Real Salt Lake | 2017 Team Guide

Team Guides - 2017 - Rusnak 1600x1200

Real Salt Lake


Author: Arielle Castillo  |  Cover illustration by Duane Tomaszewski


Real Salt Lake started 2016 off hot, managing to hang on near the top of the table for weeks, and maintaining an unbeaten streak at the RioT through the summer. The dog days of summer, though, proved a slog – past September, big wins eluded them and the Dynamo ended their home streak. Still, they finished above the red line in the West, so if they can figure out what exactly turned sour in the summer, they'll prove dangerous.


Key Offseason Transactions


KEY PLAYERS IN:KEY PLAYERS OUT:
Albert Rusnak (F)
Brooks Lennon (F)
Luis Silva (M/F) All transactions
Javier Morales (M)
Juan Manuel "Burrito" Martinez (F)
Jamison Olave (D)
John Stertzer (M)


Player to watch: Albert Rusnak

Real Salt Lake | 2017 Team Guide -

Coming from FC Groningen in the Netherlands, Rusnak arrived at Real Salt Lake after a bidding war that also reportedly included the Seattle Sounders, as well as foreign top-flight clubs AS Roma and Swansea. The 22-year-old Designated Player should prove a creative attacking midfielder who already wowed Dutch Eredevisie observers with his technical skills.


How they'll play


HEAD COACH - JEFF CASSAR


With all the offseason moves, RSL's gotten an important youth infusion that adds depth everywhere. It's likely they'll look to Rusnak to take on JaviMo's old role, and continue to rely on a solid attacking midfield behind the threat of Yura Movsisyan up top.


Projected Starting XI

Real Salt Lake | 2017 Team Guide -

4-2-3-1, right to left: Nick Rimando (GK) — Tony Beltran (D), Aaron Maund (D), Justen Glad (D), Demar Phillips (D) — Sunday "Sunny" Stephen (M), Kyle Beckerman (M) — Jordan Allen (M), Albert Rusnak (M), Joao Plata (F) – Yura Movsisyan (F)


Projected Finish


7th in Western Conference. The battle for the red line is less about Real Salt Lake really slipping, and more about a packed field of talented contenders in the conference. If they don't stymie another summer slump, things could wind up ugly at the end of the regular season. But will an infusion of fresh blood take them out of the potential danger zone? We'll wait and watch.



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