Pre-Game: @ NYCFC

by Brendan Wyatt

Oh no, today’s center referee is Baldomero Toledo. Add that to the smallest pitch in MLS, where physical play is a must one could say the Rapids have their work cut out for them.  Yankee stadium is not built for soccer, it’s shorter than and not nearly as wide as most playing surfaces in the league.  Physical play comes naturally when playing in a confined space.  Toledo does not tolerate physicality, loves to be the center of attention and is known for blowing a call or three in every game he works. 

What does help the Rapids is the fact that a handful of NYCFC regulars are suspended from this game due to cards.  Andrea Pirlo may get some playing time after playing in the All-Star game on Thursday, but without NYCFC’s leading scorer David Villa, The Rapids defensive 6 has one less target to worry about. 

It’s the best defense versus the Eastern Conference’s best offense and worst defense.  We discussed a formation change on this week’s podcast. While it’s fun topic to discuss, I’m almost willing to bet what hair is left on my head, that we won’t see the Rapids change the formation at all this season.  NYCFC plays a 4-3-3, two more forwards than what the Rapids use.  We discussed that a traditional 4-4-2 might be the missing link when it comes to the lack of scoring, while the Drunken monk insisted that it would leave a hole in the midfield making them vulnerable to more goals allowed.  It may, but not as much of a hole as the 4-3-3, which shows in NYFC’s 39 goals allowed.  Then again with 35 goals for, one could make the argument that an added forward might be needed in order to add more firepower. 

 

Hypothetical formations aside, the Rapids have the talent to put more than two goals on the board, yet haven’t been able to do that but once so far this season.  A few times now we’ve been confident that the Rapids could go out there and have a break out game versus Vancouver and Chicago, but failed to do so.  I dare not go as far as saying that they could do it this time, not with Toledo reffing the game, not with the pitch as small as it is and possibly not without Jermaine Jones.  Jones is not available for selection due to injury on top of missing the All-Star game. However he is with the team and if he can make an impact, it will be in the locker room, where he hasn’t been the last few games. 

 

During training this week the players were scattered in different color pennies.  Axel was teamed up with Joe Greenspan, Dennis Castillo, and an academy kid, while playing behind Michael Azira and Sam Cronin.  On the other side, you had Burch, Williams, Burling and Watts together, with Kevin Doyle, Dom Badji, and Dillon Powers.  Both Marlon Hairston and Shkelzen Gashi were taking it easy, most likely due to needing some rest. 

 

I can say with confidence that the Rapids coaching staff does go over tape and prepares for every team they face, we can only hope that they took a long look at what the NY Red Bulls have been able to do to NYCFC, scoring a combined 9 goals and letting in just 2.  There are ways to expose the worst defense in the league; will the Rapids be able to execute as NYRB has?

Remember, this is a 1pm kickoff, there are away viewing parties at all the regular downtown locations as well as Blue Spruce Brewing, Road 34 and Wonderland brewery. 

Predicted starting XI: Tim Howard, Mekeil Williams, Bobby Burling, Jared Watts, Marc Burch.  Sam Cronin, Michael Azira, Marlon Hairston, Dillon Powers, Shkelzen Gashi, Kevin Doyle.