On Tuesday, RSL (0-3-4) traded Jeff Cunningham, who had 16 goals and 11 assists last season and three goals in 2007, to Toronto.
Life has come at Eskandarian fast lately. He had just scored his first goal for Toronto days before the trade and was getting settled in his new place. He'd just opened a bank account and had just gotten a Canadian phone line.
"For sure, a lot of pressure," the new forward said, following his first practice with RSL. "I like to believe I thrive under pressure. I have big shoes to fill, but I'm here to be me."
Eskandarian was with D.C. United until he was traded to Toronto during the off-season. He must now contend with the altitude in Salt Lake and a new synthetic playing surface.
"It was all right," he said after practice with the team Friday. "It was kind of weird. I'm just getting my feet wet."
When asked if Eskandarian would start Sunday at Chicago, RSL coach Jason Kreis offered a hint of a smile and said, "We'll see."
"I think the world of the guy," Kreis said. "[Practice] was spirited today. The session was excellent."
Former D.C. United teammates Nick Rimando and Freddy Adu welcomed Eskandarian.
"There was a definite comfort factor there," Kreis said.
Meanwhile, Kreis continues to mold RSL into his team, with the recent hiring goalkeeper coach Jeff Cassar. Peter Mellor, who had that position under former coach John Ellinger, was released.
Cassar, 33, spent the past five months on FC Dallas' coaching staff and was a longtime teammate and friend of Kreis' in Dallas. With the shakeups come natural anxiety among the players and staff.
"It can make some players very nervous," Kreis said. "Those players need to be comforted. For other guys it is positive, 'A new chance for me.'
"At the end of the day, I felt Jeff was somebody I have a great deal of comfort to be around"
Briefly: Midfielder Carey Talley will miss three to four weeks with a fracture of a small bone in his lower right leg. Talley was injured in the 10th minute of RSL's 2-1 loss at F.C. Dallas on Sunday.
martyr@sltrib.com
Eastern Conference
W L T Pts GF GA
New England 5 1 2 17 15 7
New York 5 1 2 17 15 4
Kansas City 4 2 1 13 12 7
Chicago 3 4 1 10 8 13
D.C. United 2 3 1 7 8 10
Columbus 1 2 4 7 4 8
Toronto FC 2 5 0 6 5 13
Western Conference
W L T Pts GF GA
FC Dallas 5 3 1 16 13 12
Colorado 3 2 3 12 10 10
CD Chivas USA 2 3 2 8 10 8
Houston 2 4 1 7 4 5
Los Angeles 1 2 2 5 7 7
Real Salt Lake 0 3 4 4 7 14
Thursday's Game
New York 3, Chicago 0
Today's Games
Toronto FC at Columbus, 5:30 p.m.
Houston at D.C. United, 5:30 p.m.
Kansas City at New England, 5:30 p.m.
Los Angeles at Colorado, 6:30 p.m.
FC Dallas at CD Chivas USA, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday's Game
Real Salt Lake at Chicago, 3 p.m.
