Coach Pablo Mastroeni expects his team to start playing more aggressively on offense.
Mastroeni desires to “reset” team’s “mentality” after 1-1-1 start
commerce city» Pablo Mastroeni normally wouldn’t be too happy about having two weeks off so early in the MLS season, but the Rapids’ coach is grateful for the opportunity to “reset the mentality” of his team after a subpar performance last week that left Colorado 1-1-1.
Part of the reboot involves impressing on his players that they’re no longer the underdogs they were a year ago.
“Last year we got everyone’s average performance,” Mastroeni said Wednesday. “This year, because of what we did last year, we’re going to get everyone’s best performance. If we’re not up to the task …”
Then they can tie 2-2 with an expansion team, as they did at home last week against Minnesota United.
“What everyone fails to realize, just because you were good in 2016 has no bearing on 2017, other than it should give you confidence,” Mastroeni said. “You still have to play the games. You still have to play against everyone’s best game now.”
The back line has conceded only three goals, one an own goal, another a penalty kick. The revamped offensive attack has been a work in progress, as Mastroeni predicted before the season. He seems most concerned with timidity in the midfield, a tendency by some players to play it safe.
“In the midfield, we need to do a better job of controlling the rhythm of the game on both sides of the ball,” Mastroeni said without mentioning names. “I don’t think we’ve been able to dominate complete games. When we’re in possession, it’s a lot of backward passing. We want more forward (probing), putting pressure on teams when they’re up against the ropes to really kill off the game. Too many times we release the pressure, just to keep possession of the ball.”
There have been times when the Rapids had the ball 20 yards from the opponent’s goal but looked to play it behind them instead of attacking. Four passes later it was in the hands of goalkeeper Tim Howard, leaving Mastroeni exasperated.
“It’s good if it goes back with the intention that, ‘I’m going to suck them out to go forward,’ ” Mastroeni said. “That’s fine. But passing it back and then absolving yourself of any responsibility to help out again is not what we’re trying to do to keep the ball.”
That, he said, is “fundamentally wrong” and needs to change, because it’s not just a tactical issue, it’s a symptom of attitude.
“It’s a mentality,” Mastroeni said. “It’s almost like we’re willing to do more work defensively, because it’s more comfortable for us than it is to do the legwork.”
The original schedule had the Rapids off this week because of international team play around the world (there are only three MLS games this weekend). Then next week’s home game against FC Dallas was rescheduled for Oct. 7, hence the second week off. The Rapids return to action April 9 at Sporting Kansas City.
“After three games, we’re still a work in progress,” said center back Jared Watts. “Not the best start we wanted. We do feel like we dropped two points at the weekend, but it’s still early. It’s a long season. We have these three weeks to really nail down some details that we haven’t executed well on.”