Rapids Head To Sunny Portland

I have family visiting this weekend (from Portland of all places) so you're getting the game preview a day early.  A much better forecast is expected in Bridgetown than Portland faced when they opened the season here during Snow Clasico III.  Kickoff this weekend is a late 9pm start on Saturday, with Centennial 38 hosting a big watch party at the Celtic, along with the Denver Gunners on a early pregame for the Arsenal friendly on Monday.  Fleming and 'Celo will have the call on Altitude.

Just a note, unless/until their status changes I'm no longer going to list Kortne Ford and Nana Boateng as unavailable every week.  Just assume they're out and I'll update if that changes.

Injury Report:
OUT: D Deklan Wynne
QUESTIONABLE: Jack Price

Disciplinary Report:
SUSPENDED: M Kellyn Acosta (2 games, 1 for yellow card accumulation, 1 for the red)
ONE YELLOW FROM SUSPENSION: M Jack Price; F Diego Rubio (gets a game knocked off if he's clean this week)

Well, no Acosta and probably no Price is going to make the midfield difficult.  Luckily Lewis is back with the team after the Gold Cup and Nicholson seems to be healthy.

We could see somebody like Blomberg start over Bassett but otherwise I feel pretty good about this guess at the starting XI.

Prediction: 1-1 draw, goal by Lewis.  This is a little optimistic and a one goal loss would not be surprising.  Portland has had a busy week though with a game last Sunday and an Open Cup game in LA last night, so they're going to be a bit tired even at home and I think we can steal a point off of them.

Revs Wash Away Rapids Undefeated Streak

A game marred by not one, not two, but three lightning delays turned into a 2-1 loss for the Rapids.  Honestly its hard to take much of anything from this game with the start stop nature of the game.  An hour delay to kickoff, then play 28 minutes, then a delay, then play 7 minutes, then a delay, then play 10 minutes, then an 8 minute halftime, then a full second half that ended after midnight leaves a game where it was impossible to get into any rhythm.

About the only thing I took from it is that Diego Rubio is lucky he scored.  His complaining to the ref, diving, and otherwise petulant play is only worth it if he scores.  Otherwise the theatrics are more a detraction than an addition to the team.  Before the goal I was thinking that his contract i going to end up feeling very long if we have to put up with this every game.

Man of the Match: Any fan that made it to the final whistle in the stands.  I am very, very glad my anniversary kept me home Thursday night as that looked miserable to experience.  Anyone who saw all 90 minutes live is the clear man (or woman) of the match.

Jameson Night 2019

Yes tomorrow is Independence Day, but we play a game on the 4th every year.  We only get Jameson Night every other year, when the Revs are in town.  Hopefully most of you have Friday off (I don't) and can enjoy a night of Irish whiskey, soccer, and fireworks.  Kickoff is at 7 and it will be a full house in the stadium and at the tailgate, so be sure to get there early.  For those of us who can't make it, Fleming and Balboa will have the call on Altitude.  I say us because, as always, I have a better offer for July 4th.  Celebrating my 21st wedding anniversary and my wife makes better company than my fellow C38 yahoos. ;)

Injury Report:

OUT: D Kortne Ford

QUESTIONABLE: D Deklan Wynne, M Sam Nicholson, M Jack Price

Disciplinary Report:

ONE CAUTION FROM SUSPENSION: M Kellyn Acosta

Unavailable:

M Nana Boateng - Personal issue

F Jonathan Lewis - U.S. National Team

No changes since Friday other than Wynne being upgraded to Questionable.  Price was Questionable last week and played so I assume we'll probably see him tomorrow night.

That's the lineup we used last week to beat LAFC, I don't see Casey changing what worked.

Prediction: 2-1 win, goals by Kamara and Shinyashiki.  4th of July and Jameson Night is too much for New England to overcome.  They're improved under Arena, but not as much as we've improved with Casey.  The undefeated streak stretches to eight as we go into a few extra days of break before the difficulty level goes up.

Rapids Ace Casey's Test

The Rapids went into Friday night's game with nobody expecting them to win (including me).  The expectation is that the league leaders, even down a few men, would come into Commerce City and handle the, until recently, league doormats.  Instead the Rapids were the ones handling LAFC, keeping them contained with really only one good  look at goal, and once again scoring on a set piece.  With the win Colorado extends its undefeated streak to 7 games, second only to NYCFC's current 11 game streak in the league this season.  Nobody has picked up more points in the last 7 games than the Rapids though.

Random Musings:

• I've been on the "give Casey all year to see if he can do the job" bandwagon so far, and really I still am, but we just shutout LAFC and beat them on a Danny Wilson goal.  If Padraig Smith had announced Casey got the full time job today it would have been hard to argue against it.
• Two months ago today we were mired in a 9 game winless streak and had real concerns of putting up an all-time league worst season.  Now we're averaging just under 2 pts/game with Casey at the helm and fear nobody.
• Scoring right before the lightning break concerned me, I thought we'd lose our focus going in to the locker room up 1-0.  We almost did, as LAFC got a great look in the first minute after the break, but otherwise we stayed focused and locked in.  Credit to Casey for keeping the team on point during the delay.
• Somehow, despite the best offense in the league and a pretty good Rapids offense, there was no shot on target in the first half.
• Howard looked good again Friday night.  His xGoals has dropped to .71, which is still middle of the road for the league but a big improvement from the dip it took in May.
• Credit to the whole back line.  They got the stops when it mattered.
• Outside of Wilson's goal the only other shot on target by Colorado was from Shinyashiki.  Kamara seems to have cooled off a bit from his hot start but its great to see others stepping up.
• I hope Price isn't seriously injured.  No idea how he was the one who got carded on that play.
• On to Jameson Night on Thursday!

Man of the Match: Sam Vines.  He took the run-away MVP candidate and put him in a little box all night.  Vela has one shot, off target, all game and it came from the middle of the field.  In fact the whole LAFC team only got one shot off from Vines' side all night and it was saved by Howard.  Probably the best game he's played as a Rapid, and he was rewarded by being named to the MLS Team of the Week.

Biggest Test Of Casey's Tenure Tomorrow

L....A.....F.....C

One of the only teams as hot as the Rapids comes to Commerce City tomorrow night, in fact they're so hot people are talking about the possibility of LAFC setting league records this season.  On this 6 game undefeated streak the Rapids haven't faced a top team yet, LAFC is it.  As a Friday night game the kickoff is a bit later at 8pm which means the tailgate will start at 5.  Its Friday night so the game is on Univision with Marcelo Balboa and company.  If you want your dose of Richard Fleming I hear he will be making an appearance at the tailgate since he has the night off.

Injury Report:

OUT: D Kortne Ford, D Deklan Wynne

QUESTIONABLE: M Sam Nicholson, M Jack Price

Disciplinary Report:

ONE CAUTION FROM SUSPENSION: M Kellyn Acosta

Unavailable:

M Nana Boateng - Personal issue

F Jonathan Lewis - U.S. National Team

No Nicholson or Price will make this a difficult task.  Presumably we'll see the likes of Wilson and Shinyashiki in their place.

This seems pretty obvious, given our player status.

Prediction: 2-0 loss.  We're improved, but we're facing the best offense and the best defense in the league and we're undermanned.  As long as we don't embarrass ourselves anything beyond that is a bonus.