Having reached the halfway point of the 2020 preseason, Real Salt Lake entered Friday’s training session preparing for a closed-door scrimmage on Saturday before departing for Tucson, Arizona next week.
Coming off a double day on Thursday, an extended warm-up opened up Friday’s session and the energy on the field was evident as everyone joined together for a competitive opening to the session. While trying to complete a series of one-touch passes during the rondo warmup, the team took the time to joke with one another with each and every nutmeg celebrated much like a goal.
The morning was filled with small competitions that required fitness and footwork before breaking into 8v8 small-sided matches. To end the day, Matt Glaeser worked with the group at the end of the session, diving into several set-piece scenarios on both the defensive and attacking sides of the ball as well as throw-ins.
“This week training in Herriman went very well,” Head Coach Freddy Juarez said after Thursday’s training. “We were able to work on a lot of things on the defensive side of the ball and details we wanted to implement, and we were able to do that.”
A big part of the team implementing its defensive principles during its time in Herriman was largely due to how Juarez and the coaching staff want the team to operate when it doesn’t have possession of the ball. According to Juarez, the last six days spent at Zions Bank Training Center provided ample opportunity for the team to organize itself off the ball.
“Our team has been able to focus on being precise and be cleaner with and without the ball,” Juarez said. “The tactical part of what we’re doing has been very sharp. As we head into Saturday and Tucson next week, we’re looking to just build on our style of play.”
As the club enters its final leg of the 2020 preseason, the team will look to combine the attacking principles with the defensive principles in an effort to piece together the most complete performances of the preseason.
“We really want to apply everything and bring it together in the upcoming matches.”
Up Next
RSL will train on Saturday morning before leaving for Tucson for the final leg of the preseason schedule next week. RSL opens its 2020 regular season on Saturday, February 29 at Orlando City SC before welcoming New York Red Bulls to Sandy on March 7 for its home opener.
