Real Salt Lake: Kreis rested Olave to protect investment

Bruising defender Jamison Olave was the prized offseason signing for Real Salt Lake, and last Saturday the club took a step in protecting that investment for the long haul.

Olave didn't accompany the team to New York as the coaching opted to rest the team's most athletic defender.

"Olave has a little bit of a degenerative knee; he doesn't have any cartilage in one of his knees," said RSL coach Jason Kreis. "We have to be careful with how much we're using him, and how much we're using him on the turf especially, because we've had some real bad reactions in the preseason to when he played on turf."

The Red Bulls are one of a handful of teams in MLS that plays on turf, and Kreis decided not to put Olave's knees through what figured to be 90 grueling minutes at Giants Stadium.

The timing of Olave's rest seems logical, especially with four league matches and a U.S. Open Cup qualifying match upcoming for Real Salt Lake in the next 15 days.

That stretch begins this weekend at home against New England in a match Olave is expected to start.

Resting Olave last weekend was also an opportunity for Kreis to reward second-year player David Horst.

"We're trying to learn from experience here, and part of the experience of having young players is they need to play games as well. I really thought, and I still do think, that Dave was ready for a game. He played very well in the preseason for us, and I wanted to reward him for that," said Kreis.

Unfortunately for Horst, just two minutes into his second career start he made a terrible mistake and cost RSL an early goal.

"I think he played really well apart for one mistake," said Kreis. "It's a funny game, but if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time and you happen to make one mistake, it can be extremely costly. If you're another place on the field you can make lots of mistakes and it's not extremely costly."

Horst's next opportunity to prove himself will likely come next Tuesday when RSL visits Seattle in a U.S. Open Cup qualifying match on turf at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash.

NEW ARRIVALS: RSL newcomer Kyle Davies arrived in Utah on Tuesday evening and will have his first training session with his new team today.

RSL acquired Davis, who had been playing in Europe the past couple years, via the MLS lottery last week. Only 20 years old, the center back has an impressive resume and figures to compete for playing time right away.

As for the arrival time of RSL's other newcomer, Fabian Espindola, Kreis said that is a little more up in the air.

"The bureaucracy of paperwork is something you can never put your finger on," said Kreis.

The club is still hopeful that the Argentine striker will be in Utah by the end of April.