2016 Season Preview

Dates To Know:
(MLS) Game 1: Sunday, March 6 @Orlando
BEN CUP 2016: Friday, July 1 vs. DC United (in Sandy!)
End of (Regular) Season: Sunday, October 23 @Seattle


Well, looking back at my 2015 Season Preview, RSL fell squarely into the "worst case scenario" including injuries, signings not panning out, Sabo struggling, and the formation not working out. It was ugly, and by the end of the year, very reminiscent of 2007 era RSL. I think this year's model is better equipped for the 4-3-3, and am hopeful for better results.


Things I liked this offseason:
+Bringing back Chris Wingert. So underrated (I'd still take him over Beltran, but I digress) and he wanted to be here. Glad RSL took the no-brainer and scooped him up.
+Bringing back Yura Movsisyan. I was admittedly not a big fan of his first go round in Utah (he was too wasteful for my tastes), but there was no doubting that the potential was there. I'm hoping the time overseas has honed his skills and mind, and we get him at his peak.
+The removal of the "nacho platter" from the uniforms. That damn yellow stripe thing was an atrocity.
+Saucedo loan to Mexico. He gets some experience in a competitive soccer country. Very shrewd move by RSL, especially for a guy unlikely to play big minutes this year.
+The solar panel installation at Rio Tinto Stadium. Really good move, props to the team for being on the leading edge in this regard.
+This only semi-counts as "offseason," but I really liked the performance (in both legs) against Tigres. Played them very tough and showed some life, unlike much of last year. In a month, with some matches under their belts, RSL wins that 2nd leg going away.


Things I didn't like this offseason:
-The lack of ambition and reach shown. While I like that they brought back 2 good players, the team's continued reliance (and not just this offseason) on bringing back former players and relying on older players is a concern. Unfortunately, my feeling on this is backed up by a Sports Illustrated article ranking MLS teams by ambition. RSL's rank? 17th. Dell Loy Hansen has really shown me very little in this regard since taking over the team. He ran out some of the best front office guys in the league and (semi-)replaced them with cheap in-house options, for example. Speaking of which...
-The keeping of Cassar/4-3-3. Ugh. I do give RSL a little credit here for bringing in some guys (specifically Sunday and Yura) who can actually fit in this formation, thereby trying to make it work, but I'm doubtful. It looked decent against Tigres, sure, but it looked awful all last year. Cassar's insistence on playing the formation despite all evidence, feeling, logic, and results going against it was reason enough for me to want him gone.
-No depth. Supposedly they've been after a couple center backs, with deals that have fallen through. However, the season is now here and CB remains paper thin. Maund looked really good against Tigres, but he's been so mistake prone in the past, that I don't know if I trust him as a starter. We're also thin up front again, with no real replacement for Yura, Javi, or Plata/Burrito. You say, "But, we've got Olmes and Sandoval to play up front!" Yeah, that's my point. And I love Jordan Allen, but he's not ready to take over as a playmaker for this team. Hell, he's still learning the position!


So where does this all leave us? It's an interesting one, as I think RSL will be better, but they are far from the level of LA (how the hell do they fit all these guys under the cap???) or Portland.


The worst case for me would basically be a repeat of last year. Injuries in key positions (Olave is always likely) could be killer, especially with the lack of depth. Guys like Garcia, Sandoval, and the homegrown signings continue to struggle. Yura gets left out to dry by the formation. Guys get upset by playing time/team performance and the locker room turns rotten. They lose the all-important Ben Cup again. RSL misses the playoffs by 5-10 points.


The best case involves Yura living up to his potential and billing and scoring 15+. Morales, Beckerman, Olave, Wingert defy age and have great years. Stephen Sunday is as good as he looked against Tigres. Olmes finally brings back the mojo from his rookie year. Allen continues his upward trajectory. The team destroys DCU on its home turf to return the Ben Cup to its rightful home. RSL hits the playoffs fighting for the 3rd seed.


The Royal Review Prediction:
RSL puts together a solid, but unspectacular season. They bring in a new signing during the season that shows potential, but is uneven. Olave gets hurt, but only misses a couple games. Allen looks good, but doesn't hit stardom yet. Sunday is a good addition. RSL wins the Ben Cup by a goal and RSL fans everywhere rejoice. Yura drops in about 10 goals and over 5 assists. You follow the Royal Review on Twitter (@Royal_Review) because you love me and this blog so much. RSL reaches the playoffs as a low seed and puts up a fight in round 1 before going out.