It may be premature to say Real Salt Lake has turned a corner, but the last two matches have seen RSL trending toward a team to be reckoned with. Statistically and aesthetically, Salt Lake is much closer to the team that the club and its fans have grown to know and love over the last several years and envisioned for this year. Now it’s a matter of keeping that level of play consistently over the final eight matches of the season as the playoffs draw nearer.
For Technical Director Craig Waibel, the answer to the question of why things looked so much different in consecutive home matches against the Portland Timbers – even in defeat – and Seattle Sounders FC lies simply in player selection. With more players available, Head Coach Jeff Cassar is able to use a lineup closer to his top lineup.
“For a long part of this season … we really haven’t ended up with first-choice selection in terms of our lineup,” Waibel said on his weekly interview on The Bill & OC Show on ESPN 700. “There are players that still need to develop who are ready to contribute, but contribute as substitutes and occasionally start games. They’ve been called upon to start much, much more. Most of that is due to random, crazy injuries.”
With all but Chris Schuler available for selection, the emergence of Luis Silva as an offensive weapon in multiple roles since his trade from D.C. United in July and the arrival of Juan Martinez, the on-field chemistry is growing stronger as well. With the possibility of a more consistent, high-quality lineup, the play on the field has been reflective of that.
The matches against Portland and Seattle saw RSL produce two of the top three passing performances for the club this season, connecting 430 and 442 passes, respectively. In those matches, RSL also had possession numbers (64.8 and 58.0 percent) that drive a successful team.
“Over the course of the last few games – the possession numbers, the amount of passes we’re connecting, the chances we’re creating and the possession within the attacking third have really been the difference,” Waibel said. “We’re adding another really solid player in Juan Martinez. The group is starting to click. If we can stay healthy, I assume with health we will maintain that sharpness.”
As the end of the regular season gets closer, the margin for error shrinks. A stretch of two important home matches over the last two weeks now transitions into two highly important road matches against FC Dallas on Saturday and the Houston Dynamo on September 12.
“If we can go on this trip and take four (points) out of our next two games, we’d be in a very, very good spot to finish strong and have a really legitimate shot at the playoffs with as tight as the Western Conference is. Aside from that, if you lose one, you’ve got to win the other. If you tie both, you’re ok. There’s not many other scenarios,” Waibel said. “At this point in the season, we’ve donated too many points along the way to pretend that losses are ok. We’re in a win-as-many-as-possible or talk-about-what-could’ve-been situation.”
To hear the full interview with Waibel, click here.
