Glory - Colorado Rapids

 

A little over a year ago Dave Wegner, Grand Poobah of C38, reached out to me for some help on a project the Front Office was working on.  The Rapids had reached out to Glory Studio after seeing their work on their San Diego Loyal edition a couple of years earlier.  Glory went to work on putting together a edition on the Colorado Rapids to celebrate the club's 30th season and they wanted to not only talk to the club but also the supporters. Dave thought I could help with some of the history of both the club and the fans.

After a couple of early-morning conferences (Glory is UK based) they arranged a week to come out and see everything.  That was the week of the Charlotte game last March.  They joined up with the C38 crew at the Celtic, took the buses out to the Dick, enjoyed the tailgate, and got some pics in and around the stadium before, during, and after the game.  They spent the rest of the week interviewing people associated with the club, both past and present, and getting more pics around the area.

Then, silence.  Originally we had been told the target was to release last summer.  When I didn't hear anything I assumed the project had been cancelled.  Instead it turns out they held it until the kickoff of our 30th anniversary season and they were available at the opening game.

This is a great look at the history of the club.  Its 268 pages of pictures, stories, and memories, covering everything from the inaugural game up through the ups and downs of the Chris Armas years.  It hits all the obvious highlights like MLS Cup 2010 and winning the West in 2021, but it also covers things that are important to us as Rapids fans, like the Rocky Mountain Cup and the Unified Team.  It takes time to mention two big local losses, Colin Clark and Joan Dobrzynski.

There are a ton of pictures as well, from fans to in-game photos, to looks at our jersey history.  They highlight the names from our history every MLS fan knows, 'Chelo, Pablo, Howard, but also guys that became important to Rapids fans like Cookie and the Ginger Ninja.  There's even a section on El Pibe in both English and Spanish.  It even finishes with a set of club stats including our longest undefeated streak in 2016.

You can pick it up from the club shop for $30, $24 with season-ticket holder discount.  You can also order it directly from the Glory website but with the exchange rate, shipping, and potential tariffs you'll do better finding somebody to get you one from the club.

I started this off talking about my involvement, but my involvement was minor compared to the grand scheme.  Beyond the people at the club (past and present) C38 and Mile High Lokos members Dave Wegner, Mason Andrade, Miguel Sifuentes were called out along with me for thanks and I think they all deserved it more than I did.  Apparently it was quite a party bus ride!

New Attitude Rapids

Sorry for the delay here, I was celebrating my birthday.  We're three days past the game so I'm not going to get into heavy detail on what happened, at this point I assume you know.  What I do want to talk about though is the change in attitude in the Rapids that we saw in this game.

Colorado was the stronger team in the first half, and deservedly led 1-0 at the break.  Coming out of the break though the Galaxy took control and levelled the score.  At that point the hope was really that the home team could hold on and get a point against a more talented team.  Then Pec picked up a pointless yellow card and everything changed.

First of all, Pec picked up that yellow card because Navarro picked up the ball and went right down the field with it.  No knocking it around the back to waste time, no uncertainty about what support he might have, he saw an opportunity to advance the ball and took it.  There was plenty of defensive cover so there was no reason for Pec to commit a tactical foul while already sitting on a yellow, but Navarro forced that decision on him.

How many times over the years, especially in the last 10-15, have we seen Colorado go up an man and not take advantage?  Most of the time they would struggle to find a winner, instead just passing it around the top of their opponent's half looking for a window and never really finding it.  Instead Rafa immediately put a shot on goal.  Manyoma scored, Navarro scored twice.  When LA handed the Rapids knife they not only stuck it in, they twisted it as well.

In the 15 minutes between the halftime break and the red card LA had 7 shots.  After the red card they had as many shots (3, none on target) as the Rapids had goals.  Yes, the willingness to go forward by the burgundy boys did leave them a bit open in the back and the Galaxy looked dangerous at times, but those chances amounted to nothing.  Hansen didn't have to make a save after the visitors went down a man.

In a prior year this is easily a 1-1 and an opportunity for a win missed (or worse, we give up a goal up a man).  This year there was no doubt that we were going to go for the win, and get it.  I'm not convinced this team has the talent to compete this year, but Matt Wells is certainly giving them the attitude to compete, which is a positive change.

Man of the Match: Darren Yapi.  Yes Navarro had the two goals and drew the red, but Yapi had the opening goal and an assist, and Navarro's goals were icing on the cake.  He also took a wicked hit to the face and came back in at a time where we were out of subs.

Classic Rivalry Renewed

Into the 20-teens Galaxy-Rapids was the most played competitive fixture between MLS teams when you included the regular season, playoffs, and USOC.  A remnant of the two teams being the only ones to have played in the Western Conference all (now) 31 seasons.  The Rapids struggles since their Cup win in 2010 has meant less playoff and USOC meetings and the fixture is no longer top of the list but its still one of the most contested.  Tomorrow they do it again at the Dick, and we're back to the normal 7:30pm kickoff, which means the tailgate starts at 4.

Player Availability:

OUT: GK Zack Steffen

Steffen picked up a shoulder injury this week so Nico Hansen will get the start.  Ali Fadal is off the injury list but he's also been loaned to R2.

The old "if it ain't broke" move here, with Hansen coming in for Steffen as the only change.  I'm off the Ronan bandwagon now, I really thought he was going to feature more but its clear that the midfield, for now, is going to be Aaronson, Hamzat, and Atencio.

Prediction: 1-1 draw, goal by Navarro.  I think LA is a better team than us, but this is the Galaxy's 5th game in 2.5 weeks and their first league game on the road.  I think that's enough early in the season, at altitude, that they'll be feeling it by late in the 2nd half.  That will allow the Rapids to get an equalizer and/or keep the Galaxy from pushing for a winner.

That's More Like It

In a complete 180 from the game last Sunday in Seattle the Rapids looked like a real team that knew what they were doing in their home opener.  The y came out with the type of dominant performance Matt Wells has talked about expecting from the team.  Even in his post game comments he congratulated the squad on a very good, but not excellent, game as he believes there's still another level they can take it to.  Regardless it was a much needed morale boost and a proof of concept for what Wells is trying to do.

Random Thoughts:

• The game could have gone very differently as Cole Bassett got the first look at goal, but his header was somewhat easily saved by Steffen.  A goal there, especially from Bassett, could have put the home team on their heels.
• After that the Timbers only got one more shot on goal in the half, and one in the second half after they were down 2-0.  Defense did a good job keeping any Timbers attacks from being dangerous, but Velde did sky their best look of the first half in the 34th minute.
• I think Holding starting stabilized the back line in a way Cobb couldn't last week.
• Meanwhile on the other end the Rapids kept driving at the Timbers.  25 total shots, 10 of them on target.  That's more than we had in our first three games combined last season.
•  Sealy looked good this week after being invisible in Seattle.  I noticed the number 7 multiple times in the attack and he had the assist on Herrington's goal from the corner.
• How about that from Hamzet the Destroyer?  It sounds like they don't want him shooting from 33+ yards very often, but having that in the bag of tricks will force defenses to step up and create space behind them.
• One thing notable is that outside of Herrington's play (see below) and the goals nobody really stood out as playing above everyone, or playing poorly.  This was a well played game by everyone across the board.  I can't say Aaronson played bad for example, but he wasn't standing out either.  And that's the case for pretty much everyone.
• Its always great to get back out to the Dick for a season.  And the weather was gorgeous.
• Back at it next week wit the Galaxy in town.  The open question is which is the real Rapids, the team that showed up in Seattle or the team that showed up in Commerce City?

Man of the Match: Lucas Herrington.  A great headed goal on Sealy's corner, rising up and over Cole Bassett.  If you look he's reacting practically before the ball crossed the line, it was that well placed that nobody could get to it.  Plus a solid effort on defense as well, for the second straight week.  He was named to MLS's team of the matchday and for me has been the best surprise of the early season.  So far I think I underesitmated his ability to make an impact.

Time To Get The Party Started

The best day of any season is here, the home opener.  And somehow, despite it being February, its going to be a gorgeous day for soccer at the Dick.  The only downside is that the Timbers and an old friend are in town.  Cole Bassett makes his first appearance in Commerce City in something other than burgundy and blue which is going to be a hard thing to see.  Regardless, kickoff is ar 2:30 tomorrow afternoon and the tailgate starts at 11.

Player Availability:

OUT - M Ali Fadal (abdomen)

Everyone is still healthy from last week, which, given our recent early season injury problems, is great to see.

Based on Wells' post-game comments on Sunday I'm expecting to see some changes, especially for those who didn't play very well.  Mainly Cobb, Atencio, and Sealy.  But a lot of this is still guess work right now, if Travis and Cannon were to start on the outside again it wouldn't shock me.

Prediction: 2-1 loss, goal by Navarro.  Bassett gets at least an assist against us.  It is really hard to get any hopes up based on last week.  We are at home and Wells has had first contact with the enemy in MLS and will adjust, but until we see improvement I can't predict anything but a loss.