Rapids Were Toasted On The Fourth

In my midpoint check-in 3.5 weeks ago I said we needed 8 points from the upcoming 4 games, putting us at 30 points after the 4th of July, if we wanted to stay in the playoff race.  After a 2-1 loss to KC on Friday we got 4 and we're at 26.  We're actually below the playoff line (losing out on the last spot on GD to Houston) right now and, to quote Matt Doyle:

into the woodchipper they now go: at LAFC, home vs. Vancouver, at Seattle, at Philly, at Minnesota. I don’t think anyone in the league has a tougher five-game stretch this year.

 A number of players showed their deficiencies in Friday's game.

• The difference between Hansen's play in net and Pulskamp's play for KC in net is why the latter earned the starter role going into this season and the former is rightfully still a backup.  Hansen wilted under the early pressure from KC and played a pass Maxso had no chance of reaching.  A starting keeper just plays that out of danger.  Instead we were immediately down 1-0.
• Credit to the team for fighting back, but Mihailovic had an off night.  Everything was just a bit off, including his PK attempt.  To be fair to Djordje if it had been on target Pulskamp guessed right and looked like he might have had it covered.
• The Rapids had one of the best chance creation nights in years, but could not finish.  Even removing the two PKs they had 2.5 xG in this game with 25 shots and 9 on target.  Yet Mihailovic only had 0.25 xG when you remove his penalty.  Navarro was 0.9.  When we needed our attack leaders to come through...they didn't.  Awaziem had the second highest non-PK xG on the team.
• Defensively we were bad on the second goal.  Thommy beat the full back line on his own, starting with muscling Rosenberry off the ball.  Keegan took the blame for the goal in the post game but it wasn't all on him.  Maxso overran the play and just turned and watched it finish, for not the first time this season.  Maxso makes $1M more than Keegan, I expect more effort than he showed.
• Cole Bassett started on the bench, as I expected, but when he came on he didn't do much.  It felt like he was where the attack went to die, with 3-4 chances that he could not get on net or turn into a dangerous attack.
• On the positive side, both Ku-DiPietro and Harris had good games.  They are the clear starters (and Bassett is not) right now.

This is a team that is successful when everyone is on but if anyone is off then we struggle to connect.  We either don't create chances but finish the couple we make, or create chances but don't finish them.

Friday the team behind us in the standings came into our house with our biggest crowd and walked away with 3 points, largely due to our own mistakes.  If we can't win a game like that, then how can we expect to get back into a playoff spot?  The good news is that the Rapids apparently have the 5th easiest schedule left in the West, but we have to get to the final 8 games still in touching distance to see it.

Man of the Match: Ted Ku-DiPietro.  Great game from him setting up chances and drawing a penalty.  Hopefully this means he's rounding into form and finding his spot in this team.