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.

Major League Soccer (MLS), Rapids News and Analysis Claudio Lopez, Jamie Smith, Jeff Larentowicz, Marvell Wynne, Matt Pickens, Mehdi, Pablo Mastroeni