Oppo Research: 5 Things about Colorado Rapids

In this edition of Oppo Research, Hudson River Blue spoke with Matt Pollard of the Burgundy Wave to learn more about the Colorado Rapids, New York City FC‘s opponent at Citi Field on Sunday. Here is your NYCFC vs Colorado preview. 

1. Chris Armas rebuilt the culture at Colorado and players are flourishing

Hudson River Blue: Colorado finished bottom of the Western Conference last season with five wins and 17 losses. Newly appointed head coach Chris Armas has started off the season positively, with Colorado currently sitting in sixth place in the West. What has led to the positive start after one of the worst seasons in club history?

Matt Pollard: There are so many things better from last year. Chris Armas has rebuilt the culture in the locker room. This team’s playing for each other. There’s a belief. Comradery and fighting spirit are paramount to this club and its history. “Keep Fighting” is back with a vengeance. Talent-wise, they’ve upgraded at most positions. Zack Steffen’s making big saves. Homegrown Oli Larraz has finally broken into the first team. He and Cole Bassett are cooking in the midfield, that loss in Cincinnati notwithstanding. They’re scoring on set pieces. Just need Rafael Navarro and Djordje Mihailovic to start scoring from the run of play. 

2. Cole Bassett is cooking

HRB: Cole Bassett has been a staple in the midfield this season, playing at least 86 minutes in all 10 games and scoring three goals. How has he made a difference this season?

MP: “Goal” Bassett is possibly on his best run of form as a Burgundy Boy. He’s really settled into that deeper midfield role. His awareness of when to go forward, stay back, press, etc. has gotten much better. Larraz has done a good job covering space, allowing Bassett to do his thing upfield. He’s linking up with wingers and making their jobs easier. He’s been clinical on set pieces and late runs into the box to score. Nobody cares more about this club than Cole. He called last year a career-low and took responsibility. He wants to be the literal driving force to restore the Colorado Rapids in 2024. 

Cole Bassett’s equalizer vs Inter Miami

3. Rafael Navarro needs service from teammates, especially from Djordje Mihailovic

HRB: With the departure of Diego Rubio, Rafael Navarro seems to have taken the role of the team’s main goal scorer. How has he started the season off up top?

MP: Navarro is three-for-three on penalties. He finally scored from the run of play a few weeks back at San Jose. Similar to Rubio, he defends really well. But he hasn’t finished in transition. His teammates haven’t helped. Navarro was starved of service in the last game. Mihailovic and others need to give him more and better opportunities. Otherwise, this team is going to have to score goals by committee. Can they make the playoffs without one quality attacking DP? Yes. Can they win in the playoffs? No. 

4. The X-Factor: The Citi Field pitch

HRB: What’s the X-factor that could decide this game?

MP: The field, and how prepared the Rapids are for it. Colorado’s been to Yankee Stadium three times and looked uncomfortable in all of those games. Western Conference teams don’t play at NYCFC every year, so they’re less familiar with it, like how NYCFC might struggle at elevation since they don’t go to the Rockies as often. Former Red Bulls Chris Armas and Omir Fernandez should be able to prepare everyone for the field dimensions, grass over the infield, lighting, Mr. Met playing the trumpet for a substitution, etc. That said, they never had a Hudson River Derby at Citi Field. I do think their approach to pressing will be helped by the smaller pitch. At Cincinnati, the gap control was terrible. It should be easier to defend compactly if the field is narrower. 

5. Predicted score, Starting XI

HRB: Prediction time: Starting XI? Final score?

MP: I’ve got a 1-1 draw. Santi Rodríguez creates something for one of his teammates on a defensive breakdown by Colorado. Mihailovic to Bassett on a corner at the back post. A point is a good result for Colorado.