PBP: Post Hudson Era #6 - Rapids host newcomers FC Cincinnati - Sat., June 1 - 6:30 pm

On a plane during tonight's game. Inflight wifi seems to be working, so will "watch" somewhere over the Atlantic. (ESPN gamecast commentary seems to work inflight)

Hopefully there will be more cheers than cursing. My seat mates dont know what hell is about to hit them for the next few hours!

Go Rapids!

 

Interesting lineup. Would prefer Serna or Vines over Wynne.

Glad to see Shinyashiki get the start. A bit surprised to see him on the opposite wing as opposed to underneath. Also surprised to see Basset there, although the kid definitely does have a knack for line breaking passes.

Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

All-white uniforms are boring.

If that's what you wear all the time, like Spurs, ok, but it's a blatant money grab for us to wear white at home.

 

Injury sub - Vines in for Wynne.

As much as I'm not a fan of Wynne, I didn't want him to get hurt. Just hope Vines does well so he can hold the spot. Wynne had already given the ball away pointlessly and gotten beaten twice in this match.

 

Lots of busy possession, but not much quality possession.

 

Through 30':

• Rapids only 44% of possession at home at altitude to the 2nd worst team in the league
• The 2 teams combine for 3 shots, none on goal

Awful stuff

 

Andre's a better passer than I realized. Good header, good save, but at least a shot on target

 

I’m ready to make Abubakar a DP if that’s what it will take to keep him. Huge stop in the box.

 

Andre with another goal! Bassett plays Nicholson in and Sam makes the right decision

 

Shini de shikiiiiii

 

Shinyashiki time!!!

 

Damn

Wooden spoon is gone!!!!

 

Shinyashiki > Badji

 

[emoji22][emoji22]

 

My Shinyashiki love affair only grows stronger by the day.

 

Agreed that I hate to see Wynne leave due to injury. That said....

Definitely prefer Vines. If nothing else, Vines is far more likely to stay at home, which is what we need. Caught out of position much much less.

 

The last time the Rapids finished a season ahead of a first year expansion team was 2011 (both Vancouver by 21 points and Portland by 7 points).

The current string of first year expansion teams finishing ahead of Colorado:
Montreal Impact (2012) (by 5 points, 37-42)
NYCFC (2015) (on goal differential, both at 37 points)
Orlando City (2015) (by 7 points, 37-44)
Atlanta United (2017) (by 22 points, 33-55)
Minnesota United (2017) (by 3 points, 33-36)
LAFC (2018) (by 26 points, 31-57)

(Honorable mention also goes to Colorado for finishing a point behind Chivas USA in their last season, 2014.)

 

Fairly listless 1st half. Offensive pressure definitely picked up towards the end of the first half. Keeper had to make two great saves (Kamara’s header, immediately following Shinyashiki’s goal).

I’d expect that pressure to continue into the 2nd half.

 

Nicholson needs to actually score a goal sometime.

 

I love Sam Nicholson for 98% of the field. That final 2% is definitely still lacking.

Good player. Not a great finisher.

 

Maybe the kiss of death, and if so I apologize, but it's refreshing to watch a Rapids match where we're ahead and I'm confident it'll stay that way.

Mostly because Cincinnati hasn't shown me anything that makes me think they're gonna score.

 

Shoot me now, please

 

[emoji2961][emoji2961][emoji2961][emoji2961][emoji2961]

 

They reverted to form.

 

And Mez gets it back in a minute!