Union Get Omared

Hey Philly? Your team might be a bit too interested in the Michael Vick - Kevin Kolb saga because they've apparently never heard of this guy Omar Cummings that the Rapids have. That's surprising considering Union player Jordan Harvey played here in Colorado with Omar last year. Despite that the Union didn't seem to even know he as on the field, as they left him unmarked in front of goal twice in the first 20 minutes and Cummings made them paying, staking the Rapids a 2-0 lead on their way to a 4-1 win last night.

Really that's all that really needs to be discussed. After we were up 2-0 Philly was done, threw in the towel at halftime by subbing off two veteran players for two young kids, conceded goals to Wells Thompson(!) and Qunicy Amarikwa(!) before getting one back just before full time. Hey, that makes them better than Chivas, Houston, and New England who have all been shut out recently at the Dick.

My key to the game was not letting down after the emotional game in Sandy. Apparently that wasn't a problem.

Other Observations:

• Omar's two goals give him 6 in his last 4 games with the Rapids, plus 1 he scored in that time with Jamaica. He's got 12 overall on the season, putting him one ahead of Casey. Wow.
• Gary Smith did a very good job of balancing his veteran starters with 3 games this week. Jamie Smith and Brian Mullan split time to get some rest, and GS got Pablo and Cummings (still recovering from the ankle injury) off the field early to give them some rest.
• Unfortunately that meant starting Wells Thompson who had a bad game. He scored, but that's the one highlight he had. He clearly wasn't on the same page as the rest of the team.
• Koz got his second assist in two games. Its actually going to be hard to send him tot he bench when Baudet returns.
• Last night they moved Le Toux at half to the other side of the field to go at Moor and Wallace instead of Koz and Wynne. You don't see a MVP candidate moved around like that very often.
• Moor was a beast on the backline last night. Well positioned to stop any kind of momentum the Union had.
• Kandji with two assists, but he probably should have had at least one more or a goal. He and Amarikwa had 3-4 chances late in the game and needed all of them to score once.
• Pickens had a quiet night, the only real threat was one he couldn't stop.
• San Jose lost last night which helps our playoff chances.
• With the win the Rapids have now exceeded their point total form last season. They have an 8 point cushion on the playoffs with 4 games to play.

Player of the Game: Omar Cummings, for the fourth time in the last five games (and the one time he didn't win it was because he didn't play). What more can you say about this guy? He's hotter than any Rapid has been in years.

Union/United Week To Start Separation From Pack?

This week the Rapids play the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday and DC United on Saturday, both at the Dick. The results against this Union/United combo will go a long way towards Colorado separating itself from the pack of teams at the bottom of the playoff field. We currently hold a 5 point lead over Kansas City in 9th place with 5 games to play. With wins in both games this week and if NY, as the favorite, can beat Kansas City our magic number for a playoff berth would be 2.

First up is Philly tomorrow night. Its the first trip to Colorado for the new expansion team. This game was rescheduled from July so that Philly could host Man U. Would have been nice if we could have hosted somebody this summer. Kickoff is at 7:30, with the tailgate at 5:30.

Injury Report:

OUT: MF Ciaran O'Brien (L hip sprain); FW Ross Schunk (R ACL tear)

DOUBTFUL: DEF Julian Baudet (L hamstring strain);

PROBABLE: FW Omar Cummings (L ankle sprain), GK Matt Pickens (groin)

Discipline Report:

SUSPENDED: Conor Casey

ONE CAUTION FROM SUSPENSION: Wells Thompson

TWO CAUTIONS FROM SUSPENSION: Omar Cummings, Jeff Larentowicz, Pablo Mastroeni, Jamie Smith, Marvell Wynne

From all reports both Cummings and Pickens are expected to play tomorrow night. Philly is only missing one player so they're in good shape. The lineup seems rather obvious:

Pickens

Kimura - Wynne - Moor - Wallace

Mullan - Larentowicz - Pablo - Smith

Kandji - Cummings

This lineup seems to be working, with the only change being up front. It will be the same midfield and defense we've started the last couple of games.

Key To Look For: Let down. We had a big emotional game on Saturday and we've got two games this week. It will be easy for the team to ease back at home against a weaker opponent but we need to keep the focus on getting 6 points this week.

Prediction: 1-0 win, goal by Omar Cummings. I think the team will overlook the Union a bit to start and we'll be very slow in the first half. The Rapids get it together at halftime but have a hard time penetrating the Philly defense for more than a goal.

Rapids Grab Important Road Point

The Rapids went to Salt Lake and drew those FaKeRs 1-1. Many tears will be shed over the last minute equalizer that FSL scored. Instead of a recap I want to address that.

Yeah, it sucks that we had our rivals on the ropes and were about to end their home unbeaten streak, only to lose 2 points in the final minute. But think about this. If somebody had told you on Friday that we would go into Salt Lake, be without Julian Baudet and Omar Cummings, and we would come put with a point you would have been surprised and certainly not unhappy.

A number of fans are saying"Well yeah, but that was FSL's B team". So? FSL was cocky enough to run out a B team thinking they could keep their undefeated streak going and they couldn't. In fact they had to sub in 3 regular starters just to get enough going to claim that draw. We were playing without our possible MVP in Cummings and a defensive leader on a night that our defense was disorganized. They were looking at a chance to take the lead in the Supporter's Shield race. In the end the point we got was much more beneficial to us than them. They got a draw that felt like a win, but in the grad scheme of things they were hurt and we were helped by the result.

My key to the game was showing up to play. I think we did that.

Other Observations:

• Nice goal by Conor Casey to set the all-time Rapids record. To do it against FSL has to be that much sweeter.
  
• Unfortunately Conor's yellow means he's suspended for Wednesday home game against Philly.
• Kimura hit a great cross on the goal. I'd love to see more of that.
• Pablo was a monster out there. That was a textbook display on how to play defensive midfielder.
• Drew Moor, solid yet again. He's quietly become our most reliable man on the back line.
• Ross LaBauex? Really? When Claudio Lopez is on the bench?
• Not Kandji's best game. He had way too many turnovers.
• Pickens might have been slightly out of position on the goal but it was hit really well.
• I'm not sure what happened on the PK/no-PK call. I think it was a questionable call on the PK, but I can't figure out of the Rapids talked the ref out of the call or his AR told him he was wrong.
• Great job by Class VI, Pid Army, the Bobbies, and the other supporters that made the trip. While I'm sure FSL had a bigger group the way they showed in on FSC made it look like the Rapids were the bigger and more organized group.

Player of the Game: Marvell Wynne. Yes, he was beaten on the goal and yes, he almost cost us a PK. Watch the game again though if you didn't notice his play. Without him we probably lose this game 4-1, if not worse. He was a monster on defense for he first 85 minutes.

Rocky Mountain Cup At Stake

Its the first of the two best games of the year, the Rocky Mountain Cup matchups with FaKe SaLt LaKe. The Rapids head West for the first game to the "wonderful" Salt Lake City metro area. Just as a reminder, the Cup is awarded based on points, with total goals as the tiebreaker. If the teams are tied on points and goals the current holders (right now FSL) retain the cup. Game time is 8pm and its a nationally televised game on Fox Soccer Channel.

Injury Report:

OUT: MF Ciaran O'Brien (L hip sprain); FW Ross Schunk (R ACL tear)

DOUBTFUL: DEF Julian Baudet (L hamstring strain);

QUESTIONABLE: FW Omar Cummings (L ankle sprain)

PROBABLE: GK Matt Pickens (groin)

Discipline Report:

ONE CAUTION FROM SUSPENSION: Conor Casey, Wells Thompson

TWO CAUTIONS FROM SUSPENSION: Omar Cummings, Jeff Larentowicz, Pablo Mastroeni, Jamie Smith

It was announced today that Cummings did not travel to SLC. Not good. With Baudet and Cummings not playing we're going to have a new lineup. My guess:

Pickens

Kimura - Wynne - Moor - Wallace

Mullan - Larentowicz - Pablo - Smith

Kandji - Casey

Yep, i think Kandji gets his first Rapids start in Cummings' place. otherwise the other 10 that started against New England will continue to start IMO.

Key To Look For: Its the Rocky Mountain Cup. Either you show up or you sit down. Nobody should struggle to get up for this one. Just as a reminder:

Prediction: 0-0 draw. With Cummings out I don't expect to have much offense and I think the team will come in with the idea of pitching a shutout. Our defense is good enough to do that now that we have players like Mullan that can hold the ball and take the pressure off of them. I think its a typical chippy Rocky Mountain Cup game that stays scoreless. I'm a bit out on a limb here, as this would be a great result for the Rapids, but I think they have it in them.

Behold The Power Of Jameson's!

Colorado held true to their history on Jameson's Night, taking New England out back to the woodshed and beating them senseless. It may have taken awhile to put the game away on the scoreboard, the Rapids had control of the game from the opening moments and the Revolution never really had a chance. From top to bottom Colorado played one of their best games of the year.

Just 5 minutes into the game the rapids got on the scoreboard behind the hottest striker in MLS, Omar Cummings. Larentowicz played the ball into the middle and after some pinball it popped out to the feet of Jamie Smith. Smith played the ball into space behind the defense and Cummings ran onto it, putting it far post past Revs keeper Matt Reis from just outside the 6-yard box. 1-0 Rapids.

In the 35th minute Colorado doubled its league with one of the best passing sequences of the season. Conor Casey and Cummings played a quick one-two, at which point Casey laid it back to Jamie Smith and headed towards goal. Smith one-timed it to Cummings, who immediately played the ball into space in front of the onrushing Casey. Casey dumped the ball past Reis inside the near post. 2-0 Rapids and you could visibly see the fight go out of the Revs players. The goal was Casey's 39th as a Rapid, tying him with Paul Bravo for the all-time Rapids record in about 60% of the games Bravo played. Well done!

After that it was just a matter of playing out the remaining 55 minutes while New England had no fight. To add insult to injury Colorado wasn't done. Kandji, having just arrivede from NY, felt the need to get on the scoreboard with the assist. He put Wells Thompson in on goal with only Cory Gibbs to beat. Thompson juked right, went left, Gibbs was lost, and Reis was beaten near post again for a 3-0 lead. This is where I chuckle and point out that Gibbs was traded along with Burpo for Wells Thompson and Jeff Larentowicz. I think we got he better result out of that trade.

My key to the game was how hot Cummings was. well he still appears to be en fuego and proved it quickly with a goal and an assist int he first 35 minutes.

Other Observations:

• Nice job by the Rapids in honoring Pablo's record setting appearance in NY last week before the game.
  
• Brian Mullan looked like a huge improvement over Ballouchy on the right. His first touch alone created 3-4 dangerous chances that Ballouchy couldn't have taken advantage of.
• Matt Pickens wasn't challenged much, which was probably good since it seemed his back was bothering him the way he had Moor taking goal kicks.
• Kimura was solid on defense but his passing wasn't great. Still defense is priority one for his position.
• Wallace looked fairly solid, though his complete whiff in trying to pass the ball the second half was probably a moment he'd like to forget.
• We saw Cummings, Wynne, Amarikiwa, and Kandji in this game which has to be the fastest 4 players on one MLS team. If the league ever goes to a 4 x100 team relay for a tiebreaker we're all set. ;)
• Pablo actually made it through 3 games without a card, so he gets one step further away from suspension.
• Chicago's loss took them out of playoff contention,. but everyone else won to keep the pressure on.
• And a special shout out to Monty and the other Revs fans that made the trip. The Midnight Riders (along with the Inferno in Dallas) are the best rival fans in the league. Always good to see those guys.

Player of the Game: Omar Cummings, for the third straight week. I really tried to give this to somebody else just to call out other good play, but Omar is so hot right now he can't be overlooked.