<div style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a title="Real Salt Lake Fans by Scott Dierdorf, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdierdorf/4133271809/"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2762/4133271809_901209c478_m.jpg" alt="Real Salt Lake Fans" width="240" height="240"></figure></div></a>Photo by Scott Dierdorf</div>
Team: Real Salt Lake 
Coach: Jason Kreis 
Last Year’s Finish: 15-11-4, 56 points. &nbsp;Western Conference: 2nd
In a sense, RSL’s season has already begun with a 4-1 aggregate victory over Columbus in the CONCACAF Champions League. &nbsp;In the second of those two matches, we’ve seen a team that looks like it’s picking up where it left off last season – dominant at home, stout on defense, and a threat to score at any time. &nbsp;Going into last season’s playoffs some people considered them a favorite to repeat, but RSL instead fell to a hot Dallas team.
This season, there are few changes for Real and, with some of the other Cup contenders losing key pieces, RSL has to be thought of as the favorites going into the season. &nbsp;In fact, the team seems to be in the middle of a dominant run – their cap situation is tenable and their key assets are still within their career primes. &nbsp;This season is key to Jason Kreis’s team to show if they can be a dynasty or just another very good club for a while.
Key Roster Additions: Real didn’t add much, but what they did add was quality depth. &nbsp;Their biggest acquisition was Arturo Alvarez, a midfield who can score a little. &nbsp;He’s both a veteran (played in MLS since 2003) and a youngster (only 25 years old) who has been capped for El Salvador after spending time in the U.S. youth system. &nbsp;He’s the kind of player who is starter material but is also the perfect option off the bench, someone who can come in without too much of a talent drop off. &nbsp;Real also picked up Cody Arnoux late in the offseason. &nbsp;Arnoux is an American collegiate who, after trying to catch on in Europe, has returned to the U.S. for playing time. &nbsp;He’s definitely talented and again provides RSL with depth at forward. &nbsp;Last week the club acquired Conor Chinn as well, another option at forward on the bench who played well for the Red Bulls in the Open Cup.

Key Roster Subtractions: I vacillate on how much the team will miss Robbie Findley. &nbsp;After a great 2009 that led to a call-up to the national team, Findley became a part-timer in 2010, not even starting Real’s two playoff matches. &nbsp;This offseason, after his rights were selected by Portland, he went overseas to play for Nottingham Forest. &nbsp;He certainly contributed to the Cup winning team and was a good option for Jason Kreis last season, but I think the team’s offseason pickups can help offset the loss of Findley.
Projected Starters: Nick Rimando is an amazing player who rightly got a call-up to Bob Bradley’s “Camp Cupcake” in January. &nbsp;He’s found a home in goal at Salt Lake City and continues to be one of, if not the best, keeper in MLS. &nbsp;In front of him is one of the best backlines in soccer with Borchers, Wingert, Olave, and Beltran trying to repeat an MLS best 20 goals allowed in 2010. &nbsp;And as Columbus discovered, the depth is good too with Robbie Russell and Chris Schuler filling in at times.
In midfield, stalwart Kyle Beckerman will return to provide leadership and defense. &nbsp;He is the face (or hair) of the franchise and as long as he is healthy, Real will be defensively tough. &nbsp;Atop the diamond is goal-scorer Javier Morales who knocked Columbus out of the CCL almost by himself. &nbsp;On the wings are Canadian Will Johnson and Andy Williams, interspersed with Ned Grabavoy. &nbsp;Alvarez again will provide depth for Morales as well as another scorer.
Up front are Fabian Espindola and Alvoro Saborio. &nbsp;The scary thing about this duo is they helped RSL not only lead the league in goals scored, but home goals scored with a crazy 31. &nbsp;These two chipped in 19 goals and 9 assists overall, so they form one of the best up front pairs in the game. &nbsp;And again, the newly acquired depth will only help keep up the scoring output.
 
Player to Watch: The best thing about this team is there is no one player the team needs to be healthy and performing. &nbsp;But if I think the player the need to be healthy and at his best most is Beckerman. &nbsp;Again, he is the captain and the linchpin of the midfield, and quite possibly the hardest player to replace in case of injury. &nbsp;He epitomizes what makes RSL as good as it is.
Predictions: Jason Kreis had a great MLS career as a player and is magnifying his reputation with the coaching job he has done so far with this team. &nbsp;Veteran, talented, and deep, there is no doubt this team is a playoff team. &nbsp;The key is setting the appropriate expectations. &nbsp;Can they win the Double (or Treble)? &nbsp;I think taking the MLS Cup and CCL are reasonable goals, and even winning just one should qualify as a good year. &nbsp;However, this club needs to add some hardware to their trophy case this year. &nbsp;Falling short would just be a waste of talent.
Prediction: 1st place, Western Conference
Note: Yes, we know Portland comes before Real in the alphabet. &nbsp;Worry not Timbers fans: your preview is coming.

MLS '11 Preview &#8211; Should RSL be the Favorites?

MLS '11 Preview - Should RSL be the Favorites? - World Soccer Talk

MLS '11 Preview – Should RSL be the Favorites?

<div id="attachment_6266" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/EarthquakesStadium2.jpg"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-6266" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-6266" src="http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/EarthquakesStadium2-300x168.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="168"></figure></div></a>Proposed 15,000 seat San Jose Earthquakes Stadium</div>
Fifteen years ago, MLS launched with teams in downright psychedelic uniforms playing on football fields; some of MLS’s earliest highlights look like the two teams are playing on a lacrosse field. &nbsp;In 2011, the situation has vastly changed, as most MLS franchises have their own soccer specific fields or compounds with only a few still sharing their stadiums with an NFL team. &nbsp;The multitude of stadiums has also allowed MLS franchises to own another revenue flow which has led to marked improvements of the product on the pitch. &nbsp;As part of the MLS Talk 2011 preview, we will take a look at the stadium situation for MLS franchises and how it has helped their fortunes, as well as those that are still waiting to build their first home.
The announcement of the Houston Dynamo new soccer-specific stadium this offseason added this franchise to the list of clubs with their own grounds. &nbsp;In the past year, the New York Red Bulls and Sporting Kansas City debuted new soccer complexes (with KC’s unveiling coming in a few months) while new MLS franchises like Philadelphia and Portland join the league with new stadiums already in place. &nbsp;And this may be the biggest indicator of the success of the league – instead of hunkering down in a football stadium for a few years, hoping to gather enough revenue and support to build your own place, these teams plan on having their own stadium from the beginning. &nbsp;Montreal will join MLS in 2012 with Saputo Stadium, their soccer-specific grounds built in 2008.
The state of stadiums in MLS can be divided into a few categories, and there are some similarities among these clubs based on where they play:

Teams playing in a multi-use facility and looking to get out: Sadly, some of MLS’s most storied franchises are in this category. &nbsp;DC United and the New England Revolution’s plights are well documented, but these clubs suffer from a financial drain of resources from lack of control over where they play. &nbsp;While both have been competitive in the past and still get good talent, they will begin to fall behind their brethren in finances and be unable to get the higher-priced talent they need. &nbsp;While it sounds like United’s search for a stadium site is beginning to make progress, the Revolution are still looking at yard markers and Patriots logos for the foreseeable future.
Teams playing in a multi-use facility and happy to stay: There is a marked difference between the two aforementioned clubs and Seattle’s situation. &nbsp;Qwest Field, while known as the home of the Seattle Seahawks, has the type of design that makes it a good venue for soccer as well. &nbsp;Sounders fans have adopted the stadium as their own and have made it the only NFL-MLS partnership that seems to work without problem.
Teams moving to their own stadium in the next four years: These are the teams that will show how big of an advantage having your own stadium and the revenue it brings in is for a professional team. &nbsp;Most of these clubs were in the DCU/New England&nbsp;situation, but are hoping shiny new places attract casual fans and their dollars. &nbsp;This is a model that all professional sports follow – build the new stadium/arena that is a nirvana for the hardcore fans but has enough aesthetic qualities to attract the casual fans and their families. &nbsp;Fans are eagerly anticipating the Houston/San Jose/Sporting KC new fields and the benefits the clubs will accrue from them.
Teams playing in soccer-specific stadiums: &nbsp;This number is growing and that is only a good thing for MLS as well as these individual teams. &nbsp;It used to be that the Galaxy were the class of the league with the Home Depot Center; now arenas like Rio Tinto and Red Bull Arena give their teams a real home field advantage. &nbsp;The problem with many of these new stadiums are their locations – Dick’s Sporting Goods Park is in Commerce City, not Denver. &nbsp;Pizza Hut Park is in Frisco, not Dallas. &nbsp;And while being located outside of a major city is not a death warrant for a franchise (the New York Giants and Jets play in the Meadowlands after all) but it would be better to have these stadiums closer to the fans.
What do all these new soccer stadiums mean for MLS this year? &nbsp;Fans can expect to see the beautiful game played in nicer stadiums, and this does make a difference for the product on the field. &nbsp;Watching a playoff match or a rivalry on TV in a soccer specific stadium looks nicer if nothing else. &nbsp;The money that comes from these stadiums will also make the teams more financially secure, helping the league become more financially secure. &nbsp;These new stadiums are both a sign of MLS progress and the sign of a brighter future for American soccer.

MLS '11 Preview &#8211; Stadiums Helping League Finances Stay Healthy

MLS '11 Preview - Stadiums Helping League Finances Stay Healthy - World Soccer Talk

MLS '11 Preview – Stadiums Helping League Finances Stay Healthy

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MLS '11 Preview – Should RSL be the Favorites?

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MLS '11 Preview – Stadiums Helping League Finances Stay Healthy