It's unfathomable to imagine, but Real Salt Lake still hasn't won on the road this year.
In 14 games, the expansion MLS team owns an 0-13-1 record — which includes 13 straight losses after a season-opening tie at the MetroStars.
During its abysmal stretch away from Rice-Eccles Stadium, RSL has played well enough to win several of those games, but poor finishing like in Wednesday's loss at Colorado has prevented Salt Lake from walking away victorious.
Of its five remaining games this season, two are on the road, and RSL coach John Ellinger says it's imperative his team wins at least one of those games. Why? For confidence in 2006.
"We need to win an away game," said Ellinger. "We know we're going to be on the road the first two games of next season. (The league) won't give us a home game in the first week and second week of April because of possible weather situations."
Ellinger says it's a problem the organization must rid itself of by the end of the year. Otherwise, the team is already digging itself into a possible 0-2 start in 2006.
With the playoffs now a lost cause, the final three weeks are basically an extended tryout. Ellinger and his coaching staff have the unenviable task of revamping RSL's roster for 2006, and it's likely that upwards of a dozen players won't be back. How players do in the final five games will go a long way in determining who stays and who goes.
One thing Ellinger would really like to see is the emergence of a true leader on the field. It hasn't really happened this year, and with games remaining, the opportunity is there for that leader to emerge.
"Someone has to be the guy, who basically is the refuse-to-lose guy," said Ellinger. "Who on the field makes everyone accountable."
At the start of the year, the franchise was hoping that guy would be Clint Mathis, but that hasn't really worked out. Even though he's been a vocal leader in practice throughout most of the season, that leadership hasn't really transferred to the pitch, where Mathis is often too busy yelling at the referee to be a team leader.
Prior to his season-ending injury, Jason Kreis was a solid leader on the field and off, but it's difficult to take over a game from the forward spot. It's usually the responsibility of a midfielder.
Real Salt Lake returns to action this Saturday when it hosts the Columbus Crew at 7:30 p.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com