"This tournament will give us an opportunity to have a look at some players we have had in previous camps, and also a look at the new faces," said Nowak. "We don't want to be short-sighted with our selection for the Olympics. We want a whole picture that includes a variety of players, and to make sure we see every option before we make final choices."
Now in its fourth season, RSL has seen more dark days than bright ones, as evidenced by its career record of 23-53-25. But after assuming the coaching duties a year ago, Jason Kreis has embarked on an ambitious rebuilding project -- one that has seen him add tough-minded players like Kyle Beckerman and Dema Kovalenko, as well as Argentine imports Javier Morales and Fabian Espindola. While RSL's season record of 2-3-2 might suggest otherwise, Kreis feels his team is on the up.
• For his team's match last Saturday in Utah, Jason Kreis expected Dallas to play a 3-5-2, a more conventional setup, relatively speaking. Eager to match the numbers in midfield, the Real Salt Lake manager aligned his own side in a 3-5-2.
But Kreis had to make a first-half adjustment when Dallas instead emerged in a less conventional 3-4-3. So, off went Jamison Olave, one of three center backs who got the starting assignment. He made room for Andy Williams, who moved into the midfield. Meanwhile, Tony Beltran and Chris Wingert, who had lined up as outside midfielders, dropped back into the back line as RSL retreated into their more familiar 4-4-2.
Keepin' it Real: A Real World Review A Review of Week 7 for RSL Featuring: Soccer Prime
After watching all the games this year, and matches throughout their 3+ seasons of play, RSL always leaves me cringing at the end. Even when we are winning. I want that to stop, please. But I have to say, for the first time, RSL doesn’t look gassed out by the 60th minute which always seemed to be the case before the “Kreis era”...
All season long, fans have been lamenting that, despite RSL’s improvement over last season in terms of watchable soccer, the results haven’t necessarily been coming. So what happens last weekend? RSL starts off playing fairly horribly but manages a random goal, then concedes an equalizer, and finally manages to finish off the opponent despite not playing very well.
"That's what's hard about these games. Live and learn," said Real Salt Lake assistant coach Brian Johnson. "It's another valuable lesson learned. Winning at half doesn't mean you're going to win the game, you've got to continue to play for 90 minutes."
Kenny Cutler (8) -- Coach Jason Kreis called Cutler the man of the match, not bad for a 57th minute sub. Once Cutler entered the game, RSL’s midfield seemed to settle down and play much better.
"It was a decent little spurt of possession. Andy, that's what he does," Beckerman said of the game-winning play. "He can put that final pass for anybody. I knew it was coming, so I made the run. He put it on a plate for me and luckily I put it in."
Fine if it's a youth team that ends in a draw. At that level games should be more about learning skills and sportsmanship than always focusing on the outcome.
But in the pros? One team should walk off the field happy and the other highly irked it lost. Give me a little extra free ball, free kicks, thumb wrestling between the coaches, I don't care what it takes, just come up with a decisive result...
(Goals from Javier Morales and Kyle Beckerman lift RSL over FC Dallas)
Match Photos: RSL 2-1 FC Dallas
Boz Note:
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