2023 MLS Regular Season Record: 5W - 12D - 17L
What I said last winter:
Colorado are one of the cheapest teams in MLS
They had one of the worst away records
They could make playoffs, but need help, and I didn’t expect much improvement from 2022
What happened:
Everything got worse. See bullets below
Key Takeaways from 2023
How to not invest in a club, and upset your fanbase - by Kroenke
Despite the success other sports teams in Stan Kroenke’s portfolio, the Rapids have been on a steep decline since their surprise western conference champions title in 2021. A lot went wrong at the club last season, such as:
Max Alves faced a season-long suspension over alleged match-fixing and gambling
Key players like Diego Rubio and Jack Price were sidelined for the majority of the season due to injury
Manager Robin Fraser, after four years, was dismissed from his role
In a show of dissatisfaction, Rapids supporters staged walkouts in September, protesting club management, facilities, and the team’s performance
Having visited Dick’s Sporting Goods Park myself, I can understand the supporters' grievances. The stadium, located in Commerce City, lacks nearby bars and restaurants, and there's a noticeable absence of convenient public transit.
Tactically, the Rapids frequently lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation last season. However, due to injuries and an attempt to find better form, they frequently rotated starters, especially at striker and on the wings. The likes of Braian Galván, Calvin Harris, Kévin Cabral, Rafael Navarro, Diego Rubio, and Darren Yapi saw minutes, with Navarro notably joining on loan from Palmeiras during the summer.
The Rapids' season was undoubtedly challenging, marked by significant difficulties in scoring and creating opportunities. A nine-match stretch with just one goal scored likely presented a frustrating and tough situation for both the team and its supporters. Yikes.
Colorado's finished second-to-last in Goals minus Expected Goals which highlights their struggles in converting opportunities. Among the players, only three finished with a positive G - xG stat: Cole Bassett (6g vs. 3.9 xG), Diego Rubio (3g vs. 2.6 xG), and Andrew Gutman (1g vs. 0.7 xG).
Also, aside from Bassett and Rubio, no players scored more than 2 goals this season.
But hey, they lost possession and duels the second to lowest amount! Except, you have to possess the ball in order to lose possession. Colorado held majority possession in thirteen matches and matches they didn’t dropped as low as 32% possession.
In the goalkeeping department, it wasn't as below average compared to other areas. The Rapids rotated goalkeepers throughout the season, adding Marko Ilić to compete with William Yarbrough. However, they conceded the ninth-most shots on target and ranked sixth in goals allowed by opponents.
Regarding post-shot expected goals, Colorado finished in the negative at -4.0. While Yarbrough ended with a positive +0.60, Ilić concluded the year at -5.0, marking the poorest performance among all MLS goalkeepers.
After delving into the Rapids' season data, it's no wonder supporters felt compelled to walk out; it was abysmal. Colorado narrowly avoided claiming the wooden spoon
The team's decline raises questions. In my view, it stems from a lack of investment in the club. Colorado often employs a 'moneyball' approach to roster building, which saw success during their Western Conference win under Robin Fraser. However, that success dwindled rapidly. Notably, the Rapids have made significant expenditures of €1m or more only twice: once in 2019 for Younes Namli's loan fee and recently for Ilić, as per Transfermarkt. This fact becomes more frustrating considering the expansive sports portfolio of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, which includes Arsenal, the LA Rams, and the Denver Nuggets.
The Rapids' fans certainly deserve better.
Top Sorare Fantasy Performers
Goalkeeper: William Yarbrough | L15: 49 | 60+ pts games: 7 | Clean sheets: 6 | Penalties saved: 0
Defender: Andreas Maxsø | L15: 44 | 60+ pts games: 6 | Goals: 2 | Assists: 0 | Clean sheets: 8
Midfielder: Cole Bassett | L15: 53 | 60+ pts games: 8 | Goals: 6 | Assists: 1
Forward: Diego Rubio | L15: 54 | 60+ pts games: 7 | Goals: 4 | Assists: 2
Extra: Connor Ronan | L15: 56 | 60+ pts games: 12 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 8
2024 Outlook
GIF Rating:
Outgoing Players
Abraham Rodriguez - Goalkeeper - Option Declined
William Yarbrough - Goalkeeper - Option Declined
Sebastian Anderson - Right-back - Option Declined
Steven Beitashour - Right-back - Option Declined
Gustavo Vallecilla - Centre-back - Option Declined
Oliver Larraz - Central Midfielder - Option Declined
Jack Price - Central Midfielder - Option Declined
Luis Díaz - Right Midfielder - Out of Contract
Diego Rubio - Centre-forward - Out of Contract
Danny Leyva - Defensive Midfielder - Loan Expired
Andrew Gutman - Left-back - Traded to Chicago for $450k in General Allocation Money (GAM) and Miguel Navarro
Danny Wilson - Centre-back - Waived by the club
Sam Nicholson - Left Midfielder - Waived by the club
Miguel Navarro - Left-back
Incoming Players
Daniel Chacón - Centre-back - Returns from loan
Omir Fernandez - Right Winger - Signed as a free agent
Zack Steffen - Goalkeeper - Free transfer from Manchester City
Djordje Mihailovic - Attacking Midfielder - Transfer from AZ Alkmaar
Sam Vines - Left-back - Transfer from Royal Antwerp
Adam Beaudry - Goalkeeper - Homegrown Singing
Jasper Löffelsend - Central Midfielder - Acquired via trade with Real Salt Lake
Lamine Diack - Central Midfielder - Loan from Nantes
“Who'd have thought they'd lead you, Back here where we need you?” - John Sebastian
After a rather critical post-season review of the Rapids, I'm leading this section with a complete turnaround: Colorado are having a fantastic offseason for rebuilding their squad.
Essentially, they’re targeting players who excelled in MLS, moved to Europe, but couldn’t quite break through into the starting 11 there. Zach Steffen, Djordje Mihailovic (there were also personal reasons), and Sam Vines are all examples, and all were standout performers in MLS previously.
Steffen reportedly will not be a designated player signing, and I’m unclear on Djordje's DP status. If he is a DP singing, it will require Colorado to free up one of their current DP spots.
Additionally, they signed Omir Fernandez as a free agent. He reunites with former manager Chris Armas, who previously coached Fernandez at the New York Red Bulls. And this brings me to a slight concern for Colorado this season — Armas.
It's not a personal criticism, but besides the successful half-season when he guided the New York Red Bulls to the Supporters’ Shield, Armas hasn't seen consistent success in his other managerial stints. His tenure at Toronto FC lasted just 11 matches before he was let go, following an earlier dismissal by the Red Bulls after a sub-par 2019 season.
To be fair, he's faced challenging circumstances, notably during brief tenures at struggling Manchester United and Leeds United sides. So, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, especially considering the quality of the squad he now has to work with.
Looking ahead, Colorado might consider bolstering their lineup by adding another center-back. I’ll also be curious how much time they give designated player Kevin Cabral to bounce back from a sub-par 2023. In his debut season with Colorado, he managed just three goals in 14 starts and now competes with Fernandez for the starting right winger role.
Overall, I see a much-improved Colorado squad compared to last year, and they should contend for a playoff spot. Let's hope this marks their turnaround year for the fans' sake.
Projected Starting Lineup
From what I recall, Armas’ primary formation in the past has been the 4-2-3-1. Abubakar is their most experienced centre-back so I’m defaulting to him, but others could start.
Tom Bogert in his video on Steffen and Mihailovic’s transfers thinks Djordje lines up on the left wing which likely moves Bassett to the #10 spot. I was skeptical at first, but with the addition of Diack it makes sense.