COMMERCE CITY — With a majority of the schedule in the books, and his team sitting in last place in the Western Conference of MLS, Colorado Rapids president Pádraig Smith faced the music Monday afternoon.
meant to be about the Rapids’ moves during the summer transfer window instead became an autopsy on why the season has gone off the rails. Colorado (3-10-10, 19 points) is on pace to have its worst season in club history from a points-per-game perspective (currently at 0.83, 2001 finished 0.88), and the playoffs are a longshot.
Here’s a few takeaways from Smith’s news conference with his quotes.
2021 is on a pedestal — it should not be
Smith’s comment: “We have to look at this holistically at how to get us back on track. 2021 needs to be the standard at which we accept nothing else, and quite clearly we’re not there this year.”
Analysis: Smith, who said he’s “bitterly disappointed and is incredibly frustrated” repeatedly referenced how he wanted to “go back to” the 2021 season — the campaign in which the club topped the Western Conference regular season. Now, Colorado is contending the “Wooden Spoon,” a trophy awarded to the supporters’ section whose team has the worst record in the league.
While the 2021 season featured wise offseason acquisitions, dominance at home and punching above its weight, it’s not like the Rapids won a title. They were the top seed in the playoffs only to be bounced in the conference semifinals.
It felt like Smith leaned on “what was” in the the latter half of 2019, 2020 and ’21 and not “what we will be.” Teams can’t mount trophies to the wall if there’s nothing to hang up.
Replacements haven’t delivered
Smith’s comment: “(We) have to acknowledge the things that haven’t gone well since then and make sure we’re changing those. There will be changes. Everything is going to be looked at and we’re not going to leave any stone unturned to get back to where we want to be.”
Analysis: Twenty new players have come into the squad since 2022 but gaps are still evident. It took two years to find a suitable replacement for Homegrown left back Sam Vines in the form of Andrew Gutman, while the void left behind by Auston Trusty, , still looms large.
Colorado sold defensive midfielder Bryan Acosta, who the front office looked to fill in for Kellyn Acosta, who has since dominated with LAFC. Loanee Sidnei Tavares, 21, could be the long-term solution, but if it doesn’t work out, they’ll be back where they began in 2022.
Attack-wise, the wingers have under-delivered in the final third and Colorado is banking on new Designated Player striker Rafael Navarro to be a ruthless finisher so they will pay a club-record transfer fee next June.
Translation: Expect a rebuild.
Rethinking injury problems
Smith’s comment: “If you’re putting together a roster but only have three-fourths available or less at any point in time, it’s very difficult to get the most out of that roster.”
Analysis: The Rapids have been hammered by the injury bug over the last two seasons but particularly in 2023, as last year’s top scorer Diego Rubio (knee, back) and captain Jack Price (Achilles surgery) have missed significant time. A number of players also missed games due to muscle injuries as the team was forced to call up Rapids 2 players to fill gaps.
Smith confirmed former U.S. and Everton head of performance Steve Tashjian has been brought in on a consulting basis to evaluate how the medical team is handling injuries, returning to training, etc. Price, who is in the final year of his contract but has individual, one-year team options for 2024 and 2025, will also have “extensive medical” done, as he’s dealt with a punctured rib, hamstring, calf, hip and groin injuries over the last two seasons.
Colorado will begin the last third of the season at 8:30 p.m. Sunday at LAFC.
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