2017 Record: 13-15-6, 45 points
Coach: Mike Petke
Key Additions: A printer. DEF Adam Henley (Blackburn Rovers), MID Jefferson Savarino (Zulia FC), FWD Brooks Lennon (Loan ended-signed contract), MID Pablo Ruiz (San Luis), FWD Alfredo Otuno (Real Valladolid)
Key Departures: DEF Chris Wingert (retired), DEF Chris Schuler (released)
The Big Question: Can Petke find enough playing time for all of his forwards?
Having an attacking corps that features Yura Movsisyan, Brooks Lennon, Joao Plata, Sebastian Saucedo, Alfredo Otuno, and Jordan Allen is an awfully good problem to have if you are Petke especially given how many high-scoring sides there are in the Western Conference. But there is also the quandry of trying to make everyone happy which can always be a precarious balancing act on the attacking end.
Last season Petke liked to use a 4-5-1 with Brooks Lennon (3 goals) and Yura Movsisyan (7 goals) as the lone forward and either Allen, Plata, or Jefferson Savarino as outside midfielders. That formation opened things up in the attacking third for midfielder Albert Rusnak, who quietly had an exceptional first season in MLS (7 goals, 14 assists). The problem with replicating this success in 2018 is a.) Movsisyan was openly not pleased with his minutes at the end of last season (and was nearly traded to Los Angeles in the offseason) and b.) Saucedo is ready to start. Moving Movsisyan could go a long way towards opening up some playing time.
Area to keep an eye on: Center-back
Barring an injury Justen Glad will be one of RSL’s two center-backs for the near future. The Untied States under-20 national team player has earned plenty of praise for his ability to read defenses and provide timely challenges. As for who will line up alongside him that is still very much an open debate. Marcelo Silva made nine starts last season and did a very good job at running down attackers and clearing shots out of the box. But he at times appeared to be out sync with Glad and had trouble with more physically imposing forwards. Both Shawn Barry and Adam Henley have experience at the center-back and given their pedigree may get a look should Silva falter. But overall the RSL defense looks much improved from last season and with a healthy Nick Rimando should help the side contend in the Western Conference.
Outcome: 3rd-5th in the Western Conference
In season one Petke was able to clear out some of the dead weight in the Real Salt Lake locker room and instill a sense of urgency and fire. Although they did come up just short for making the playoffs they increasingly became a side that no team wanted to play down the stretch. That is a credit to both Petke and RSL’s academy program who saw a large number of their players get minutes in 2017.
The question is now can they build off that 2017 finish? Much of this will depend upon Rusnak and Glad. Writers like to point to Nick Rimando being 38 and Kyle Beckerman being 35 and using that as a justification that the club might be too old to contend. But RSL had a real shift last season with Rusnak and Glad taking over the bulk of the work last season, both on and off the pitch. RSL may still have a few players from their previous era of glory and they are still certainly valuable. But they will live or die off of the work of Rusnak, Glad, and a very, young exciting roster. This is a side all other Western Conference teams should be worried about in 2018.
Real Salt Lake
MLS
