Rapids Roundtable: 2024 highs, spending targets, and the first look at Pochettino's USMNT

With the MLS Playoffs interrupted by the international break, the DNVR Rapids crew looks back at their favorite parts of the 2024 campaign, identifying positions of need, and looks to the first competitive USMNT games under the new boss.

What will be the lasting memory from the 2024 Colorado Rapids campaign?

Andre Simone:
This will be remembered as the campaign that started the Rapids’ Chris Armas era. From the second he arrived the new skipper created a new culture, developed young players and established a clear identity for this club. 

The emergence of Moise Bombito and Ollie Larraz, re-establishing Cole Bassett and Djordje Mihailovic as MLS stars, and finally competing in a cup the way they did in Leagues Cup are all massive wins for the first-year manager. Armas established himself quickly and is building an identity that will have long-lasting effects. 

Mitchell Carroll: 
2024 was the year that the Rapids gambled on some huge decisions – and were mostly proven correct. The Chris Armas hire was panned across the MLS media-sphere, but here we are in November and he is a finalist for MLS Coach of the Year.

Padraig Smith brought in Americans struggling overseas in Mihailovic, Zack Steffen, Sammy Vines, and Reggie Cannon, and Djordje and Steffen were rewarded with National Team call-ups after strong seasons. Most importantly, the sum total resulted in a Rocky Mountain Cup win, a CONCACAF Champions Cup place, and a 50-point, 61-goal season that eclipsed all preseason expectations. 

Duane Brown:
The Colorado Rapids are fun again. From a head coach who wears C38 scarves during pressers, to a Rocky Mountain Cup return, to Djordje grabbing an Apple camera and screaming, “Up the f**king Pids!” The Rapids are fun to watch and easy to cheer for again. In the past, the Club mailed it in on non-MLS tourneys and this year fought off a quarter of Liga MX and earned a spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. There’s reason to believe in the Rapids and it’s a roster packed with personalities to cheer for.

Yahir Vasquez:
The 2024 season will forever be remembered as the year the Rapids conquered their demons. Real Salt Lake has always been the boogie man for the Burgundy Boys and this year they finally shined the light under the bed. Colorado went into America First Stadium and got a result while taking care of business at home. The moment that Chris Armas took the Rocky Mountain Cup and celebrated with C38 will be ingrained in my mind until my final days. Chris Armas’ flying start to his managerial career definitely reached its peak with the cup win and that’s why it will be the lasting memory for this year.

Choose one position to bolster this offseason with the Moise Bombito money:

Dre:
I’d go with an upgrade at center back. Lalas Abubakar played well to close out the year but there’s an upgrade to be made there. Find some of the athleticism and versatility you lost with Bombito’s departure and this could be a very dangerous team.

Alternatives on the left flank would make a lot of sense too as Sammy Vines didn’t impress last year.

Mitchell:
I’m sure my fellow Pidsmen will focus on CB and the wing – they would be correct – but for the sake of variety, I think it is time for the front office to take a long look at the outside backs. Adding Reggie Cannon on a free was great, and Jackson Travis looked good in spurts before an injury ended his season, but both Vines and Keegan Rosenberry were caught out at times in transition and Seb Anderson has yet to break through as a clear starter in his long tenure with the club. All are solid MLS players, but there is room at the top of the position group to add some impact talent.

Duane:
There are a few holes to fill, but the glaring hole is winger. The Rapids have some up-and-coming youth that can fill in on the backline, but outside of Stewart-Baynes, the wings are lacking in depth and even starter power. The club simply can’t break spending records on a striker in Navarro and bring in top-level talent like Mahailovic and not finish the vision on offense. A high expected goals stat is fine, but actual goals on the stat sheet are better.

Yahir:
The easy pick is center back, but the Rapids also need more help on offense and that’s why I think a winger is more important. Djordje Mihailovic and Rafael Navarro were frustrated at the end of the year and in the playoffs with little to no help. A good centerback can be found in many places around the world with a decent price tag, but an elite one-on-one winger who can create and score is far from a dime a dozen. 

What are you watching for in Pochettino’s first competitive game in charge of the USMNT?

Dre:
I’ll be watching the front six. What can Poch do to be more creative than the constant 4-3-3 we saw with Berhalter? Can Christian Pulisic be used in more of a No. 10 role? Are there creative ways to utilize Timmy Weah instead of just making him a wide forward? And how does he use Yunus Musah? That’s what I’ll be paying attention to. 

Musah is a personal favorite and is coming off a career performance, starting in a 3-1 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League. Musah is being utilized out wide more at his club, something Poch did in the friendly against Mexico. How the new coach handles all his star players now at his disposal will be fun to watch in this first competitive game.

Mitchell:
Like Dre, I am really interested in what the attacking midfield looks like, and if there is a match between how Djordje plays and how the new boss lines up against Jamaica. Cole Bassett said it best at media day prior to the season – US Soccer has to pay attention to the Rapids with five potential fringe national team guys in the mix (Mihailovic, Bassett, Steffen, Vines, Cannon). All are in their prime years, and to a man, they have all talked about getting into the first team in competitive games. Steffen will be the likely backup to Turner against Jamaica, and after Zack, Djordje has the best chance of joining the Screaming Eagles after a 25-goal contribution season.

Duane:
I know it’s a small thing, but I’m going to be watching for in-game adjustments and substitutions. For all the “golden generation” talk given to this USMNT team, many of the individual performances have been underwhelming. Vibes and chemistry are absolutely important, but I’m more interested in a coach who can hold players accountable and push them to live up to their “golden gen” namesake. There are a few stars on this team and many who, in my opinion, hang onto their spot because there’s a real depth problem on this squad. Hopefully, Pochettino will light a fire under some butts.

Yahir: 
Chemistry. I take Pochettino’s first two games with USMNT with a grain of salt, with little to no real information on what his tenure will be. The thing that will be really telling though will be how the players react to the coaching style of Poch. A lot of these players have only known one coach at the national level and have a certain way of doing things. This is not to say that the players will be divas or that they won’t listen, but it takes time to get used to a new way of doing things. Poch has to get to know his guys and the guys have to be open to coaching and letting Poch do what he does best.