After unexpectedly topping the Western Conference, it's time the Colorado Rapids had been taken seriously.
With the lowest profits spend within the league and simply one of their three Designated Player spots filled, there have been folks who expected Colorado to war for Playoff qualification at all, not to mention scaling a relatively aggressive Western Conference.
Nobody might be underestimating them now, though. Read directly to find out the whole lot you need to recognize about the Rapids in advance of the post-season - together with processes, key gamers, and their chances of triumphing the massive prize.
They have been in no way the first-rate attacking pressure, but Colorado's goals conceded (35) is bettered best by using the Seattle Sounders (33) inside the Western Conference. That's precisely how they've made it through the 2021 season; being difficult to interrupt down and scientific with their probabilities.
After a quite strong begin, the Rapids embarked on a 12-recreation unbeaten run on the begin of August and considering then, they haven't permit up in what became a very close battle on the top of the West. Just one defeat to each of their close competitors Seattle and Sporting KC helped them stay in touch, and whilst they won three in their last 4 ordinary-season games, the ones around Colorado slipped.
The 5-2 demolition job of LAFC on Decision Day was specifically awesome, concurrently sealing pinnacle spot and a place in subsequent season's Concacaf Champions League, and dumping the Black and Gold out of Playoff competition.
Robin Fraser has mainly caught with a three-5-2 device this season. Solid, no-nonsense center-backs permit the wing-backs to drive ahead and offer width. There's industry and best via the middle, and fluidity and mobility up pinnacle.
No Colorado player scored greater than eight MLS goals at some point of the everyday season. Instead of constructing around a talismanic striker, the Rapids take in strain and cut you open in transition, make the most of set portions, or use teamwork and cohesion to create gaps for every other. They won't positioned a sledgehammer thru your backline like the New England Revolution. Rather, they'll be inside and out via the returned door earlier than you even recognise there's a problem.
"I experience like we're a crew that may hurt groups in transition. We have proper pace and we've guys who make true choices at the run," Fraser told 90min of the Rapids' style of play in September.
He delivered: "I suppose we will hurt teams at set assault as well and I think our positional play is interesting. When our positional play is ideal, and we make properly decisions, then I assume we will without a doubt harm teams in possession as well. That's part of the best issue about us - at set attack we can harm teams and we may be lethal on counter-assault. But we can still get higher at both."
