Real Salt Lake plans to attack early, often

If the lessons learned in Columbus matter, don't expect Real Salt Lake to come out defensive in this Saturday's Eastern Conference Final against Chicago.

RSL could've easily justified sitting back in a defensive shell to protect its 1-0 lead in Game 2 against the Crew last week, but instead it found a happy medium. The approach didn't necessarily work to perfection by surrendering the first two goals, but RSL created plenty of scoring chances and ultimately pulled off the upset.

There's no way the team changes tactics now.

"We have to continue to believe in ourselves and appreciate what we've done so far and also want some more," said coach Jason Kreis. "We can't now rest again on this and say what a fantastic job we did beating Columbus, and now we've made it to the conference final again."

Even though RSL is keeping its approach top-secret as always, don't be surprised if the team goes after it early.

"It's a soccer field; it's the same size as (Rio Tinto Stadium) that we've been so good on. We've got a good team; we've got nothing to lose; let's just go for it, 90 minutes, and let's try and get ourselves a place in the final," said Will Johnson.

RSL captain Kyle Beckerman has no interest in playing pack-it-in soccer in a conference championship.

"If you're going in with the mind-set that we're just going to defend and not lose the game and play not to lose, and then it ends up happening and the other team does score, well now you have to change your whole mind-set you went in the whole week getting ready for, now you have to go and chase the game," Beckerman said. "I think the best way to go about it is play your game, and if what you're doing is not trying to play good soccer, then your club's not going too far anyway."

It's all a matter of perspective, though.

In last year's conference final at Rio Tinto Stadium, New York packed it in for 90 minutes and prevailed 1-0 despite being thoroughly outplayed by Real Salt Lake.

Against Chicago, RSL figures to come out aggressive right away because of question marks in the Fire defense. Chicago shut out New England last week, but it did so without two of its key starters along the back line.

Wilman Conde, an MLS All-Star this summer, is questionable, and Gonzalo Segaras is out. Chicago's patchwork defense did well against New England, but RSL's attack is much more imposing.

"They're a team that's on a good streak right now; they knocked off the defending champions and they come in with a lot of confidence and they have some firepower," said Chicago coach Denis Hamlett. "More importantly, their midfield does a lot of work for them in terms of defending but also looking to get forward; they're a well-balanced team."

Eastern Conference Final

RSL at Chicago Fire

Saturday, 6 p.m.

TV: Fox Soccer Channel

Radio: 570 AM

e-mail: jedward@desnews.com