COMMERCE CITY, Colo. ā Pablo Mastroeni wasnāt going to give away his starting 11 for Monday nightās game against the Portland Timbers. But all signs point to new addition Tim Howard making his Colorado Rapids debut against the defending MLS champs.
āThereās a very good possibility,ā the Rapids' head coach said of Howard's anticipated debut. āI think itās in the back in everyoneās mind, for it to come to fruition. For Tim to get here, meet his teammates and finally get a game under his belt would be fantastic.ā
And while itās true that the Rapids have invested time, faith and resources into the signing of Howard, it doesnāt make Mastroeniās personnel decision any easier. With Howardās start, Mastroeni will have to bench Zac MacMath, who leads the league in goals-against average (0.69) and is tied for the league lead in shutouts (6).
āItās an unenviable situation,ā Mastroeni said of the Rapidsā goalkeeping circumstances. āMan management is a difficult part of the job and thereās a lot of difficult conversations to have. In the end, you make the decisions that best help the team get a result.ā
When asked if he would indeed start on Monday, Howard responded that he had āno ideaā and that the decision was Mastroeniās to make. Nevertheless, the 37-year-old ākeeper expressed excitement and anticipation at the prospect of his debut.
āI feel great,ā Howard said before Sundayās training session. āThatās what I love to do: compete and play. Obviously Iām preparing [to start]. Iām ready.ā
His teammates, particularly those along Coloradoās back line, appear equally excited to play in front of the US national team regular.
āYou know what youāve got back there ā¦ youāve got one of the best goalies of all time,ā Rapids defender Marc Burch said. āOnce we get in the swing of things, weāll feel really confident having him back there.ā
With Coloradoās defense having conceded a league-low of 3.38 shots per game through 16 games played, the confidence factor is a two-way street.
āIt gives me huge confidence,ā Howard said of the Rapidsā league-leading defense. āIām just trying not to be the one who screws it up. Theyāve been fantastic and obviously thereās a cohesion there. Theyāve built that camaraderie, trust and understanding. Itās up to me to figure out how things work and jump into the frying pan.ā
If anyone can make that jump, itās the āSecretary of Defense.ā
Said Mastroeni: āIt will take some time, but heās well-traveled, has great experience and has played at the highest level. I think his integration will be seamless.ā