Real Salt Lake 2023 MLS season preview: Tactics, predicted XI, predictions
By Chris Smith
Real Salt Lake are looking to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs for the third year in a row in 2023.
Under Pablo Mastroeni, RSL have become a team that's hard to beat and with just the right amount of attacking flair to give any team in MLS a run for their money.
Of course, the Western Conference is shaping up to be extremely competitive next year, so standards will have to remain high if Salt Lake are to stay above the line.
So, here's everything you need to know about Real Salt Lake ahead of the new MLS season, including tactics, key players, and predictions.
How did Real Salt Lake perform in 2022?
- Regular season: 7th in Western Conference
- MLS Cup Playoffs: First Round
- US Open Cup: Third Round
Real Salt Lake transfer activity
Transfers in
Player | Former Club | Fee |
|---|---|---|
Carlos Andres Gomez | Millonarios | $4m |
Delentz Pierre | Portland Pilots | Free transfer |
Ilijah Paul | Washington Huskies | SuperDraft |
Moses Mensah | Fighting Camels | SuperDraft |
Emeka Eneli | Cornell Big Red | SuperDraft |
Amferny Sinclair | Syracuse | SuperDraft |
Bertin Jacquesson | Pittsburgh Panthers | SuperDraft |
Brayan Vera | CD America | Undisclosed |
Moses Nyeman | SK Beveren | Loan |
Transfers out
Player | Club Joined | Fee |
|---|---|---|
Aaron Herrera | CF Montreal | $500k |
Christopher Garcia | El Paso | Free transfer |
Bret Halsey | FC Cincinnati 2 | Free transfer |
Moses Mensah | Birmingham Legion | Free transfer |
Bobby Wood | New England Revolution | Draft |
Jonathan Menendez | Newell's Old Boys | Loan |
Jaziel Orozco | Santos Laguna | Loan |
Tate Schmitt | - | Released |
Nick Besler | - | Released |
Johan Kappelhof | - | Released |
Jeff Dewsnup | - | Retired |
Sergio Cordova | Augsburg | End of loan |
Pablo Mastroeni: Tactics and style of play
Mastroeni used a number of different systems last season, from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2 and just about everything in between.
Regardless of shape, the tactics were simple. RSL focused on direct, forward balls into attacking areas, lots and lots of crosses, and then relying on the returning Jefferson Savarino for a bit of magic later in the season.
RSL sometimes became predictable but, for the most part, their battering ram approach unsettled enough defenses to keep them competitive.
Real Salt Lake predicted XI (4-4-1-1): MacMath; Brody, Glad, Silva, Vera; Savarino, Ruiz, Ojeda, Gomez; Kreilach; Musovski.
Who is Real Salt Lake's key player?
Jefferson Savarino
After a rather successful 18-month stay in Brazil, winning six trophies with Atletico Mineiro while hitting 22 goals and 21 assists in 95 games, Jefferson Savarino returned to Real Salt Lake midway through last season.
While RSL remained inconsistent, the Venezuela international's arrival sparked a big improvement in front of goal and allowed Mastroeni much more tactical freedom. Savarino himself scored seven goals and assisted another four in just 19 regular-season appearances.
As mentioned, he provided a little touch of magic amid a rudimentary RSL system that focused on getting the ball forward quickly and disrupting defenses with physicality and overloads.
If Mastroeni can harness Savarino's skill again this year, he could be the difference between success and failure.
Real Salt Lake 2023 season prediction
The good news for RSL they have an established core that has been together long enough to form a well-oiled machine, while in Savarino, they have an underrated forward who is actually among the best in MLS.
The bad news is they haven't brought in enough quality numbers to suggest they can convincingly make the Playoffs. They lack a bit of that star quality that other teams in the West either already have or have added this winter.
Nine teams per conference will make the Playoffs this year, so RSL will be in the mix, but don't expect them to push beyond the last couple of spots.
Will Real Salt Lake qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs? Yes