RSS
ATOM
advertisement
Played
July 31, 2010 4:00 PM EDT
Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colorado
July 31, 2010 4:00 PM EDT
Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colorado
Colorado Rapids vs FC Dallas: Head To Head Preview
The Rapids play host to FC Dallas on Saturday.
By Greer Wilson-Chavez and Julian Kersh
On Form
FC Dallas: All-Star selections Heath Pearce and David Ferreira played well against Manchester United. Ferreira notched an assist and was dangerous on set piece deliveries, Pearce was solid going forward and looked comfortable in his defensive duties. Both players should start Saturday against the Rapids and will want to continue performing as they have been all season. FC Dallas currently has the 4th best defense in the league, behind LA, Columbus and Salt Lake. If they can remain stingy in the back, FCD will certainly see their way into the post-season.
Colorado Rapids: While Conor Casey leads the Rapids in scoring, Omar Cummings is second in line, but also brings an energetic spark to his side. His thunderbolt of a goal against Seattle last week showed both his capability and mentality, as his equalizer came just seconds after
Seattle scored and was a display of strong individual effort. It’s the positive, attacking flare like that of Cummings that is needed to get Colorado out of its rut.
Off Target
FC Dallas: Seven games unbeaten is a feat that Coach Schellas Hyndman will be proud of. However, he may be concerned that his offense still seems to be under performing. The FCD offense has been a dynamic and potent threat to opponents, but they’ve failed to truly put a team away. Against RSL they netted two second half goals and generally dominated possession, but it has to be said that on that night RSL looked about as interested in playing as Javier Mascherano looks in staying at Liverpool. A string of 1-0 wins and 1-1 ties doesn’t do justice to how Dallas has really been playing. Sooner or later Dallas need to start finishing off their attacking maneuvers with goals if they hope to overcome their pesky playoff habit of losing in the first round on penalties.
Colorado Rapids: The Rapids squad as a single unit isn’t on target. While there are always strong individual performances and even quality outings as an entire team, Colorado simply cannot find a way to win despite strong performances, and when you’re playing well but consistently unable to win, it’s a problem – and one the Rapids are currently facing. They’ve lost that all-important will to play an entire game, finishing out strong, and their recent results correlate (See Intangibles).
Tactics:
FC Dallas: Hyndman has done well to make Dallas dangerous in a variety of formations this year. Should midfielder Dax McCarty be fit enough to start, the most probable formation to look for Saturday would be a 4-4-2. McCarty and captain Daniel Hernandez have worked well together in the middle and are the Hoops’ best pairing in that position. After scoring his first goal last weekend against Toronto, forward Milton Rodriguez will likely start again up top alongside a somewhat withdrawn Ferreira. FCD’s ability to seamlessly switch from a 4-5-1 when defending and a 4-4-2 when attacking has been their greatest strength.
Colorado Rapids: Head coach Gary Smith either lines his side up in a 4-5-1 with Casey going it alone up top or pairs him with Cummings in a 4-4-2. Given the Rapids’ lack of securing results during this middle spell of the season, that latter formation should be the approach Smith leans toward, especially at home, to provide the extra firepower to secure what’s becoming an unfamiliar three points.
Intangibles
FC Dallas: A rivalry has formed between FC Dallas and the Rapids over the past few years, mainly because of back-to-back playoff losses in 2005 and 2006. With Colorado only three points back and in desperate need of a result, expect a hard fought game from both sides.
Colorado Rapids: Four. It’s the number of points the Rapids have earned in their last six league games from a record of zero wins, four draws and of course, two losses. Meanwhile, their adversaries FC Dallas are unbeaten in their last seven games. The game cutting the streak at seven was a marginal, 1-0 loss to the rampant L.A. Galaxy, and if that game were thrown out, FC Dallas’ undefeated streak would sit at 12, highlighting quite the contrast of current form between these two sides.
Prediction
FC Dallas: While FCD are riding that 7 game unbeaten streak, Colorado are win-less in their last 6. Dallas will take their fine road form to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and share points with the Rapids in a notoriously tricky fixture. Result: 1-1
Colorado Rapids: Until the Rapids find that player who’s going to step up and change the flow of the team or get a forceful boost of confidence and mentality, they’re not going to finish many games with three points. They can hold on for ties as is, but not get all three. Unless that
change comes to the Rapids camp before kickoff, against a team like FC Dallas who is high in confidence, they’ll yet again find themselves finishing with a disappointing result. 2-1 FC Dallas.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
FC Dallas: All-Star selections Heath Pearce and David Ferreira played well against Manchester United. Ferreira notched an assist and was dangerous on set piece deliveries, Pearce was solid going forward and looked comfortable in his defensive duties. Both players should start Saturday against the Rapids and will want to continue performing as they have been all season. FC Dallas currently has the 4th best defense in the league, behind LA, Columbus and Salt Lake. If they can remain stingy in the back, FCD will certainly see their way into the post-season.
Colorado Rapids: While Conor Casey leads the Rapids in scoring, Omar Cummings is second in line, but also brings an energetic spark to his side. His thunderbolt of a goal against Seattle last week showed both his capability and mentality, as his equalizer came just seconds after
Seattle scored and was a display of strong individual effort. It’s the positive, attacking flare like that of Cummings that is needed to get Colorado out of its rut.
Off Target
FC Dallas: Seven games unbeaten is a feat that Coach Schellas Hyndman will be proud of. However, he may be concerned that his offense still seems to be under performing. The FCD offense has been a dynamic and potent threat to opponents, but they’ve failed to truly put a team away. Against RSL they netted two second half goals and generally dominated possession, but it has to be said that on that night RSL looked about as interested in playing as Javier Mascherano looks in staying at Liverpool. A string of 1-0 wins and 1-1 ties doesn’t do justice to how Dallas has really been playing. Sooner or later Dallas need to start finishing off their attacking maneuvers with goals if they hope to overcome their pesky playoff habit of losing in the first round on penalties.
Colorado Rapids: The Rapids squad as a single unit isn’t on target. While there are always strong individual performances and even quality outings as an entire team, Colorado simply cannot find a way to win despite strong performances, and when you’re playing well but consistently unable to win, it’s a problem – and one the Rapids are currently facing. They’ve lost that all-important will to play an entire game, finishing out strong, and their recent results correlate (See Intangibles).
Tactics:
FC Dallas: Hyndman has done well to make Dallas dangerous in a variety of formations this year. Should midfielder Dax McCarty be fit enough to start, the most probable formation to look for Saturday would be a 4-4-2. McCarty and captain Daniel Hernandez have worked well together in the middle and are the Hoops’ best pairing in that position. After scoring his first goal last weekend against Toronto, forward Milton Rodriguez will likely start again up top alongside a somewhat withdrawn Ferreira. FCD’s ability to seamlessly switch from a 4-5-1 when defending and a 4-4-2 when attacking has been their greatest strength.
Colorado Rapids: Head coach Gary Smith either lines his side up in a 4-5-1 with Casey going it alone up top or pairs him with Cummings in a 4-4-2. Given the Rapids’ lack of securing results during this middle spell of the season, that latter formation should be the approach Smith leans toward, especially at home, to provide the extra firepower to secure what’s becoming an unfamiliar three points.
Intangibles
FC Dallas: A rivalry has formed between FC Dallas and the Rapids over the past few years, mainly because of back-to-back playoff losses in 2005 and 2006. With Colorado only three points back and in desperate need of a result, expect a hard fought game from both sides.
Colorado Rapids: Four. It’s the number of points the Rapids have earned in their last six league games from a record of zero wins, four draws and of course, two losses. Meanwhile, their adversaries FC Dallas are unbeaten in their last seven games. The game cutting the streak at seven was a marginal, 1-0 loss to the rampant L.A. Galaxy, and if that game were thrown out, FC Dallas’ undefeated streak would sit at 12, highlighting quite the contrast of current form between these two sides.
Prediction
FC Dallas: While FCD are riding that 7 game unbeaten streak, Colorado are win-less in their last 6. Dallas will take their fine road form to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and share points with the Rapids in a notoriously tricky fixture. Result: 1-1
Colorado Rapids: Until the Rapids find that player who’s going to step up and change the flow of the team or get a forceful boost of confidence and mentality, they’re not going to finish many games with three points. They can hold on for ties as is, but not get all three. Unless that
change comes to the Rapids camp before kickoff, against a team like FC Dallas who is high in confidence, they’ll yet again find themselves finishing with a disappointing result. 2-1 FC Dallas.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
-
Colorado Rapids 0-1 FC Dallas
- 28.57 %
-
Colorado Rapids 0-2 FC Dallas
- 28.57 %
-
Colorado Rapids 2-1 FC Dallas
- 14.29 %
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Oct 1, 2011 | Colorado Rapids 1 - FC Dallas 0 |
|
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Apr 8, 2011 | FC Dallas 3 - Colorado Rapids 0 |
|
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Nov 21, 2010 | FC Dallas 1 - Colorado Rapids 2 |
|
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Oct 9, 2010 | FC Dallas 2 - Colorado Rapids 2 |
|
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Jul 31, 2010 | Colorado Rapids 1 - FC Dallas 1 |
|
Colorado Rapids
   |
||
| Nov 2, 2011 | Sporting Kansas City 2 - Colorado Rapids 0 | MLS |
| Oct 30, 2011 | Colorado Rapids 0 - Sporting Kansas City 2 | MLS |
| Oct 27, 2011 | Colorado Rapids 1 - Columbus Crew 0 | MLS |
| Oct 22, 2011 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1 - Colorado Rapids 2 | MLS |
| Oct 19, 2011 | Santos Laguna 2 - Colorado Rapids 0 | CCL |
FC Dallas
 |
||
| Oct 26, 2011 | FC Dallas 0 - New York Red Bulls 2 | MLS |
| Oct 22, 2011 | San Jose 4 - FC Dallas 2 | MLS |
| Oct 18, 2011 | FC Dallas 0 - Toronto FC 3 | CCL |
| Oct 15, 2011 | FC Dallas 2 - Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 | MLS |
| Oct 12, 2011 | Chicago Fire 1 - FC Dallas 2 | MLS |
| 18 | Matt Pickens | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Drew Moor | Defender |
| 22 | Marvell Wynne | Defender |
| 20 | Jamie Smith | Midfielder |
| 21 | Julien Baudet | Defender |
| 15 | Wells Thompson | Midfielder |
| 27 | Kosuke Kimura | Defender |
| 23 | Colin Clark | Midfielder |
| 25 | Pablo Mastroeni | Midfielder |
| 10 | Mehdi Ballouchy | Midfielder |
| 14 | Omar Cummings | Striker |
| 17 | Ian Joyce | Goalkeeper |
| 6 | Anthony Wallace | Midfielder |
| 16 | Ross LaBauex | Midfielder |
| 4 | Jeff Larentowicz | Midfielder |
| 12 | Quincy Amarikwa | Striker |
| - | Claudio Javier López | Striker |
| 29 | Scott Palguta | Defender |
| 1 | Kevin Hartman | Goalkeeper |
| 5 | Jair Benítez | Defender |
| 29 | Heath Pearce | Defender |
| 3 | Ugo Ihemelu | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Daniel Hernández | Defender |
| 20 | Brek Shea | Defender |
| 9 | Atiba Harris | Striker |
| - | M. Rodríguez | Striker |
| 24 | Eric Alexander | Midfielder |
| 14 | George John | Defender |
| 10 | David Arturo Ferreira | Midfielder |
| 22 | Josh Lambo | Goalkeeper |
| 15 | Kyle Davies | Defender |
| 19 | Zach Loyd | Defender |
| - | Eric Avila | Midfielder |
| - | Marvin Chávez | Midfielder |
| 8 | Bruno Guarda | Midfielder |
| 33 | Jeff Cunningham | Striker |
Thank you for your comment!
Please enter your name
Please enter your location
Please share your comment!
2 Comments
Advertisement
Results
Times In EST
Match News
Advertisement
