Real Salt Lake's practice Tuesday was as upbeat as ever, but how is that possible?
The club is on the verge of setting several MLS records for futility, the national media have been mocking RSL since April, most local media stopped caring in May and attendance has been sagging all summer.
Yet the players involved with the mess keep plugging along, no doubt frustrated, but committed to setting things straight if for no other reason than to feel what it's like to win again.
"We're not going to give up," said Real keeper Nick Rimando. "This is what we do. This is our job, and we need to perform well for us. This is our career. And the fans, because they come out to watch us."
RSL's next opportunity to solve the success hex is tonight at 7 against the Kansas City Wizards. It beat the Wizards once this year, but that was in a U.S. Open Cup qualifying match back in April. When these teams met last month in Kansas City, the Wizards dominated, despite only winning 1-0.
Looking back on what's transpired this year, Rimando admits the team might have gotten ahead of itself — looking to the playoffs. Barring one of the greatest finishes in league history, one that would involve an impossible 10-game winning streak, no one expects RSL to make a meteoric rise back into the postseason picture.
Rimando believes the objectives should be much simpler.
"We need to concentrate on one game at a time," said Rimando. "I think that's the realistic goal — to concentrate on one game at a time."
Concentrating is one thing, but the passing and finishing must be better than they were during Sunday's loss against Chivas USA. In that match, RSL only took seven shots and, embarrassingly, only one was on goal.
Coach Jason Kreis believes it all goes back to possession.
"For us, when we possess the ball, we have better attacking chances, and we won't feel so rushed when we do, and that's part of the problem in front of the goal," he said. "We have players that feel like we get so few opportunities that they have to do something well when they get in the attacking third.
"If we can get to where we possess the ball a lot better for longer stretches, I think that helps the confidence in front of goal as well."
Prior to Sunday's game with Chivas, Kreis groomed his players with a week's worth of possession-oriented drills to better prepare the guys for the large Home Depot Center field. It obviously didn't work.
Kreis admitted there was probably a lack of technique with some players, and midfielder Kyle Beckerman said the first half was the worst Real has played since he joined the team from Colorado.
Fresh off a match three days ago, and with another this Saturday at the Los Angeles Galaxy, expect Kreis to mix things up pretty significantly for RSL's two upcoming games. That will most likely entail the insertion of all three Argentines in the lineup for the first time against Kansas City.
Striker Fabian Espindola, 22, started and played 68 minutes in Sunday's loss to Chivas. Defender Matias Mantilla, 26, also made his debut as a substitute in the 72nd minute. Javier Morales, 27, was an unused substitute due to a shoulder injury.
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com