It’s so tempting right here just to unleash a cliche or two.

The more things change, the more they stay the same is the first that comes to mind, but certainly you could insert your own trite phrase here and it would probably be just as fitting.

See, Real Salt Lake returned to action last night, and you’d be entirely forgiven if you’d forgotten how the team had been performing before the nearly two-month break. In actuality, RSL had been one of the better sides in MLS through 14 matches played. Good enough for 3rd in the Western Conference, even.

What we saw last night wasn’t a team that had been flying high. It was a team that looked lost after a long break, playing against a hot-shot team of stars. The reality through those first 14 games (this was RSL’s 15th game) was different: The team had a five-point lead over LAFC, and now they sit four points clear with two more games played. Sure, RSL could reclaim the lead, but that’s not what I’m trying to get at. I’m just saying that this match felt different.

If you look at the match statistically, you might see RSL as having bossed the proceedings. They held a huge share of expected goals, leading in possession, transition and set piece xG. The team vastly out-shot LAFC. Possession was in RSL’s favor 68% to LAFC’s 32%. Field tilt was 83% to 17%. Obviously the most important statistic is goals scored, but by all accounts, RSL should have been in control.

At no point, however, did it feel particularly like RSL was in any control at all. That’s a funny thing about soccer, and it’s something many of us spent the better part of two months watching. You all know I’m a statistical wonk, but sometimes, you don’t need statistics to explain a soccer match.

Sometimes you need Diego Luna hitting himself upside the head after missing a good chance. You need Victor Olatunji knocking a header into the ground from close range, only to have it rise back up. You need Philip Quinton pushing so far into the opponent’s half that RSL’s defensive outlay was completely undone. Statistics don’t point at those things, but they matter.

A few things feel certain to me after this match.

• The three-man back line demands a strong center back in the middle. Philip Quinton isn’t it. With Justen Glad apparently out for ‘a long time’ per match commentary, RSL is playing a dangerous game sticking with this ill-conceived three/five system.

• If I had to describe the fatal flaw in most matches I’ve seen Pablo Mastroeni lose as RSL coach, it’s that there’s often a huge gap between the center backs and the midfield. The first goal is a perfect illustration: The center backs are deep, sitting at about the top of the defensive third; the central midfielders are firmly in the middle third.

• Of course Bouanga and Son beat RSL players in one-on-one battles. They’re two players uniquely qualified to do just that. RSL did themselves no favors letting those players get in those positions.

• The ease with which LAFC just immediately broke into a four-on-three counter is startling, but RSL allowed them that. It was probably just a case of trying to press high, win the ball high, and get back into the match, but conceding the third goal was a death knell. Further, seeing Lukas Engel push high to try to win a ball early, only to just be far too late? I’m not convinced this team is tactically well-coached enough to play so aggressively against dangerous attacking teams.

There are still some things to be hopeful about, though. Saba Lobjanidze appears to be an excellent corner-taker, and he could become a bit of a cult hero with that sort of play. Juan Jose Arias is apparently close to making his RSL debut, which is just as well considering the team has signed him to a full deal after his initial loan. (He was injured throughout essentialy the entirety of that loan, though. So I’m not that hopeful.)

Anyway, soccer’s back, I guess. Maybe this match was a good advertisement for MLS, what with Son Heung-min scoring the opener. It certainly wasn’t a good advertisement for RSL, who, despite the statistics telling us otherwise, were entirely second-best for 90 minutes.