Real Salt Lake blog

by Micah Olson

Predicting a winner for tonights game is proving more difficult than I had originally thought it would be, especially when considering past cup games, current MLS standings, and SuperLiga performances…

If we looked solely at current MLS standings the NE Revs are completely dominating every other team in points.  But can they actually pull off a cup win?  I don’t know if they are up to it, and I don’t think they do either.  Honestly I do not think that they had a very commanding win to get to this cup game.  And to be perfectly honest…  On a personal note I really hate Steve Nicol’s arrogant attitude.  He thinks that his team is superior to every other MLS team, in ability, and class.  I think that hurts them.

Houston on the other hand seems cool and collected.  They got a win against Pachuca that should have been a closer game due to a ball offsides call, and then continued with a 2-0 win against Columbus back in MLS play.  While that may boost their spirits, I wonder what it will do to their fitness, considering that New England hasn’t played since July 30th.

I am going to go with a Houston win.  They have the confidence.  They are not trying to prove anything.  And they are simply enjoying themselves.  The score, you ask…  Houston 2 (I would have gone 3 but they will be tired) - New England 1 (simply because that is what they have gotten in every game they played in SuperLiga).

One side note.  After RSL makes it to the finals this year, I will be excited to see them play in SuperLiga 2009!

Lets get the MLS action reviewed!

By Meanie Genie

DCU 2 – KC 1

D.C. United beats K.C 2-0 to hop back onto the winning bandwagon. After DC got stuffed in Superliga and by Houston in league play, D.C. gets back to their winning ways with a thoroughly dominate game against a K.C team still looking for answers. On a positive note for D.C., they overcame injuries to key players to seize the win to end a four-game losing streak in all competitions, and to gave Zach Wells and his defense their first league shutout of the 2008 campaign.

In short, K.C. didn’t look threatening. On the other hand, the finishing of Emilio is proof that MLS needs more talented strikers. You just can’t teach finishing like that!

Chicago 1 – Chivas 0

I love to watch the Goats lose! I can’t lie. I hate Chivas. I have many reasons. Why? Simple: the first year of RSL existence I had to endure Chivas fans being louder than our own at the games in RES. Petty reason? Maybe, but those fans really irritated me. So, watching a rookie get an extremely lucky shot to win the game made me smile. Some may think that Nyarko has skills, but I simply think the ball was lucky to stay low and end up in the net.

Chivas? I think you are in trouble when you field 3 former RSLers from the 2007 season. Atiba, Talley, and Eskysucksidarian were not my favorite players then, but now? I hope to see them all play against RSL in the near future with RSL 2.00.8 laying the smack down!

Houston 2 – Crew 1

I personally would have liked to have seen the Crew win so that RSL could maintain their first place standing with a larger cushion. However, Houston looked like the real deal in their win. Did the Crew look like challenging? No, not really. Houston was by far the better and more aggressive team on the field, so they deserve the win. What the win does is prime Houston to beat NE on Tuesday in the Superliga final, and set up a nice little possible first place showdown with RSL in the near future.

Superliga Prediction

I think Houston has NE’s number in championship games. NE may bet a regular season win, but somehow, Houston picks it up a notch when a trophy is on the line. Houston 2 – NE 1 (anyone else remember that score line?).

by Micah Olson

MLS teams have shut the Mexican side out of the SuperLiga cup this year! Congrats MLS, adios MEX.

HOU v PAC

After such a disappointing loss in 2007 to Pachuca in the semi’s, Houston stepped up big in the second half verses Pachuca Tuesday night. PAC seemed to have the upper hand until they had a goal called back for offsides. After which Houston came up with 2 beautiful goals, and Pat Onstad played like a champion making save after save after save! Great Game.

NER v ATL

Only two comments about this game… 1) Steve Nicol ought to have Mansally’s head for his mis in the 62′ minute! What in the world was that!?!?!? 2) The Atlante players showed themselves to be very poor losers as they started taking hacks at anyone they could catch up with, pushing players, and generally have a REALLY looser attitude.

by Micah Olson

Could Real Salt Lake’s new offensive powerhouse be Jared Borghetti? He is a striker from Mexico who MAY have been practicing with Real Salt Lake recently. There is a picture (regrettably, of the back of a head) of someone practicing with RSL, wearing number 19 (not currently used by rsl). The site that posted the picture claims that it may be Jared Borgetti.

I have a few questions about this. If someone was able to get a picture at a practice of the back of a head, why not of the front too? And how in the world could they know that this is Borghetti?

If it IS Jared that could be good. He is very experienced, and at one time retired from international play, but has recently been called back for FIFA 2010 qualifying.

After seeing this I may start posting pictures, from behind, of guys walking around Salt Lake City with RSL Jerseys on, and hinting at names that this person could be… But even with as skeptical as I am about this rumor, it has me curious enough to post about it… AND whoever this Mystery striker is, we will probably find out soon.

July 28, 2008

Prior to the game I was predicting a 2-0 victory for RSL with Dr. Almost Goals getting on the score sheet. Boy, was I wrong. It was good to get the win for sure, but I was a bit disappointed that our big Scott can’t seem to buy a goal. If you were at the game, or can find it on Youtube (someone PLEASE post it), you have to admit at least Deuchar is giving it all to get a goal for us. He has heart. He has spirit. And, He quite possibly did one of the most graceless attempts at an overhead, bicycle, or scissor kick I have ever seen. It was amazing to see legs that long extend that far to get a hit on the ball and send it goalwards. I’m sold. I’m telling you that he is going to get it together. Or, at least he will give us another good laugh in the process, and some quality highlight material. Please someone, post that clip!

The first half was a tense affair with the players maybe feeling to much pressure from the JK press clippings. A must win game for RSL or else they might be caught in the standings by before they resume the field in mid-August. Only a single point back, Houston and LA were nipping at RSL’s heel with games in hand. So the possibility of RSL being somewhere below first place before they play their next game may have been wearing on their minds. Both RSL and Toronto had quality chances clank off the woodwork of seemingly saran-wrapped goals. First Findley was robbed by the left post in what looked to be a goal. The frustration of RSL almost ended in a late first half goal when Frenchie (Robert) smacked a cross of the underside of the crossbar. I promise you last year or the year before that ball was going in. Not tonight. 0-0 at the end of the first half.

Why is Kenny F. Cutler (KFC) starting games? I can’t figure it out. Sure, he does periodically come in during the second half of games and at least help keep the defensive shape and possession games. However, he isn’t starter material. If he is the best they have. Ouch! On the other hand, I wasn’t a fan of Talley and I can’t profess to know his locker room persona, but he appeared to be a stand up guy (please correct me if I am wrong here), but shipping Talley to Chivas for relatively nothing may not have been the smartest thing from a team perspective. Maybe Talley’s ability to give goals away cost him his place. Lets hope Russell will provide the depth to keep KFC on the bench.

Williams had a quality second half and his play on the wide right helped create the space for Wingert to exploit for the opening score. Midway through the second half Wingert got to send the same cross in a couple of times with Yura being wasteful before Olave headed past a diving Sutton. RSL on top by a goal.

Complacency set in after the goal and RSL started getting the game handed to them by the Toronto midfield. On comes Cunny, and everyone at Rice-Eccles Stadium KNOWS about The Curse of the Former RSL Player. They always come back and score on us. Always. It can happen with any former RSL player. We all saw Mathis come out of slumps with goals against RSL while in the colors of Colorado and NYRB. Do I even need to mention Aleko and Atiba? The complacency in the midfield forced Olave to make a major error in the last 10 minutes of the game by trying to slide on Amado, and then reach out with his hand to trip Amado as he was beaten. Free kick; goal for Toronto. 1-1

Here we go again. Right?

The echoes of the crowd now haunting the RSL players, they had to have heard the shout from the crowd that the game wasn’t over. The next bit of the game was fast and furious with very few memorable moments from either team. Then right before the end, Beckerman gets lose and hits it straight at Sutton, who palms the ball back into the mixer and right to Findley. Findley’s touch was a bit hard and the ball bounced toward the penalty spot with not just 1, but 2 Toronto players appearing to be closer to the ball. Somehow Findley gets to it and rifles his shot under the in-sliding defender and off some part of a flailing Sutton. Can you believe this? RSL up 2-1 in the 88^th minute.

The rest of the game Toronto had half chances, but nothing that really felt would penetrate the RSL defense again. I am glad they didn’t. RSL wins 2-1.

RSL gets to keep 1^st place in the west for at least 2 weeks, and 3^rd place overall for at least a week. I still can’t believe it. They finally win the game they must win.

 Thats that!

Meanie Genie