Colorado Rapids are headed for a fresh season in early March and all that’s on the players and coaches’ minds is continuity.
The outfit launched a perfect onslaught at the end of last season, improving on last-place and second-to-last finishes in 2015 and 2014, respectively, to become one of the top teams in Major League Soccer.
Now everything has to be in line to even perform better.
The Rapids posted the top defense in the league in 2016 by a long shot. They were the only club to allow less than one goal per game.
And even in the 16 games games before goalkeeper Tim Howard’s arrival, they allowed a stingy 11 goals.
Coach Mastroeni told MLSsoccer.com he is proud of the team and even expects better.
“I think the one thing going into this year is that we’ve built a pretty good foundation of the way we want to play and the way we want to approach the games,” he said.
“We’ve developed a good mentality within the group, and brought back a core group of the guys as well. I think that’s what’s different from last year to this year.”
Even though the tactician is happy their defensive record, he also insists that the Rapids are focused on improving the attack, as well.
“When we don’t have the ball we want to be the best defensive team,” he added.
“And when we have the ball we want to be the best attacking team. The defensive mindset of the group is the foundation of what we’re doing, because there’s always an understanding of how we’re going to win the ball back when we don’t have it.”
Micheal Azira will still remain vital to the side after getting taken up for the senior squad before he featured for Uganda Cranes at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.
Colorado wrap up the Desert Diamond Cup on Saturday before opening MLS play March 4 at home against New England
