I’ve been waiting for a variety of situations to resolve themselves, and then for the Rapids to make their charge. Last summer we had doldrums too. Then Smith found the magic XII, we hit a hot streak, and next thing you know a trophy was at DSGP.
We have Wynne back. We have Mullan back. We have Cummings and Casey back. We still look like a team destined to draw every match.
We have scored 20 goals and given up 22 goals, both middle of the pack totals, for a deflating -2 goal differential. This isn’t rocket science: we are in 5th place in the Western Conference and the teams above us have:
LA Galaxy: GD +10
FC Dallas: GD +9
Seattle Sounders FC: GD +7
Real Salt Lake: GD +9
In 2010, our goal differential of +12 was decidedly in the upper half of all of MLS. We scored 1.5 goals a game, and gave up 1 goal a game. Compared to last year, we simply need to score more goals. We have our strikers back, and I believe we will see the Casey & Cummings duo start to pick up the pace. However it is the midfield that concerns me. Pablo is a hero and a legend, but isn’t getting any faster. Paired with the uber defensive minded Larentowicz, there is almost no attack coming down the middle of the field. Without a change in the midfield, I think we’ll make a playoff run, but not a title defense. Without some new creativity in the midfield, I worry we’re just not good enough.
In a nightmare that keeps repeating itself, a late goal from a questionable call downed the Rapids on a blustery night at Rio Tinto. A soft free kick in the waning seconds led to this:
The free kick itself was an unwelcome, though probably justified intervention on a night where the referees overall let the boys play. The refs rightly flagged the aggressive goal scorer Fabian Espindola two times, one ruling out a goal in the first half. However, it looked like they missed this one.
Nonetheless, Rapids fans would be amiss to focus on this one moment. The Rapids went toe to toe with their rival, at their house, and the two teams effectively neutralized each other for most of the game. The effort from the boys in Burgundy was everything we expected, if it lagged at the very end.
However, the performance again reiterated a problem that emerged last week versus FC Dallas: a creative void. The midfield pairing of Larentowicz and Mastroeni would never be compared to Xavi and Iniesta in their creativity on the ball. However, the arrival of the Ginga Ninja freed Mastroeni to be distinctly more aggressive in the attack than he has been in recent years. Jamie Smith floated on the wing, sending in crosses or cutting inside and supplying balls to Casey / Cummings, or even Kimura pushing up the wing. Without Mastroeni, we simply have not found a creative force in the midfield, and that is our greatest void right now.
The injury bug has hit hard early season, and it’s true the loss of Casey has hurt. However, Folan has shown a capable replacement. He has pace, a remarkable work rate, and gets off great shots both from his boot and in the air. The greatest loss with Folan is the understanding Cummings and Casey have built over the last few years, but I suspect that will come. Also, Jamie Smith and Quincy Amarikwa both had to be subbed, with apparent hamstring and ankle injuries, respectively. On a defensive note, Tyrone Marshall put in a solid 90 minutes. and the back line was able to maintain a high line affectively versus a pit bull RSL attack. Bottom line, the makeshift front line and back line appear to be more than adequate.
It is the midfield that concerns me. I’ve said that I believe the midfield was the linchpin of our success: Larentowicz / Mastroeni paired with Moor / Wynne did indeed form the steel of our defense, but Larentowicz / Mastroeni also did a solid job providing supply to the wings, to fullbacks pushing forward, and to the spear of our attack up top. We simply did not look dangerous often enough, and RSL looked the more likely team to score. We had chances, but far less than Rapids fans are used to, and far less than we need against a squad as solid as Fake Salt Lake.
If we are to compete to defend our crown, not to mention the other competitions we are in, we will need to address this shortage at midfield. Smith is adequate in midfield, but is missed on the wing. Wells worked his ass of, but also does not have the touch and supply in attack that Jamie brings. Like Wells, Nyassi brings pace as a sub, but neither is a 90 minute solution.
Gary Smith: if Stan is paying attention, we need another creative Central Midfielder. Pronto. Without it we are still a playoff team, but that’s not good enough anymore. We want to be in the conversation for the title until the very end, and that won’t happen without better supply to our attack.
In case you didn’t hear, Real Salt Lake made MLS history last night after they secured a spot in the 2010-2011 CONCACAF Champions League Final. They beat Saprissa on an aggregate score of 3-2 and will now be playing current Primera Division de Mexico champions, Monterrey, in the final match of the tournament. This is the first time a MLS team has made it to the final match in the current format which started with the 2008-2009 qualified teams (Before 2009 it was called the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup).
So why am I writing about Real Salt Lake? From a Rapids fan perspective, we can’t stand RSL but do we see ourselves cheering for them on the international stage or do we cheer against them? From my perspective, any MLS team competing in international competitions like the CONCACAF Champions League deserve our support. Will I cheer against them in MLS league play? All day. The overall picture boils down to supporting the MLS or supporting your club. I understand people are very passionate about their soccer clubs, especially the supporter groups who have a club first mentality. After all, we need those diehard fans to bring extra passion to the Rapids matches.
I like to think of myself as club first, but I suppose if I cheer for RSL outside of MLS league play, I’d find myself more aligned with a fan of the MLS. Raising the awareness of our league in terms of quality can come from several sources. A consistent CCL champion from the MLS can only improve our top division in the long term. For a rivalry that’s only been around since 2005, it’s hard for me to believe that Rapids fans inherently grew up hating Real Salt Lake. Sure they are our biggest rival in the MLS, but far from a local derby compared to football leagues in England, Spain and Italy. Besides, the MLS is a single-entity organization, which is much different than other leagues around the world. Clubs will improve if the league improves. That’s just how it’s set up. In a sense, cheering against the MLS is almost like cheering against the progress of your club.
Over time, that balance for me between league and club will switch (and to be quite honest, the potential power of the MLS is a little scary) but right now, I believe we grow as a league before growing as a club. So congratulations and good luck to rival’s Real Salt Lake! I’ll be cheering against you when you come home.
The Rapids owned RSL for 90 minutes. Then Pickens took too long on a clearance that bounced off the defender, then off the goalpost, then off the boot of the defender and into the back of the net.
A couple minutes later, the same Salazar who I lauded on Twitter for staying a non-factor awarded a penalty kick to Real Salt Lake. And just like that, we lost the Rocky Mountain Cup to Real Salt Lake.
There’s really just not a lot to say. 90 minutes of stellar play, another goal each by Cummings and Casey, wasted on two dumb plays. Fake Salt Lake fans going crazy in the corner. I don’t feel well.
Now to the bright side…the Rapids are in the playoffs, and the San Jose loss coupled with the Rapids draw means we are going through the East side of the playoffs and will play the Columbus Crew. The Galaxy and the West would generally be considered the harder path, so a draw against the Crew might be fortuitous. Though after our recent performance against the Galaxy, we certainly would have felt we had a strong chance.
Either way, the die are cast, and it’s time to get ready for the Crew. The Rapids will have to have short memory, and let this bitter defeat fade. It’s playoff time.
This weekend’s match up with Real Salt Lake will determine whose fans get to hold up the Rocky Mountain Cup until next season. Last year, the trophy not only represented a loss of the Rocky Mountain Cup for the 3rd straight year, but also elimination from the MLS playoffs on the last day of the 2009 season. To make things worse, we got to watch rivals RSL play the MLS Cup and take that too, all thanks to a 3-0 whipping at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Time to reclaim the Rocky Mountain Cup this year!
The Rocky Mountain Cup is a trophy by the fans and for the fans. It represents the derby between rival’s Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids (the first true Rocky Mountain team in the league). With the expansion side joining in 2005, RSL became the closest neighbor to our Rapids, which created the rivalry (internationally it’s known as a derby). For the first two years, the Rapids claimed the trophy but for the last three years, it’s been a state away, in a scary world where good beer is hard to find.
The rules are simple; the club with the most points in head-to-head action earns the trophy for their fans. 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie. If the two clubs are tied in points after their yearly matches, aggregate goals will be used to break the tie. The rule in 2009 was that if the two teams were still tied after these tiebreakers, the trophy would remain with the team that won in the previous year. However, the Rapids played RSL three times last year. This year, the schedule was balanced which means we play RLS once at home and once away.
If the rules aren’t updated this year, a tie at home will mean the trophy will stay with Real Salt Lake, but I can’t help but assume the Away Goals Rule will be in effect. This rule states that the number of goals scored on the road will be the deciding factor for a tie. Since the Rapids tied Salt Lake 1-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium on September 25, a 0-0 draw will give the Rapids the hardware or a 2-2 draw would give Salt Lake claim again. We’ll update the site once the 2010 rules are posted for the Rocky Mountain Cup. Either way, we win the match, we reclaim the Cup!
Last Saturday night, our boys in burgundy came to play. The match marked the third straight home game with the same score line of 3-0. This is the kind of soccer Rapids fans have been wanting all season. It doesn’t feel like long ago, we were struggling to put goals in the back of the net. As bad as I wanted a never-ending summer, this year I was ready for the leaves to start turning. That miserable slump of 7 straight games of ties and losses was painful. Luckily during June and July we had the World Cup to help keep us from flipping cars out of our annoyance with the club. But I do have to admit I had a car 3 feet off two wheels after Lando’s stoppage time goal against Algeria back on June 23. (Shhh, don’t tell ma mom!)
All of this near rioting brings me to the point that these last home stands have been extremely wonderful to watch. Winning is always good, but when the Rapids can put 3 in the net, it makes for exciting soccer to watch. With the addition of Brian Mullan and Mac Kandji, there is always doubt that a major lineup change three fourths through the season will hurt the team, but it appears it has worked like an extra shot of espresso before the morning workday. Mullan showed us in the first 30 minutes why Houston Dynamo fans love him. He works hard on the ball and off the ball. He is a true right-footed midfielder and his experience in the playoffs will be needed. Mullan made smart decisions and we could see a burning inside of him that he wasn’t going to get beat. Adjusting to the altitude was the last thing one his mind. Winning the ball was before oxygen.
Mac Kandji hates playing anything but an attacking forward. After hearing him sum up this statement during the pregame interview, I grew increasingly more interested in this 6’4” Senegalese forward. His long legs led to lengthy, lunging strides late in the game (Say that sentence 3 times fast). When I first saw Kandji on the ball, he reminded me why he was surplus with the New York Red Bulls. His build reminded me of the man who replaced him this summer, Mr. Thierry Henry. Gary Smith can be quoted saying this man is a diamond in the rough and a couple English Premier teams have already turned their heads stateside by his play in the Barclays New York Challenge just a few months ago. When he had the ball, Kandji attacked players straight on. He was awarded an assist during the first match he played with the Rapids. If you were counting that’s now 3 quality and dangerous forwards on the team heading towards the playoffs.
Last part of this lengthy blog entry. Today feels like the week before Christmas, the week before your big raise or the last few days before your vacation starts. The scent of non-alcoholic beer is in the air at my house and I’ve even stopped playing online poker this week. It’s just an early pregame ritual I have before we play our rivals, Real Salt Lake on Saturday. We accidently left something there last year, but that’s for another blog entry…
The Rapids take on Fake Salt Lake tonight without MLS player of the week Conor Casey. Casey, in a great move by Bob Bradley, was called up to the USMNT to face Honduras. The Rapids rely heavily on his ability to finish, so it will be interesting to see who can fill that gap.
I want to stay positive, but without Casey and Captain Mastroeni, I have to predict RSL 2 Rapids 1. Let’s hope I’m wrong.
On the road, on turf, against last year’s Western Conference champs, and the Rapids didn’t blink. Granted the Red Bulls aren’t in form right now, but led by Killer Casey the Rapids are just 2 points out of 2nd in the west. Read more…
At that half I noted the dramatically improved play by Kimura, but the best was yet to come. His attacking runs from the back were rewarded with his first MLS goal, an insurance goal in the 60th minute. Read more…
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