Took the dog out, I'm only at the 64th minute. I just want to say this Chicago team is very poor. They are so slow to move the ball across in the offensive half. Maybe they think the away is enough.
A good news/bad news joke... Good news - we broke the losing streak! But in the most Rapids way possible - by blowing a 2 goal lead at home to a mediocre Chicago team.
1. Moral Victories = Irrelevant 2. “So-and-So” player had a decent night = Irrelevant 3. The team is “still fighting” = Irrelevant 4. The team is “still gelling”/lots of offseason changes = Irrelevant 5. The team “still believes” = Irrelevant 6. 9 game losing/10 game winless streak = Very Relevant 7. Blow a 2 goal lead, at home, against a VERY mediocre team, prior to halftime = Very Relevant I am a lifelong, inherent optimist in all that I do....This glass is not half full. This glass is not even half empty. There is no glass. There’s literally nothing to see here. Just go on about your lives. This is what Irrelevant looks like.
The Rapids got really lucky with calls. Streak over, oh well. We can still aim at historically low points I guess. The team is better to watch than last year.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! The Rapids can't even suck right. Granted, that was as a surprisingly entertaining game. 4 goals in 17 minute stretch, and then both teams got chances after that. But sheesh. SccrDon said it, that's the most Rapids thing ever. Stop a losing streak by losing a 2 goal lead in 9 minutes at home. Observations: -McBean still looks useless. Is he supposed to be a target man? He's not very good at winning headers. Skinny Badji is better at holding up the ball. -What was up with the VAR on the high boot? Why not do it right after the play before the substitutions? One, just take care of it while the crowd is sitting around during a dead ball anyway. Two, that helped the Rapids. Did the Fire know they were reviewing the play for a possible red card on one of their players? At the dead ball but before the VAR was signaled they used their 3rd sub to put in Gordon for a fullback. -More McBean: I was pissed at his slow, time-wasting walk off the field for his substitution. Why were we going for the draw?? --Schweinsteiger: He was a very strong player, but I'm surprised at how many people seemed to be there to see him. I did get a good angle on his shot that Howard saved. Low and that was some swerve. --I was surprised how many people were there on a Wed night during a losing streak. Youth soccer tournament? --Some quiet boos for Hudson when he was announced after the starting lineups. I didn't hear boos during the match though (my seats are on the west side). --The contrast between substitution patterns still reminds me of Pablo, like for like. Chicago puts in 3 strikers for a striker, mid, and fullback, on the road no less, and the Rapids at home do striker for striker, wing for wingback (with the original wing moving to wingback), and wide mid for wide mid. --Smith had him quite the eventful game. Good: stole the ball, fed Badji for the first goal. Good, stood there minding his own business at the far post off the short CK, then put the ball away for the 2nd goal. Bad: let Katai blow by him for the tying goal. Well, the game got me to give a crap, that's more I can say for a lot of games recently.
Didn't get to watch the match as I am traveling this week. Followed a bit on the gamecast link. Bottom line to me is I am very bummed to have missed the record in this manner. Missing the record through a big win would be outstanding. Missing it through a tie (and own goal contributing to that tie, no less) just masks the problem from a PR perspective....
The Rapids played like they were terrified of the losing streak. They came out relatively strong with two goals in the first 15, then played scared the rest of the game. They maintained very little meaningful possession! You will never hold a lead if you don't have the ball for 2/3rds of the game. Possession was 34.9% to 65.1%! This was destined to be a tie despite the first 15'. Chicago was terrible and Minnesota is likely a bit worse for a couple of weeks out... so here's to a new streak - TIES! ...and a nice little break with no Rapids "action."
After sleeping on it... On the positive side, it was an entertaining game. The Houston game was an abomination to soccer, but yesterday had my attention. I also thought Badji had a particularly strong game. He's really learned to use his body to win and shield the ball. If you would have asked me three years ago who would be a better player, Hairston or Badji, I would have said Hairston. But Badji has really improved. On the negative side, can they please replace the five man back line? They don't know how to play it. Every week there are holes, lack of marking, with no help defense. Hudson, you are not smarter than the other coaches. Just do what they do. Last thought: both of the Chicago goals can win an award--goal of the week and own goal of the week. Man, Wilson roofed his shot in the top shelf. That one has a chance to be own goal of the year!
You could tell the players were confused at multiple points in the match. Everyone was pointing at each other not sure who was supposed to do what. Wynne is a bad defender he never steps to attacker and collapses far too deep. Bad positioning and decision making.
"In the end when all is said and done, we've stopped the bleeding. That was really important because psychologically we got into a break down tonight. The most important thing after a run like this is we didn't lose. So we've stopped the bleeding and also at the end we probably did enough to get three points. We created some good chances at the end. I'm disappointed not to get the three points, but we've stopped that run." Bleeding also stops when the heart stops beating.
How many times over the past few years have we heard the team did enough to get three points? We're doing great in the fantasy league.
"Man, Wilson roofed his shot in the top shelf. That one has a chance to be own goal of the year!" Isn't this the 3rd own goal the team has scored this season already? Looking at the "glass half full theory" we would have won this game but for that own goal. Just wondering if anyone has kept count of the other 2, if we would/could have won without them. Castillo got the last one, who got the first? Maybe we could get a record for own goals this season now that the losing record is lost. At least this game was exciting for the first 20 minutes.!
We stopped the bleeding by tying a mediocre team at home. Classic. Schweinstieger was fun to watch, good player.
FYP? More like we saved the village by burning it to the ground (with sparks from our unquenchable dumpster fire).