Real Salt Lake To Kick Off New Era As Excitement, Expectation Builds For 2022 Venture

Feb 25, 2022, 3:34 PM

Damir Kreilach celebrates his first half goal on October 16 against Colorado Rapids. Photo courtesy: Real Salt Lake

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY – Real Salt Lake will kick off its 2022 campaign this Sunday on the road against Houston, signifying a new era.

Welcome To 2022, A New Era

A lot of change has occurred from last year to now at Real Salt Lake. David Blitzer and Ryan Smith took control as the new owners to kickstart the new year, weeks earlier Pablo Mastroeni was announced as the full-time manager. The 2021 captain Albert Rusnák departed the club for arch-rival Seattle and outside of the Sergio Córdova addition from Augsburg, the club has not made a massive splash with roster improvements.

Look who's back.

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) February 25, 2022

Roster Changes

Despite a newfound sense of stability within the club, the season starts with a roster that is far from complete.

The departure of Rusnák and Anderson Julio leaves a gaping hole in the attack. Córdova will hopefully aid the production and a lot of pressure will be placed on the shoulders of Bobby Wood, who is expected to provide a significant goal tally in 2022 having successfully accomplished a full preseason, something Wood has failed to accomplish for a handful of years.

The greater concern lies in the midfield, however, as the club is yet to sign a disciplined defensive midfielder. Rather, Mastroeni will rely on the likes of Pablo Ruiz, Everton Luiz, Nick Besler, and Scott Caldwell to solidify the midfield battle.

A year ago, Mastroeni transformed the club overnight as an interim manager and showcased his ability to create a goal-scoring machine. However, for as many goals as Real Salt Lake was scoring, they were also conceding a lot as well. Mastroeni had no answer in the 3-5-2 shape and was forced to go back to the 4-2-3-1 formation to provide a more defensive structure.

Real Salt Lake desperately needs a formidable defensive midfielder if it hopes to contend for silverware in 2022.

Second Year Players Must Improve

Real Salt Lake will rely on multiple second-year players with the club to step up in 2022. Jonathan Menéndez, Rubio Rubin, and Bobby Wood will all need to provide production in 2022 in an effort to replace the production lost with Rusnák and Julio.

Expect all three players listed above to play significant minutes against Houston this weekend and throughout the season.

Culture Upgrade

Despite an uncertain roster entering 2022, Real Salt Lake fans can be sure that the environment within the club is improving. Mastroeni has spoken ad nauseum about the importance of creating a competitive culture within the dressing room.

The 2021 playoffs was a glimpse into the impact a thriving working environment can have on professional athletes. This offseason, Mastroeni has reiterated the importance of building off the momentum gained towards the end of last year.

Captain Kreilach

Real Salt Lake today announced that Damir Kreilach will officially act as the captain in 2022. It was expected news that had long been rumored following the departure of Rusnák.

The news you have all been waiting for. pic.twitter.com/6BrR7w7KXP

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) February 25, 2022

What To Expect Versus Houston

Real Salt Lake will likely begin the fixture against Houston in the 4-2-3-1 shape. For Mastroeni and Real Salt Lake, an opening road point would feel like a victory. Furthermore, David Ochoa and Damir Kreilach are both listed as questionable entering the fixture while Zack Farnsworth, Nick Besler, Axel Kei, and Rubio Rubin are listed as out.

Real Salt Lake could be somewhat depleted to begin the season.

Road victories are always difficult in Major League Soccer. Earlier this week, Mastroeni emphasized the importance of taking care of business at home this season and hoping to extract as many points on the road as possible while heavily focusing on home encounters.

Regardless, a strong start to the 2022 season will provide a spark to a fanbase that already expects silverware under new Real Salt Lake guidance.

Match Info

Real Salt Lake and Houston will kickoff from PNC Stadium at 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 27. The match will be available to stream for free via the KSL Sports & KSL 5 TV apps or on KSL Sports dot com.