Season Preview: REAL SALT LAKE

Welcome to my 7th annual MLS season preview, this year with a dedicated preview for each club. Lets get stuck in with Real Salt Lake...



IN:
M Sebastian Saucedo (7/24/14 - Homegrown)
D Jamison Olave (12/10/14 - trade from New York)
D Boyd Okwuonu (1/15/15 - SuperDraft)
M Wellington "Pecka" Paeckart (1/16/15 - free)
D Phanuel Kavita (1/17/15 - Homegrown)
D Demar Phillips (1/23/15 - free)
D Aaron Maund (1/30/15 - re-signed)
D Elias Vasquez (2/24/15 - free)


OUT:
D Rich Balchan (12/1/14 - option declined)
F Benji Lopez (12/1/14 - option declined)
D Aaron Maund (12/1/14 - option declined)
M Cole Grossman (12/1/14 - out of contract)
D Nat Borchers (12/8/14 - traded to Portland)
M Ned Grabavoy (12/10/14 - Expansion Draft to NYCFC)
D Chris Wingert (12/10/14 - Expansion Draft to NYCFC)
F Robbie Findley (12/12/14 - Re-Entry Stage 1 Draft)
M Sebastian Velasquez (12/18/14 - traded to NYCFC)
D Carlos Salcedo (1/6/15 - transfer to Guadalajara)


MANAGER: Jeff Cassar



Now in his second season, manager Jeff Cassar has seemingly killed the Real Salt Lake well known 4-4-2 tight diamond formation in favor of a 4-3-3 or 4-2-1-2-1 formation.

Up front, much improved star man, the minuscule Plata has been lost during preseason due to a broken foot, putting the attack in a bit of flux. In his absence, the quality veteran Saborio looks to be the main man up top, with the pace filled Garcia and Jaime the wide men in an attacking front 3.

In the midfield, the creative force of Javier Morales returns, with defense minded Kyle Beckerman behind him to cover for the defensive frailties of the front men. A new wrinkle in light of the Grabavoy departure will be bright young thing Luis Gil into the mid. While Gil would like to work his way into the number 10 position occupied by Morales, for now it seems Cassar just wants to get him on the field and will slot him next to Beckerman in a more defensive role, though you would imagine with the work rate of Beckerman, he would be allowed more chances to push forward on the counter.

Defensively, with the departures of Wingert, Salcedo, and Borchers, Schuler will be joined in the center of defense by the returning to Salt Lake Olave, while Beltran will be joined at fullback by the solid Phillips. As usual, they will be protecting a goal covered by the ageless Nick Rimando.

Over all, Real Salt Lake still has a veteran presence, with added youth and pace to spice things up for the 2015 season. While a case can be made for RSL to be competing for the Western Conference, a case can also be made that new tactics and injuries could see them well outside the playoff places in a conference now containing Sporting KC and Houston Dynamo, as well as the usual suspect powerhouses. RSL will no doubt be in the conversation all season long, but I see them falling just short, especially if they lose the likes of Beckerman (and perhaps Gil) during the Gold Cup this summer.


2014 Western Conference Finish: 3rd
Predicted 2015 Western Conference Finish: 6th


Thank you for reading my season preview for Real Salt Lake, please feel free to check out any or all of the other previews, and remember, as always, MLS Matters.