3-1 we see so much. Not sure it's the best formation given the players we have though. Tangent, it really bothers me that the people with "connections" to the team keep ignoring the fact that there are 30 players on the roster, but keep talking about being able to add 2-3 more players. I like that they recognize that they need to be impact players, but they are oblivious to roster rules. They can't send down multiple players to the Monarchs and get roster spot relief, not to mention the impact on the salary budget. End mini-rant. I really want to be positive about this season, but it's hard to argue with the pundits predicting bottom of the table finish. I like the depth on the team for the most part, but there's not enough quality at the top of the roster. This year is definitely a year to have good depth. June-October is going to be a bear for the team.
Fair criticism on depth chart. Updated accordingly: GK: Putna, Ochoa, MacMath, Dewsnup RB: Herrera, Brody, Halsey CB: Glad, Holt CB: Silva, ??? LB: Toia, Morgan, Powder CM: Ruiz, Portillo CM: Luiz, Besler RW: Julio, Chang, Ramirez AM: Kreilach LW: Rusnak, Meram, Schmitt FW: Rubin, Martinez, Iloski, Garcia, Davis What becomes very apparent with this is that Freddy doesn't hold player's in a single spot on his depth chart. Which isn't a terrible thing, but it creates a very serious domino effect to the "depth" this team has. I also find it funny how those same "insider" you mention scoff at the bottom of the table finish predictions but don't really offer much in terms of reason to believe otherwise. Rubio Rubin and Bobby Wood? That's what we're hitching our 2021 hopes to? God help us all. Also, every other team got better at a rate better/faster than us. If you compare Houston's roster to ours I would take theirs. They have proven difference makers in this league. That was the only team worse than us in the West last year, remember that. LAG improved their coaching staff and have players, they'll finish ahead of us. Vancouver seems an easy target because they have to play so much away from home, but they did the same thing last year and finished ahead of us so... San Jose is the most bipolar team in the league but I think they have a better squad. LAFC isn't even a question. Dallas is good. The cRapids were surprisingly bad in our preseason game but I don't think Fraser gives a shit about that game when the season is the focus. Minnesota is much better than us. portland looks like a buzzsaw. Seattle too. Sporting will compete for best in the West. So, tell me, who are we going to be better than? Cincinatti? They actually tried shit this offseason and I think they'll be better. DC? I suppose they could be bad, but the race to the bottom could be a competitive one. Atlanta will be better. Chicago... maybe? Miami will be better. Montreal, like Vancouver, could be a target given the away from home setup. Otherwise, I don't see any even potential candidates right now. I think it's also very telling about the roster that, said insiders, can easily identify like 10 players for a Monarchs/USL loan. That's a pretty damning critique of the roster build
I think it's easy to be dismissive of the team, but I always try to be optimistic at the beginning of the season. It's going to be another season unlike any other in recent memory. I think we should be able to call out issues with this team/staff (Nedum replacement?) and still be supportive. Freddy actually has the assistants he wants, not ones from Cassar and Petke. Who knows that impact. Honestly, what have we really lost from the team when they finished third? Kyle, Nick and Nedum? Not to be dismissive of their performances, but they weren't at their best back then, either (maybe Nedum). I think the team has more talent overall since then and lots of players have improved since then to (mostly) offset those losses. I'm hopeful that roster continuity, Covid making much less of an impact and the compressed schedule means that RSL is in the running for a playoff spot. I can't say for sure what teams we'll be better than, but I know RSL isn't as reliant on one player as many of the top teams are. You never know what could happen (Atlanta 2020), but several teams never live up to expectations. I know there's not enough difference makers on the roster, but nobody should be expecting that this year. Maybe this is the year it all falls apart, but I think there's enough talent/depth on this team, that they'll be competitive. If they can do that, it'll be progress.
I am a more naturally pessimistic person, I know this. I think many here have picked up on that. I apologize. The RSL team that finished 3rd in the West is pointed to by a lot of the "optimistic" pundits and insiders as a reason to think this team could quickly get back to being competitive. I think that is very misleading. My reasons: Nick Rimando. You (rightly) reference that he was at the end of his career this year so the impact isn't as big as it could have been, but that is a hole the club will take a long time to fix. In 2019, it was publicly known Rimando was retiring, too. That added a layer to the team's "drive" that was visibly lacking last year. Nedum. As a voice alone, the team is a lot less without him. Further, the guy was a calming presence in the back. We not only lost him, but have done absolutely nothing to attempt to fill it. This is probably the strangest decision by Fall in 2020/21 offseason. Brooks Lennon. Say what you will about his ability as an outside back, he gave us depth. I don't think Powder or Morgan are on the same level as Lennon. Atlanta agrees. KB. He logged 29 games in 2019. Probably more than he should have, but the guy was the driving force of the team. I am really nervous how toothless this team will be without him. Bofo. He put in 28 games that year and had some very promising moments. Now we have Julio. This seems an improvement, but it isn't known yet. Rusnak scored 10 goals in 2019 (roughly 1 every 3 games). In 2020 he scored 2 across 11 games. That's a step back and the team's tactics seem to be to go around him rather than through him. Corey Baird. 2018 was his ROTY. 2019 was a slight step back, but it wasn't massive just yet. He was a contributor. The team hasn't identified someone who can be consistent. Sam Johnson. This was before the stupid house parties. This was when Sam seemed to score without even getting a clear cut chance. We're hoping Rubin or Wood can replicate that. There is no real reason to believe that. Jefferson Savarino. This is probably the biggest reason and what I should have led with. Without Savarino this team loses what Freddy really really wants: a winger that beats players 1v1. Sava had 9 goals for us in 2019. These are the biggest shoes to fill and one of the leading reasons we were so bad in 2020, IMO. Petke. I'm not saying he was a better coach than Freddy, but he wasn't a massively worse one, either. When you look at the record before and after, there is no real discernable difference. Many of the "insiders" seem to ignore this and it bugs me. Freddy has done nothing to really change the ideals of Petke. Not in the game nor in the "assessments" of the team. Freddy is less... explosive, but you don't really see any difference in this team, do you? Depth. The 2019 team didn't have a roster half composed of USL quality like the 2021 does. This isn't a totally fair criticism given what we know of the limitations on Fall, but it is an interesting note because DLH was very much involved in 2019. More than he is now, supposedly. So... Momentum. RSL 2018 was the team that knocked out LAFC from the playoffs and gave SKC a test in the semi's. So in 2019, there was something to build on that was promising. There was belief. Talk of the team was positive. 2021? Quite the opposite. Whenever you hear RSL you hear mostly negative or an elaborate shrug emoji. This can change quickly, don't get me wrong, but momentum is a very hard thing to manufacture. Complacency. Something quite telling about the take on this team not being far from 2019 is that it acknowledges this team hasn't changed much, in terms of who is expected to be the gamechangers, from that time. Kreilach and Rusnak are still the points of emphasis. They're 2 years older and neither has shown a trajectory that makes me believe they're getting better. 2020 Jekyll and Hyde. RSL last year found a way to beat LAFC 3-0, cRapids 4-1, Por 2-1, and drew with Seattle 2-2. But it also lost to cRapids 0-5, Vancouver 1-2 (twice), and LAG 1-2. The team made no sense. Freddy couldn't find a way to get this team to keep any sort of consistency from game to game. Uncertainty. I've had the opportunity to be at the academy quite a few times over the past few months for academy games. The vibe around the building is weird. Many of the folks there talk in a manner where you can feel they don't have plans beyond the end of the month from a professional perspective. This doesn't breed successful. The longer the club remains "for sale" the longer that sits over the players heads. The staff's heads. It's the topic of discussion for RSL far more than the actual soccer. And the actual soccer ALWAYS references it. I feel truly terrible for these professionals to have that lack of control and to feel so powerless. Underperformance is understandable and honestly should be somewhat expected.
I am all for being optimistic and will give this team the benefit of the doubt. How to rank the season for me. Wooden Spoon-I think that RSL will not be the worst in MLS. I'm being optimistic. Finishing above the wooden spoon-Yes, I think they do. Making the playoffs-I think that this is the cutoff line. The best that they could possibly do is make the playoffs in the last spot. There are definitely, AT LEAST, 6 teams in the West better than RSL. AT LEAST 6 teams. Winning a playoff matchup-Are you kidding? Winning the Open Cup-Absolutely not CCL birth-Ha Ha MLS Cup-I don't do enough drugs to even think this is possible Freddy making it through the entire season? I would put the odds at 20% on a normal club. This RSL team and the current situation I put him as a lock to make it through the season, especially if they get anywhere near the playoff chase. Thus prolonging the agony.
It's the ownership question for me. If the interim gang didn't change gears in the offseason, there's no reason to hobble an incoming ownership group with a brand new coach this season. And Pablo as an interim is a pretty tough thing for me to imagine, so it's Freddy for 2021 for me.
So spot on with this. Here's a thought, who keeps this team together? Which player or players, coach or coaches, is/are the one(s) that has the ability to keep this team from spinning out of control? To keep them from just coming completely apart when this season gets tough? RSL lost a lot of leadership. A. LOT! Nick, Nedum, KB, are gone. Is it Kreilach? He might be the only one. We know Rusnak is not a leader and I doubt anyone is going to be able to step up to the challenge. Definitely no the new guys. If it is one of the new guys then that will be quite the indictment of this team and how it is constructed. I do not believe that Freddy has any ability to be that guy either. No freaking way. I think it's sad if losing Bofo and Baird has a negative impact on this team. These guys are journeyman MLS players at best. Passionate and firey for sure but a dime a freaking dozen in MLS. At least for what hey showed here. If they do become more than that in the league then congratulations to the teams that figured out a way to help them reach a higher level. They certainly weren't ever going to get that here. Savarino. That's a loss. For sure. Even though he stagnated under Freddy. Which should be expected when your coach is Freddy. I loved Sam. On the right team this guy could kill in MLS. IF, and it's a big IF, he really wanted to play soccer. This team wins in spite of not because of Freddy. This team has 7 out of the first 10 games at home. I expect a good start and then after that it is one hell of challenging schedule.
Yes. A normal club with an actual owner and Freddy probably gets sent packing last season, even with the COVID. With the current owner situation I think Freddy is safe, IF, he keeps this team any where near 7th in the West. If RSL is getting splinters riding the wooden spoon to the the bottom of the table what does the interim representation have to lose? Fire Freddy and promote an assistant. If they suck that bad new owners should and would absolutely clean house any way.
If you fire Freddy let all the assistants go, too. Let them apply for the HC job. So tired of keeping the assistants of fired coaches. Let the new guy pick who he wants, every time. I've been hearing that Pablo is really helping out the club. Everyone says Freddy knows tactics, but he didn't have a grasp on some of the other parts of being a HC. Supposedly Pablo has those and more. Hoping to see some new ideas on the field and adjustments if they don't work. I can't believe I forgot about Sava, you got me there. Fair point on leadership, too. Those guys weren't always leaders, so maybe there's a few guys on their way like they were at one point. I know it can go both ways, but maybe RSL can catch MUFC and SKC off-guard with the first two games. With the schedule congestion, I think they can make a run at the Open Cup. D.C. did it...
Um, y'all know the USOC is only going to invite 8 MLS teams based on PPG through the first 3 games, yeah? RSL has to somehow get points (likely 4) in the Minn and SKC game to be a candidate. I just don't see that happening. Further, there are serious doubts the USOC even happens. The widdled down version is everything the Open Cup shouldn't be. It's supposed to be, you know, OPEN.
RSL hasn't adjusted the assistant coach staff when changing the head coach... ever? right? That is a super weird thing. I get contract negotiations work out to have a different timeline for each. And we know from Spence Checketts that Dave refused to put staff like that on the same timeline as it created a negotiation nightmare for him, but holy cow. I am super nervous this team is going to turn to Pablo Mastroeni like the Vikings turned to Brett Favre. That was some of the hardest years to be a Vikings fan. I still can't believe this club didn't hire Fraser in the two chances it had. It's also worth pointing out that this club has only gone non-insular once (petke) and that had the whole "trial run" with the Monarchs thing built into it. I'd love to get into the ear of new ownership (if/when it happens) and suggest they try something new. Go pull a SJ and get a promising foreign coach, especially from Mexico/South America, to change the identity of this team.
Maybe Fraser didn't want to come back.... but yeah. We really missed out on him IMO. I'm STOKED to have the 15 points back!!! Yes!!! Lastly, I applaud all the efforts to build optimism, esp @Med_Phys. But I think ya'll are gonna get drowned out by @goobx1 and @15 to 32 no matter what. Keep The Faith!! EMBRATSUSU!!! (I'm adding SUper)
Roster compliance day is tomorrow for all but HOU and SJ (play tomorrow). RSL have too many projected Supplemental Roster players and 30 (counting Wood) players already (max of 30). https://www.mlssoccer.com/clubs/real-salt-lake/roster/ Who moves to the Senior Roster? Who goes on loan to the Monarchs (officially)? Is anyone listed as unavailable (Morgan in 2020)? I say Dewsnup gets the official Monarchs loan, nobody is listed as unavailable and Martinez, Putna and Portillo get moved to the Senior Roster.
Julio, Rubin, Dewsnup, Davis, Halsey, and Powder are listed as "Unavailable" on the Player Status column. Morgan is listed as "Loaned Out". Thats... a thing. I'm guessing that'll change by tomorrow otherwise wow Senior Roster right now has 16 players, not including Wood (that'll make 17) so 3 open slots remain. Supplemental Slots 21-24 are filled by 6 players, so 2 have to "graduate" Supplemental Slots 25-28 are filled by 5 players, so 2 have to "graduate" Supplemental Slots 29-30 are filled by Dewsnup and Davis. Dewsnup will be on the full season loan so this will be a landing spot for one of the above. Going to check in on that page again tomorrow to see if Fall completely tied his hands and filled the senior roster spots. Is there a way he can adjust to make it so the senior roster spot is the open slot?
So glad to be "lumped" together with 15! It's taken quite a bit of work and I hope he can recover from this blemish on his permanent BigSoccer record. I hope RSL does well. Really well. I'm just done with being a pollyanna for this team after DLH, Petke, Cassar, Freddy, and on and on. I'm an RSL fan through and through but they have to prove it to me before I get all hunky dory again. You can't simply Rah Rah Sis Boom Bah yourself out of the predicament they have put themselves into at this point. I also don't get anyone that continues to give the coaching on this team a pass. Great, he adopted a cat, good for Freddy. Maybe learn how to ********ing sub and count to 5 and I wouldn't be so down on the guy. Also, 500. ******** you Freddy.
You forgot the other category just for Morgan: "Disappeared" or "On a Secret Mission" or "In Witness Protection" maybe. (Seriously, nobody still knows where the guy was last year - perhaps not even Morgan. We ought to keep an eye out for a Manchurian Candidate sort of scenario with him.)
Is it typical GM practice to exceed international slot limitations in the offseason with the expectation of them being corrected by the roster deadline? Given the immigration setup in this country, this felt an extremely dumb game of chicken. Maybe I'm off in this, though, and this is BAU for MLS GM roster construction
International slots not exceeded, right? Are forgetting spot from Baird trade, or are we all still neglecting Rusnak's green card a couple years back? Also there is no problem having "too many" developmental roster spots when you have open Sr. roster spots. A serious issue going the other direction, but extremely easy to sign a player who qualifies for developmental roster to Sr. roster spot.
Don't disagree with the overall premise of this, but listing HOU is a bit ironic considering your point. They suffered two HUGE losses with the departures of Alberth Ellis and Mauro Manotas. Their fans complaining that they've done nothing to fill that attacking void.
As far as the 7 of 10 home games go, I think that's going to be used as an excuse for the back half of the season. We'll fail to get good points during this run, then we'll get to listen to Dunny bemoan how tough it is now because we have so many away games, ignoring the flip side from the start of the season.
I think 15 is referring to Elliot's plans for last year. Supposedly a few guys (Silva, Luiz, Ruiz, Kreilach?) were lined up to get green cards before the pandemic. When that didn't happen, the couldn't carry someone on the roster and Morgan was the odd man out. This year there are 8 international slots and I would assume they are all being used. Hopefully at least 3 get green cards and we can start trading the slots for allocation money. The power ranking average from the soapbox has RSL clustered with Montreal, DC, Vancouver and Cincy, just behind HOU and ATX. I agree that I'd rather the team have too many supplemental roster players than senior roster players, but the problem still remains that you can only have 30 players and there are only so many ways to open a spot, most of which have some kind of cost. Even with the schedule congestion, I don't know why Elliot built the roster this way, unless he knows they can't add enough difference makers this season without discretionary funds from an owner, which is sounding unlikely to happen before the end of the season. Also, we need to find out if Ramirez will be converted to a Young Money designation so we have 2 DP openings, maybe 3 if Albert leaves (does his contract expire after this year?).