What to watch as Real Monarchs look for retribution against Colorado Springs Switchbacks

Real Monarchs, still without a and a multi-goal game, are traveling to Colorado Springs for Friday's match, and they'll probably be seeking a bit of retribution after losing at home to the Switchbacks on Saturday.

The last match against the Switchbacks ended in a 1-0 loss for the Monarchs, with a hyper-defensive approach being taken by the Switchbacks after going ahead.

But coming into this match, things might be a little different, with the Salt Lake side bringing in a new face, and almost certainly ringing in a few changes to the lineup.

Max Rauhofer, Uruguayan striker

Having just been announced yesterday, Rauhofer is eligible to play and will be traveling with the team. He comes from several Uruguayan sides and isn't the most notable goalscorer (those players don't tend to end up in USL, let's say), but he does bring a bit of classic number nine play to the game.

To that end, he wears number nine on the pitch — which we're frankly a little surprised to see, what with the number retired with the first team. (Let's unretire it, shall we?)

Potential RSL players involved

With Real Salt Lake playing the following day in Salt Lake City, a number of players might be held back from the Monarchs match that would otherwise appear. Don't expect to see Pecka, John Sterzter, or even Sebastian Saucedo. However, you can expect to spot Fito Ovalle, Lalo Fernandez, and Justen Glad with the Monarchs, and perhaps Phanuel Kavita as well.

Finding defensive rhythm

One of the more difficult things Real Monarchs will be faced with is finding continuity and rhythm in the defensive setup. With change relatively likely throughout the season, it can be difficult to find exactly what's going to work well. This is a big challenge for Freddy Juarez, especially with a surprising number of teams taking the lead and being content to sit defensively.

If Juarez can consistently keep a back line with Jordan Murrell, Phanuel Kavita, Justen Glad and Boyd Okwuonu, they'll be more likely to find success. It's not about who those players are, though — it's about continuity and form. But three of those four players are Real Salt Lake players first-and-foremost, and that makes things tricky.