The Rapids Attack! An Offensive Review

By: Jeff | March 21st, 2008

…hmm, that title isn’t quite what I’m going for…and I can’t link to some of the statistical stuff cited below because MLSnet.com was gummed up and lame at time of typing.

Today, we get to the failing that doomed the Colorado Rapids’s 2007: namely, the ever-sputtering offense. If Toronto FC hadn’t suffered eternities of incompetence in front of goal, the Rapids 29 goals scored would have set the all-time low-scoring mark for the 30-game era in Major League Soccer (MLS). The reasons for the failing are many: first, and most obviously, injuries; poor choices in personnel; lackluster performances by too many players when they were healthy - it adds up in the end.

The Rapids set out to fix their vexation in the off-season - and a good thing to with so many injuries carrying over from last season. Conor Casey, Herculez Gomez, and Mehdi Ballouchy: all three remain on the physios table. Not to put too fine a point on it, but that’s one starter sitting at least. Last year also featured an injury to Jovan Kirovski….what?….oh…never mind. Turns out he was there for nearly every game. You wouldn’t know it, not least until there was a PK to be taken.

The link in the paragraph above mentions that the Rapids’ physios are busy trying to get the wounded back onto the field for the season opener. That would be a good thing, of course (or probably at least), because both Casey and Gomez showed well over some spells, if at different times during the year. And it’s not like they didn’t have a solid supporting cast in midfield. In fact, it’s fair to say that, last year, the forward line let down a fairly decent midfield. Between Terry Cooke on the right and Colin Clarke on the left, healthy forwards could find decent service from the flanks. The bigger problem came with the comparative void between the two…

….but, hey, that’s why the Rapids lifted Christian Gomez from DC United. By bringing in one of the most consistent central midfielders in MLS, it’s hard to believe the Rapids haven’t upgraded. What isn’t hard to believe is that they still haven’t done enough.

What I expect from the Rapids’ offense appears after the jump. I’ll confine myself to players whose primary focus is on the making and scoring of goals; that’s not to say some people not named won’t contribute to the offense, so much as to point out they have other things they need to do. Here goes…

The Parts
Midfield: Rafael Gomes, Mehdi Ballouchy, Christian Gomez, Terry Cooke, Colin Clark, and - hey - I’ll admit it: a bunch of dudes I can’t peg. (FYI, I plugged in Mastroeni with the preview of the defense.)
Forwards: Jovan Kirovski, Conor Casey, Omar Cummings, Jacob Peterson, Herculez Gomez.

How They’ll Fit Together
I won’t deny that this would all read more impressively if I had some firm idea as to how the Rapids will line up in 2008. I suspect Gomez’ arrival will bring some changes, but can’t say what. So, what comes below is what I would do mixed with what I believe will happen…which is why Kirovski’s name is in there.

For the record, I’m assuming something wacky, something like a 3-1-2 (see the Rapids defense preview for the rest of the line-up; Mastroeni carries over). Read this from left to right:

Midfield: Cooke - Mastroeni - Clark
“In the Hole”: Gomez
Forward: Kirovski - Casey

Fortunately, Clavijo has options…including leaving Kirovski on the bench.

How They’ll Work (I Think)
To forward an educated guess, I believe this will work along the lines of the Houston Dynamo’s attack: e.g. solid flank play will open up room for Gomez (that’s Christian; I’ll call Herculez by his first name to keep this clear) to operate up the middle. That’s what makes me think they’ll play Casey whenever he’s healthy; can’t beat a big bruiser for getting on the end of crosses. Kirovski will do whatever it is he does - shoot from range, etc. - unless he cedes his spot on the field to Gomez and someone else pairs with Casey.

And, for Rapids’ fans sakes, I hope that’s what happens. From what I’ve heard, the Rapids are still shopping for options (I think his name is Sava? Or even some guy called Navia? Wait…I think that second one is dead), but they have a couple plausible options at hand, starting with Herculez. From what I’ve seen of him, Omar Cummings deserves a longer look and there’s also Jacob Peterson lurking out there. Of all of them, Herculez has the name recognition, but his patchy form should leave the door open for Peterson and Cummings; I’d go with the latter first, but that’s not based on a ton of observation.

The one thing I can’t really nail down - and this applied to the defensive preview as well - is what happens with Gomes. What does that guy do and where does he like to line up? I saw he scored one this pre-season (against Ipswich, I believe) and maybe he’s preferred over someone like Clark - though based on the raves I’ve read about Clark, he’d have to be bringing some game to displace him. So, there, I don’t know what to think…should be interesting to find out.

As for Casey, and any other oft-injured players, you have to wonder how often you clear a space for a guy like that. Scoring goals is hard enough without throwing a wrench into players’ familiarity with one another. The same goes for someone like Ballouchy, or even Kirovski - albeit not in terms of injury. Where do they fit on this team? Isn’t this what Steve Davis was talking about when he questioned whether a master plan of any kind governs the Rapids’ player acquisitions?

In spite of all the questions and caveats, when you put it all together, it’s hard to believe the Rapids won’t improve offensively in 2008. The problem is, they have a long climb ahead. Even with Gomez’ till-now-regular 10 goals per annum, they would have stalled around 39 goals in 2007. That, to me, makes the fundamental question facing the Rapids offense this season not so much how many goals Gomez can score, but how many he can create for Rapids’ forwards. I think a playoff berth, perhaps even beyond, rides on the answer to that one.