Pablo Likely to Stay a Rapid Until New Year

So, I did manage to get up to training today but I am probably not able to add too many insights into who will start tomorrow for the Colorado Rapids against RSL. That was because I got involved in a good conversation with club captain, Pablo Mastroeni. By the time we finished talking, the boys were off in the bus to take them to the airport for tomorrow night's game. Assume the same back four, five including Preston Burpo. The midfield will include Christian Gomez, Nick LaBrocca and Colin Clark plus one of either John DiRaimondo or Jacob Peterson. Casey will start up front with one other of McManus, Cummings and Herc. That's my best guess.
One person who will not be playing is Pablo who spent much of today's session jogging alone with a nice view of downtown Denver and the DNC. While he was running well, his hamstring will see him miss both upcoming US World Cup qualifiers against Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago. Nice for us if he can get fit enough to play for the Rapids in the meantime.
Pablo is a top guy. How can anybody not wish him the best if he does take off for Europe? It does look as if it will be in January next year rather than anytime soon. He will be out of contract and free to go. Italy and Spain look the most likely and he did tell me he has someone representing him over in those two countries. He also has someone in England but this may be a less of a possibility. Something tells me his heart would be in Italy where he has cultural roots and family members in Sicily.
Watch this space to see what unfolds.

Will The Real Christian Gomez Please Stand Up?

The Colorado Rapids go into Friday night's Rocky Mountain Cup showdown against Real Salt Lake with what amounts to a mini injury crisis. Pablo Mastroeni and Terry Cooke, two of the most influential players in the team, will not make the trip due to hamstring injuries. Mehdi Ballouchy joins Ugo Ihemelu on the concussion injury list after picking up a knock in the DC game last Saturday. That leaves a new look midfield for this weekend's game with much of the spotlight bound to be put on Christian Gomez. Gomez is the most expensive player in the team and his career so far at the Rapids has not met with expectations. According to Gary Smith on last night's From The Pitch radio show, Gomez is "chomping at the bit" to get his place back in the team. Friday night might just be his opportunity to shine. I personally could see opportunities for John DiRaimondo to partner with Nick LaBrocca in a midfield that also contains Colin Clark but Jacob Peterson could be more likely to start. Up front, given Smith's admission he prefers a 4-4-2 in the English style, I would see Tom McManus partnering Conor Casey with speedsters Herculez Gomez and Omar Cummings on the bench. I am aiming to get up to practice tomorrow and have a word with the coach so I will post again tomorrow with more details.

Have We Lost The War?

So much hope about a new era but the Colorado Rapids crashed to a 3-0 defeat against DC United on Saturday. After going into the game almost like a line of combat soldiers, we lost the battle. The question is have we lost the playoff war also?
The team was in the game for the first 40 minutes or so. It was pretty even. I noticed at one point that I wasn't even aware Cory Gibbs was playing because the defense and midfield seemed to be in such control that there was no apparent danger. When Gibbs did make a couple of very good tackles towards the end of the first half, that was when the screws loosened before coming off completely later in the game. The Rapids conceded a good goal by Joe Vide right on the halftime whistle. Almost immediately afterwards, Nick LaBrocca had one of the best chances for the Rapids in the first half but the DC keeper, who looked vulnerable to me and whom we didn't test enough, saved well.
Interim coach, Gary Smith, then made a decision which, in hindsight, sort of decided the game. He took off two players, Ballouchy and Peterson, at half-time. I think one was injury-related. With substitute Greg Dalby then himself going off injured in the 58th minute, it meant all our subs were used up before the hour mark. We had no striking options up front to help Conor Casey and we never looked like we would score. With Pablo Mastroeni limping out of the game in the 80th minute, it meant we only had ten players for the last quarter of an hour or so. Any coincidence DC scored twice in the last ten minutes of the game to seal it? I think we need someone else up front to support Casey. I know we scratched the win against Kansas with him playing almost as a lone striker but there were signs there the experiment may not work consistently. And so it proved on Saturday. McManus, Cummings and Herculez Gomez will be working extra hard in training this week to persuade Smith they should be playing a role in the team for the game on Friday against Real Salt Lake.

Rapids Go To War In Battle Formation

If you look at the Colorado Rapids website, you'll see this weekend's projected formation lined up looking like some Roman gladiators. The formation is listed as basically two lines of four and five in defense and midfield with lone striker,Conor Casey, up front. Here is the link to the website. Kind of scary, huh?
http://www.coloradorapids.com/TheMatch/Matchup.aspx
I apologize that I cannot offer any particular insight this week into what the exact formation will be. Because of the From The Pitch Radio show and other commitments, I just could not make it up to DSG Park again this week. I was hoping to bend Gary Smith's ear last night at staff soccer but the game didn't happen. It was a busy week for the Rapids and the staff were obviously a little preoccupied. I promise that I will be at training next week at some point to get some insights into camp mood and trends, especially after our rousing victory over DC United tomorrow.
What do we know for sure? Ugo Ihemelu will be out again with the concussion concern. It looks as if the back four will be the same as started against Kansas City. Changes look likely in the midfield. Christian Gomez and Mehdi Ballouchy are listed as probable starters along with the returning Colin Clark, Pablo and crosser extraordinaire, Terry Cooke. Mastroeni was taken out of the US game on Wednesday after 78 minutes and reportedly got a knock but the man is a beast and I am sure he will start. So, Jacob Peterson, who picked up a knock last week, and the unfortunate Nick LaBrocca appear to be on the bench this weekend.
What does surprise me is the probable inclusion of Bouna Coundoul. Preston Burpo performed well last week against Kansas and Bouna has been all the way to and back from Libya with the Senegal national team. He has not practiced all week with the Rapids and he did not get any game time in Tripoli. It would seem to me that Burpo would be the right choice for tomorrow.
Anyway, let's hope for a dramatic result under the new regime. The team should be fired up and competitive. Realistically, I think we would settle for a point but wouldn't it be spectacular to get all three? See you down at SoBo for the 5.30pm MT kick off.

Pablo Wins, Omar Comes In Late, Bouna Benched

Mixed fortunes for the Colorado Rapids players representing their national teams yesterday in various parts of the world. Pablo Mastroeni played 78 minutes for the US team as they defeated Guatemala 1-0 in Guatemala City in their first World Cup qualifying game of this next stage. Pablo picked up his requisite yellow card and both teams had a player sent off. You may think it is easy to beat a team like Guatemala but it ain't exactly the red carpet the locals put down for the visiting US team. It sure semed like one hostile environment to play in and that is a very strong victory for the US.
Elsewhere, there was very little playing time for Omar Cummings and Bouna Coundoul. Omar came on as an 87th minute substitute as Jamaica drew creditably with Canada 1-1 in Toronto in their World Cup qualifying game. Bouna was the only player left on the bench for the entirety of the Senegal friendly against Libya which ended 0-0. Seems like Bouna may have to get used to this position both at home in Colorado and when on duty with the national team. Tony Sylva is the evident number one for the Senegal team and there is definite tension between the new players and the established stars of the Lions of Teranga. If you can read French, you can find details of such tensions in Senegal's online newspaper, sudonline (see link below to last night's game). In Colorado, Preston Burpo performed very creditably in last week's game against Kansas and it is hard to envisage him not starting this weekend against DC United, not least because Bouna has to make it all the way back from Tripoli and has clearly not practiced with the team this week.
Here are some links to reports on the Jamaica and Senegal games.
http://www.coloradorapids.com/News/NewsDetails.aspx?NID=WGw+tDJiJqg=
http://www.sudonline.sn/spip.php?article13309

Clavijo Resigns From Rapids

Fernando Clavijo, the head coach of the Colorado Rapids, has resigned with immediate effect from his position. Like the death of a sick loved one, the news comes as a shock but not exactly unexpected. Rumors had been flying for some time, especially after the recent meltdown at the Los Angeles Galaxy when Ruud Gullit and Alexei Lalas said goodbye. Gary Smith, who took charge of the team in last weekend's victory over Kansas City after Clavijo flew to his native Uruguay on a family emergency, will assume the reins as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. More details are in the Denver Post at the link below.
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_10254449

Rapids' Relief as Team Finally Tastes Victory

Acting head coach Gary Smith punched the air as the referee blew for the 90 minutes. It sure was mighty relief for the Colorado Rapids organization and their fans that the team finally managed to score some goals and eke out a win against a frequently dangerous Kansas City side. This was not a match the Rapids dominated in any shape or form but the defense was sound, the midfield created more chances than of late and Conor Casey worked his socks off to help secure the win with two priceless goals. One of these, naturally, came from a perfect Terry Cooke cross. Cooke crossed absolutely perfectly about three of four times in the first half and a goal could have come from any one of those crosses. As it was, the Rapids went into half-time a goal apiece having played the offside trap fairly poorly and finally allowing Kansas to get behind the defense and equalize. A combination of poor Kansas defense and strong play by Casey saw the big striker net a second right after the break but the Rapids failed to push home their advantage and Kansas could have scored two or three times later in the second half. Thankfully, the Rapids held on to their lead to secure their first win since July 4.
It was a curious line-up. Preston Burpo started in goal so maybe Smith was resting Bouna Coundoul who is probably now close to Libya with the Senegal national team. Bouna is expected to be back for the DC game next week. Burpo, apart from the occasional problem with crosses, played very solidly and could do little with the Kansas goal. Thankfully, he pulled off a great point blank save immediately after the Rapids had opened with Casey's header, a crucial save at that juncture of the match. There was no Christian Gomez (out injured?) and Smith appeared to start up front with Ballouchy and Jacob Peterson playing just behind Casey. As expected, Mike Petke and debutant Cory Gibbs made up the central defense in a back four. The midfield just seems stronger when Pablo Mastroeni and Nick LaBrocca are working in tandem. They were both dominant last night, particularly Mastroeni who barely put a foot wrong, seemed to win every 50/50 ball and almost scored from one of those Cooke crosses in the first half. That would have been a nice birthday present for the midfelder who will be with the US national team in Guatemala this week for a World Cup qualifier.
There is still a lot to work on. We cannot seem to make enough penetrating runs into space to get behind the defense. Our main route to goal still looks like Cooke to Casey. And our defense can look very vulnerable to such penetrating runs from the opposition. However, a win is a win and hopefully it will give the team some confidence going into a tough three-game stretch away from home.