Comments about ‘Real Salt Lake defender Olave is hitting his stride in time’

Olave is just incredible. He is a big reason we are in first place. In fact, since he will sit out the Houston game I don't like our chances in that game. If Mantilla plays in his place we will lose for sure. Please put anyone in besides Mantilla.

If RSL doesn't pick up Olave's contract they are crazy. This guy is a beast and needs to stay in an RSL kit. Pick up his contract please!!!!!!!!!! YOu lose him next year and we fill in the gap with Mantilla!?!?!?! Nothing against him but Olave is 100 times better.

Olave is the perfect successor to Eddie Pope. I quiet, unassuming central back that gets the job done.

We are going to miss him on the 16th against Houston.

Um seriously Olave is superior in every way. The only thing Pope had for him is being a "star" that's American born. Olave is taller, stronger, better passer, better at heading, better at clearing the ball, takes up less salary, etc. Olave is my favorite player. He's a MONSTER defender.

I know that we are all excited about Olave and he is a true stud, but saying that he is better than Pope is a little premature. He may have more upside, but you may forget how good Pope was early in his career before he started to slow down.

However, Olave is a stud. It has been said that it will be nearly impossible to buy out his contract. I really hope that RSL can get it done because this guy needs to be the cornerstone of the franchise. I don't think that you can make him a DP, but he should command elite money in this league. Don't let him get away RSL. And certainly not to an inferior league in South America.

In his prime, Pope was every bit as good as Olave. I'm assuming you didn't watch the 2002 world cup where Pope led the defense as the US made it all the way to the quarterfinals. However, he did lose some of his dominating physical traits as he got older... can't blame him for that though. Olave is definitely a better deal than Pope (salary wise), and a very capable replacement. Good work by the front office, and lets hope we can hang on to him...

I don't like Mantilla playing center back, he is a bit too reckless. Maybe stick him out on the wing instead of Wingert (he is useless and slow) or in d-mid cause he is tenacious and has decent foot skills.

Olave has made RSL's backline the best in the league. Only allowing 3 goals in the last 9 games says it all....One of the great thing about sports is that everyone has an opinion...I'll take Wingert over any outside back in the league. He's skillful, serves a great ball (two to Findley he should have scored on), and is an excellent 1 vs 1 defender

They are the reason RSL has been so successful this year.

You are comparing Pope to Olave??? Pope was outstanding on his prime, but the years with RSL WERE NOT even close!!! I honestly had forgotten who played that position!!!

You are calling the Colombian league an inferior league?? HAHAHA What a joke! MLS in nowhere near the top on the list in the Americas!!! HAHA

re: Olave vs Pope, "I don't like Mantilla playing center back, he is a bit too reckless. Maybe stick him out on the wing instead of Wingert (he is useless and slow) or in d-mid cause he is tenacious and has decent foot skills."

Are you serious? What team have you been watching. Wingert has been the most consistent performer all year for us. Playing Matilla over him would be a nightmare. Wingert is faster, smarter, and more technical than Matilla. He is the only true winger we have on the roster, and is currently our best crosser. As for tenacity, he is a hard, aggressive tackler, but he is not reckless and foolish like Matilla tends to be. I'm not trying to rip on you or Matilla, but I'm just amazed that you think plaing him on the outside instead of Wingert is a good idea.

p.s. Olave is incredible. It was so fun watching him dominate Ching the entire game against Houston. There were a couple of times that Ching just started laughing after trying to out-muscle Olave to a ball. Olave didn't budge and inch. We will miss him on the 16th.