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Real Salt Lake: Mathis is making a difference for RSL

I admire your attempt at journalistic objectivity, James, but in your heart of hearts you must know the story. Opinion on Mathis is not mixed. Ninety percent of the fans hate him. He did give us 60 good minutes last week, but over the rest of that 11 game span he's been very poor. Yet Kreis is saying he's done everything asked of him? Wasn't the same said of Kenny Cutler earlier in the year, when he was defining mediocrity on the pitch? I'm assuming the following were not asked of Mathis: tackling, closing down opponents, winning balls in the air, running for his teammates, assisting teammates on goal, and scoring. And stop saying we hate Mathis because of his last stint in town. That's ancient history at this club. We hate him because of what he's doing on the pitch this season. Loafing will never win over fans.

i hope you get a goal this weekend and shut everyone up

Mathis is doing great, it took him only a few games to get going and now he is rolling. Full90 I think you might have tunnel vision. Mathis has been working extremly hard, and it will pay off.

His hard work ethic, doing all the 'little things', but just not scoring reminds me of somebody else, The Dr., and you know where he is? THE BENCH! But The Dr. has actually scored a few goals for us. A strikers job is to score goals, period. Midfielders can get away with not scoring goals if they have great possesion, ball handling, etc, etc. but if youre going to play up top you got to put the ball in the back of the net. Until Cleetus does that I'm unconvinced of his ability to help this team.

I have been one of those fans who has been very critical of Mathis. Too Much mouth not enough production, but after watching the game against Chivas on FSC I have to say Mathis is playing much better and was very dangerous in putting the ball at the feet of teamates. Lets hope he continues to produce this weekend and maybe even get a assist or goal. GO RSL!!!!

You're a poor judge of effort and results of a soccer player. I'm in section 36 around row 5 so come sit with me for a game next season and I'll teach you about on and off the ball aspects of being a good soccer player. Goals and assists are great but so is having an undeniably positive impact on a team: see Emile Heskey, England national team.
He hasn't scored yet but if you try and say he hasn't contributed positively you're just wrong (and I can help b/c I AM a good judge of effort and results of soccer players).

I still have a slightly critical eye for Mathis, but he did play well last week against Chivas with a bit of criticism coming from the missed "glorious" opportunity which came from Yura's pass. He should have put that one it, it was a better angle than Findley's. It should have be mentioned in the article.

Also, I do agree with the Heskey comparison (although Heskey has done much much more).

Talk to a good soccer mind in the state....ANY good soccer mind in the state, and they'll tell you that Mathis isn't getting it done.

Effort? Yes. Defense? Yes. Possession? Yes. Production? Uuuuh.....not so much.

It's nice when a striker brings "intangibles" to the game, but in the end, strikers should be measured by one thing: Production. Or put it this way: If RSL had 11 players who did the little things but didn't produce, they wouldn't have won a single game all year.

And if you want intangibles but no production, why not put Deuchar on the field? Sorry, Mathis isn't doing anything better than Deuchar this year.

Hopefully Espindola is back soon so we can put this debate to rest, but in the meantime, I'd rather see Deuchar than Mathis.

I think what is frustrating is when Mathis puts out the kind of effort we saw against Chivas last week. His energy and aggression were terrific. Up until last week his effort has been very patchy.

That being said, if he plays that way again this week I've no problem with him starting.

Have we been watching the same Mathis? He is old and slow, we would have better offense if Findley started. Mathis is washed up.

I strongly agree. Mathis has improved with each game. And he looked great against Chivas. His experience and the will to win is coming out even more in the playoffs. I hope to see him continue this trend on Saturday.

He isn't going to be the savior of this team. He isn't good enough, young enough or smart enough. A whole article on him? Come on. The only thing that explains Mathis' starting position is the coach's man crush on him. He has great legs, right?
What's next, an article on Williams? He hasn't scored many goals either and has equally crappy stats on assists.
However, Williams also played well against Chivas so why not write a flattering article about another soon-to-be washed up player.
What about the team's future? Where is it? Not in Williams and Mathis don't have three more season in them.
It is a great year for RSL but the focus should be in the future, not the past. GO REAL!. Roast some goat on this weekend.

I am a diehard fan and I like Mathis. He has always had skill, vision and attitude. Now, this time around, it appears he has heart and a work ethic to boot. He is an asset and if you watch the game as an educated soccer person, you'll see that.

Mathis has the potential to do something amazing (i.e. his attempted bicycle kick against chivas last week...if that goes in, he'd be the talk of the team). But how many games is it going to take? I appreciate all the intangibles and he did play well last week. But in order to win back the fans, he's going to have to start producing. I want to see him put away a spectacular game winner during the playoffs so I can really get behind him.

Mathis did have decent ball control and lots of effort. However, he's playing the roll of a striker with no goals or assists. Effort and ball control are for the midfielders. I have no problem dropping him back to a wing possible subbing with Williams at the half. But until he starts getting shots in the back of the net. He has no place up front. We have too many strikers that are capable of getting the ball in the net that sit on the bench game in and game out so that Mathis (Kries' BFF) can start up top.

Mathis used to be one of my favorite players with the US . . . just like Ellinger on the coaching side of things. I had played for Ellinger (well, tried out as a regional team player, but didn't make the national team he coached) and played with Mathis a few times. I loved them and was excited for that first season.

But then Mathis was horrible, and Ellinger had a rough time adjusting to MLS. I ended up feeling sorry for Ellinger, but despising Mathis.

It's been hard for me to come around this time. But he has been working hard. He's lost weight. He's keeping his mouth shut. He's leading. He's still not what he used to be, but he's now a positive on RSL's roster.

Having said that, I think the comparisons to Deuchar are fair. Obviously Yura deserves a starting spot, but it's hard to argue that Espindola and/or Findlay wouldn't be at least as effective -- especially Espindola, who is a much more all-around player than Findlay.

But I must admit, it's great to have the problem of too many strong forward, as oppossed to the reverse.

GO RSL!!!

Yura Movsisyan is playing the role of striker.

Mathis contributes on the field even though people think it is only about goals. I admit he has missed some great opportunities to score, but he is also creating those opportunities. I, for one, think he is contributing in a major way to the team. Just like Dr. Goal was. Dr. Goal wins in the air, which goes unrecognized.

Mathis should be playing the last 20 minutes of the game. He doesn't defend, occasionally plays decent long and through balls but isn't worth a start.

When Cleetus usedtocould play he was all right. He's not really a threat anymore offensively. He's more of a liability with his lack of effort and ability to defend.

I think you are wrong saying that 90% of fans hate Mathis. I for one have seen what he has brought to the field and support having him out there. Do I think he should be playing 90? No. But he is definitely earned his spot in the starting 11.