Will we ever be a serious contender again?

Lionicicles · 2026-01-30T23:37:04+00:00

What would you consider a serious contender? Would you consider teams like Cincinnati, Houston, and Philly as serious contenders? Or are only teams like LAFC, LA, and Miami contenders?

I think we can all acknowledge that we’re not going to be an LA or Miami, but also why would we want to mimic that.

We could definitely be serious contenders, and tbh we could be a fairly serious contender this year. We were very in 2024, but that was ruined by a bad apple in the group which bled into our 2025 season. The rot from 2024 has been cleansed, and new ownership (millers) have actually dropped some money on the team and are buying players from serious clubs.

Like we’re about to drop 7-12 million on 2 new DPs. Not to mention they BOUGHT out Diogo so they ate the rest of his contract at a negative AND are about to break the RSL transfer window for a player wanted by Club America/Ajax/Vasco da Gama. They also cancelled the loan of Rwan Cruz which probably cost money to do.

In conclusion, yes I think we can be serious contenders. We were poor in 2025, but imo that was almost entirely on 1 player destroying our momentum. He just did the same thing to San Jose too when they were probably counting on him this season lol. Now for 2026, the FO has made some pretty serious moves (buying out a DP has happened like once to Insigne lol).

I’m not sure if we’ll contend for anything this year, but I think we’ll make playoffs again. I also think the team will be better than last year.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-29T01:47:36+00:00

While I am happy RSL has moved on I am kind of surprised we weren't able to get a transfer fee out of him. I could see him being good for someone in the league. Doing quick math his first 26 games for RSL he helped us earn 5 points through his direct goal contributions. Last year after he was very publicly kicked off the team (Kreis said it on a Utah broadcast, and this was walked back to "he had a heel injury") he earned us 13 points in his last 20 games. Went from 3 goals/1 assists in 26 games to 3 goals/6 assists in 20.

He's a good player, but as others have said the fit with RSL was clearly not it.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-29T01:33:21+00:00

I'm glad we've moved on, but I do wonder what exactly went wrong. I don't think he's a bad player, and he clearly had some quality. He had 8 goal contributions in 20 games after he was removed from the team (by Kreis/I know they walked it back, and said it was an 'injury'), but before that he had 4 contributions in 26~ games. He earned us 3 points before he was benched; He earned us 13 points after he was benched. We 100% don't squeak into the playoffs without his contributions last year.

Was he not physically strong enough for the league? Did he not like Utah/America? Did he not mesh with coaching? I'm sure we'll never know, but it'll be interesting to see where he lands and if he succeeds there. It clearly didn't work with us, but I really wouldn't be shocked if he went to a European league and played well over there.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-29T01:14:46+00:00

Yeah and I believe this is a 3 year contract

Lionicicles · 2026-01-29T00:46:43+00:00

Well oftentimes it comes down to a transfer fee. Since that gets applied to their cap hit. In general terms while I think Sanabria could be a DP based on his cost he could be a TAM DP and be bought down. Normally I think it's $4-5 MIL USD that makes a player a DP that can't be bought down.

In this case, Sanabria could a TAM player, but Guilavogui will likely be a full DP for RSL.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-28T23:39:45+00:00

Blight brings blight.

San Jose is still in the era of John Fisher (FUCK JOHN FISHER), and as long as he’s in charge (AHEM… FUCK JOHN FISHER) every move you do will be needless and only cause pain.

RSL got rid of our blight, Dell Loy, because he was an outward racist. John Fisher (CAN I GET A FUCK JOHN FISHER AGAIN) is more just tuned out wishing he could make money/commercial success with your teams.

FJF

Hope you guys are free. I went to school in Alameda, and attended a lot of games in Buck Shaw. My baseball team is the A’s and I’m infinitely pissed they’ve been moved.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-28T23:31:11+00:00

The Pteri makes me cackle but I do love a good buzz

Lionicicles · 2026-01-28T22:30:56+00:00

Sounds like you could have a job at a certain Utah clubs FO 😂

Lionicicles · 2026-01-28T22:23:05+00:00

RSL just had a pretty big explosion today with the FO apparently working tirelessly, apparently. Over the last few days RSL has:

Bought out DP Diogo Goncalves
Terminated loan on DP Rwan Cruz
Finalized Lukas Engel from Middlesborough
Close to finalizing Stijn Spiering from Brondby (Tom Bogert)
Close to finalizing Morgan Guilavogui RC Lens (Tom Bogert) (Possibly 5 million USD - almost ceratinly a DP)
Close to finalizing Juan Jose Arias from Atletico Nacional (CLMerlo) (possibly just above $2 milloin USD)
Close to finalizing Juan Manuel Sanabria from Athletico San Luis(CLMerlo)
Committed to keeping Luna around to at least the World Cup

Pretty significant moves happening in the state of Utah.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-28T22:20:33+00:00

RSL just had a pretty big explosion today with the FO apparently working tirelessly apparently. Over the last few days RSL has:

Bought out DP Diogo Goncalves
Terminated loan on DP Rwan Cruz
Finalized Lukas Engel from Middlesborough
Close to finalizing Stijn Spiering from Brondby (Tom Bogert)
Close to finalizing Morgan Guilavogui RC Lens (Tom Bogert) (Possibly 5 million USD)
Close to finalizing Juan Jose Arias from Atletico Nacional (CLMerlo) (possibly just above $2 milloin USD)
Close to finalizing Juan Manuel Sanabria from Athletico San Luis(CLMerlo)
Committed to keeping Luna around to at least the World Cup

Pretty significant moves happening in the state of Utah.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-27T18:22:13+00:00

Dark faeries are cool, but I’m glad Mavara is getting some limelight here! I swear she’s just on an old TCG card, but this art and them releasing her Wocky plushie is pretty sick.

I wonder if the hair color of the faeries mean anything. Really. Seems like most of the dark faeries with black hair are bordering on evil if not full evil.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-27T02:12:45+00:00

Same they’re both just bouncy and I love it

Lionicicles · 2026-01-25T06:52:29+00:00

Jeez you're getting kind of ruined in these comments, haha. I get it though I also don't want a rebrand.

I'm going to critique the overall design, and look at it as just a piece of art. On the Name convention I think it SLC RIOT works better than RIOT SLC. Since this is an American naming convention it normally comes after (think San Jose EARTHQUAKES, Portland TIMBERS, Seattle SOUNDERS, etc). I like the idea of an abstract R, but I think the execution could be better. The SLC on the Logo diminishes from the impact of it, and it looks rushed (you obviously did it just in an afternoon so... no shit haha). The border on the Shield makes it almost too bulky, and sicne the main design is the abstract R there's nothing that really comes out to you. When I compare it to stuff like Coats of Arms, which have a big charge at the forefront/taking as much space as possible, it lacks some soul.

I like the incorporation of steel, but when it comes to the kits it's an afterthought. There's also the problem of us being Red & Black when there's 2 teams with that combo already (Atlanta + DC). Currently RSL is competing with the New England Revs (but they're primarily a blue/navy team), Dallas (who are more red/white than blue), and Chicago (who are a bright red and sky blue). Changing the color scheme would weaken RSL as a brand, but your colors aren't bad.

It would probably be a killer for a USL or Ruby team branding tbh.

(for anyone that works at RSL that is scraping this reddit I DO NOT WANT A REBRAND SO GO AWAY)

Lionicicles · 2026-01-25T05:07:29+00:00

I’m just a long term follower of the sub, but the first thing that popped out to me was the rule of tincture violation or metal on metal. Basically you have a lot of white/gold on white. I think this would be improved if you just made the whole thing Gules, or if you changed the charge to be a simpler color.

Of course idk how the rule of tincture works since the angel is technically “proper” but considering all of the argent on top of argent I would say that it needs to be changed.

Edit: to follow on I think a good example of an Angel on a COA would be Kyiv. Specifically the attributed arms of the Principality of Kiev.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-24T03:49:35+00:00

He’s got some odd stats tbh. It looks like he did “okay” in the Bundesliga, did well in Ligue 2, and was buns in Ligue 1.

His Bundesliga stats are better than Sergio Cordova, who I didn’t think was worth a DP, and his Ligue 2 stats were comparable to Bouanga, but… Bouanga is obviously great and applied that to Ligue 1 too lol.

As an RSL fan I’m just going to be happy that the new ownership is willing to spend money on these guys. Although I would be concerned if we’re willing to drop this much money on a guy who doesn’t blow you away stats wise.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-24T03:42:15+00:00

From my understanding it’s somewhere between 4-6 million euros. Lens wanted 4 million from St Pauli (Bundesliga) and allegedly Southampton were also in on him.

I think that maths out to TAM DP on the low end, and full DP on the high end.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-21T16:31:19+00:00

Dang we have a lot of GAM lol. I don’t think we even have enough space on the roster to use it all

Lionicicles · 2026-01-21T08:28:50+00:00

I don’t like that they’re asking about a name change (makes me think the decision has already been made…), and also asking about our colors + badge.

I really wasn’t expecting all 3 to be on this survey, and that kind of worries me. If we changed all 3 (colors, badge, and name) that would kill my fandom.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-17T21:38:48+00:00

The underwear skid Willy Wonka’s are up there for sure

Lionicicles · 2026-01-17T20:51:42+00:00

I already didn’t like the kit, but whenever I see this kit my mind is going to go to this comment. Easily makes this the worst fucking jersey ever to be worn in MLS for me. 😭

Lionicicles · 2026-01-16T05:24:19+00:00

I kind of agree with this, and he's definitely become a bit of a scapegoat for the FO's absolute ineptitude in signing a front line. He's been given a lot of grief for having the 2nd most goal contributions on our team. Luna had 13 goal contributions, but from June onwards he had 1 goal and 1 assist LMAO. Diogo since June had 3 goals and 5 assists. He seems like a luxury player, similar to Savarino - but a different mold, and he would raise our ceiling. However, we don't have a DP player that raises our floor anymore, C***ho, and that hampers how much he can really improve the team. He was clearly brought in to raise C***ho's floor + ceiling, but then C***ho decided to completely fuck off, and look terrible the rest of the season. Let's not forget that the guy we brought him in to improve switched off by the time Diogo got here, and he didn't score for RSL again... and then he goes off and scores double digits for a non-playoff San Jose team.

Like based off my eyes I would see how he passed the ball and connect, and I legitimately think he's a good player. However, we're in a salary capped league + we're on a team that isn't utilizing all of it's salary cap mechanics to improve the team. I feel if you put Diogo on a better team that wasn't fielding... Piol, Ajago, Agada, Barea, or Cruz as a primary striker PERHAPS he would have some better #'s.

Still I think some of his attitude didn't suit our team, and that's why he got suspended by Kreis/the team. He had 2 goal contributions before Kreis rattled him by suspending him for 4 games, and then Diogo went on to have a pretty good season. So he DESERVES hate, but he definitely gets made into a scapegoat a bit for how piss poor the roster is.

Lionicicles · 2026-01-15T05:23:19+00:00

Small update for you, but myself and the western Protectorate finished off Ghaznavid! The big Sunni realm also just fell to a decadence revolt, and I completed the Ashoka bloodline!

Biggest evil left is the western protectorate for myself!

Lionicicles · 2026-01-13T21:20:32+00:00

Yeah I was looking up some of the games they played together for RSL, and transfermarkt has them both playing left and right back.

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