Looking to end a sickening six game winless skid Sporting Kansas City pays a return midweek visit to the Western Conference leaders Colorado Rapids.
This match will mark the one third through the league season for the visitors. Currently in the last playoff spot in the Western Conference while recent results have been poor this is an ideal position in which to be.
So far there have been signs that this team is very capable of creating the magic that is necessary to win championships. Also what has been seen is the opposite.
In their 1-1 draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy Brad Davis created that bit of magic for his goal and yet there were incredibly few shots and fewer clear cut opportunities created as the four time champions played lock down defense.
Sporting have found it hard in 2016 to deal with teams that have been in their face. The Galaxy did it and shut down all options in a 1-1 draw. Real Salt Lake took advantage in a 2-1 match that showed the weakness of the squad. The same Rapids squad spoiled the 20th anniversary celebrations 2-1.
Fact is Peter Vermes has stuck to his tactics and sometimes there needs to be a backup plan and that doesn’t show when his team is trying to look for options.
Photo Credit: Graham Green
Where is the player who steps up when the offensive star, like Dom Dwyer, is covered like a blanked and sometimes doubled up? Graham Zusi has been adequate this season but hasn’t had real great moments that Brad Davis has come up with.
Brad Davis’ signing wasn’t something that a number of supporters wanted. A player who had rankled Sporting fans for years suddenly making the change would need to immediately change the opinion about him. Its starting to but fact remains that last seasons real leader Benny Feilhaber has not shown the form that had nearly every American journalist asking Jurgen Klinsmann ‘Why isn’t he in the USMNT roster’.
Whats the reasoning behind the lack of action and production from Benny Feilhaber in 2016? It could be that his contract situation in terms of negotiations is a distraction. A situation that resembles in some way is that of Dwayne De Rosario.
Moving to hometown Toronto FC they guy started to score goals for a team that was straight out crap. After a goal celebration that showed him signing a check it was obvious that the player was not happy. He tried to get a move to Celtic in Scotland that was rebuffed and ended up finding a team that would pay in DC United where he won the golden boot and MLS MVP award.
Back to present time Feilhaber has found a home in Kansas City but fact is not getting what you want is something that is obviously bothering this player. Could it just be that he is out of form? Yes, but the fact that this hasn’t been cleared up could be a sign of other things going on and distractions don’t typically lead to stellar play.
Colorado is a side that is significantly improved after the dumpster fire of a season in 2015. They have come out to a roaring start and find themselves in a very comfortable position at the top of the Western Conference at the 1/3 mark. With four wins in their last five points against this side would be a tall order.
Predicition: 2-1 Rapids
Sporting Kansas City
Colorado Rapids
