As Real Salt Lake nears the final two matches of the 2017 MLS regular season, a few trends stand out. None are more prominent than the dramatic difference between the on-field results before July 4 and since the Independence Day roasting of the LA Galaxy at the StubHub Center. Since that 6-2 win in California, RSL has gone 7-2-4, taking 25 of a possible 39 points to climb from the bottom of the Western Conference standings into the thick of the playoff chase.
In those 13 matches, RSL has outscored its opponents 30-15 while posting four shutouts. Salt Lake has also scored in 12 of the 13 matches, the lone shutout coming in a scoreless draw with the Houston Dynamo on August 5. Prior to that run, RSL had been outscored 38-17 in 19 matches posting five shutouts, but being blanked eight times by the opposition.
The defense has been stout while the offense has posed a multi-pronged threat to opponents. The six attacking players who have seen the most time this season have seen improvements nearly across the board when it comes to chance creation, shots and shots on goal, particularly when viewed on a per-90-minutes basis.
Here is a look at how RSL’s biggest offensive threats have fared in the 13 matches since July 4 in comparison with the 19 matches before Independence Day.
Albert Rusnák
Pre July 4 – 15 GP, 14 GS, 1,242 MP, 3 G, 5 A, 35 CC (2.53/90), 31 S (2.25/90), 10 SOG (0.72/90)
Post July 4 – 13 GP, 13 GS, 1,157 MP, 4 G, 8 A, 54 CC (4.20/90), 46 S (3.58/90), 17 SOG (1.32/90)
Joao Plata
Pre July 4 – 15 GP, 13 GS, 1,138 MP, 2 G, 2 A, 32 CC (2.53/90), 42 S (3.32/90), 13 SOG (1.03/90)
Post July 4 – 12 GP, 12 GS, 1,017 MP, 5 G, 3 A, 43 CC (3.81/90), 49 S (4.37/90) , 16 SOG (1.42/90)
Jefferson Savarino
Pre July 4 – 8 GP, 6 GS, 589 MP, 1 G, 2 A, 12 CC (1.83/90), 20 S (3.06/90), 8 SOG (1.22/90)
Post July 4 – 13 GP, 13 GS, 1,067 MP, 5 G, 3 A, 25 CC (2.11/90), 36 S (3.04/90), 14 SOG (1.18/90)
Luis Silva
Pre July 4 – 17 GP, 8 GS, 788 MP, 0 G, 1 A, 3 CC (0.34/90), 17 S (1.94/90), 6 SOG (0.69/90)
Post July 4 – 11 GP, 10 GS, 810 MP, 6 G, 2 A, 16 CC (1.78/90), 32 S (3.56/90), 13 SOG (1.44/90)
Yura Movsisyan
Pre July 4 – 19 GP, 14 GS, 1,186 MP, 5 G, 0 A, 11 CC (0.83/90), 32 S (2.43/90), 14 SOG (1.06/90)
Post July 4 – 8 GP, 2 GS, 227 MP, 2 G, 0 A, 3 CC (1.19/90), 13 S (5.15/90), 6 SOG (2.38/90)
Brooks Lennon
Pre July 4 – 11 GP, 11 GS, 990 MP, 1 G, 0 A, 21 CC (1.90/90), 10 S (0.91/90), 3 SOG (0.27/90)
Post July 4 – 12 GP, 2 GS, 355 MP, 1 G, 3 A, 11 CC (2.79/90), 6 S (1.52/90), 3 SOG (0.76/90)
