Over the course of Real Salt Lake's inaugural season, the coaching staff and players figured that injuries, suspensions and national team call-ups would dilute the team's starting 11 from time to time. But no one could've foreseen what's transpired.
Heading into this Saturday's match against FC Dallas at Rice-Eccles Stadium, RSL coach John Ellinger is preparing to utilize his 18th different starting lineup in 19 matches.
The lineup cycling has made developing cohesion seemingly impossible, but it can't be used as an excuse. Every team in the league has endured similar lineup shuffles.
Not counting Wednesday's games, here's a breakdown of the lineups used by the 12 MLS teams: Chicago (16 different lineups in 20 games), New England (12 of 17), Kansas City (15 of 18), MetroStars (14 of 17), D.C.
United (13 of 17), Columbus (17 of 18), FC Dallas (12 of 17), San Jose (10 of 18), Los Angeles (13 of 18), Colorado (18 of 18), Real Salt Lake (17 of 18) and Chivas USA (16 of 19).
San Jose has enjoyed the most consistency by utilizing the same starting 11 in eight of 18 matches. Colorado, meanwhile, hasn't had the luxury of the same starting lineup once this year.
There does, however, appear to be a slight correlation between lineup consistency and success.
The top three teams in the Eastern and Western conferences have utilized the same starting lineup a combined 28 percent of the time. Conversely, the bottom three teams in each conference check in at 12 percent.
The constant turnover will be a topic of discussion at the league meetings during next weekend's MLS All-Star game at Columbus, Ohio.
During the past three weeks, every team in MLS has been shorthanded because of the ongoing CONCACAF Gold Cup, and it has many wondering about the product the league is putting on the field during this time.
Because of the regional national team tournament, big-name MLS players like Landon Donovan, Eddie Pope, Josh Wolff and Clint Dempsey could miss up to five games, with countless other top-tier players missing anywhere from two to four games.
With the World Cup taking place next summer in Germany, the league is contemplating taking a summer break next year, which could last up to three weeks.
The break would ensure that MLS fans are treated to the best that Major League Soccer has to offer every game, instead of its current watered-down level.
MLS GOING GLOBAL: Major League Soccer announced Thursday that a collection of MLS stars will travel to Spain on Aug. 23 to challenge Real Madrid in the 27th edition of the Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu — an annual international match hosted by Real Madrid prior to the start of its domestic season.
The players and coaching staff for the game will be announced at a later date.
Real Madrid just completed a two-game tour of the United States in which it defeated Mexico's Chivas Guadalajara 3-1 and then MLS's Los Angeles Galaxy 2-0.
"The level of play in MLS continues to improve every year and has driven the U.S. National Team to its current sixth-place FIFA world ranking," said MLS commissioner Don Garber. "In order to continue our rapid development, it is important that we test ourselves against the world's best."
During the history of the event, teams like A.C. Milan (Italy), River Plate (Argentina), Ajax Amsterdam (Holland) and Liverpool (England) have participated.
RSL on the air
FC DALLAS AT REAL SALT LAKE
at Rice-Eccles Stadium
Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
TV: None
Radio: AM-1280
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com