Rapids Player Ratings vs LA

 

Colorado Rapid Player Ratings vs LA Galaxy by Chris Brown

Rating the Colorado Rapids from their week 2 home opening 1-0 win against LA Galaxy.

Zac MacMath – 6.0 – MacMath looked shaky in the Rapids week 1 loss to San Jose and judging by his body language and the few times he was called on in week two, it looks like it will take some time for MacMath to gain the confidence that a first string keeper should have. He did keep a clean sheet, but he wasn’t too busy on the day as the Rapid defense did an admirable job in keeping the LA attack at bay.

Marc Burch – 7.0 – Burch played a solid game at left back for the Rapids. He wasn’t challenged consistently on the wing, but pushed up high quite often to support the Rapid attack. Colorado gives left winger Shkelzen Gashi plenty of freedom to roam around the pitch, having a solid left back let Gashi roam away from his position.

Jared Watts – 7.0 – Tasked with keeping Robbie Keane in check Watts did a good job to pay close attentions to Keane’s penetrating runs and didn’t get caught ball watching. LA had quite a few free-kicks that Steven Gerrard got to launch into the box, Watts height and composure were a big reason Colorado was able to keep a clean sheet. Watts was beaten once early on, letting Robbie Keane have a clean header from short distance, but the shot went just wide.

Axel Sjoberg – 6.0 – The six-foot seven-inch tower also had a solid game at the back. His height was an obvious advantage on corners and free-kicks and he’s learning how to use his physicality to greater effect each game out. Sjoberg, partnering with Williams and Azira did a great job of keeping LA’s week one hero Mike Magee in check.

Mekeil Williams – 8.0 – In his first start in the MLS Williams played a great game. He was beaten once in the corner by Boateng, diving in for a ball when he would have been better off preventing the cross and containing. He provided much needed width to the Rapid backline. There were several times where Williams was the furthest wide man for either team and when Colorado shifted field to Williams, that width seemed to open LA up. Both Mike Magee and Gyasi Zardes were quiet all game long and Williams deserves a lot of credit. It was good to see him on the MLS team of the week after a really nice performance.

Mike Azira – 7.5 – The Ugandan midfielder played an important role anchoring the midfield and performed admirably. Azira roamed around in front of the Rapid back four and was exceptional when it came to breaking up the LA attack and pressing the ball. His solid play let Sam Cronin adventure forward a little more than would have been expected against such stern opposition. Azira did a lot of the dirty work for Colorado Saturday night, if he can play at that level consistently it’ll give Coach Mastroeni some tough decisions to make once Jermaine Jones is eligible to play.

Sam Cronin – 8.0 – Cronin was all over the pitch against LA and was the engine driving the Rapids all game long. Cronin dropped deep to take the ball in defense and would turn and either pick out a pass to Gashi on the wing or Powers in the center of midfield, or if no one closed him down, he would drive right up the center of LA’s midfield. He got stuck into challenges all match long, hounding LA while they were trying to set up their attack and kept popping up in important situations. Sometimes intangible clichés like “heart” and “want” are thrown around, but that’s exactly what Cronin showed on Saturday night. He was a rallying point for Colorado and late in the game and when frustration was beginning to mount Cronin looked and acted like a true captain on the pitch.

Dillon Powers – 6.5 – Powers was tasked with the main creative duties playing in the middle of the park and the results were mixed. Powers picked out a few balls to Gashi on the left wing that really cut LA open, but he was unable to provide any service to Kevin Doyle up top. Doyle made some decent runs that Powers was unable to pick out, and the chemistry between the two will need to improve in the future. Powers passing was very good throughout the match, but he played safe. That may have been part of the game plan and Colorado did have excellent possession for the second week in a row, but you’d like to see Dillon gamble with a dangerous ball over the top a little more often.

Shkelzen Gashi – 7.0 – Gashi is still feeling out his role in Colorado but looked dangerous cutting in from the wing. He had two excellent opportunities to put Colorado ahead in the second half, one shot forcing a diving safe from LA keeper Rowe. His relationship with Kevin Doyle and Dillon Powers is developing nicely and Gashi played with a lot of freedom. There were periods of the match when Gashi disappeared, but when he gets on the ball he’s one of the most dangerous players on the pitch.

Dominique Badji – 6.0 – Badji played like a striker pushed out wide which is essentially what happened against LA. He was ineffective on the right wing and failed to provide width. It would have been helpful to the Rapid attack if Badji were to occupy some space out wide, making runs towards to corner flag occasionally and not playing as direct as he did. He’s also not as comfortable creating chances for his teammates and it showed. Ineffective, he was subbed off for Marco Pappa in the 67th minute.

Kevin Doyle – 4.5 – Doyle didn’t do much against LA. He had one shot in the opening minutes of the match and then not another one for the remainder of play. LA’s center back pairing of Van Damme and Steres held the striker in check and did well to cope with Doyle’s runs. The times Doyle did get on the ball he was closed down quickly and had to settle for holding up play while his teammates came up in support. His runs are such that he created space in midfield for Cronin, Powers and Azira to work in, but Doyle needs to be shooting and putting greater pressure on the opposition’s goal for the Rapids to be consistently threatening.

Marco Pappa – (Subbed on for Dominique Badji – 67’) – 8.5 – Pappa did everything you’d like a sub to do. When he came on he looked like the most energetic and most dangerous player on the pitch. He ran all over the park, doing as much as he could to get on the ball and his teammates seemed eager to get the ball to him. He scored the game winning goal, but more impressive was the manner in which he scored. Pappa got on the ball in the middle of LA’s side of the field, beat two defenders before playing a hard driven pass to Kevin Doyle at the edge of the box. As soon as the ball left Marco’s boot he continued his run towards to left side of the box. LA defenders were turned ball watching and a failed defensive clearance saw the ball land right in the path of Pappa who lashed it home off the underside of the crossbar to give the Rapids their first 3 points of the 2016 season.

Dillon Serna – (Subbed on for Shkelzen Gashi – 83’) – N/A – Serna was only on the pitch for minutes, during that time he didn’t really make an impact, but he didn’t let in a goal either, so no grade.