Real's really shaking up roster

Clint Mathis, gone.

D.J. Countess, gone.

Brian Dunseth, gone.

As Real Salt Lake general manager Steve Pastorino likes to point out, that's three-fifths of last year's marketing campaign the team has said "sayonara" to.

Those departures are three of many transactions for Salt Lake this offseason and even more dating back to the franchise's inaugural game in April. Of the 27 players who were listed on last year's opening day, 12 are no longer with the team.

So what does all this turnover mean for RSL? It means that RSL coach John Ellinger expects to be much more competitive in 2006.

With RSL training camp just six weeks away, here's a look at RSL's projected lineup for next season.

Up top, Melvin Tarley and Jeff Cunningham are the obvious starters. After joining RSL in late July last year, Tarley started nine games but scored only one goal. The MLS rookie missed several well-documented easy scoring chances throughout the year, which only seemed to perpetuate Tarley's nerves as the season wore on. Eventually some finger-pointing began, and Tarley's confidence was shot.

With Mathis gone, Tarley should feel more at ease, and there's no doubt he'll benefit from spending an entire training camp with his teammates.

As for Cunningham, whom Salt Lake acquired from Colorado in the Mathis trade, RSL gains an instant scoring threat. The speedy forward scored 12 goals last year, and RSL is counting on him for similar production. With Jason Kreis likely moving to the midfield after suffering his second career ACL injury toward the end of the season, RSL's depth options up top are pretty limited.

After Jamie Watson and Jordan Cila, there isn't a single pure forward listed on the roster. With Cila's future with the team in question, don't be surprised if RSL targets several strikers in January's MLS SuperDraft.

The middle of the park was arguably RSL's undoing last year, but Ellinger is confident the team has made tremendous strides to improve that area.

It all starts with Douglas Sequeira at holding midfield. Assuming RSL utilizes a 4-4-2 formation in 2006, the Costa Rican international should solidify a position that plagued the team throughout the year. Even though rookie Kenny Cutler did an admirable job during the second half of the season, his inexperience and timidness going forward hindered Salt Lake.

Acquiring Sequeira from Chivas USA for defender Dunseth is an immediate upgrade.