Behind Enemy Lines: Scouting Colorado Rapids 🔎
Behind Enemy Lines: Scouting Colorado Rapids 🔎
The Rapids have always been a tough team to deal with in Colorado.
Two MLS originals square off this weekend as FC Dallas travels north to take on the Colorado Rapids.
After a dismal 2023 season, the Rapids bolstered their roster with several big additions over the offseason to help new manager Chris Armas out. They’ve picked up 12 points in their first eight games this season, including a 3-0 win last weekend at San Jose.
Key Player: Rafa Navarro
Navarro had a brace last weekend in the win over San Jose. The Brazilian DP loves to cause chaos in the penalty area thanks to the Rapids’ high press. From that, chaos has led to penalty kicks (including one last week) and goals for Navarro (he has four on the season). Oh, and the last time these two clubs met, he scored the lone Rapids goal.
Key Matchup: Navarro vs Omar Gonzalez
While I would prefer to slot Nkosi Tafari back into the starting lineup, Nico Estevez seems to be sticking with the veteran Gonzalez for now to keep the defense consistent. He will have his work cut out for him against Navarro.
Availability Report1:
Suspended: none
Out: Daniel Chacón - Knee, Jonathan Lewis - Knee, Connor Ronan - Knee, Kimani Stewart-Baynes - Illness
Questionable: JJasper Löffelsend - Hamstring, Keegan Rosenberry - Thigh
On Loan: none
International duty: none
Quick Notes:
Last year against FC Dallas: The two sides met twice in 2023, once in Colorado and once in Dallas. The Rapids took the first game in the series in Colorado, a 2-1 Rapids win. The two sides ended level in the return match in October, a 1-1 draw in Frisco.
First road dominance in a while: The 3-0 win last weekend in San Jose was Colorado’s first road win by three goals or more since September 2020.
Possession game: The Rapids are fairly versatile with the ball in 2024. Only 34% of their passes go forward into the attack (20th in the league), and about 12% of their passes are long balls (16th in the league).
Potential Lineup:
Armas seems settled on a 4-2-3-1 look that FC Dallas should be fairly familiar with eight games into the season.
Steffan, Rosenberry, Bombito, Maxso, Vines; Bassett, Larraz; Harris, Mihailovic, Cabel; Navarro
Keys To Three Points over Colorado
Find the width: FC Dallas is slowly figuring out this 3-4-3 formation, which really looked more like a 5-3-2 at times against Seattle last weekend. Dante Sealy and Paul Arriola are doing well defensively and will need a big game this weekend, but they also need to get more aggressive in the attack. When Dallas stretches teams out along the width of the field, good things tend to follow.
Involve Musa more: The Croatian is still adapting to life in MLS and with his new team. We’ve seen how active he can be on the pitch but he has to play more up the field and stretch the Rapids’ defenders out and into uncomfortable spots. The service to him is still lacking, but if he can begin to put more shots on goal, that will help out the attack.
Don’t play too tight: The club overcame its early-season defensive issues with two straight shutouts, but it must avoid playing too tight in this one on the road. Picking up points away from home is still key in this league, and if it avoids the mentality of ‘bend but not break,’ it stands a decent chance of escaping with something positive.
Note: MLS has a new injury report deadline that doesn’t hit until the Friday before each game. I will put last week’s report in these scouting reports and update where I can ahead of Friday's release from the league.