Real-ity bites for Salt Lake

So what does Real Salt Lake do now?

It is coming off a loss to the worst team in MLS, countless players are banged up, coach John Ellinger can't seem to figure out a formation that works consistently and the team is a bad first-half team on the road.

The solution is actually quite simple.

"We've just got to deal with it," said Ellinger. "Suck it up and move on."

The team doesn't really have a choice. There are 11 other teams in the league, and all 11 would love to pounce on a beleaguered Salt Lake team and steal three points. No one is feeling sorry for Real Salt Lake.

Nobody cares that RSL lost at Chivas 1-0 on a questionable PK. Nobody cares that Clint Mathis and D.J. Countess were both injured, and that Andy Williams was benched for his lethargic pace in the middle.

The only thing RSL's opponents are thinking is 'when do we get to play the expansion team.'

At this point, Mathis and Countess are both questionable for this weekend's home game against Los Angeles, but that status is very preliminary.

After seeing the U.S. National Team doctor Sunday morning in Los Angeles, it was determined that Mathis has a contusion in his back, but it's over a nerve and his progress will be monitored throughout the week.

Countess is scheduled to have an MRI done on his sprained left shoulder today by the same doctor in California to determine his prognosis.

"I can tell you right now, if I have an option of making a decision, I'm going to be there for my team," said Countess. "If I have to take a shot, I'll take a shot. If I have to do physical therapy I'll do physical therapy. I want to be in the net, plain and simple."

There is a silver lining for Salt Lake. No matter how good or bad a team is playing, there's always next week, and nobody is invincible in MLS. Aside for New England, everyone in the league has endured a bad loss or two just six weeks into the season.

"Sooner or later we have to look each other in the mirror and figure out what's going on. The effort wasn't there," said Countess. "We've got to be a better team and learn to keep the ball."

Sure the referee might've made an error in judgment in awarding Chivas a penalty kick in the 39th minute. And sure, he maybe should've given Real a penalty kick in the 74th minute on a questionable foul on Brian Kamler.

But as Countess reiterated, "At the end of the day too, we didn't create enough chances to win the game. If you don't create enough chances to win the game, all you can do is tie at best," he said.