MLS Cup Playoffs preview: Real Salt Lake

Though they're the outsiders, Real Salt Lake are arguably the maximum exciting group in the MLS Cup Playoff subject.

RSL concurrently held the 0.33-best attacking report and the second-worst protective go back in the Western Conference throughout the normal season, making them risky and wildly unpredictable.

Here's everything you want to recognise about Real Salt Lake ahead of the publish season - from procedures to key gamers, and their chances of triumphing the large prize.

Only the lowest 3 - Texas aspects FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo and Austin FC - lost extra games than Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference, but best the top 4 of Colorado Rapids, Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City, and Portland Timbers won more.

In quick, RSL were wildly inconsistent but ridiculously wonderful. You didn't know which team would flip up from one week to the next, and their dedication to attacking soccer makes them a exquisite inclusion within the Playoffs.

In the give up, it got here all the way down to the remaining kick of the season, with Damir Kreilach scoring a ninety fifth-minute winner away at Sporting Kansas City that saw them leapfrog the LA Galaxy into seventh region.

Since Pablo Mastroeni took over as intervening time boss on August twenty seventh - following the shock departure of Freddy Juarez, who's now Seattle Sounders assistant educate - RSL's dedication to attacking soccer has best intensified.

During that duration, Salt Lake are 2d in MLS for open-play desires (24) and fourth for predicted goals.

Mastroeni has attempted multiple structures, together with 4-4-2, 4-three-3, and three-4-1-2, deciding on the latter most customarily. This allows Aaron Herrera to drive ahead on the right, protected through 3 center-backs, whilst a solid midfield two do the dirty work while Damir Kreilach operates within the hole. His past due runs have come to be an invaluable source of desires for RSL.

Salt Lake are rapid at the damage, create masses of width, and could almost usually appearance to play forward as soon as they get the ball. There are a few serious defensive troubles to be able to preserve them again from a deep put up season run, but they're absolutely armed enough to purpose a scare or two.