One of the greatest honors for a soccer player is to play for their national team. RSL had four players called up for international duty for the upcoming Gold Cup. While everyone is excited for Saborio (Costa Rica), Beltran (US), Beckerman (US) and Rimando (US), it does leave a large void in RSL's starting lineup. People have been saying that RSL is the deepest team in MLS. Now is the time to see if that statement is, in fact, correct.
How long will each of these players be gone for? That depends on how deep the US and Costa Rica advances in the Gold Cup. The final match of the Gold Cup is going to be held on July 28th. The following is a break down of what we might see to fill the holes while these players are gone:
Alvaro Saborio- (potential games missed- @TFC, vs Philly, @Dal, vs KC, @NY) Saborio has already left to join up with his team. He will be missing the game in Toronto. The players called up to the US squad won't leave until after the Toronto match.
As strange as it would have sounded at the start of the year, Saborio is probably the easiest person to be able to replace while he is gone. RSL is extremely deep at forward at the moment with all five forwards on the roster playing very well. RSL scores a goal every 81.88 minutes that Saborio is on the field. That is actually the worst stat among all RSL forwards. His leadership and experience on the field will be missed though.
In his place I could see Devon Sandoval getting more time. Sandoval is the only other target forward on the roster and has played well so far this season. The other option that I could see would be to play the combination of Robbie Findley and Joao Plata. This was the partnership of choice for the team in the last three matches prior to Saborio returning to the lineup for the Seattle match. Olmes Garcia is the wildcard. He might be inserted into the starting lineup, but I think it is more likely that he will continue to come in off the bench.
Nick Rimando- (potential games missed- vs Philly, @Dal, vs KC, @NY) It was no surprise that Rimando got called up to the Gold Cup roster. US coach Jurgen Klinsmann has said that Rimando was number three among US keepers only behind Tim Howard and Brad Guzan.
While Rimando is gone, Josh Saunders will be minding the net for RSL. Saunders is a two time MLS Cup winner that was brought into the team for this purpose. He has posted wins in all three US Open Cup games that RSL has played in. But the team did lose the one MLS match he was in goal.
Kyle Beckerman- (potential games missed- vs Philly, @Dal, vs KC, @NY) With Beckerman being the only defensive midfielder on the US Gold Cup team, expect for him to get a lot of playing time. The thought around the country is that he will also be the captain for this squad.
The loss of Beckerman will be hard to overcome in the RSL midfield. The job will fall to Yordany Alvarez. Alvarez has started two games already this year with the team and is a solid backup. He does need to play smart when he is in as he has gotten unnecessary yellows in the past including a red card this year against Dallas. The area of most concern might not be on the defensive side of things but on the offensive side of the ball. When Beckerman plays, the team scores a goal every 53.79 minutes. When he has not played, that number drops to every 119.50 minutes.
Tony Beltran- (potential games missed- vs Philly, @Dal, vs KC, @NY) Beltran earned his first national call-up earlier this year. After a solid first half of the season, it is no surprise to see him called up again.
Beltran might be the hardest player to replace for RSL. Statistically he has been the best defender on the team. While he is on the pitch, the team gives up a goal every 122.73 minutes. In the two games he did not play, the team gave up five goals or a goal every 36.00 minutes.
The job of replacing Beltran will fall to the combination of Lovel Palmer and Abdoulie Mansally. Both have seen playing time this year. The team has played well in the 360 minutes that Mansally has played, only giving up three goals (a goal every 120 minutes) but has struggled with Palmer on the field. RSL has given up a goal every 59.33 minutes that Palmer has played. But to Palmer's credit: his shot in Montreal did force a Montreal own goal.
RSL will have a stiff challenge in front of them. The schedule becomes really tough the next few matches. RSL has never won in Toronto and the next four games after that are all against teams that would currently qualify for the playoffs. Many players are going to have to step up for RSL to have continued success.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Should He Stay or Should He Go?- Will RSL Sell Luis Gil?
There is a decision on the near horizon for Real Salt Lake. And it is a decision that could have ramifications for the team for years to come. RSL will need to decide if they are willing to sell Luis Gil.
Gil came to RSL four years ago as a 16 year old. Even before joining the team he was on the radar at some of the biggest clubs in Europe including Arsenal. Instead of diving in with such a big club, Gil and his family made the decision to stay closer to home and to sign a contract with MLS. Kansas City won his rights in a special lottery and then traded those rights to RSL.
Flash forward four years and Gil is currently away playing for the US at the U-20 World Cup. In their first match against Spain, Luis was far and away the best player on the field for the US. His passing was superb and he scored the only goal for the US in the 4-1 defeat. Although missing a PK in their second match, Gil still played well and helped set up a late goal in a 1-1 draw with France. With scouts from around the world in attendance, Gil is standing out. One has to expect that the offers for Gil will start rolling in. Especially if he has a good game against Ghana and the US moves on to the next round. The question is: What will RSL do?
The decision will not be an easy one. There are pros and cons for both selling him and keeping him. Here is a look at both sides of the decision.
Gil has become a valuable piece of the RSL midfield. He has already played 1016 minutes with the team this year and his two goals, so far, ties a career high. And at 19, his best years are probably still ahead of him. The thought of what he could be in a couple of years is pretty intriguing. The league has talked about wanting to keep the best young US players in the the league instead of seeing them go on to Europe.
But is Gil the best fit for RSL's style of play? The answer to that might be no. Gil seems to play best with the ball at his feet being the center of the attack. But since Javier Morales has returned from injury, Gil has been moved to a wide position in RSL's diamond midfield. His effectiveness has suffered because of it. Currently, RSL is scoring a goal every 92.36 minutes that Gil has been on the field. This is by far the worst scoring rate for all RSL attacking players. In contrast, when Gil is not on the field the team is scoring a goal every 34.87 minutes. The difference between those two numbers is staggering.
And then there is Gil's contract to look at. According to the players association, Gil has a guaranteed compensation this year of $213,833.33. This makes him the fourth highest player on the team only behind Saborio, Morales, and Beckerman.
The other important piece of this puzzle is that this is the final year of a four year contact. This causes problems on multiple fronts. If RSL does want to keep Gil long term, they are probably going to have to give him a pay raise at the end of the season. But since his contract is almost up, it also drives down the price the team can get for him in this summer transfer window. Teams might wait to see if they can get him on a free transfer at the end of the season.
RSL isn't the only decision maker in this process. Gil will have a say on any transfer that might occur. MLS will also have a voice at the table. But the common thought is that if an offer comes, both Gil and the league would say yes. But will RSL?
In my opinion if RSL gets a good offer, they need to move forward and try to sell Gil. At this point in his career, Gil is not worth the raise it would take to keep him. Especially when you think about his effect on the RSL salary cap. If RSL was to sell Gil, not only would the team free up a big portion of salary cap space, they would also have the cash to go out and buy another player that could help the team.
It makes even more sense to sell Gil when the depth of the RSL midfield is taken into account. Khari Stephenson has solidified himself in Gil's old spot on the side of the diamond midfield. And other players like Velasquez, Alvarez, Grossman, and Martinez are fighting for more playing time already. The loss of Gil would not hurt the team that much.
One final note on this decision is that RSL would only receive 50% of any transfer fee. Due to MLS rules, the league receives 33% of any transfer fees received for players. And part of the trade with Kansas City that originally brought Gil to RSL guaranteed Kansas City to receive 17% on any transfer fee for Gil as well.
What do think? Should Gil stay or should he go?
Gil came to RSL four years ago as a 16 year old. Even before joining the team he was on the radar at some of the biggest clubs in Europe including Arsenal. Instead of diving in with such a big club, Gil and his family made the decision to stay closer to home and to sign a contract with MLS. Kansas City won his rights in a special lottery and then traded those rights to RSL.
Flash forward four years and Gil is currently away playing for the US at the U-20 World Cup. In their first match against Spain, Luis was far and away the best player on the field for the US. His passing was superb and he scored the only goal for the US in the 4-1 defeat. Although missing a PK in their second match, Gil still played well and helped set up a late goal in a 1-1 draw with France. With scouts from around the world in attendance, Gil is standing out. One has to expect that the offers for Gil will start rolling in. Especially if he has a good game against Ghana and the US moves on to the next round. The question is: What will RSL do?
The decision will not be an easy one. There are pros and cons for both selling him and keeping him. Here is a look at both sides of the decision.
Gil has become a valuable piece of the RSL midfield. He has already played 1016 minutes with the team this year and his two goals, so far, ties a career high. And at 19, his best years are probably still ahead of him. The thought of what he could be in a couple of years is pretty intriguing. The league has talked about wanting to keep the best young US players in the the league instead of seeing them go on to Europe.
But is Gil the best fit for RSL's style of play? The answer to that might be no. Gil seems to play best with the ball at his feet being the center of the attack. But since Javier Morales has returned from injury, Gil has been moved to a wide position in RSL's diamond midfield. His effectiveness has suffered because of it. Currently, RSL is scoring a goal every 92.36 minutes that Gil has been on the field. This is by far the worst scoring rate for all RSL attacking players. In contrast, when Gil is not on the field the team is scoring a goal every 34.87 minutes. The difference between those two numbers is staggering.
And then there is Gil's contract to look at. According to the players association, Gil has a guaranteed compensation this year of $213,833.33. This makes him the fourth highest player on the team only behind Saborio, Morales, and Beckerman.
The other important piece of this puzzle is that this is the final year of a four year contact. This causes problems on multiple fronts. If RSL does want to keep Gil long term, they are probably going to have to give him a pay raise at the end of the season. But since his contract is almost up, it also drives down the price the team can get for him in this summer transfer window. Teams might wait to see if they can get him on a free transfer at the end of the season.
RSL isn't the only decision maker in this process. Gil will have a say on any transfer that might occur. MLS will also have a voice at the table. But the common thought is that if an offer comes, both Gil and the league would say yes. But will RSL?
In my opinion if RSL gets a good offer, they need to move forward and try to sell Gil. At this point in his career, Gil is not worth the raise it would take to keep him. Especially when you think about his effect on the RSL salary cap. If RSL was to sell Gil, not only would the team free up a big portion of salary cap space, they would also have the cash to go out and buy another player that could help the team.
It makes even more sense to sell Gil when the depth of the RSL midfield is taken into account. Khari Stephenson has solidified himself in Gil's old spot on the side of the diamond midfield. And other players like Velasquez, Alvarez, Grossman, and Martinez are fighting for more playing time already. The loss of Gil would not hurt the team that much.
One final note on this decision is that RSL would only receive 50% of any transfer fee. Due to MLS rules, the league receives 33% of any transfer fees received for players. And part of the trade with Kansas City that originally brought Gil to RSL guaranteed Kansas City to receive 17% on any transfer fee for Gil as well.
What do think? Should Gil stay or should he go?
Monday, June 24, 2013
Crunching the Numbers- Seattle Edition
After completing it's 17th match against Seattle, RSL has reached the halfway point of their season. I don't think anyone would have guessed they would be at the top of the table at this point. The team is playing great and you can really see this by looking at the stats.
So what do these numbers tell us. First, for what some people are calling a rebuilding team, RSL is in a very good place right now; being very strong on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. The team has scored 17 goals in the past seven MLS matches. And with all five forwards playing great, plus the midfield continuing to score goals, there is no reason to expect the offense to slow down.
- With two goals against Seattle, RSL is now scoring a goal every 58.85 minutes. This is the best scoring rate in team history.
- With the shutout, RSL is now giving up a goal every 95.63 minutes. This is the second best defensive rate in team history.
- The team is on fire with Robbie Findley in the match. In the first 328 minutes that Findley played this season, RSL scored one goal. In the past 292 minutes that he has played, the team has scored 8 goals or a goal every 36.5 minutes.
- This match marked the first time RSL has scored a goal with Findley and Alvaro Saborio playing forward together. Prior to the first goal in the game, RSL had played 264 minutes without scoring a goal when those two players were on the field together.
- The center back pairing of Nat Borchers and Carlos Salcedo has given up two goals in 270 minutes of play or a goal every 135 minutes of play. That is the best defensive rating of all the RSL center back combinations.
- While Salcedo is on the field, RSL is only giving up a goal every 120.33 minutes. That is second best on the team next to Tony Beltran at a goal every 122.73 minutes.
- The RSL midfield has scored 11 goals so far this season. They only scored 13 goals all of last season.
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| Robbie Findley vs. Seattle photo by Charles Barnard |
So what do these numbers tell us. First, for what some people are calling a rebuilding team, RSL is in a very good place right now; being very strong on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. The team has scored 17 goals in the past seven MLS matches. And with all five forwards playing great, plus the midfield continuing to score goals, there is no reason to expect the offense to slow down.
Although their depth is being tested, the RSL back line continues to play great. Salcedo has done a tremendous job in the time that he has been on the field. And with Chris Schuler still out for another few weeks and Kwame Watson-Siriboe out for the year it is a great thing that Salcedo has stepped up.
One other thing of note with the defense: Beltran has quietly had a very good year. Like I mentioned above, he has the best defensive scoring rate on the team with giving up a goal every 122.73 minutes. When he has not played, RSL has given up a goal every 36.00 minutes. It is a good thing that Beltran is leading all field players in minutes played with 1350.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Statistically Speaking- Spotlight on Ned Grabavoy
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| Grabavoy - Photo by James Boz |
Before getting into his season's numbers, here is a little bit about Grabavoy. He was drafted 14th overall (second round) of the 2004 Superdraft by the LA Galaxy. He played two and a half seasons for LA and won the MLS Cup with the team in 2005. Halfway through the 2006 season, he was traded to the Columbus Crew where he played until 2008. In 2008 he was selected in the expansion draft by San Jose. He was put into the waiver draft and was selected by RSL prior to the 2009 season.
After missing the first two matches of the season, Grabavoy has been a mainstay in the RSL lineup. He has taken to heart the challenge that Jason Kreis issued all midfielders to score more goals. At nearly the half-way point in the season, Grabavoy is tied for third on the team with three goals. This equals the amount of regular season goals that he has scored over the previous four years of playing with RSL combined. It also ties him with his career high of goals scored in a single season.
Grabavoy has also been credited with two assists so far this season. He had three assists last season which has been his high with the team. There is a chance he will pass that.
You can really see Grabavoy's value when you take a look at team goals. While he is on the field, RSL is scoring a goal every 54.77 minutes. When he has not been on the field, RSL is scoring a goal every 117.50 minutes. Last year RSL had a better scoring rate while he was on the field (61.82) than when he was off the field (70.38) as well.
Grabavoy is also really impressive when you look at his shooting. Currently he is scoring 25% of the shots he has taken. He is the second highest on the team with this stat. This would lead me to believe that he needs to shoot more in matches. The interesting thing is that the 12 shots he has taken so far this year is the second highest shot total that he has had since he has been with RSL.
By watching Grabavoy and looking at his stats, it is obvious that he has really stepped up his game this year and has become one of the most valuable pieces in the RSL midfield.
Special thanks to RSLBoz.com for the photo.
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