Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thingover and over again and expecting different results.”
The last two winless months have confirmed: we need to create more chances through a different formation and different midfield personnel.
I’m working with a few obvious assumptions
We aren’t giving up too many goals. The Rapids defense led by Matt Pickens and Marvell Wynne have a 1 goal allowed average, putting us fifth in MLS, down from 2009′s average of 1.24
We aren’t scoring enough goals. We have a 1.125 goals scored average through 16 games, 11th in the MLS, and way down from last year’s 1.4
The insanity for me is that we continue to field a defensive minded midfield with the likes of Larentowicz, Mastroeni, and Ballouchy. Well…Jeff and Pablo intend to be defensive; Mehdi is forced to be defensive when his errant passes turn the ball over.
Coach Smith has begun to see what we all see, that Jamie Smith needs to be starting every game. What he doesn’t seem to see is that Ballouchy simply isn’t effective, while Lopez makes an immediate impact every time he comes in the game.
It seems simple: reverse the typical substitutions. Start Lopez, let his pinpoint passes and creative distribution START the game, then bring in Ballouchy for a different flavor in the 60th minute.
One thing is clear: if the Rapids want to make the playoffs, we need to end this insanity.
Omar Cummings scored a sure nominee for goal of the week, but it wasn’t enough. For the last Rapids win you have to look back seven weeks to a 1-0 win over the Columbus Crew. Since then the Rapids have lost their way, and tonight was no exception.
The game stormed out of the gates with easily the most exciting first 20 minutes I’ve seen this season. The typically stout Rapids defense had no answer for the combination of Nyassi, Montero, and especially Zakuani. The Congolese-Englishman made enterprising use of a loose ball (7′); his shot hit the post but ricocheted off a terribly unlucky Matt Pickens and in.
Less than a minute later Omar made the most spectacular individual effort of the game, lacing a left-footer into Kasey Keller’s upper right 90. It was a great stretch of play from a neutral standpoint for the next ten minutes, culminating in Zakuani’s second goal (17′) off a great run by Nyassi. Conor nearly tied the game with a header two minutes later, then the game settled down for the rest of the first half.
View Omar’s Spectacular Goal
The second half was not to be anywhere as mesmorizing as the first. Smith stuck with his starting 11, who unlike the first half looked more organized on defense, but lackluster on offense. Looking for a spark, in the 65′ Lopez and Kimura came on for Smith and Earls. Other than a sitter that Cummings sent over the bar, the Rapids second half offense primarily consisted of sending headers 10 feet over the crossbar.
I’m really at a loss for words right now. Smith seems to be throwing darts a bit with his starting XI. Ballouchy…was typical Ballouchy. Lacks the grit of a holding MF, the bite of a defensive MF, or the class of an offensive MF. All in all, he’s had his chances the past two seasons and hasn’t taken them. He’s first vote off the island, and I’ve got other voices in the chorus.
Defensively Earls is bright and brings the coveted left foot, but Kosuke has much more pace and physical strength. Baudet is a commanding presence in the middle, but the Rapids defense was gashed more times than just the two goals.
El Capitan’s substitutions brought pace to the game, and in the case of Lopez some much needed distribution. Amarikwa hustles his ass off, but has he ever actually put a shot on Goal?
The sad reality is that the Rapids are lost at sea. Our work rate is good, our individual talent more than adequate, but as a team we lack cohesion. We are good for a few good body blows but seem to no longer have the knockout punch. There are many theories, but I proffer two conclusions that are becoming more iron clad with each game.
Ballouchy is in their to create, and he isn’t up to the task. We have to find another option.
Cummings and Casey up top is the best tandem, sans Henry and Juan Pablo Angel. Cummings wants to cut inside, rips defenses up when he goes inside, and is limited when he is a winger.
Another disappointing night for those who Bleed Burgundy.
In a moment that encapsulates the annual Rapids summer slide, Conor Casey found himself mano a mano (89′) with bleach blonde Jimmy Nielsen of the Wizards (see photos above). Rather than exchanging hairstyle tips, Casey did what any good striker should and (as deftly as the big man can) went around the left of the goalkeeper to face a yawning net. Time stood still. The stands rose to their feet. Helpless Wizards defenders looked on from 10 yards away. A chance to secure a comeback win versus an inferior opponent…(cue the music) “wah, wah, wah.” When a left-footed touch pass would’ve dribbled in, Casey chose power and drilled it off the post.
“If you’re not appalled, you’re not paying attention” goes the bumpersticker. As a Rapids fan, if you weren’t appalled by the first 60 minutes, you weren’t paying attention. Against an inferior regional rival, we were tepid and stagnant. The recently creative Ballouchy was back to his old self, alternating between looking lost and sending passes 10-20 degrees off target. Mastroeni was pedestrian. He was neither the sheriff of the midfield (a la the Dutch Van Bommel), nor a creative force up the middle causing the defense to release off Casey/Cummings and close him down.
Clark was 20% fire, 80% ice. The slashing Clark of ’09 made occasional and encouraging appearances, but the chilly and tentative Clark of 2010. It’s heartbreaking to see such a talent over thinking every touch of the ball, rather than letting his skill and talent lead him. It’s painfully obvious he’s afraid to take defenders on one on one. Nonetheless, he showed signs of his old brilliance as the game went on, especially as Lopez began to become the creative force and Clark could just react.
A strange thing happened in the 62′. An old hand named Claudio Lopez came in, the Rapids went back to a 4-4-2, and became as dangerous as a De Jong kung fu kick. Nearly every Lopez touch was perfect, and nearly every touch was FORWARD. With Jamie Smith the solid holding midfielder he is, Lopez was free to roam the pitch and paint beautifully. His was the pass that put Casey on goal. To be fair to Casey, had Lopez been in the game longer than 30′, Casey would’ve had another chance and would’ve made it count.
Bummer:
A Mehdi Ballouchy led midfield that strands Casey up top and wastes Cummings speed
Smith can’t seem to decide who he wants at left back
Bonus:
A Claudio Lopez led midfield (4-4-2) that allows Larentowicz and Smith to hold midfield and pushes “Thunder & Lighting” (Casey/Cummings) towards goal
Smith looks like he pairs well with Lopez in midfield
Pickens and Wynne are absolutely at the top of their game
Bottom Line:
We need to start our next game with the personnel and formation we ended this one. Period. The Larentowicz/Mastroeni combo with Cummings and Clark as wingers doesn’t work.
CRF hereby pays “honor” to the biggest footballing a$$hole in world football, Dutch midfielder Nigel De Jong. US Men’s National Team fans will remember how he “took care of the situation,” Mafia style, on March 4, 2010. His reckless tackle broke Stuart Holden’s ankle and ruined Holden’s season after a dream move to Bolton.
Some will say De Jong is an enforcer. No, Van Bommel is an enforcer. VB is an aggressive, wily veteran who comes close to “dirty” every game but almost always stays on the right side of the line.
De Jong is just plain dangerous, which is unfortunate as he is a gifted and physical defensive midfielder. He must’ve been disappointed in South Africa to leave so many ankles unbroken (though watching his body of work one can’t say he didn’t try). He did however leave his “imprint” on Xabi Alonso, who is too much of a gentleman to get up and headbutt him in the nose.
Nigel De Jong…congratulations for truly earning the title of World Football’s greatest a$$hole.
As the British announcers on ESPN might say if this was a World Cup game, “this game is waiting for someone who will grab it by the scruff of the neck.” Toronto got a scrappy but effective goal in the 61′ and the Rapids could not equalize. Tepid. Lukewarm. The Rapids simply looked…uninspired.
These are the sorts of games that compel me to predict another season where we fall just out of playoff contention. We came off six games unbeaten, but the final three of those were ties. We are dropping points when we could be nipping at Fake Salt Lake’s heels.
Dare I say we were punchless without Ballouchy? The game was screaming for someone to take charge of our attack in the midfield. Smith looked adequate in the midfield, took a couple good set pieces, but lacked the creative touch. Thompson was pacey but never really troubled the defense. On a bright note, Casey and Cummings teamed up well on a few chances and put our only shots on goal. However in the end we fell short.
Smith appears to be throwing darts again with the lineup. To be fair, I’m not sure either what the combination is. Some fans want Lopez in there, a man who has shown to be quite dangerous throughout his career. Can he last 90 minutes however? Clark seems tentative, little of the slashing winger of 2009. What we need is a leader, someone who will grab our attack by the scruff of the neck and will his way into making us dangerous in games like this where a point was ours for the taking.
As we approach the end of the World Cup, one glaringly obvious conclusion must be drawn: having an elite league in one’s country does not equal national team success. The top 5 leagues in Europe (and arguably the world) are:
English Premier League
Spanish La Liga
German Bundesliga
Italian Serie A
French Ligue 1
The English, Italians, and French were all various forms of a disaster. The Germans & Spanish fought for the European crown in 2008, and are destined for a monumental clash tomorrow. 2 out of 5 is not a good rate, especially when you consider the success of impoverished nations like Uruguay, Paraguay, and Ghana.
The trajectory of American soccer is indisputably up. You might wish it was more steeply graded upwards, but upwards it is nonetheless. Major League Soccer continues to grow steadily if slowly, and US soccer interest (as evidenced by TV ratings) is burgeoning.
Ok so I used a little hyperbole in the title (@BMer916 I hear ya, I hear ya). The countries above are superpowers in both club and country. But the staggering wealth of the super leagues means the emphasis will follow the money. Inter Milan won the Champions League without a single Italian. The French really had no business being in the World Cup (handball!). Who is standing in line replace the talented, famous, but aging English midfielders? European leagues are moving towards stricter requirements for having nationals on your club team to combat this trend, but South American talent is being cultivated far better in European football than is national talent.
MLS may never be a top 5 league, though a top 10 league seems a reasonable proposition in the next decade. Nonetheless for the purposes of the growth of soccer, and the quality of the National Team…it doesn’t need to. Having an elite league does not equal success in the World Cup.
Like the July thunderstorm that was on and off all night, the Rapids threatened but ultimately could not find the winning touch. The Rapids rained 13 shots down on the Red Bulls and looked sure to score two goals in the first half alone. But a lack of quality on the final shot let us down and we have to settle for another…you called it…draw.
The interplay between Cummings and Casey in the first half was lovely, resulting in a master class Cummings goal in the 15′. The Rapids fell asleep in the 34′ and paid dearly off the foot of Juan Pablo Angel, who otherwise had a solid but quiet game. Soon after the Rapids had a golden chance to equalize but Casey scuffed it. Casey continues to struggle to find anything resembling last season’s form.
The second half was also owned by the Rapids, who saw Ballouchy clank a beauty off the post, and a Larentowicz free kick skim the bar. It is one of those games you can feel slipping away…and it did. We earned a win, and would have if we had someone with the finishing touch of…well…Casey the 2009 version. He’s one of the best in the MLS, and will get his touch back…but when?
Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thingover and over again and expecting different results.” 
The insanity for me is that we continue to field a defensive minded midfield with the likes of Larentowicz, Mastroeni, and Ballouchy. Well…Jeff and Pablo intend to be defensive; Mehdi is forced to be defensive when his errant passes turn the ball over.
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