Supporters weigh in on Zardes trade

COMMERCE CITY If you want to find out what Colorado Rapids fans truly think, there’s no better place to find the pulse of the fans than the pre-match tailgate.

On Saturday night, a day after Colorado traded for striker Gyasi Zardes, the question was put to the team’s most ardent supporters in the C38 tailgate: Is one transaction enough to turn things around?

The general consensus was cautious optimism.

“It’s all momentum, right?” said Sean Guidi, who played soccer at Colorado School of Mines. “If you are going to bring anybody in to spark that momentum to score some goals, I think it’s gonna be a net benefit.”

Zardes’ addition appeared even more important in the wake of yet another stagnant offensive showing against Charlotte on Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Colorado’s offensive rut — five games without a win (three ties, two losses) — continued in a scoreless draw.

Zardes, a 30-year-old forward, has been consistent in his career with Columbus and LA Galaxy, scoring 101 times and assisting on 31 goals in 276 all-time appearances.

“I am super excited,” said Blaire Bayliss, a Boulder resident. “The Rapids have needed a striker for a very long time. I am really excited that we have someone who is talented, qualified and he’s gonna be a real asset.”

Jess Houwen, who is a staff writer for Switch the Pitch, a fan-inclusive platform, said she believed Zardes will help the team in attack, but still expressed reservations.

“(I’m) half-and-half,” she said. “I am happy because he has been a proven striker. … The thing I struggle with is that Zardes, to me, consistently has a bad first touch. That at times can put his teams in a bad position. … I do think he can come here and grow because of who he is around.”

While Zardes has the statistics to back up fans’ hopes for increased scoring, it will take time to adjust to his new attacking third teammates: up top with Diego Rubio and Mark-anthony Kaye, centrally with Jack Price (once he returns from injury), and out wide with Jonathan Lewis and Michael Barrios, as well as wingbacks Lucas Esteves and Keegan Rosenberry.

“I think he can be in the low double-digits (for a goal total) and can get a couple assists as well,” said Levi Gibbon, a Westminster resident and season ticket holder since 2011.

“… He did better in Columbus than he did in L.A. He’ll do better here than he did in Columbus, hopefully.”