Real Salt Lake weighing lineup changes ahead of playoff match at Seattle

Seattle Sounders forward Luis Silva (23) is lifted by Real Salt Lake defender Justen Glad (15) as RSL and the Sounders play at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019. | Scott G Winterton

Marcelo Silva got the starting nod over Justen Glad in playoff win over Portland, but the two may swap places in Wednesday’s match at Seattle

HERRIMAN — Over the past four seasons, when he’s been healthy, Justen Glad has been Real Salt Lake’s most consistent starter.

A year ago, he started 33 of 34 regular season games, and this year he started 23 of 34 games after missing six games to start the season because of a broken toe in the preseason.

Over that same stretch, RSL has played four playoffs games but Glad hasn’t walked out of the tunnel in the starting lineup for any of them.

Last Saturday Glad was left on the bench for RSL’s 2-1 home playoff victory over Portland, and interim coach Freddy Juarez said it was a tactical decision, not a trust issue.

Juarez believed that the physical presence of Marcelo Silva joining Nedum Onuoha in the starring 11 allowed RSL to match up better with Portland striker Jeremy Ebobisse.

Heading into Wednesday’s Western Conference semifinal at Seattle, Juarez said the tactics might need to change.

“Now we have to rethink because the lineup and front line from Seattle is different characteristics from the front line from Portland,” said Juarez. “Ebobisse is a big guy, strong, and we thought we had to match that up. Seattle is quick, faster, smaller guys that are very good.”

Glad’s quickness and pace might be his ticket back into a playoff starting lineup for the first time since 2014 when he started in the club’s 5-0 loss to the L.A. Galaxy.

“We always look to put our team in the best position to win, and sometimes I’ve got to put my egos aside so I can pick someone else, and other times the players have got to do the same thing. Whatever we can do for the team to win is what we’re going to do,” said Juarez.

Juarez acknowledges that some players react to being left out of the lineup differently, but he said he communicated the situation with Glad and expects he’ll be ready if called up against Seattle.

Center back is one of several positions that Juarez might be inclined to make a change for the Seattle match.

Sam Johnson and Joao Plata both provided a spark off the bench in the second half against Portland, and Juarez could reward one of them with a start on Wednesday. Plata provided the key touch on the ball that set up Jefferson Savarino’s game-winner.

Johnson, meanwhile, scored in the last game against Seattle back on Aug. 14 and the coaching staff will consider what Johnson’s pace might do to the comfort level of Seattle’s backline.

“The reality is I have to do what’s best for the team,” said Juarez.

RSL captain Kyle Beckerman said that regardless of the lineup, everyone is confident heading into Seattle, but he said it’s not an uncommon feeling around MLS this week.

“Once these playoffs come around, especially after the first round, everyone is feeling a bit confident thinking this is their year,” said Beckerman.

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