The Rapids use their 2 picks in the MLS Superdraft to add depth at the back. Details of the press release are below

Backtalk: what do you think of this strategy? Our defense was perhaps our greatest strength last year, so it seems a bit strange. But when you consider that we got rid of Earls and Baudet (the international limit thingy), perhaps the FO thinks we need to bolster our defensive depth?

Like another respondent to our survey, I think we need to look at getting an offensive midfielder who can create through the middle. However, we can always trade for that.

Ok, let’s here it: thumbs up or thumbs down? Leave your comments below.

BALTIMORE (Thursday, January 13, 2011) – The Colorado Rapids selected defenders Eddie Ababio and Colin Givens in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft held today at the Baltimore Convention Center.

As MLS Cup Champions, the Rapids held the last pick in each of the first two rounds. Colorado had previously traded their third round selection of today’s three round draft.

The Rapids took Ababio with their first round selection (18th overall) from the University of North Carolina. Born in Ghana, he concluded his collegiate career appearing in 89 games for the Tar Heels scoring 13 goals and adding 12 assists. Ababio was also a member of UNC’s three consecutive College Cup Final Four squads.

Colorado used their final selection of the day to take Givens with the 36th overall pick. The Michigan State product played in 65 games recording one goal and one assist for the Spartans and earned First Team All-Big Ten and Second Team All-Region honors last season.

Ababio and Givens, along with the rest of the Rapids, will report to Colorado later this month for the start of preseason training.

Peter Vagenas is the newest Colorado Rapid when the front office decided to trade Julien Baudet and Danny Earls to the Seattle Sounders earlier today. Vagenas, 32, comes to Colorado with a proven track record for consistency across his MLS career. He has two MLS Cups under his belt from his time spent with the Los Angeles Galaxy along with two Open Cup titles and one CONCACAF Champions’ Cup title. He adds much needed international experience for next season when the Rapids start their CONCACAF title quest.

In the same day, the Colorado Rapids released their list of 11 protected players in the Expansion draft, which takes place Wednesday, November 24th. The expansion draft includes two new teams for the 2011 season, the Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps. Any team in the MLS cannot lose more than two players in the draft and any team can protect a maximum of eleven players. The following is the list of unprotected players:

Akpan, Andre
Amarikwa, Quincy
Ceus, Steward
Joyce, Ian
LaBauex, Ross
Lopez, Claudio
O’Brien, Ciaran
Palguta, Scott
Schunk, Ross
Thompson, Wells
Vagenas, Peter
Wallace, Anthony

I can’t say this list was a shocker and I knew there would be a couple Rapids that would go unprotected before Wednesday’s draft. The two players on this list I believe will be taken from us will be Anthony Wallace and Wells Thompson. Both of these young players gave much to Rapids Championship run this season and are at a perfect age for a team to be interested in their development. Our protected list is a very solid group and one that can definitely look to repeat for next season.

According to Bmer916, and Kyle McCarthy, the Rapids are finalizing a deal to send Preston Burpo and Cory Gibbs to the New England Revolution in exchange for Jeff Larentowicz (M/D) and Wells Thompson (M).

On first glance this seems to be an excellent trade. Larentowicz shared the midfield with Shalrie Joseph, though he appears to be more of a defensive midfielder (I’m still hoping for a Xavi clone). Thompson is called a “two-footed, wide midfielder” on the Revs website, and might address the need for wingers as I posted earlier.

Gibbs has struggled with injury and keeping his place in the starting XI with the addition of Baudet and Moor. Burpo is a great backup, but with a healthy Matt Pickens and young Steward Ceus in the wings, this is a trade that needs to happen.

Xavi (pre-cloning)

In the 90′s human cloning was extremely controversial. I think fans of the Colorado Rapids and/or the US Men’s National Team could agree an exception should be made.

Watching Xavi play this weekend versus Real Madrid, he was the spoke around which the Catalan wheel rotated. Even when they went a man down he directed the flow of play.

The Rapids have a powerful striking duo up top with Casey and Cummings. We have a less potent but still fairly dependable back line with the likes of Moor and Baudet.

What Colorado really lacks is a a creative presence like Xavi, a turret in the middle of the field firing balls forward.

With the US Men’s National Team the need for a Xavi-clone is one of possession. We lack a strong presence in the middle of the field that can absorb passes from the back, choose passes without cheaply giving up possession, do it repeatedly throughout all 90 minutes. Instead, at times, we sprint around like a track team defenders like Gooch fire optimistic balls downfield and hope one of our front men can get onto it.

These are not newly diagnosed issues. Surely the only option is to clone Xavi and get him ready for 2010.

If the real July 4th was an abject failure, July 4th “take 2″ was a stunning success tonight at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids completely dominated every aspect of the game and came away with a much needed 4-0 win. The Rapids organization capped off the night with a remarkable fireworks display, redeeming the 4th for loyal fans and returning visitors alike.

Basics

Jacob Peterson opened the scoring just 5 minutes in off a perfect low cross from Cummings. Though Cummings didn’t score he figured in many of the scoring chances, including a breakaway chance in the first half against Bouna Coundoul. His second touch betrayed him however, and he was unable to convert the golden chance. A sloppy two-footed challenge against Palguta resulted in a red card, and the Red Bulls were reduced to 10 men by half.

Just two minutes into the second Pat Noonan notched his first of the season for the Rapids. Mehdi Ballouchy scored the third Rapids’ goal on a simply glorious free kick that should be an absolute lock for MLS goal of the week. Nick LaBrocca put a botched Bouna save in the back of the net to bring the goal total to four.

Bonus

Two items in the bonus column

1. The Rapids played a complete game. Excellent goal keeping by Pickens, solid defense by the back four, mostly crisp passing in the midfield, and deadly quick attacks up front. The Rapids maintained excellent possession, and the few Red Bulls scoring chances were primarily off poor passes from the Rapids.
2. Congrats to Pat Noonan on notching his first goal for the Rapids. To this point he has seemed a step behind play, but as he integrates with the Rapids he is beginning to show creativity on the pitch.

Bummer

And two items in the bummer column

1. Julien Baudet is a big, physical defender with a great foot and excellent instincts. He played well until a scary collision late in the 1st half that looked to result in a kick to his face and an arm injury. He left with an air cast on and looking fairly shook up.
2. Forgive my compassion for the enemy, but the talented Juan Pablo Angel looks totally frustrated on the field. His runs are timed perfectly, and then his fellow attackers will send a piss poor ball flying over everyone and over the end line.

Backtalk

I’d love to hear from you tonight on this:

Of the new Rapids acquirees (assuming Baudet isn’t badly hurt), who has the best chance to make a significant contribution this season: Noonan, Baudet, or Diz.

Just days into his stint with us, Fecundo has only been able to demonstrate his prodigious ability to flop, so any guesses on his contribution will be just that. But Noonan and Baudet have seen significant time the last couple games, so let’s hear from you!

In evaluating the Rapids form at this point in the season, I think of the US Men’s National Team. There was a carousel of players in and out, different formations, different styles of play, and inconsistent results. Once Bob Bradley arrived at a final 11 and somewhat of an identity, the results at the Confederations Cup were staggering. I believe the Rapids have yet to find that identity.

One of the first areas this shows up is the lack of a default starting 11. If you look at the Rapids losses on 3/21 to Chivas USA, 4/19 to Houston, 6/28 to Seattle, 7/4 to Chicago, and 7/18 to DC United, these are the players who started.

1. Matt Pickens
2. Preston Burpo
3. Jordan Harvey
4. Ugo Ihemelu
5. Scott Palguta
6. Cory Gibbs
7. Julien Baudet
8. Kosuke Kimura
9. Nick LaBrocca
10. Mehdi Ballouchy
11. Jacob Peterson
12. Pablo Mastroeni
13. Greg Dalby
14. Colin Clark
15. Conor Casey
16. Pan Noonan
17. Omar Cummings

For the 6/24 and 7/4 losses there was some turnover due to international duties (Casey, Cummings, Clark), however if you look at this list I can’t say who El Capitan is going to pick for our upcoming match against New York. Not only that, but how players are used is also in question. Is Kimura effective enough as an attacking defender to make up for deficiencies in shutting down attackers? How does Noonan fit into our attack, can he mesh soon enough to make an impact this season? Is Baudet a helpful addition to the squad, or are we disrupting our defense by inserting him mid season?

And what is our style? Are we hard nosed and aggressive like Mastroeni? Are we quick on the counter like Clark and Cummings? Are we fluid like Ballouchy? I realize all of these can coexist at some level, but it seems like individual players have their own style, but the Rapids have not developed a style all their own.

If we can identify the starting 11 that perform well together and have the best chance of creating a cohesive style, we might achieve some consistency and get back into the playoff picture.

What are your thoughts?

Growing up in the northwest, when I went to college in northern Indiana I heard some quaint sayings. One of my favorites is a response to some asking how you are: Fair to middlin’. At this point in the season, the Rapids have shown signs of breakout potential but still find themselves…fair to middlin’.

The Rapids were “soundly” beaten by my former hometown’s team last weekend, a reminder that the Rapids are capable of playing like a middle of the pack team. Gary Smith felt the 3-0 score didn’t reflect how well the Rapids played in the first half.

The differences in the game were the big plays – the moments we don’t (make) and the ones Seattle does.

We need to regain stability at the back and an attacking edge up front. The return of Casey should assist with the latter. With the former, the French may come to the rescue in the person of Julien Baudet, though he won’t join the club until after July 15th when the international transfer window opens.

The big July 4th game is next, and Chicago is very capable of coming in and taking a point or three from the Rapids. The games played difference is still in our favor, but we need to rattle off a few wins in this home stretch and climb up the standings. Hopefully the energy of the game and the packed stadium will bring back an aggressive, disciplined Rapids team that leaves the middle of the pack behind.