by CVI's Geoff McPherson
July 4th fireworks games represent the things that make soccer unique in this country along with the summer season and for the minority of teams in the MLS logo free jerseys. Unfortunately for this writer the dark clouds of the corporate America are hovering over head as rumors of jersey sponsorship deal for the 2009 season.
At the same time I was glad to hear the news from Mr. Bodmer that we side stepped Wal-Mart being slapped on the Rapids jersey but yet it gave me an insight to how the poor bastards in Chicago felt, who on opening day had great jersey and now have the embarrassment of looking like some dork in sandwich board on Michigan Avenue. Quite amazing that we need a sponsorship deal since we are owned by one of the wealthiest people in America. Yes, yes, I understand the Rapids are a business and we have to make sensible business decisions, but with a sponsorship deal is it really going to take this team to the next level? Or make Nigel from accounting look good when he presents our quarterly results to the owners?
Ironically with all this discussion going on the New York Red Bulls fly in this week and are representative of a franchise going the whole hog in the sponsorship arena seemingly more focused on money than football where the political turmoil of the back office doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.
We go with what seems to be our standard home formation of 3-4-1-2 in front of a packed house, Mastroeni (who is looking to move in the trading window across the pond) is playing central defender again which strengthens our defense a little but seems to weaken our midfield more.
Ten minutes into this game and you can see how the Red Bulls lost midweek to (a team that has the misery of calling themselves) Crystal Palace USA in the US Open Cup, there is not a sense of urgency or creativity, plus quite baffling playing three at the back where it looks like they have come to play for a draw at best.
My thoughts at this early stage will we take the chances that are in front of us? Or go into our 5 year old grumpy shell because things aren’t going our way? Our tempo could be a little higher, Ballouchy is crowding Cooke who looks to be yearning for the space available in the good old 4-4-2 formation.
On 24 minutes Clark and Erpen work a clumsy 1-2 on the left side, Clark patiently picks out McManus well timed run, losing his defender, with a fantastic finish, and a bit of state side showmanship to the roar of a very focal DSG crowd.
Refreshingly we push for the second, instead of going back to our often nervous formation mindset. At the other end Coundoul is taking ownership of the box dealing with the aerial balls compared to his counterpart who seems stuck to the goal line.
Just when I was about to critique the lack of fluency of the attacking 6 of Cooke, Casey, McManus, Gomez, Clark and Ballouchy they move the ball effectively across the top of the box from left to right, Cooke crosses for Ballouchy to knock in his first of the year, we go into the break at 2-0 knowing the second half we can just sit back and enjoy as the Red Bulls look as they would rather be in the security line at DIA.
Mascot five-a-side games should be a federal offense.
Clark attacks the goal on the left four minutes into the second half and drills it past the keeper on a ridiculous angle, its great to see Clark do this, but it seems like the game is over when it happens, love to see him attack with same speed and cockiness for the 15 – 20 minutes of a game and see the holes pop up in the defensive teams strategy.
Cummings had come on for Casey at the half showing his speed early and providing another headache for the Red Bulls defense. He doesn’t take his first or second chance but makes no mistake on his third skipping past New Zealand International Boyens to slot it pass the Keeper. 4-0 after 70 minutes, which someone must have forgotton to tell Mastroeni as he begs the referee to give him a yellow card after an appalling no call on an offside decision. Or maybe he realized time was running out and he hadn’t given an official a verbal bollocking.
Full time 4-0 Rapids.
On this glorious July 4th night in Colorado it’s another week where our jersey is uniquely American and not part of some branding exercise but whatever way the sponsorship deal goes with the Rapids there will still be something’s that will stay very American in this soccer landscape we live in.