Around Major League Soccer, there is a slew of big storylines driving the news cycle of teams around the league. In the past couple of weeks, MLSsoccer.com’s Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle has drawn attention to some of the more intriguing stories facing the league this season and two of them were focused on Real Salt Lake stars – Javier Morales and Nick Rimando.
Morales, at age 36, has been a somewhat unsung hero for RSL in his nine seasons with the club. Although the team has gotten considerable accolades and Morales was named MLS Bes XI in 2010, his exploits have been largely overlooked outside of Utah in the years since. Over the last three seasons, he has 25 goals and 34 assists – with no player in MLS surpassing both totals in the same span.
He has been unquestionably vital to RSL in that time and Doyle writes that he will be even moreso in 2016.
“The simple fact is that there's no ready-made replacement should Father Time truly catch up with Morales. … A full season of (Juan Manuel) Martinez and -- hopefully -- a healthy Joao Plata should ease the burden a bit, but for the past decade the reality is that when Morales isn't making chances, RSL are a static and predictable team. They can't afford for him to act his age in 2016. For one more year, at least, the greatest player in franchise history needs to win the fight against Father Time.”
To read the full column from Doyle, click here.
Meanwhile Rimando has grown legendary for his ability to stop penalty kicks. We all saw him make the save on Andre-Pierre Gignac in the CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals a week ago in Mexico and that was just a glimpse into his overpowering presence when the ball is 12 yards away. In the last three seasons, Rimando has saved seven penalties, with two others missing the frame in the 16 attempts he has faced since 2013.
But Doyle writes about Rimando’s incredible ability with the ball at his feet.
“That, more than the PK saves, will be Rimando's legacy when he retires. The position has changed a lot over the last 25 years -- a change that started in Latin America, but has been turbocharged by The Manuel Neuer Show, airing weekly in Bavaria. For young American and Canadian 'keepers growing up with MLS, they've had their own version of that player to pattern their games upon over the last 15 years. I'm looking forward to seeing how the next generation of young 'keepers builds upon that in the next 15.”
For the full story on Rimando, click here.
