Yeah, yeah, yeah. We all know that Real Salt Lake went to New England to play the Revolution on Saturday with a roster so depleted by injuries, international call-ups, and suspensions that only 16 players made the trip.
We know that coach Jeff Cassar had to change his formation back a 4-4-2 to accommodate the few players he had available, that the Revs are one of the top teams in the East (especially with Jermaine Jones back in the fold), and that
What wasn’t expected was the effort that RSL put in on Saturday evening. In a performance that was eerily reminiscent of Real’s drubbing at the hands of the LA Galaxy in last season’s playoffs, RSL was thoroughly shellacked by a Revolution side that made everything look easy.
Case in point: New England appeared to put on a master class as to how to switch the ball effectively. The first two goals were a result of the Revs overloading their right side (RSL’s left) and catching the defense on the far side napping. Mission accomplished there.
Tactically and depth-wise, Real had a lot of obstacles to overcome before they even set foot on the pitch. The first few minutes weren’t particularly spectacular for either side, and RSL even found a few chances on goal in the first half.
Not much good for RSL came out of the match in New England
Photo: Kari Heistad
But as soon as New England scored its first goal, Real completely collapsed both mentally and physically. Some players looked exhausted, others disappeared for 10-15 minutes as a stretch, others couldn’t catch a break, and some seemed to be simply going through the motions.
The circumstances surrounding the match had to be frustrating for the players. However, to see RSL not only fail to rise to the occasion, but to seemingly give up was disheartening for the fans. Through all the lineup changes, formation adjustments, and injuries this season, the effort and fight weren’t lacking until now.
The few bright spots? Jeff Attinella, who kept RSL from conceding three or four more goals. He not only seemed to “stand on his head” at times, but practically did a full Olympic-level tumbling pass in goal on a few occasions.
Cassar’s substitutions seemed fairly sound as well — when Pecka and Sandoval came on, Real was able to find more possession and look less hapless.
Hopefully for the club and the fans, this was a one-off and the players can regroup before Friday’s match against San Jose. Not only will RSL be playing at home and on national television, but it will be a chance for Real to re-assert itself against a conference foe.
