Over The Hills And Not So Far Away

What is there to say? Destiny in their hands, playoff berth on the line, players playing against their old clubs on both sides, arch rivals, Rocky Mountain Cup. What more do you need? The only thing I am certain of is that CBS4 Denver will not be bothering to cover any of this game but will instead be focusing on Brandon Marshall's inane comments in a bye week. Sorry, bit of frustration there at the completely crap coverage of this great game and great bunch of local professional athletes by one of our esteemed local broadcasting networks. They are not alone, it has to be said.
I'm not going to say much about the game. I know what the line-up will be but I'm not going to say anything out of respect for Gary Smith and the players. Anything he can keep under wraps before this game could be an advantage to the Rapids. And I'm sure Jason Kreis will be checking my blog first thing this morning.
One thing that may work in the team's favor is Smith's experience of English soccer, notably the FA Cup. This game has all the attributes of a great FA Cup tie. Local derby, win and you are in, lose and you are out. I am desperatly trying to manage my expectations, just as I would if it was England playing in a big game. The trouble is, if the Rapids start the game well, those expectations will rise and then only disappointment can come. And it would be a bitter disappointment at that after a much better season than in the past two years.
On the positive side, as up for this game as Salt Lake will be, I don't think they are as formidable a side as Dallas have been the past few weeks. The Rapids were on a bit of a wing and a prayer going into Texas last week. Today, even though Salt Lake still have a sniff at the postseason themselves, I think the Rapids will be happier playing them than Dallas. Just a hunch.
See you down at the British Bulldog. And good luck to all the traveling Rapids' fans. Wonder how many Broncos fans get off their arses and make a road trip every season? Umm. Must give CBS4 a call about that one.
And a prediction, my only one of the season. Rapids win 3-2 with Kosuke Kimura netting the winner in the 85th.

A Win And We're In

Even if Real Salt Lake win in Toronto (unlikely, but you never know), the Colorado Rapids can still clinch a playoff position tonight with a win in Dallas if New England fail to win their game. The beauty is that Gary Smith will know the results of both the Salt Lake and New England games before the kickoff tonight against FC Dallas. The team would know exactly what it has to do and their destiny would be in their hands. Even if they can't clinch it tonight, they will still know that a win almost guarantees them a place in the postseason. Smith said a win will mean he is smoking cigars and drinking brandy tonight in some Dallas hotel. The team is almost there but it will be a very tough game against a streaking Dallas who still have an outside chance at reaching the playoffs after a great run in recent weeks.
A draw would still be a good result. Perhaps as important would be some goals from open play. Offensively, the Rapids have been ineffective in recent weeks, relying on Conor Casey's penalty kicks to scrounge points here and there. Tonight, they will rely on service from the wings in the form of regular fullbacks, Jordan Harvey and Kosuke Kimura. I think you are going to see a back three (Gibbs, Moor and Palguta) with Pablo Mastroeni playing just in front of them. With Kimura and Harvey in midfield will be Nick LaBrocca and Pat Noonan (a huge game for Noonan tonight) as the team will miss Mehdi Ballouchy through suspension. Omar Cummings and Casey will be upfront. So, it won't be a 3-5-2 that Smith really doesn't like all that much, more of a 3-1-4-2. Width in attack but less vulnerability for the defense. Despite the dilemmas posed by a returning to fitness Matt Pickens, I think Preston Burpo will be in goal. Put it this way. It was Burpo training yesterday with the first team while Pickens worked separately with goalkeeping coach, David Kramer, and the other reserve goalies.
A huge, huge game. Let's hope the team gives the best possible account of itself and we gain something from the trip.

Win In Texas For Playoff Position?

It may have been a quiet week for the Rapids but all the noise from the other MLS games has left their task very clear. A win in Dallas and they could be in the playoffs. Such a scenario will take place for sure if the Rapids win in Texas and Real Salt Lake fail to beat New York tomorrow night, something they haven't done in the past 10 games against the Red Bulls apparently. But then New York has failed to pick up a victory all season on the road so that might be asking a bit too much. There are other scenarios even if Salt Lake do win tomorrow night but, suffice it to say, the Rapids will almost definitely be in and could for sure be in after Saturday if they notch a victory.
In injury news, Matt Pickens is looking to be fit for selection for the first time in some weeks, posing a dilemma for Gary Smith as to who to put in the net. Check out this story on www.mlsnet.com for the latest on the goalkeeping situation http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20091013&content_id=7449308&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp
According to the Rapids' website, Cory Gibbs will be in the starting line-up in a back line of three defenders with Pablo Mastroeni just in front. Gibbs will be replacing suspended Julien Baudet. Mehdi Ballouchy is also suspended and there could be some shifts in the midfield to allow regular fullbacks, Kosuke Kimura and Jordan Harvey, to play more wide midfield positions.
Conor Casey should be back from his World Cup heroics to partner Omar Cummings upfront although what kind of condition he will be in after two games in a few days remains unclear. Fellow US MNT forward, Charlie Davies, was today seriously injured in a car accident, meaning Casey will surely be starting tomorrow against Costa Rica. The injuries to Davies are, thankfully, not said to be life-threatening.

Post Match Quotes

Quotes from last night's 1-1 tie with San Jose Earthquakes:
Pablo Mastroeni:
"It would have been nice to get three points, obviously. We can't sit and sulk and feel sorry for ourselves. We just have to show up and be the team we are capable of."
Conor Casey:
"It was a good point given the circumstances but it was a terrible game from us. Just got to be a lot better going forward. To come out with a point is fortuitous. A little sloppy finishing, a bit off today. Unfortunately, it happens. When that's the case, it's hard to win games."
On reaching the season goalscoring record:
"It feels good but it will feel a lot better when we are in the playoffs. This is crunch time and we have to get in the playoffs."
Nick LaBrocca:
"It's huge (to get the point). We just need to keep picking up the points right now and, with our schedule, if we can keep picking them up, we can make our way into the playoffs."
Gary Smith:
"Disappointing to lose Jake so early. All of our wide players are lost now. I would think it's too quick a turnaround (for the weekend) for Jake given how he hobbled off."

"We've relied heavily on those guys (Casey and Cummings) all season. Goals around the team have been very hard to come by and those two have borne the brunt of pretty much everything we have created and scored from and, tonight, we fell just a little bit short. The front two are just not quite clicking as they did early on and when you are reliant on a pair as we are and they don't click, it's a big loss."

"In the end, we are fortunate to get a point again after a lot of possession and disappointed we didn't get all three."

"The reality is we are getting down to the nitty gritty of the season and our own game is obviously the most opportunistic to get three points and we have failed to do that. The balance is not good on the schedule but it's still four points from 12."

"I think we are now putting a lot more pressure on to not concede because the creativity in the group is slowly but surely starting to wane."

"If any of them are feeling a little bit sorry for themselves, then they need to quickly snap that and get themselves together for the weekend."

"If anybody was expecting a rest, they ain't going to get one. If they're fit, they're playing."

"With the lack of pace and cutting edge out wide, we're not quite getting what we want out of the team. So, it's not going to be easy. I'll make no bones about that. We've lost three important wide players who give us something different. They can turn a mediocre attack into something special. We've got to look to other areas to produce that and only time will tell if we can."

"They'll work it through to the final breath of the game. We've got two points out of six but we could have had zero and, maybe, in other years, we might have had zero and those two points could be very important."

On Mastroeni's return:
"He was great on the ball. On a night where two or three of our midfield players just fell short. Nick being shuffled to the right, he was out of the game a bit. Mehdi found if difficult. Kosuke has been a livewire and I felt his service fell short from where it was before. Pablo was one of maybe two or three players who really tried to make something happen, to light a fuse, create a spark. He did his utmost to keep the ball moving quickly, find a little angle, get it into feet a little bit sharper and just drive the lads on quicker. It was great to have him back."

"Drew was terrific again at center back and also, Julien, in the first half, defensively. The pair of them did very well."

On Facundo Diz:
"He will certainly benefit from wide service because he's a big strong guy, he attacks crosses. The fact is, we don't have the right personnel to really bring him out of his shell but he's a very genuine and game individual and we will see a lot more of him. At some point,we may have to call on him to come up trumps for us. This may be the time."

"Our conversion rate has to be clinical because we are not going to be as freely getting sights of goal as we were because we have lost some very influential players. What we need are some cool heads, we need some confidence and some real edge in front of goal. That will be the difference and every team will be asking for that. The teams that can produce that will be in the last eight, no doubt about it."

Rapids Escape With Point From Cow Patch

Well, that was pretty scrappy and crappy. But the Rapids escaped with a point. Conor Casey continued his amazing run of goalscoring with a penalty kick in almost the fifth minute of injury time to get the equalizer after San Jose had scored one of the softer goals the Rapids have conceded this season in the 8th minute.
The game suited the pitch. How can MLS players really be expected to play beautiful free-flowing soccer on a cow patch like that? I've seen better pitches in Denver rec leagues. There really wasn't much to notice in either half and the Rapids really didn't create too many chances in the whole game. The highly debatable penalty (aren't most MLS penalties that way?) gave the team their only realistic chance all night and Casey took it, albeit Joe Cannon got a hand to the shot.
There isn't all that much to say about this game. It was generally poor. The best thing to say is that the Rapids got the point and can now come home and play some soccer on a decent pitch and get three points Wednesday against the same opposition.
I thought Gary Smith would start with Scott Palguta and push Jordan Harvey up more as he had done in the second half against Toronto. I was right about Palguta but Smith pushed Kosuke Kimura up on the right rather than Harvey on the left. And I liked the experiment. Kimura combined well all night with Omar Cummings down that right hand side and it was there that most of the few attacking chances did come.
Nick LaBrocca deserves an honorable mention for running a marathon last night. He was everywhere on the field, particularly in the first half. Somewhat surprising not to see Greg Dalby get any playing time after Smith spoke highly of his performance in Canada last week. But it was good to see Facundo Diz get some more playing time, especially as he came on as a third forward for the last 25 minutes or so. Gary Smith could sense that San Jose were there for the taking but, in the end, it was down to the solitary penalty kick to get the point the team needed.
Thank God for DSG Park on Wednesday night.

Not My Kind of Town Today

Greetings from a sunny Chicago. I should be looking out on Lake Michigan basking in a great win for the Rapids but a crazy last 20 minutes put paid to that. The team is a few blocks away no doubt also musing on the one that got away. I shouldn't think there is much happy conversation over the scrambled eggs this morning.
A poor penalty decision (where have we read that before?) changed the whole nature of this game. Kosuke Kimura made what looked like a perfectly good challenge on Cuauhtemoc Blanco but the referee, with the trigger happy nature of most officials in this league, saw fit to award a penalty. Blanco put it away and the Rapids, despite their best efforts, went into self-destruct mode.
No point in going on too much about how the Rapids should have done better in that last quarter because nobody knows that better than the players and the coach and they will be hurting this morning. They will know that the difference between a team with playoff hopes versus a team realistically challenging for the MLS Championship is in being sure to win in situations like yesterday. 2-0 up with 20 minutes to go against a team depleted by injuries, suspension and internal dissent has to mean victory but it didn't. Now, they approach a tough game at home to Houston with a different mentality. Instead of the confidence engendered by a victory on the road against Chicago, they will go into Sunday's game knowing that a win is vital for morale as the postseason gets ever closer. They will regroup in Colorado this week, recover from this kick in the guts (but not today), prepare and eventually enter Sunday's game in a better frame of mind than they find themselves this morning. It's the nature of the human mind to do so and pro athletes need that as much as anyone.
A few positives to end up on:
Omar Cummings - wonder strike for the second goal and ability to shake hands with the officials at the end of the game despite the turmoil of the final 20 minutes.
Kosuke Kimura - must be a shoe-in at right back for the rest of the season. Another energetic game in both attack and defense. Blameless for the penalty.
Matt Pickens - played a great game in goal and cannot be blamed for any of the goals.
Jordan Harvey - some great defense right at the end with an apparently game-saving goalline clearance at the death before the final goal. Consistent as always.
That's not to be negative about any of the other players - it's just that those players stood out yesterday, for me anyway. Next week will be different players making the outstanding contributions, that's how it goes. Onwards and upwards. I'll post some other random thoughts and observations later about my time in Chicago (some interesting observations thanks to the generous hosting by a great supporter section here in Chicago).

Rapids Take on Chivas; Injuries and Form a Concern

Given very poor planning on my part, I will again miss the Rapids game this weekend. Two games in a row, very poor form. So, I won't be posting a match report as the chances of me both finding a tv in Philadelphia that may actually show it and be on the good side of my significant other are slim to none. So, I will just post a few thoughts following training today.
Health issues for some players are not all that great. Conor Casey is still struggling with his post All Stars groin strain. Oh how happy is Gary Smith on that one when the big fella was out for so long in South Africa and then promptly goes lame on his return from the Everton game. Pablo Mastroeni is also a slight doubt as he took a knock in training though the captain assured me he will be fine to play. Cory Gibbs only returned to training today after some calf problems. My guess is that least two of those big three will play this weekend.
Ugo Ihemelu, as frustrated as anybody at the speed of MLS refereeing decisions involving ejections, will be out after his red card against Columbus. This will surely allow recent matchwinner, Kosuke Kimura, to get the start he so richly deserves. I would also expect newcomer, Jamie Smith, to possibly start this time around which would likely see Jacob Peterson on the bench. There are some concerns about Colin Clark's form given it will clearly take him some time to get into the swing of things after his lengthy stay with the US national team where he was out of favor with the coaching staff and lost a lot of valuable playing time. He will surely start, though, so there should be some entertainment from the wings. It would be nice to see such service going to Casey and Omar Cummings as those two have barely played together in recent weeks/months. We'll have to see if the extent of Conor's injury will allow that. The game against Chivas kicks off at 7.30pm Saturday. Please do check out my preview of the game on www.mlsnet.com tomorrow.

One Man's Woe is Another's Gain

The Colorado Rapids ended up sealing a comfortable 4-0 victory against the unfortunate New York Red Bulls last night. I'll stick my neck out and say this wasn't the best performance by the Rapids and that the final scoreline flattered them. That sounds a little negative when you think of a 4-0 result but, a couple of decisons going the other way, and the outcome could have been very different. Credit to the boys in Burgundy and Blue, though, for exploiting the lack of confidence in the New York team and making sure of the victory in the opening minutes of the second half when the second goal went in. After that, any crumbling resistance the Red Bulls may have had floated away and Nick LaBrocca and Mehdi Ballouchy put the seal on an emphatic victory.
I have to declare an interest at this point. I was covering the game for MLSnet for the Red Bulls so my focus was on them and not so much on the Rapids. I can tell you that there were a lot of dejected players in that New York locker room after the game, not least homecoming king, Bouna Coundoul, making his debut for the Red Bulls, and Juan Pablo Angel. I also have to say here that Angel is a class act both on and off the field. He is very unhappy about the situation he and his team find themselves in but he was gracious with me and a true gent. Not a bad player either. I wished them all well because I felt sorry for that team.
As I said, things could have gone diferently in that first half with chances falling to Angel, Kandji (very good player) and Rojas. But the early goal dented already fragile confidence and the disputed sending off totally changed the game. Another example, I am afraid, of how poor referring can be in this league. Did the guy even stop to think that it might only be a bookable offence? It wasn't the greatest challenge but the referee weakened under pressure from the home dugout and the Bulls were cursed again.
Let me briefly discuss a couple of things about the Rapids unless you think I may be turning into a New York fan. Pablo Mastroeni was back last night to his imperious best after a couple of disappointing games from the captain. He owned Sassano in the midfield and gave the unfortunate Ubiparipovic lots of trouble before the midfielder's sending off. Kosuke Kimura, who came on as a second half sub, was again marvelous and you have to wonder what he has to do to get a regular start. Congrats also to Pat Noonan for his first goal in Colorado uniform and compassion to Julien Baudet who looks to have sustained a broken wrist or arm and will surely be out for some time. One other observation. Terry Cooke, who has not featured in the last two Rapids games, looked a forlorn figure warming up last night. His rival, Jacob Peterson, has now won MoM for the last two games, just to rub things in. The unfortunate Cookie will surely be on his way next week and all true fans will miss him.

Kimura Steps Up to Plate as Do Others

When your star players are away on international duty, you need the ones left behind to step up to the plate. Omar Cummings did it big time when Conor Casey was away in Chicago and South Africa. Now that Omar and Colin Clark are away for the Gold Cup, Kosuke Kimura chimed in with an energetic performance that won the game on Saturday for the Colorado Rapids. Long before the right-back lashed one into the top of the net in the 79th minute, he had been in top form during the game, contributing to the attack consistently and saving the defense when needed. Kimura, fast becoming a fan favorite, is a coaches', teammates' and supporters' delight. He tries his heart out, he never complains, he loves this game and he is as modest as he is hard working. "My aim is to be aggressive all the time," he said after the game. "I knew a goal was coming; I just didn't know I was going to score." All the media was, rightly, focusing on Kimura after the game. But it would be easy to overlook the significant play of others. The midfield of Mehdi Ballouchy, Nick LaBrocca and Pablo Mastroeni were rightly picked out by coach Gary Smith after the game for their unsung work in the unusual 4-3-3 formation employed Saturday. I swear LaBrocca ran about 10k just in that second half.
Coach Smith acknowledged the vital nature of this win, coming as it did after the team's worst performance of the season against Chicago and before a tricky trip away to DC United on July 18th. "We are a side that are lacking a couple of players that make a big diference for us," Smith said about the absence of Clark and Cummings. "The most important thing was to get three points today." Thankfully, Cummings will be back to play in the DC United game as Jamaica crashed out of the Gold Cup. Clark will remain with the US team and so will miss that game. In the meantime, fans can be thankful that the rest of the squad continue to perform well, the blip against Chicago the exception rather than the rule.

Ljungbergless Seattle to Offer Stern Test for Rapids

No Freddie Ljungberg! Major blow. It would have been a real thrill to see the former Arsenal man playing against the Colorado Rapids tonight for the Seattle Sounders but persistent migraines will not allow him not travel to Commerce City. But this Sounders team will still be a stern test for the Rapids who will seek to preserve their unbeaten run at home so far this season. Not only Montero in the midfield but also Zakuani upfront as well as a tight defense and a classy, experienced goalkeeper. Gary Smith knows they will be a formidable opponent. "They have started the season incredibly well and are full of confidence," he said at training this week. "They have lots of energy and adrenalin from their home games and they are trying to implement that on the road." But Smith knows that the Rapids will also provide a stern test for the Sounders, sterner than that offered by Dallas last week when the Texas team was reportedly very lucky to escape with a point. Smith likes the consistency the Rapids are showing and the choices they are making. "They know when to push the buttons and when to be a bit more frugal," he said. "I think this group is looking pretty accomplished and well organized."
Competition within the team for a starting spot remains intense, no more so than on the back line. Smith is a man who doesn't like to reveal much of his starting line-up but he did say this about last weekend's half-time substitution of Kosuke Kimura who was replaced by Cory Gibbs. "We needed a change and I thought we looked better," he said, noting that the team "loses a bit going forward" when Kimura is not playing. He also noted that Ugo Ihemelu would be an ideal opponent for Zakuani on the left to stop the youngster's dangerous runs. Scott Palguta continues to play well in the center and Jordan Harvey appears to have locked down the left back position. Upfront picks itself and the only other question is what role Terry Cooke may have tonight. Cooke, as you probably all know, has been in England visiting his son who was injured in a car accident. Thankfully, his son is doing well and Cooke was back training this week. He had been away for some time, however, and Mehdi Ballouchy arguably had his best game of the season last week against New England. If I was a betting man, I think Cooke will come on in the 69th minute and curl one past Kasey Keller into the top corner.
It should be a pretty packed house tonight by all accounts, Denver Nuggets home game notwithstanding, so let's get behind the team because those Seattle fans will bring plenty of passion. Kickoff is at 7.30pm.

Rapids Professional Without Being Dominant

Real Salt Lake came to Colorado trying to solve their conundrum of blitzing everyone at home and struggling on the road. After a dramatic first half in which they went 1-0 down to an early goal, lost their goalkeeper to a hand injury and had a player sent off, it wasn't about the conundrum anymore. As Salt Lake's coach, Jason Kreis, said afterwards, it was then about the character of his players. "All evaluation went out of the window," he said. In the end, the Rapids had control of the game throughout the second half, solidifying the very large upper hand they had gained after that first half. They stroked the ball around calmly, exhausted their ten-man opponents and added a second goal from, of all people, Kosuke Kimura, who slammed a great shot home from the edge of the area after Terry Cooke laid the ball off to him. I think he was rather pleased. Gary Smith, Rapids' head coach, was pleased with the result without being excited. That is part of his make-up anyway but it is the right reaction because, while we should be pleased with the result, we are still some way off dominating a team at home. The reaction of Ugo Ihemelu maybe sums the performance up. He was delighted with the shut-out, partly because it was his self-confessed mistake last week which led to LA's equalizer. But it also shows satisfaction at a professional performance rather than delight at a dominating one.
The line-up was interesting. After a run of a few games between the posts, Preston Burpo was left out in favor of Matt Pickens, the original number one choice at the start of the season. Mehdi Ballouchy, who has been a constant in the midfield, was dropped to the bench with Nick LaBrocca, scorer of the first goal, getting the start. Both Burpo and Ballouchy had not quite lived up to their own high standards in recent games, Smith said. It was time for a change. The Rapids have a bye next week before going on the road to play New England.

Rapids Take Another Step Forward

Another big step on the road to playing with real confidence. The Colorado Rapids picked up a brave point away at Columbus, riding their luck against the defending MLS champions, especially in the closing minutes, but coming away with a precious 1-1 draw courtesy of a Conor Casey equalizer in the 82nd minute. Casey took his chance very well following a nice pass over the top of the defense from Pablo Mastroeni. Casey and Omar Cummings, who posed plenty of challenges all night for the Crew defense, are really establishing themselves as a very fine attacking partnership.
Coach Gary Smith sprung a surprise or two with the starting line-up, relegating Kosuke Kimura to the bench and playing Ty Harden in central defense with Cory Gibbs and moving Ugo Ihemelu out to the right. In truth, this was an option that Smith had readily discussed at the beginning of the season. Unfortunately, it did not last long in this game as Harden limped out with an injury within the first 20 minutes and was replaced by the inexperienced Scott Palguta. Palguta did well, forcing Alejandro Moreno out wide in the second half at one point and cutting down the angle for the dangerous striker. It makes perfect sense to try the experiment at this early stage because you don't want players coming in solely in emergencies and not having had any experience during the season. Kimura will play many times more for this team, of that you can be sure. Harden may not have had much time on the field but at least it did give the opportunity to Palguta who will surely be called upon again. In another slight surprise, Preston Burpo maintained the starting goalkeeper spot ahead of Matt Pickens who looks to be recovering from his back injury. It will be very interesting to see who plays in goal against Houston next week.
The Rapids will be mighty relieved after their game against Houston because it will mean the end of a big road trip and two home games in a row against LA and Real Salt Lake. If they can get something out of the Houston game next weekend, those two home games will look increasingly appealing.

Smith Reaching For Stars With Feet on the Ground

Well, it was Wednesday rather than Monday but I did eventually manage to talk with Gary Smith, the head coach of the Colorado Rapids. Here are some of his thoughts less than a month away from the start of the season.

Gary Smith, head coach of the Colorado Rapids, wants 40 points to make the playoffs. That is the first priority of the team. If the Rapids do make the postseason, then aims can be modified and priorities reset. For some, aiming for just 40 points may seem a little light on ambition but Smith is realistic enough to know that he is still working with a relatively inexperienced core of players and that it is vital for the team to make that stage first having missed out in the past two seasons. "I am excited but realistic and we have to make sure both inside and outside the club that we don’t get too carried away," Smith said. For Smith, there is now a core group of players recently signed to multi-year contracts that are the future of the club. Aside from veteran club captain, Pablo Mastroeni, Smith sees the likes of Nick LaBrocca, Colin Clark, Ugo Ihemelu, Omar Cummings, Jordan Harvey and Kosuke Kimura, as the mainstay of the club in the coming years. But many of those players still have not typically played much more than a dozen games a season and are still developing their talents. Clearly, Smith is not just thinking about this season but the next few too.
The opening six games of the season will have a big say on the probability of reaching that target of 40 points. The Rapids will play four of those six games away, two of those being at Houston and Columbus. "Any away game is tough in this league and to have games against the current champions and the champions of the previous two seasons makes it even tougher," Smith said. His aim is for the team to get something out of both of those games. "If we can come out of the pack from these opening games, we are going to be in a good spot," he added. There then follows a long stint with a majority of games at DSG Park before more road games towards the end of the season.
The team is now just one or two players away from finalizing the 24-man roster which has to be in place March 2. Smith has been very public about bringing in one or two extra forwards to back up Conor Casey and Cummings. One of those could be a big name forward from Europe, probably in the summer once the seasons finish there. It may also be possible to bring in a player of good caliber from either South America or Africa in time for the season opener. Smith said he had been working on this for the past six weeks and admitted to some frustrations with the players he is targeting. One of those is the much-discussed English striker currently with Southampton, Jason Euell, whom Smith is talking with on a regular basis. There are problems with financial discussions, he said. Clearly, this is a problem with European players used to much higher salaries. The Rapids do have their Designated Player spot available again after trading Christian Gomez but I wouldn't hold your breath they will be able to fill that slot with a big name player based on what Smith is saying.
If strikers are added, clearly one or two more players would have to go. Only one triallist remains at the club, Ivorian Serge Wawa. Expect one of the developmental players to be moving on in the next week or so as the March 2 deadline approaches. The team heads to California to play San Jose on Friday followed by more preseason training and a game next week in Los Angeles.

If It's Thursday, It Must Be Dallas

Crikey! Didn't we just play a game? The Colorado Rapids have a very quick turnaround this week and will be off tomorrow for the game on Thursday night against Dallas. Unfortunately, that gives me no time to get up to training due to work commitments to suss out camp mood and get an idea of the line-up. Most of you are pretty depressed about the latest defeat away at Real Salt Lake. The Reserves fared no better the following day when they were thumped 4-0, all the goals in the first half. Clearly, things aren't working too well. Unfortunately, the Rapids are hamstrung, literally, by some major injuries. Terry Cooke and Pablo Mastroeni are still recovering from their hamstring problems and will not make the trip, at least according to the Rapids website. It wouldn't surprise me, however, if Pablo did at least get on the bench. That may be a bit ambitious but he appears a lot further along with the healing process than does Cooke. Mehdi Ballouchy and Ugo Ihemelu are still listed as out with concussions but I am trying to find out how updated that injury list is. Ugo, at least, was on the verge of making the trip to Salt Lake last week. In terms of international call-ups, Bouna Coundoul is in Senegal right now before the national team flies off for its World Cup qualifying game against Algeria on Friday. Omar Cummings does not appear to have made it into the Jamaican team for its games against Mexico and Honduras. The Reggae Boyz have had to switch their weekend game against Mexico to Mexico City after Hurricane Gustav damaged the national stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.
So, what does that leave? You can't really make radical changes when so many people are out injured or are unavailable. But changes need to be made. Desperate times call for drastic measures. Surely, Christian Gomez must start and Kosuke Kimura deserves his chance. Tom McManus should maybe start upfront with Conor Casey. Thoughts?
INJURY UPDATE: According to the Rapids' press office, Pablo and Terry Cooke are listed as probable so they may play a small part in the game. Ihemelu, Greg Dalby and Ballouchy are all described as questionable.

Rubbing Salt Into Wounds

Confession. I only saw the last 20 minutes or so of this game due to other commitments and a need to change shoes. It's a long story. Suffice it to say I have very little intelligent to say about the game. I arrived when it was already 2-0 to Real Salt Lake, saw a bit of honest running from the likes of Omar Cummings and very little actual shots on goal. So, please do respond by sending in your observations on this latest Colorado Rapids' defeat.
I had the line-up almost right but Christian Gomez must be wondering what it takes to get into the team. The midfield is pretty much decimated and he still has to wait until the second half to get on. On the other hand, I do like the fact that all of McManus, Cummings and Herculez Gomez got gametime. I have always thought that Herc can play as an attacking midfielder rather than an out and out striker. Unfortunately, I missed the first half so please do comment on what you thought of his performance. I also liked the fact that Kosuke Kimura finally got on the field. After starting out so well this season with former coach, Fernando Clavijo, saying he had tied up the right back spot, Kimura was mysteriously subsequently left out and did not seem to be able to make it back into the team. He did put in one lovely cross for Cummings who headed well from a difficult position. Jose Luis Burciaga was another who started off the season very well but his recent performances have not been consistent and Kimura can state a case for making a start. The Rapids, sinking ever faster in playoff contention, face FC Dallas in hot and humid Texas next Thursday.

Easy Rider and a 3-4-1-2 Formation

Maybe this is what Colorado Rapids' coach, Fernando Clavijo, thinks to himself when he's on the seat of his Harley approaching Estes Park. How am I going to get the most out of my big players and what is the best formation to fit the biggest of them all, Christian Gomez? Well, it may just be the 3-4-1-2 scenario, Gomez being the 1. "I don't want to play with one striker if I can avoid it," Clavijo told me at training today. If current indications are to go by, those two strikers, subject to fitness, are probably going to be Tom McManus and Conor Casey. Casey, to large amounts of applause from his teammates, saw some action today in a competitive scrimmage against the University of New Mexico. Coming on for the last 20 minutes or so, the big striker made his presence felt and almost scored a couple of times. The Rapids dominated what I saw of the game (most of it) and ran out easy winners, 4-2. Jacob Peterson was another who looked sharp, scoring twice with one spectacular strike to the top right hand corner from about 20 yards. I think he is beggining to get in the coach's mind a little more and will probably build upon his ten minutes or so against Chicago this weekend.
Many of the big name players had the day off. Pablo Mastroeni, who is set for a long run in the side if he can keep fit, was nowhere to be seen. Terry Cooke and Rafael Gomes were not suited up at all. Cooke, who has been quiet the last two games, admitted to some naivety in the team last weekend. Clavijo expressed what many have been saying this week how badly caught out the defense was when in attacking mode. They simply were not able to get back into position to prevent the inevitable goals. Expect Kosuke Kimura to come back into the line-up this weekend (he better, he's in my fantasy team). Otherwise, it may be a pretty similar line-up to last week. Ugo Ihemelu played a full 90 in the scrimmage (or was it 120? The game seemed to go on for ever), and his speed would be a welcome asset in the heart of defense. I would think he will get some action this weekend. Ciaran O'Brien could see some gametime too.

Gargoyle Blanco Helps Fire to Win Over Rapids

Do you want the good news or the bad news? The bad news is that we lost. The good news was that this was so much better than last week. The Colorado Rapids certainly bounced back from last week's poor performance against San Jose. They played with far more intensity and better creativity. The nagging doubt in the head is that, when they go down a goal, it always seems so hard for them to get back in the game. We did it against Kansas City but there remains a question as to how consistently we can do that.
The line-up was different. One forced change with John DiRaimondo out with an ankle sprain. Pablo Mastroeni made his first start of the season and played with great intensity as usual. It was almost a relief when he was subbed because he looked like he may get a red card. The Rapids were incensed at the end of the first half with Chicago's number 25 and Pablo baited him throughout the second half when he was on. Tom McManus came in for Omar Cummings and continued to play with great heart just as he had done against San Jose. Congrats to him for his first goal in the burgundy and blue. Kelly Gray, who had impressed in last week's reserve game, came in for Kosuke Kimura. A little tough on Kimura who seemed to be making the right back spot his own.
We made some poor defensive errors and the defense was practically non-existent on the second goal. But I think we lost the game in the midfield. Blanco may be one of the ugliest of people (we thought he looked like a gargoyle - Blanco is a gargoyle, Blanco is a gargoyle, la la la la, la la la la; maybe we can get a song going when he visits DSG Park?) but he was more creative than his counterpart on the Rapids, Christian Gomez. His pass was instrumental in the first goal and he made a number of creative moves to make chances for his teammates.
To be honest, a draw might have been a fair result and we almost clinched it in the end with Herc putting the ball just wide and Bouna almost creating the greatest moment in Rapids' history when he came up for a last second corner and just headed over. Can you imagine if that had gone in? He would never have stopped talking about it. And neither would the fans. But it wasn't to be. We move on to a big game next weekend against DC United who seem to be getting back to the form we all know they have.

It's Mighty Pretty But It Ain't Got What We Got

Chicago that is. I'm sure Chicago is a great city but when you are at Dick's Sporting Goods Park looking at the snow-capped mountains on a sunny morning and playing soccer for a living, Denver sure looks good. I watched the squad in training yesterday and what I would give to be 25, as fit as a butcher's dog and playing on the carpet that is the Rapids' training ground.
The San Jose debacle is behind us and we move on to the Chicago suburbs. Colin Clark told me yesterday that nobody for a minute underestimated San Jose but also that everyone was equally surprised by the way the Earthquakes came at them last weekend. They weren't prepared for that. Kosuke Kimura admitted that everybody had a bad game but it is now behind them. It could be a good lesson for everyone. There are no easy games just as there is no team that the Rapids cannot beat. We must play attackingly against Chicago as we did in all our games so far bar San Jose.
The boys looked sharp in training which included a scrimmage against the University of Denver team. Nearly all the squad got some playing time in the scrimmage with what looked like a possible first team, more or less, coming out in the last 30 minutes or so. It was noticeable how the Rapids dominated that last half an hour even though the DU team manfully managed to keep them out and there was no score in the end. The DU coaches were very happy with that result. You should check out the DU games at Pioneer Field sometime. The current Spring schedule sees them taking on the Colorado School of Mines this Sunday at 2pm.
So, who will be playing this weekend? Kimura told me there could be a little tinkering with the team but, if you look at the Rapids website, the formation seems to be pretty much the same with Pablo Mastroeni coming in for the injured John DiRaimondo (link below).
http://www.coloradorapids.com/TheMatch/Matchup.aspx
DiRaimondo is out for a couple of weeks. He said he is grateful because he really thought at the time that he may have broken his ankle. It is just sprained. Justin Hughes continues to work back to fitness and is hopeful of playing in a scrimmage against the University of New Mexico next week during training. Ugo Ihemelu, who looked dominant and impressive in the scrimmage yesteday, is back in contention but would seem unlikely to start this weekend. Nick LaBrocca looks like he has been 12 rounds but showed no effects from last week's bloodied nose.

MLS Salaries Not Exactly Merit-Based

Much has already been written about the recent release of MLS players' salaries so I'm not going to add all that much. I'm also not going to say that certain players deserve less than they are actually geting, which some have commented on already. All I want to say is how can a professional sportsman, or anybody else for that matter, live on less than $18,000 a year (Kosuke Kimura, weekend goalscorer John DiRaimondo) and how come merit isn't exactly rewarded (Bouna and Colin Clark on a paltry $33,000 a year)? It seems strange to think that you would know the salaries of all the other people in your organization, no? Imagine that in any office or corporation your average Joe works in. If you think of the four Rapids players highlighted here (Kimura, Bouna, Clark and DiRaimondo), who are clearly not exactly amply rewarded for their talents, I think it speaks volumes for them as to how committed they are to the team and how they don't value success purely financially. A little bit more financial comfort would be nice though (L'argent ne fait pas le bonheur mais on est tout de meme content de l'en avoir). Here's a link to a nice piece by our friends at the Rocky Mountain News. (http://blogs.rockymountainnews.com/denver/soccer/2008/04/list_of_2008_mls_player_salari.html#more.) Check out View From The Couch (http://www.view-from-the-couch.blogspot.com) also whose link I will now be putting on the site.