Real Salt Lake looking to get defensive

LEHI — In trying to defend the MLS Cup, Real Salt Lake knows it needs to do just that — defend.

"When we looked at our team and the way we like to play soccer, we realized that the only way we were going to be successful was to play great defense," said RSL midfielder and team captain Kyle Beckerman. "We knew it wasn't just going to need to be one or two or even five players. We knew it was going to need to be the whole team that got involved and really buckled down."

Following back-to-back losses to Dallas and Houston last September — in which the team gave up three goals in each game — there was a real danger that Real was going to miss the MLS playoffs. And unless something changed, it was a certainty.

Things did change, and changed dramatically, as the team posted three straight shutouts down the stretch and allowed only three goals in its final seven games including the playoffs.

"After giving up all those goals to Dallas and Houston, we knew we needed a change," said midfielder Will Johnson. "It wasn't going to be up to just the back four. It needed to start up front with the forwards, then go through to the midfield. It is a collective team effort to play defense that helped us along. That, plus it doesn't hurt that if we do happen to let something through, we have the best goaltender in the league back there in Nick (Rimando) to bail us out."

It appears the defensive mindset that in essence won the team a title has carried over to the new season. Real posted a 3-0 blanking of San Jose on the road to begin the 2010 season.

"Quite simply, it is going to take a different level of commitment from our players collectively to defend than it does for a lot of teams; that's just the way it is around here," said coach Jason Kreis. "When our players as a group commit to working so very hard for each other, we almost always have had results.

"About halfway or two-thirds the way through last year, we recognized that we had gotten away from doing those things. We'd kind of forgotten to do it," added Kreis. "We needed to step back and refocus on all the little things that it takes to be successful."

That focus again doesn't just come with the defenders.

"I think we have two of the best defensive forwards in the game in Fabian (Espindola) and Robbie (Findley)," said defender Chris Wingert. "It all begins with those guys coming back to help out and then it carries through the whole team. When we all are doing our part to defend, I think we can be one of the top defensive teams in the league."

Real gets a chance to show just how much better it has become defensively Thursday on the road when it faces Houston, the team that posted the three goals against in a 3-2 win last season.

RSL on the air

Real Salt Lake (1-0-0) at Houston (0-0-1)

Thursday, 7 p.m.

TV: ESPN2 Radio: 700 AM, 1600 AM (Spanish)

e-mail: mblack@desnews.com