Matchday 3, Friday May 7, RSL vs San Jose Earthquakes

Discussion in 'Real Salt Lake' started by kirsoccer, May 4, 2021.

  1. kirsoccer

    kirsoccer BigSoccer Supporter

    Jun 29, 2007
    #1 kirsoccer, May 4, 2021
    Last edited: May 4, 2021
    A rare Friday night match at home. Current weather shows Friday as start of a cooling trend after a warm week - so keep an eye on that.

    If it's not broke, don't fix it, but what will the statuses of Julio and Herrera be? Also, haven't heard anything official but sounded like expectation was multiple weeks for Luiz with his injury.

    Projected starting XI
    Rubin
    Julio (Meram) ----- Kreilach ---- Rusnak
    Besler (Luiz) ---- Ruiz
    Toia ---- Glad ---- Silva ---- Herrera (Brody)
    Ochoa

    Bench: McMath, Powder, Holt, Brody, Portillo, Chang, Meram, Martinez, Morgan

    Opposing players to keep an eye on: Cade Cowell (2 goals, 3 assists), Jackson Yeuill (brace last match) ; both made this week's MLS team of the week, and Cowell was named Player of the Week.

    Opponent key stats: 7 goals in first 3 matches

    For me, a competitive match in this one will prove something to me. Appreciative of the good start to this point, but also open to it being a bit fluke-ish. San Jose are clearly a quality opponent and a win on Friday just might indicate this version of RSL will be more competitive than the squad of the last couple of seasons.

    Note: although I didn't really pay attention to stats during 2020, I keep hearing references on podcasts about RSL creating chances in bunches last year. If so, that's not really been the case this year - I don't think RSL is anywhere near top of league in xG stats so far. However, the quality of the chances have been really good, and more importantly the finishing has been sublime. It will be intriguing to see if the finishing continues this week (and throughout the season).

    P.S. checkout the face of Seitzy after the blast from Yeuill on this goal.
     
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  2. evilradar

    evilradar Member

    Real Salt Lake
    United States
    Apr 4, 2019
    Cade Cowell is going eat Donny Toia's lunch.
     
  3. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm super excited to see a 17 year old academy product get his chance. Sad that it's not one of ours, but I'll take any promising young talent I can.

    I'm really curious how this team plays without Herrera and Julio from the start. The tactical approach from SKC was built to respect those two and their abilities. The rotation threw them off, for sure (credit to the subs is due). However, SJ is a completely different beast. The man marking setup, on its own, is going to put these players under a microscope.

    This game has all the makings of being a high scoring really fun match, and I'm going to be there... so I got a 0-0 snoozefest.
     
  4. goobx1

    goobx1 Member+

    Jul 9, 2007
    Salt Lake
    I’m in the who the heck knows what will happen camp.

    I definitely think if Julio is out that is big for RSL. Teams haven’t yet adjusted or really been prepared for what he gives RSL so far. I expect teams to make it more difficult for him moving forward.

    I’m expecting a reality check for someone on Friday. Could be me, could be Freddy, who knows?

    my gut says Minnesota and KC sucked more than RSL was good so I’m expecting SJ to put 4 on RSL.

    the question is how many will RSL score?
     
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  5. RoyalNonesuch

    RoyalNonesuch Member+

    May 10, 2009
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    KIR - Great preview post to start this thread.

    Historically SJ has stolen points from RSL repeatedly at the RioT. This year, after scoring a single goal (and losing) at Houston, the Quakes scored 3.5 goals per game in their home stand vs. DC and Dallas, while conceding only 2.

    Let's hope recent road form (from a sample size of one) trumps the Josers history of late goals at the RioT.

    The way Herrera ran off the pitch gives me hope he might be in the 18...but I wouldn't bet on Hamstrings improving so quickly for Julio...or maybe that's just personal PTSD from my hamstrings popping regularly once I crested 37 (and 190 pounds) in the over 30 SLC league.
     
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  6. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Only if Toia's lunch includes protein
    upload_2021-5-4_14-49-4.jpeg
    [​IMG]
    Good lord. He's 17!?
     
  7. rslfanboy

    rslfanboy Member+

    Jul 24, 2007
    Section 26
    You fool! :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

    I think I now can conceptually confirm that I have, long ago, played against you at some point.
     
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  8. rslfanboy

    rslfanboy Member+

    Jul 24, 2007
    Section 26
    Clearly should have gone rugby. Could have been a runt in the top leagues.
     
  9. georg

    georg Member+

    May 25, 2009
    Parowan, Utah
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not counting on 3 points but a 3-0 start to this season would be pretty sweet.
     
  10. kirsoccer

    kirsoccer BigSoccer Supporter

    Jun 29, 2007
    In case you hadn't already heard, Luiz out for this match (and maybe several more). Herrera and Julio day-to-day.
     
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  11. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The move to replace Luiz with Besler rather than drop Kreilach back was telling and something to watch on this one. With the team having a full week prep for SJ, does that change? Does Freddy value Kreilach at the AM or was he trying to get all of Luiz/Ruiz/Kreilach/Rusnak on the field? I think, if you see Kreilach at the AM in this game then Rusnak's value in this team has completely disappeared. On the wing, he's really inefficient. Not that he's loads better centrally, but he's a ghost out wide

    All of this without mentioning that Rusnak, somehow, wears the captain's armband. how is this happening?
     
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  12. SenordrummeR2

    SenordrummeR2 Member+

    Jul 21, 2008
    Layton, UT
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think, similar to what Dunny and Trey have said, that putting the captain's armband was an effort to get more out of Rusnak. Maybe they saw making him the captain as a way to get him more involved and make him stop disappearing. Kreilach is already a leader with or without the label, but Rusnak should be taking more of a leadership role based on his time with the team.
     
  13. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #13 15 to 32, May 6, 2021
    Last edited: May 6, 2021
    Thats... an approach, I guess?

    To me, that really de-values what that armband is meant to be. I love that there are other leaders/captains on the team, but using that thing as a means to try to get more out of a player seems the backwards way of doing it. It also is just waiting for an issue with the other players to say they've had enough of their efforts not being rewarded or recognized. Abusing Kreilach's good person nature isn't the way to do this. That guy is the captain in everything we see. He should wear the armband.

    That said, I don't attend trainings and such for this club. The games (while the key performance indicator) only account for a fraction of the time this team/club spends together. I'm hopeful Rusnak operates as a captain in those other settings (training, locker room, communications, player emotions/management, etc.) otherwise this is a timebomb that the club is hoping doesn't go off
     
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  14. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If I'm making the starting XI, given the injury report, I go with this:

    Rubin
    Chang Rusnak Meram
    Kreilach Ruiz
    Toia Silva Glad Brody
    Ochoa

    Bench: MacMath, Morgan, Holt, Herrera*, Portillo, Besler, Julio**, Dougy, (unused sub)

    *I'd rest Herrera here and have him on the bench if he passes the fitness test. It's too early to push it. If he fails the test, move Powder into his bench spot
    **Julio I'd more likely not even have in the gameday roster. If he somehow passes the test, sure, put him on the bench and maybe bring him on for 15. Ideally, you give him this one off and fill that bench spot with Iloski or some kid Freddy will forget is on the bench. I'll be sad to not see Julio play in person, but this is the right decision

    If you keep Kreilach at the AM spot (I wouldn't be upset by this) then Rusnak slides right and Meram flips to the left, probably. Chang to the bench and Besler next to Ruiz.
     
  15. Ismitje

    Ismitje Super Moderator

    Dec 30, 2000
    The Palouse
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Knowing Damir and how he credits Albert for helping him when he came to Salt Lake, I can see Kreilach suggesting Rusnak as the captain. Certainly Damir wouldn't be the kind of person clamoring for the armband. I think he'd look at it as both a non-issue and a distraction if it became a point of contention.

    (Which, I know, is another thing which recommends him as captain. :))
     
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  16. evilradar

    evilradar Member

    Real Salt Lake
    United States
    Apr 4, 2019
    I mean there was that SLTrib article that said Rusnak had been organizing team workout sessions since January that a majority of the team attended. I think in the same article there was a quote from Freddy who said he'd let the team decide who was going to be captain. I wouldn't be surprised if Rusnak was the captain the team voted for.
     
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  17. rslfanboy

    rslfanboy Member+

    Jul 24, 2007
    Section 26
    I'm sure there's a lot we don't see, but it is odd that we don't see Albert take more charge on game day. I remember him being pretty critical of Cassar's lack of concern for conditioning, saying he had never been asked to do so little since he was 14 or something.

    Rusnak was awesome, Savarino too, right when Petke took over. That was a really fun end-run of the season, even though they flamed out the last couple of games.

    It would be great to see him regain that passion. We know he can do it.
     
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  18. goobx1

    goobx1 Member+

    Jul 9, 2007
    Salt Lake
    Since the end of the 2013 season the last month or two of 2017 were really the only positive signs of hope for me. All wasted very early in 2018 and to date.

    That was some fun and exciting soccer to watch. Not much has compared since then. Sadly.
     
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  19. kirsoccer

    kirsoccer BigSoccer Supporter

    Jun 29, 2007
    At start of season, Freddy said Rusnak was captain, but then went on to say that Damir and Glad were sort of co-captains. Did anyone else catch that? Sounded very wishy-washy to me, and didn't come off as a full endorsement of Rusnak as his captain.

    I'm a huge fan of Almeyda as a coach. He's shown a very aggressive pressing style of soccer ala SKC from mid-2010's. That worries me if Besler is in the XI as I think he's poor in those situations. Not sure how Brody would deal with that either if he's in there for Herrera.
     
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  20. Beerking

    Beerking Member+

    Nov 14, 2000
    Humboldt County
    Pardon my butting in but do you know if RSL will be streaming this game at all tonight? Facebook or youtube perhaps? We Quakes fans are rather pissed off that our front office didn't bother to show the game live so any help would be greatly appreciated. :)
     
  21. boris9678

    boris9678 Member+

    RSL
    United States
    Apr 30, 2007
    Singapore
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    It usually stream on the following link without a paywall...unless it is geoblocked. I've watched it out of market many times but not sure if I had to use my vpn. https://video.ksltv.com/rslonksl. ESPN+ stream should be live as well.
     
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  22. boris9678

    boris9678 Member+

    RSL
    United States
    Apr 30, 2007
    Singapore
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    #22 boris9678, May 7, 2021
    Last edited: May 7, 2021
    I suspect the results of tonight's game will be a reality check one way or another on the pleasantly surprising start to the year. First win felt like chance, second could have been coincidence, a third would show this is a real pattern of winning. Or it could go the other way and confirm coincidence.

    My prediction is that all of us hoping to see if this team really has something going will be faced with a confusing 1-1 draw.
     
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  23. boris9678

    boris9678 Member+

    RSL
    United States
    Apr 30, 2007
    Singapore
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    I'll be watching from home. Still HATE my memories of the last time I went to SJ at the RioT. My wonderful brother-in-law struck a deal on some first row seats on the east side. We are among the dejected fans in the background as Alan Gordon celebrates his goal. It was such a frustrating game where we had a number of close chances that weren't finished and then two garbage goals from SJ (but aren't all their goals kinda that way?).
     
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  24. Beerking

    Beerking Member+

    Nov 14, 2000
    Humboldt County
    Thank you kindly, I'll give it a try! :)
     
  25. Goodsport

    Goodsport Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 18, 1999
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks, but our front office already is showing the game live via the NBC Sports app (which I'd rather watch rather than risk catching potential spyware from an unofficial link of the game anyway).

    Today's just one of those rare days when our regional NBC Sports channels (Bay Area and California) and their alternates are already showing a lot of our other local teams live at the same time and that this game's live stream can only be rebroadcast on any of those channels later tonight.

    Thanks anyway and let's hope for a good game. :)


    -G
     

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