RSL plays better, but still no result.

Stucki · 09-04-2005, 07:32 PM

After watching a frustrating display by Real Salt Lake in a mid-week loss to DC United, RSL supporters were presented with a much better performance against Eastern Conference leaders New England. RSL controlled much of the match and out shot the visitors 13 to 6. RSL also had two shots on goal to New England's one, but that one shot most likely put Khano Smith on the list for goal of the week.

After a corner kick by RSL, Smith pounced on the clearance and raced down the left flank accompanied by RSL's Brian Kammler who was unable to turn Smith away from goal. No additional help came as Smith was able to elude Kammler and beat DJ Countess to the far post for the only score of the game.

Despite the home loss, there were bright spots for RSL. New acquisition Melvin Tarley looked sharp in a target role up top and speed on both flanks with Scarlett and Gregorio provided dangerous chances throughout the game.

With an appearance in the playoffs looking less and less likely for this season, RSL's young acquisitions give supporters hope for the future. As Colorado continues to put more distance between them and RSL, a Rocky Mt. Cup win may be the last chance for hardware for the inaugural season.

Dadof3 · 09-05-2005, 10:47 AM

I think you are spot-on re there being hope for the future.

As we all know, there is no way...barring a miraculous turn of form for both RSL and the Crapids...that we make the play-offs.

So we get to spend the rest of the year figuring out who can really play and how to make this team as strong as possible going forward. I think the NE game gave us a great deal of information and good reason to believe this team will be in the hunt next year...here's why...

The 3-5-2:
We finally have most of the players to make this work.

Outside wingbacks: Both Scarlett and Gregorio are perfect outside wingbacks. They play good defense, they have plenty of speed, they both have skills and can cross the ball well...2 very good pick-ups by Ellinger and the front office.👍

Back 3: We have three players who can play the center of the 3 (Pope, Dunny, Akwari), but only 2 who can play the outsides...Broome, Cabrera (Akwari in a pinch). Dunny is just too slow to play the outside, he cannot cover for our wingbacks, and his passing has been horrible...but, he is tough as nails and can play the middle when Pope is unavailable. With that all said, with Cabrera, Pope, Broome and our wingbacks, I am very happy with our D.

D mid: Still a huuuuuuuuge problem. Kammy wasn't as exposed there as he was when we played a 4 person mid, but he is not the answer. Cutler is adequate, but if you really want to play the 3-5-2, you must have someone better. Here's hoping that a full pre-season with the team gets Besagno up to speed...he has the bite and size, just needs the knowledge. As I mentioned on another post, Cabrera could probably pull this off, but then we weaken the backs.

A mids: If we stick with this system for the rest of the year, we should get a really clear picture whether Mathis and Williams will ever be able to co-exist in the A-mid. If not, we will probably see RSL jettison one of them. (Which one?...I have no idea...but lets just say we pay one of them waaaay more than the other for similar results). The concern at the beginning of the year was that the 2 of them play too similarly...and that is still the concern. They both have the same weakness...neither of them runs off the ball offensively. They both stand around letting others run for them (which did not work the last 10 minutes on Sat because the others did not know where to run) and then do their magic when they get the ball. The only way for this to work is for one of them to make attacking off-the-ball runs every time we get forward. The other can check to the ball and act as the quarterback, but we need to see a penetrating run from one of them (see Gomez from DC) every time to unbalance the defense. The formation should allow them the freedom to do so because we have 6 players on D behind them.

Forwards: The 3-5-2 can only work if Tarley is playing. Skip the fact that he is fast and can beat players on the dribble. He is also strong as a horse so we can knock long balls to him which he will win and then hold and look for cutters...i.e. Kreis and one of the A-mids. We do not have anyone else who is even close in ability to win and hold the ball. We will also get the rest of the year to see if Kreis can change how he plays up front. Right now he is dropping into the mid to try and gets balls to his feet (because balls to his head or over the top are a waste of time and effort), and he has been trying to give RSL some midfield pressure on the ball. With Tarley, he should not do either. Now he needs to play as high as possible and in tandem with Tarley, so, when Tarley wins the ball, he has an immediate option to whom he can release and then cut to goal off the ball. Last game Kreis was waaaay to far back in the midfield...he was nowhere to be seen when Tarley won balls. The good news is that Kreis now has the freedom to do what matches his strengths...he is free to run all over up front to make the D adjust to him and to allow him the opportunity to get in dangerous scoring positions...he no longer has to worry about being the #1 option for balls played to him with his back to goal...and he can focus his defensive efforts on pressuring the backs, not the mids.

Last: GK. As we saw Sat, with the 3-5-2, we should not give up the # of crosses we have given up all year long. Teams will have to come straight up the gut through our D-mid. In this scenario, I prefer DJ to Schrek...he is the better shot-stopper.

Long story short: I like it. The pieces are in place for this team to be successful. Now the players have the pressure to get the job done, and, if they don't, they will be gone (yes, that is directed at Mathis and Williams).

Scholesy · 09-05-2005, 04:53 PM

Officially it was a 3-4-3, I really liked it much better than normal. We were much more threatening, we had more chances we just need to finish them better. There are some players that won't be back next season.

Stucki · 09-05-2005, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scholesy

Officially it was a 3-4-3, I really liked it much better than normal. We were much more threatening, we had more chances we just need to finish them better. There are some players that won't be back next season.

I don't suppose you can give us a hint. How many of them will be leaving by their choice?

Scholesy · 09-05-2005, 05:33 PM

Oh I doubt more than 1 or 2 by choice, just a personal opinion.

Stucki · 09-05-2005, 05:35 PM

How big is the turnover going to be? I assume most of the developmental guys will stay, what about the rest of the roster?

SoccerPrime · 09-06-2005, 06:20 AM

Not to derail the conversation, but most MLS teams have incredible turn over in the off-seasons.
A rare exception would be New England, who kept a good core of players from last year, for obvious reasons.

And another good thing from this past weekend, Cabrera probably won't be too busy next summer as he won't be making any flight plans to Germany any time soon.

Dadof3 · 09-06-2005, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scholesy

Officially it was a 3-4-3, I really liked it much better than normal. We were much more threatening, we had more chances we just need to finish them better. There are some players that won't be back next season.

It was actually the best of both worlds...we had more chances and they had waaaaaay fewer than we have been giving up recently. You could also count the number of crosses they got off on one hand.

Loyal1 · 09-08-2005, 10:54 PM

I was told that we won't have the same roster because we don't want the same results.

About the goal. At the time I thought it was Broome escorting Smith down the field. Later media types said it was Dunseth. Now it says here that it was Kamler. Not that it really matters but I remember a similar play earlier in the season when DJ was screaming for the defender to foul out near midfield. It does seem like a nice time for the old professional foul. It looked like a drill where you "let" the offensive guy get off a shot.

Jim Umber · 09-10-2005, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loyal1

I was told that we won't have the same roster because we don't want the same results.

About the goal. At the time I thought it was Broome escorting Smith down the field. Later media types said it was Dunseth. Now it says here that it was Kamler. Not that it really matters but I remember a similar play earlier in the season when DJ was screaming for the defender to foul out near midfield. It does seem like a nice time for the old professional foul. It looked like a drill where you "let" the offensive guy get off a shot.

So the question is..."Who was that guy?"

I agree that we looked a lot better. We're no longer push-overs. And I agree...we don't want the same results next year.

I think we're a lot closer to having a real contender now, than ever before.

PS: I like your signature.