The interesting thing with Pablo is, I think he did see that doing the same thing every game wasn't working. The problem is, he interpreted this as something fixable by changing out players ( see the 23 different lineups in 26 games) and not something fixable by changing tactics, at least till recently. I'd also argue that the FO enabled Pablo to make this mistake, as their approach to soccer has been the exact same: each of the last 4 years, we've turned over 20+ faces during the offseason/during the season. Since Pareja, they've seen players as the problem, and tried to shoehorn them into a "beautiful, attacking" system. Instead of taking a long hard look at the assets they had and trying to craft a winning system around their strengths, in the way Gary Smith did. Then, by mid season when it predictably hasn't worked, the RFO scrambles to find "better fits". Theoretically, either approach to roster-building could work. But the Rapids have no depth or true philosophy guiding their "system" choice - it's been applied externally without context. And they can't decide what their system is: 3 years ago, it was Latin possession, 2 years ago was youth in the draft, last year it was...well, let's not pretend they were awake at the wheel. And this year it seems to be buy every defensive veteran in the league that was good 3 years ago.
Rant warning. Pablo isn't to blame for being inexperienced. He never coached professional soccer before. He isn't to blame for the players he inherited in 2014. He was hired at the thirteenth hour. He isn't to blame for not being on the same page as Hinchey, because nobody on this planet has any clue what book Hinchey is reading, much less what page he is on. That said, his lineups have ranged from OK to bizarre. His substitutions have been baffling more times than brilliant. His in-game tactics have been predictable and ineffective. To me, the key question is whether Pablo is the coach around whom an effective front office could build a team. I haven't seen anything to date that says he is. It doesn't much matter whether Pablo stays or goes. No coach who would be willing to come to the current Rapids could build the current lineup into a contender for the Supporters Shield or overcome the ineptitude of the key technical staff. That's where the housecleaning needs to start. The top half of the technical staff is one of the worst in professional sports. Hinchey is thin-skinned, incompetent, arrogant and floating in outer space when it comes to decisions. Bravo certainly has the knowledge of the sport, but is, at best, horribly inconsistent. Smith is a non-entity. Lopez certainly knows the game and the players around the league, but he's been in the wheelhouse when this mess snagged the iceberg. Cooke, Mullan and Sharpe are integral parts of Pablo's unsuccessful coaching staff, and can't be left lingering here. Murray's scouting is, to say the least, suspect. All of them need to pack their bags and hit the road. I liked a lot of these guys as players. Pablo, Bravo, Lopez, and Mullan all contributed key moments to Rapids history. That should never be forgotten. Something needs to change, because the Rapids are on a downward trajectory compared to the rest of the league. This isn't the MLS of 1998 or even 2008. The league has changed. The level of competition is much improved, and competitive teams are having to do more to hold their competitive edge over the doormats. Teams living in the past - Colorado and Chicago are two of them - are becoming predictable cellar-dwellers. There probably is a place for doormats in any league, but there aren't enough masochists in Colorado to remain forever loyal to a perpetual doormat. It's time for Rapids 2.0.
I'm going to disagree with you on two people. 1. Hinchey - Yes, get over your shock. I'm not saying he should be running this team but by multiple reports his handling of both the financial side (sponsorships, tickets) and C38 has been at least solid. That probably means KSE needs to give him a competent soccer person and tell Tim he either works with him or Tim can leave, but it seems like Tim could help the team off the field. He needs to be removed from the Technical Director/coaching/player decisions though. Oh, and no access to media or fans either. Essentially he needs to be the off the field version of what Smith is supposedly doing for the roster. Tim runs the numbers, signs the deals, and never appears as the face of the organization in any capacity. 2. Lopez - He was scouting in South America until early in 2015, when he came back to Colorado and joined the front office. This was already a disaster before he got here and he doesn't deserve to be painted with it. Now there may be other reasons to let him go but being in the wheelhouse when we hit the iceberg isn't one, we already had a hole torn in the bow of this ship before he got here.
Anyone interested in some stats that show improvement in Pablo's second year? In 2014, the Rapids gave up a league-worst 62 goals and finished with 32 points in 34 games, which was the third-worst point-total in the league. So far in 2015, the Rapids have allowed 27 goals, the fewest in the league, and have 33 points after 26 games, putting the team 14th out of 20. So what were some of the top concerns after the 2014 season? Giving up goals and not getting points. This year's team has improved considerably in those two areas despite the FO letting go of the team's leading scorer for the past two seasons and not bringing in a suitable replacement until midway through the season. What did we expect when Pablo was hired? That the team would automatically be champs after a year or two, despite spending less money on players than most of the league? That they would dominate the Western Conference? If the team fires Pablo and brings in another coach, it will start all over again. Pablo was put in an extremley difficult situation. Sure, he's made mistakes, but all coaches do early in their careers. I think if the team wins a few more games (especially against FSL), then Pablo deserves a third year. There has definitely been progress. Let's try to build off it, rather than tearing it down and starting from scratch.
It's pretty hard not to have progress when the team holds just about ever loss/non-win streak in MLS history. On the Rapids behalf this year, at least they've tried. They've brought in a number of players, including Doyle at a million. Maybe a bit late, but they didn't do anything last year. There was effort this year, which is paying dividends right now. My problem with the coaching the past two years was not just wins/losses. In my humble opinion, the style of play was barely professional. I couldn't figure what they were trying to accomplish other than a bunch of long crosses. Plus, they didn't/haven't developed their younger players. Other teams seem to think Powers, Serna, O'Neil, etc. have some skill, but even though the Rapids were losing at a record pace, they often weren't on the field. Reminded me of Ricardo Patton's old CU bball teams--most players best years were as freshmen/sophomores. By their junior/senior years, they were fundamentally worse.
Anyone can tell a team to bunker, and that's been most of Pablo's strategy book this year. The improvement in defensive stats has been countered by the diminished offensive ones, and you don't win games without offense. His line ups and substitutions show a lack of tactical understanding and a stubbornness that a good coach knows to let go of. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, but I never actually thought Pablo was going to be a good coach. Between what he says and what he does, it's obvious he's in over his head, and giving him another year doesn't change that. He needs lower level experience and a mentor who can show him all the things about coaching he obviously doesn't get. He's not going to get that in his current position. We have the pieces to be at least a mid-table team with the threat of advancing through the playoffs. We just need someone who knows how to use them, and it isn't Pablo.
But TH is looking for his 2016 excuse to stay in power, his fake it until u make it plan is still going on. Thus it will be another zero experience coach from a pool already puddle deep from those who will never work for such an uncomitted, penny pinching ownership team. If Josh Kroenke would ever look at the Denver National Team/ EPL Soccer viewership stats, he would see what a Mirage TH's "success" has been with getting dip n dots to buy a cheap sports entertainment ticket. We should be a top 5-8 attendance team given the stats out there. Edit: I do agree with you WilyZ, just used your post to add detail
I don't think the strategy has been to necessirly bunker. Besides, if bunkering (is that a word?) is so easy, why didn't the team just do that last year to avoid giving up so many goals. I definitely think becoming better defensively has been a staregy this year, but that can be done without simply bunkering. Given the lack of forwards, the team had to avoid giving up a bunch of goals. Still, the Rapids have had chances. I remember the NYCFC game at the start of the season where Colorado outshot NYCFC 21-9, including 7-2 advantage in shots on target. That resulted in a 0-0 draw. I know there have been times where Colorado didn't get shots on goal, but I think those are not the norm. While Colordao is last (20 out of 20) in goals this season, they are eighth in shots. Colorado has taken 10 more shots than the Galaxy, despite playing two fewer games. That tells me they are taking shots, just not making the most of their opportunities. The team can't improve in every area during one offseason. I think they pointed at defense first. Yes, it doesn't make for the most beautiful soccer right away, but it at least gives you a solid foundation to build on. I think the bad offensive stats come from a combination of lack of forwards (you can't rely on a fourth-round rookie to consistently score goals at the start of the season) and players not finishing chances. It's tough to blame the coach for that.
Its not hard to blame the coach of a team that can't score for putting up to 7 defensive players on the field at once at times.
True, but it's hard to put a lot of offensive attackers on the field when the options are limited. Doyle arrived mid-season, others have been hurt or on international duty. Still, 340 shots in 26 games (an average of 13 shots per game) proves the team is getting chances. But only 99 shots were on goal (3.8 per game).
The one positive I can add in regards to Pablo's efforts this year is the fact that this team didn't quit. It may be the roster is full of resilience, but the coach gets some credit for that. The roster has improved greatly since the depths of late last season. Instead of Nasco and Knighton, we now have Figueroa and St. Ledger. It's difficult to judge a coach with a swing that large. While people aren't enamored of his style, it's a perfectly valid approach in this league, especially in the playoffs. The youth aspect is troubling, especially the O'Neill saga. If Hinchey wants Oakland A's (last place, btw) and selling youth (Deshorn) and Pablo leans on veterans, there may be an exit coming.
Pile on our unfrickinbelievably bad corner kick statistics -- and that is something that is typically worked on in practice under the guidance of a competent coach. They shouldn't be just making those up out there, they are 'set pieces' but even made-up 'Sunday Park' efforts would probably have better numbers in that area than we do? And that one lands squarely at the feet of coaching -- we have and have had the personnel to execute those all season ... even ten defensive players should be able to score on an occasional corner kick.
maybe not when you think about how often ramirez/eloundou/labrocca liked to take shots from 20 yards out as soon as they lost their man it's been so bad that even tactical genius balboa was commenting on it during broadcasts for a while. at the beginning of the season, every corner we took he would say things like "nobody's on the near post?"
I tend to side with the corner kicks being a coaching issue too. I'd add that overall Sanchez has been better than average with his service. It's finding heads that's been the problem. I also agree the team has brought in better players this year. As for Nasco--maybe the only professional goalie I've seen who couldn't catch--the Rapids had Irwin watching him from the bench. Clearly something went wrong between Irwin and Pablo last season, but that's a coaching issue too. Those two aren't anywhere near the same level with respect to skills. Like most, I like Pablo and his passion. But last week, I looked at my wife and said, "That looked like real soccer," when they connected on five or six passes in one play. It was like a miracle. No coach can teach a forward without inate ability to finish. But for most of the past two years the Rapids have looked inept and amateurish offensively, particularly in the midfield. Last week was different--I'd love to see it continue.
All this talk about Pablo/the team's improvement seems to leave out his role in digging the hole in the first place. Pablo might not have bought the bus or filled it, and he jumped in the driver's seat at the last minute with little training, but he still missed a few stops and drove it into a ditch before he eventually freed it up enough to park it.
I would take the shots with a grain of salt, better teams only take shots with a "good" chance of success or continue to attack with ball. Rapids just blaze away from anywhere and outside of Serna really no one should be doing that. However, I do recall thinking how unlucky Solignac was but he also has had some very poor shots too.
Coaches that I leaned to hate, a scaled list. ---DUI drivers Oscar Pariah ---Euronoobs ---NASL trolls ---FSL ---KSE Josh McDaniel Klinsman ---SSFC fan boyz ---Taxes (I don't really HATE taxes) Dan Issel Fernando ---Stubbing my toe Bob Bradley ---Getting cut off in traffic --- needing to pee in traffic Pablo
Not sure I agree. There were plenty of games this season that Powers, Serna, Torres, etc were riding the bench.
Here's a thought to make everyone gag. The RFO could replace Pablo with a coach with fairly substantial MLS head coaching experience: Frank Klopas. *goes and lays down on a train track*
So the RFO has spent last year and this year re-doing the roster and letting PM settle into a new role. Geez, we have started winning games, so should we not ride the wave thru the season? If we win a few more we'll mark our 7th season (of 20) with more W's than L's. Given the start, maybe we should give out a medal. The RFO has zero interest in making a change *now* (they are a different kind of stupid than that). My dream for 2015: somehow squeeze into the playoff, knock off Dallas *again*, then whatever....go Rapids. R
I am also hearing it is a done deal that he is out and that someone is also choosing the XI (mystery who still) which explains the recent non-3 DMid lineups.
curious. I don't doubt you but is this a twitter/social media rumor or do you have a "source", first, second hand or otherwise?
If true, that sucks, Pablo deserved better: a couple years as an assistant and an orderly transition to head coach
I'm skeptical. I don't see why he or anyone else would comply. If your gonna to go out why not be like Frank Sinatra and do you your way?
I've heard the first half from multiple sources (that they've decided to move on from Pablo) but this is the first I've heard of anyone else setting the lineups.