Football Season Guide

Colorado Rapids finished bottom of the Western Conference table last season after managing just five wins and registering the second worst record in the league. They netted just 28 goals and picked up just one point per game at home, both tallies being the lowest in the MLS. To sum it up in just a few words, last season was the worst in club history. For this reason, Colorado decided to turn page and appointed former New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC coach Chris Armas, who served as an assistant coach for Manchester United and Leeds United over the last few years in the English Premier League. The club opted for a squad overhaul, with notable departures including legend Jack Price and key player Diego Rubio, who underperformed last season. Being one of the busiest MLS team in the offseason transfer market, upgraded squad compared to last year’s with the signings of Djordje Mihailovic, Jasper Loffelsend, Zack Steffen and Sam Vines, while they also brought in two of the top five picks in the draft. Under Armas, the team is expected to adopt a high-pressure, up-tempo style of football, but they may need time to work on it. Colorado’s main strength is their midfield, spearheaded by Connor Ronan, who stole the spotlight last season when he assisted eight of the team’s 28 goals. The Rapids boast talent and depth in the middle third. Yet, their main weakness is that they are practically a new team under a new coach and they’ll definitely need time to gel. This means that they may stay behind in the playoff race quite early in the season.