Lets here what you all think about this upcoming season. Who is your key player for 2014, golden boot winner, top point guy (assists+ goals) Hoping creating this will motivate me this weekend to get my in.
The key player for me is Powers. As he goes, so will the team in my opinion. I hope he continues to emerge into the player that I hope he can be. The golden boot winner is Buddle in my opinion. I was tempted to say Torres, but that would have been the 'easy' guess. I'm hopeful that Buddle shows us something this year. I haven't a clue who will lead the team in total points. I don't know how Sanchez is going to be used game in and game out. Maybe Buddle will dish a few off to Torres/Brown as well as netting a few himself. Maybe Klute will lead the team in assists from runs down the left side and he'll net a few for himself on corners. The west looks so tough again this year. LA, Portland, Seattle, San Jose, RSL and our Rapids will be fighting for the top four spots. LA looks the top team to me, but how will the world cup impact them? If I had to predict it today I would see 1. LA 2. Seattle 3. Rapids 4. Portland
Golden boot will likely be Brown or Torres...no surprise there. For goals and assists (points) I would give the nod to Torres. Team performance in the Western Conference is a tough one to call given the parity. But since I am a Rapids fan I will predict they end up with 48 points by the end and make the playoffs. They'll make the play-in game like last season but this time they will win. I can't say after that. It all depends on their (future) current form and who's hot, as well as who they play against. I am way more optimistic about the Rapids this season than last year at this time and certainly more optimistic than MLS.com pundits are about our team.
They just don't like that we are coach-less. It is a bit concerning. Hard to say what impact OP had on the success last season and just how much will we miss him.
I have pretty high expectations for the attacking side of things, but, I have a bad feeling about our defense this year. RB is not looking good right now and I can't shake the feeling that Klute is not going to perform as well as he did through the majority of last year. From the preseason games (to me anyway) he looks to be playing quite similar to the end of last season. Fearful to take guys on and getting beat fairly easily in our defensive end. Plus as much as I like Moor he was shaky at times last year and I only see that getting worse with newer, faster, and more skilled attackers getting by him easily. Would love to have a buffet of crow to eat over those predictions though.
Key Player: Torres Golden Boot: Brown (if he improved over the offseason, I could see him with 15+ goals. I'm not kidding) Top Point guy: Brown First five games: 1 point. Final Standings: Us in 7th in the West, eliminated from playoffs with 4 or 5 games to spare.
Torres scores 21 goals and the rapids finish 2nd in the west missing out on the SS by two points. They dominate all season and drop a surprise heartbreaker in the playoofs. Why not!?!
I like making predictions,so... I think the Rapids will finish 5th in the West behind LA, RSL, Portland and Seattle. I think our golden boot will go to Deshorn Brown. I feel like the team's success may hinge on the play of the defensive / holding mids ability to disrupt opponent's attacks, win the ball and get the ball in possession going forward. Therefore, I feel the effectiveness of Jose Mari will be key. I hope we see the continued emergence of homegrown talent with O'Neil locked in as a starter and Serna earning some significant minutes this year. For good measure, I think we finish ahead of FC Dallas, beat them head to head and hold on to the Rocky Mountain Cup.
Golden boot goes to a player yet to exist for the Rapids squad (trade/acquisition). Powers should be our key player (if it isn't a keeper). But we always get out-scored in 2014. Finish out of the playoffs (bad defense).
Brian Mullan will retire Marvell Wynne will get traded Shane O'Neill will get bounced around, but will be a center back Vincent Sanchez will look like the team's DP for the first 6 games, but will get hurt Deshorn Brown will win the Golden Boot Gabi Torres will take longer to get going then we want. Chris Klute will earn a call up, and much speculation about the Nat'l Team, because the US is just the shallow at his position - and he's promising Eloundou will be a project that can't be relied upon. Edson Buddle will start strong, but his streaky nature, and injury history, will limit his effectiveness. Powers will be the heart of the team for the next 10 years The battle for 5th will be intense
On #5 do you mean team or league Golden Boot? If its the former I think I agree with everyone of those predictions.
Wow. Looks like we've really drummed up excitement for the Rapids around the league. From the Soccer United Council poll: My prediction is we set low road attendance records.
On another note.... No predictions for the Open Cup? He says before looking around wearily for flying food. Team, absolutely team. The league had three players break 20 last year. I think Deshorn will do well to get 12 goals.
1. The key: Can the Fab Five (Irwin, Klute, O'Neill, Powers, and Brown) stay relatively healthy and continue to develop as they did last year? 2. Golden Boot to Brown; total points to Buddle. 3. After trying to prove for the second year running that the RB position is over-rated, we will finally have to make a deal for a proven starter. 4. Chavez will emerge as super sub and the replacement for Sanchez as the season and nagging injuries add up.
Trying to come up with some that haven't been said before. Definitely agree with many of spot's. Sturgis will be in Mastroeni's doghouse because he is still pissed Pareja picked Sturgis over him. Sturgis eventually gets given away for almost nothing in a trade because he will ask to be traded. Mari will get hurt afterwards and we will all lament giving him away. Pablo will stick with Wynne at centerback longer than we will like because of past loyalties. San Jose will once again dominate us with their size and physicality Pablo will experiment with a two striker system at some point because he is tired of having to play Brown and/or Torres on the wing. In an attempt to get more of the wingers/creative attackers (Sanchez, Serna, Eloundou, Chavez) onto the pitch at one time, Pablo will experiment with a single d-mid and have Sanchez or Serna play alongside Powers in the middle, rather than move Powers deeper. The Rapids offense will have improved statistics when Buddle is on the pitch even though his numbers will look appalling. Matt Pickens will still be on the roster after the current transfer window closes. We'll find out his contract became guaranteed back in December when they didn't cut him in time for re-entry draft or something. He eventually gets traded when someone else's keeper gets injured, but we have to pay at least 50% of his contract still. Pareja's return in October will be less vitriolic than it should be because there will be too many other things that have happened between now and then and the main focus will be on whether we can make the playoffs or not.
I actually agree with much of what I've read here...so my own additions: (1) Rapids flounder around the last playoff spot all season, typically on the wrong side of the playoff line but close enough to give Pablo a pass. (2) There will come a point late in the mid-season where the Rapids go on a streak. Writers and those who put together "power rankings" will say things like "the Rapids are the one team nobody wants to face in the playoffs." (3) Rapids will miss the playoffs. (4) If the Rapids make the playoffs, the Rapids will be easily dispatched in the first round, unless we play Dallas.... (5) ...Speaking of, Dallas will not make the playoffs. (6) Edson Buddle will be better than last year, but still play uninspired and lazy much of the time. (7) Contrary to others, I think that Gabby Torres will play well. I do think it will take a while for him to get into the swing of things and take control of the offense. I don't think his greatness will be reflected in goals, which will make it difficult for some people to appreciate him. (8) I will spend most of the season wishing or hoping I am wrong about much of this. Except number 5 and 7
My expectations are always to make the playoffs and to win the RMC. That being said, this is what I will predict will happen: We get off to a sluggish, but not terrible, start. We will either just squeak into the playoffs, or barely miss them. We will finish higher in the table than FC Dallas. We will retain the RMC. Torres will have a very good year. Buddle will have a better year than last, but will still fail to justify his ridiculous price tag. Mawanga will be MIA all year. Serna and Eloundu will get a reasonable amount of playing time. Several critical players will get injured over the course of the season. We will bring in at least one more defensive player during the season. We will not bring in a target forward, in spite of that being the most glaring weakness on this roster.
My expectations: 1) Playoffs. I don't care how we get there or how many points are accumulated we MUST get to the playoffs. Anything else is a failure. Period. 2) I expect the Sophomores -- Brown and Powers -- to step it up not one but two notches. I expect Brown to finish the kind of chances he squandered last season and I expect Powers cut down on the horrible turnovers. 3) I expect Moor and Pablo to the be the undisputed leaders, on the field and sidelines, respectively. The pressure will rest of their shoulders whether they like it or not. Pablo runs the team from the sideline. Moor runs the team on the pitch. 4) I expect a fluid attack and a solid defense. We have the pieces to be a team that transitions quickly but not necessarily a transitioning team per se -- if that makes sense. I expect to see us maintain a certain degree of possession without totally neglecting the speed of play. A backline of Klute - Moor - Wynne - O'Neill will have another year together and I expect them to be better as a unit. 5) I expect Torres to be a DP not just wear the tag. He finished strongly last season and I expect him to build on that. It's more than goals; it's being the focal point of the attack. Torres can be used a variety of ways, all of which can be dangerous, but the bottom line is - I expect him to produce. 6) I expect (more like demand) some accountability. Whether it comes from the FO, fans, players, Pablo whomever, I expect someone to step up and demand the organization push forward not backward. If there is success I want the right recognition and not of the "tooting on horn" variety. If shit hits the fan, I want actions not a damn spin job. Now......as for predictions, I will have to give those a little more thought.
No predictions yet, but I did discuss what I see as some of the biggest outstanding questions with the team right now: http://view-from-the-couch.blogspot.com/2014/03/questions-as-we-start-season.html For the 3rd time in 6 years the team will have a coach in his first season. How will Pablo do? What are we doing with Matt Pickens? Who's playing right back, and where's the depth? Can we get Sanchez and Powers on the field together? How fit is Buddle? Will Gaby Torres live up to his DP status?
Sanchez, after he arrived last year, was best Rapids player on the field. From what I've seen so far, that hasn't changed. I don't know who on the team brings more then he does to earn the spot ahead of him. He may not be 90' every game player, but he's to good to be a sub. I think we've seen the team struggle without Powers on the field. I don't hold him in the same regard as Sanchez, but he does exert his presence and also needs to play.
I'm expecting us to be better at attacking set pieces. I especially think Drew Moor will be back to being a threat on corners. Under Pareja he rarely was targeted it seemed. I think he may have only scored one goal off a set-piece the past two years. Part of this was down to a season of Martin Rivero mis-hitting corners, but also because our set pieces were just poor. I'm guessing Pablo will change that and Moor gets 3 or 4 goals from set-pieces.
- Rapids sneak into playoffs by knocking out FCD in last home game of season. OP rips sweater in frustration and tears up after getting verbally harrassed all game - Serna and Eloundou develop into significant contributors off the bench - Brown and Torres battle for the team's Golden Boot with 10+ goals each - Sanchez leads the team in assists - Rapids finally host a US Open Cup match with Officer Joe "Respect My Authority" Nasco starting in goal - MLSoccer.com continues to ignore the Rapids
1. Will be forced to miss a decent amount of games because of work and the crazy time change. 2. Will contemplate getting a VPN so I can get MLS Live here, then wont and will settle change crap streams that will riddle my computer with viruses. 3. Will watch a game while eating a steak and cheese pie 4. Imagine I was eating a Smiling Moose, what the hell they were 5. Will be grateful not to have to watch the Wellington Phoenix as much
1. Powers will remain at the same level as last year - but that's still awesome. 2. Brown won't find as much success since he's not longer an unknown, but he'll get at least 8 goals. 3. Whoever said Torres will take longer then we want to heat up - I agree. 4. Sturgis will not find the same success he had last year 5. No rookie will emerge 6. Irwin proves he's the real deal. 7. Wynne traded, Mullen seldom used, BS will begin to mull how good Moor is anymore about May. 8. Sanchez shows us control we haven't seen in a Rapids uni since we were black and blue. 9. Pablo will not find success and BS is going to be flipping out in the second half of the season at all the different lineups. 10. Rapids finish 7th above RSL and FCD. They may jump SJ too. 11. US Open Cup is another complete failure. 12. We retain the RMC 13. The opener will be a snowstorm. 14. Losing streak begin in early May and another poor finish to the season.