Why is RFO neglecting the Rapids attack so much? I just don't see where the goals are going to come from in 2015 unless we get a ton of PK's in our favor.
Deshorn "Over-the-Bar" Brown had better have worked on his touch and finish all winter or we really need to have a goal scoring player in the pipeline.
Maybe that's another reason for all the towering center backs. They are taking a page out of the Tony Pulis Stoke City book.
I said that last off-season. If he improved on his touch and finishing, we could have a 15-20+ goal scorer. If not, another season of 10 goals isn't bad, but it would be sad if that's the limit of his potential.
no doubt, he's already a blazing fast, tricky and ass busting forward but he needs a couple of surgeons tools to complete the "package"
I voted for the second option, but my opinion is the rapids currently fall in between those two poll options. I see Sarvas as a good addition to the attack, we have D. Brown, as mentioned, V. Sanchez assuming he's coming back, Dylan Serna with hopefully yet more improvement for 2015, and the same with Marlin Hairston (though I don't see him as a significant contributor yet, admittedly). Not to mention Dylan powers who seems to contribute goal wise at least a few times per season so far. Oh, G. Torres, let's hope he's got more for us this year, we should know within the first 5-7 games. Anyways, our "new and improved" midfield will hopefully make an impact for our goal-scoring forwards and wings.
Looking at that (2014 goal scorers), some comments: 1) Ugh, Buddle. At least that's over. 2) Pablo has to figure out how to get more out of Torres. He has such a good and accurate shot he should be able to contribute more. Get him a little space in front of goal inside of 30 yards and he's a threat, you can't say that for too many other Rapids forwards. If it's an attitude thing on his part that's preventing that, they have to replace him NOW. They can't repeat all the nonsense of 2014. 3) Shot creation. I wonder how the Rapids shot creation/big shot creation stats looked compared to other teams. It seems like they struggle in this department. Sometimes I get the impression they over-rely on Brown's speed because for long stretches of games, getting him behind the opponent's backline with a lob pass is the only way the Rapids can create a good chance. Obviously that's not the way an "attacking, possession-oriented" attack is supposed to work. (Though it's a good weapon for keeping D's honest when they attempt to compress the midfield and play a high line.) Sarvas should help. Hairston (passing) and Serna (his movement, he doesn't tend to stand still when someone else has the ball) look like they have the intent and understanding, they just need to put it together. 4) Integrating a "difference maker" like Sanchez When healthy, Sanchez was that "difference maker" sort of player the FO so often talks about. But so often it seems he'd make all his moves in isolation. I don't know who's fault that was, Sanchez's or the other players. But the Rapids have to figure out how to combine better with him. When a guy draws multiple defenders or has the ability to dribble past a defender, you've got to take advantage of the imbalances in spacing that that creates. It was also help they acquired another "difference maker" who was healthier. 5) Powers's role: Where will they play him? In 2014 he played forward in the a-mid role where he spent much of his rookie season. But he also was moved out wide on occasion when Sanchez was in the a-mid role, and Powers was fairly useless there. Powers was also played as a striker and scored a couple of nifty goals. A center midfield/a-mid role still seems best for him. He's probably the best on the team in controlling the ball in the center midfield and is the team's best passer from that part of the field. He must be the team leader in long passes that free Brown behind the line.
Although they concentrated on defense, we can't say with a high degree of certainty that the totality of the defense will be better. For me, they traded speed for height. I would say they will be better defending against crosses, but will continue to struggle getting back against counter attacks, where footwork and foot speed is more important than height. When I think of the defensive problems of last year, I think of Tyrpak dribbling through the middle of the Rapids defense like cones. Oddly enough, when Neeskens scored earlier in that game, the guy he beat on the counter was Burling - who in my mind is not good enough (or injury free enough) to start in this league. I think Sarvas/Cronin have the potential to be a lot better combination than Mari/LaBrocca, and I think the Rapids are putting their eggs in that basket. If the central and defensive midfield duo is better than last year, it by itself could improve both the offense and defense.
Do you see them using a 4-2-3-1-ish type thing, or a 4-4-2? Late last season Pablo seemed to go 4-4-2 more often, probably in an attempt to get Torres and Brown at striker. Sometimes it was diamond-ish, sometimes not. Despite seeing the 2-3 games/year against SJ, I don't have much of an impression of Cronin. But it seems the Rapids might have to leave 2 guys in the d-mid role rather than the one you might have in a 4-4-2 diamond. Compared to times when the Rapids played better D, I 'm not sure the wide players track back as effectively (think Mullan, or Brown and Atiba Harris under Oscar), so that might make having 2 center mids even more important. But that sort of brings up another point, who are the wide mids/forwards? I suppose candidates include: Sanchez Serna (doesn't seem to have much of a defensive presence yet) Eloundou (ditto) Hairston? Labrocca (if signed; he doesn't seem fast enough to go very wide though) Brown (not a traditional winger but he can still run behind the line for long passes and his workrate tracking back is great)
Here's my attempt at a lineup. I used a 4-4-2 because our 4-5-1 last year was awful to watch. Deshorn up top chasing hoofed balls out of the backline...I hope we can do better. Brown - - - - - - TorresSerna/Sanchez/Hairston ----- Powers (Attack)----- Cronin (Defend) ----- Sarvas Burch/Neeskins ----- O'Neill ---- Sjoberg ----Harrington/Burch Irwin I figure Sanchez could be periodic starter and super sub given recent health. Cronin played D-mid for SJ. Sarvas played central for LA but then Cronin has to sit or Powers moves out wide where I thought he was not effective. Speedy Deshorn up top with crafty Torres creating chances and cleaning up Brown's misses. Defense...oh the defense. I am assuming Moore isn't healthy yet so I put in our draft pick. I reached for fullbacks because we really are thin there. Goalie I stuck with Irwin mainly because I don't believe that all the goals were his fault late in the year and he should be able to keep his job unless Macmath just utterly dominates in preseason.
Regardless of how well we think or dont think we will do this year, the team needs another striker. We need someone to feed Brown and Torres. Neither can do what a target striker is supposed to do and have proven it. Maybe the late pick of Badji will work out (more likely is he gets his reps in Charlotte) but they need a striker if any system is going to work.
I don't mind the focus on defense, because I think its a place that's much easier to improve than at forward. But... unless Brown's game changes I reckon he won't ever amount to much. He may get 10 goals again, but he'll continue to require more shots than any other 10 goal scorer and will produce fewer assists than all the other ones as well. What's funny about Brown is how antithetical he is to the whole possession + beautiful play vision, its all run fast and blast with him. I don't have great hope for Sanchez. I wish he were younger but at his age he'll struggle for health and when healthy the other teams know to watch him. A forward would be nice. Someone with the wheels to join Brown in the attack, the intelligence to find the open shot, and the gravitas to demand Brown learn some smarts.
I think that working thru the field to Torres is good, and long passes from Powers to Brown (or Torres) will score 'direct' goals, and the tall dudes on corners should add up to better scoring. Recent years in mind 1) aside from Moor, corner kicks were free. Not now. 2) Torres, when healthy is very accurate, he has his chance this year. OK with me. 4) Sanchez PK's!!! 3) Sorry to reiterate something from the past 15 years...but speed is *so* important to open space. With Powers and Sarvas, with Brown, Serna, whomever hopefully freely roaming (Torres on top/middle), will be effective on direct play. This is so much better than the Smurf era, or the sign-a-forward every year era. Recall what happened when we had Casey (the big lug) in the middle and Cummings flying around to collect service? Let's do that again...since Pablo was, um the Cap'n on that squad, can't we assume that this is his plan????? 34-0? OK, OK 30-2-2 is more realistic? R
I don't think an improved defense is a foregone conclusion - with Moor still out and too many simultaneous changes to make any predictions, awesome or crap. I also can't see where a lot more goal scoring will come from unless Torres is much more involved/evolved and Brown's strike rate gets better. Improvement in the middle of the park has to help but probably only by an increment smaller than what we need. The X factor is probably the coaching and I recently heard something that might apply "Half of the secret to being a great (jazz) band leader is having a great band." A team with mediocre talent may be able to make the playoffs and advance with brilliant coaching, a team with incredible talent might be able to do that with mediocre coaching -- I don't see the Rapids circa 2015 as either of those combinations. Camp just started, the transfer window is still open, roster and cap space exist, if they want Pablo to be a great 'band leader' they still need to get some better players. Put another way if they don't add some more top end talent and if Pablo really is coaching the All Star team (?) and they win -- I hope that isn't just his second or third win of the season but I fear it could be ...
If the all star game would be just Pablo's second or third win of the season, he better not still be the coach in July.
If he is really going to coach it they would almost have to keep him on that long regardless of the team's record, fired after losing an all star match would be a cold shot ...
Is Pablo going to coach the all-star game, or is the coach of the Colorado Rapids going to coach it? I figured it was the latter. Maybe if he were fired the league would do what the NFL did for the Pro Bowl and just name some other team's coach.
Given what we know about the RFO I think the more likely scenario is that we should read this is, "Pablo will definitely be coach through the All Star break regardless of how the squad does."
From our approach to the draft, our off-season pick ups so far, and the recent Denver Post articles, it's pretty evident that the FO's off-season plan was to address problems in the D and Mid via intra-MLS additions and the draft, while addressing our striker problem via 2nd DP. The only problem I really have with this strategy is that you make or break the season based on your ability to land that impact 2nd DP. That's pretty high risk considering a) our limited funds, b) our FO's historical inability to find and sign DPs, and c) the lack of sexiness around CO that makes us a harder sell to foreign DPs.
I don't get this statement. If they are in the all star game aren't they KNOWN difference makers already or known players in general there is no need to scout them?!