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MLS: Every team’s best starting XI for 2019

By Joshua Bowers

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 08: Atlanta United players celebrate with the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy after winning the MLS Cup against the Portland Timbers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. Atlanta won 2-0. (Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 08: Atlanta United players celebrate with the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy after winning the MLS Cup against the Portland Timbers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. Atlanta won 2-0. (Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 1: Damir Kreilach #6 of Real Salt Lake celebrates his first half goal during Los Angeles FC’s MLS Western Conference Knockout match against Real Salt Lake at the Banc of California Stadium on November 1, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 1: Damir Kreilach #6 of Real Salt Lake celebrates his first half goal during Los Angeles FC’s MLS Western Conference Knockout match against Real Salt Lake at the Banc of California Stadium on November 1, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images) /

Real Salt Lake

4-3-3

GK Nick Rimando

RB Brooks Lennon

CB Marcelo Silva

CB Justen Glad

LB Aaron Herrera

CDM Kyle Beckerman

CM Damir Kreilach

CM Albert Rusnak

RW Jefferson Savarino

ST Corey Baird

LW Joao Plata

Real Salt Lake have a deep team, especially in the attacking positions. They played Kreilach as a forward down the stretch. However, slotting him in the frontline would mean displacing Baird, Plata, or Savarino, and they are all coming off good campaigns. Instead, I chose to push Kreilach back into the midfield.

Everton Luis may be the team’s best holding midfielder, but I feel Beckerman has earned the right to play his way out of the starting line-up.

On the backline, I like Brooks Lennon at right- back, while Justen Glad is another must-start player. I could go with either Marcelo Silva or Nedum Onuoha as the other center-back. Aaron Herrera is a natural right-back, but with Lennon entrenched there, he has had to move to the left. Real Salt Lake loaned Danilo Acosta to Orlando in favor of Herrera, and I’m not going to go against the level of commitment they have shown Herrera.

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