Real Salt Lake top performers: Kyle Beckerman

All one needs to do to see how valuable midfielder Kyle Beckerman was to Real Salt Lake is look at the team's results while he was away with National Team duty for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

While Beckerman was away, the club went 1-1-1, but closer examination tells more of the story. First, the club had a 1-1 draw at home to San Jose, a team that finished last in the Western Conference. The team followed with a 3-1 loss at Columbus in a game that wasn't even that close. Finally, the team fell behind Dallas 2-0 at home before rallying back for the team's biggest comeback in franchise history for a 4-2 win. In other words, Beckerman kept the team composed and playing its best when he was on the field, which was often.

The team captain started all 25 games in which he was available — he missed a pair of games due to yellow-card suspensions — and had over 2,000 minutes yet again for the club. He scored three goals and added a pair of assists. But that was not his main job.

Beckerman is one of the top defensive/holding midfielders in the league. He did a tremendous job all season at disrupting an opponent's attack and getting the ball distributed from the back.

"It's a cliche to say, but it makes it easy for us," said defender Nat Borchers of Beckerman's type of play. "I've said before, I think we've got the best midfield in the league. And I think that from a standpoint of those guys doing the dirty work plus being good with the ball, it makes it a lot easier for us in the back to make decisions and to possess the ball. I just think they've been terrific for us."

Beckerman was rewarded for his work with a 2009 MLS All-Star appearance, and ultimately an MLS Cup.

e-mail: mblack@desnews.com