COMMERCE CITY, Colo. ā With their deadline trade for longtime Philadelphia Union forward Sebastien Le Toux, the Colorado Rapids hope to have found their answer in boosting an offense which has been the teamās biggest question mark this season.
āHeās got that attacking mentality that always sniff goals,ā Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni said of the teamās latest addition. āHe threatens defenses and the spaces in behind, which is something weāve been trying to focus on this year.ā
Colorado has been the best defensive team in MLS through 21 games with only 19 goals conceded. But offensively, the Rapids have tallied only 24 goals in that timeframe, tied for third worst in the Western Conference.
āI think it gives us a little bit more balance,ā explained Rapids technical director and VP of soccer ops Paul Bravo, who engineered the move for Le Toux. āSebastien is a player that loves to get forward and takes chances. He looks for balls in behind, which is something weāve lacked this year. With his ability to stretch the field I think heāll take some of the pressure off of our defensive group.ā
Having produced 56 goals and 55 assists in 236 appearances (191 starts), the 32-year-old looks primed for the task.
āItās a good trade for me and Iām very happy to be here. They have the expectations of a first-place team and Iām hoping to be a part of that,ā Le Toux said. āI think Iām a team player and Iāve proved throughout my career that I can score goals and make assists. I can attack and defend; Iām not lazy. If I need to play different positions, I will.ā
While heās no stranger to his own movement within the league, Colorado marks Le Touxās fifth different club over nine seasons in MLS, this trade was an emotional one for the Frenchman. He embraced Philadelphia as his home, gaining the respect of coaches and fans alike during his time there.
āItās a bit sad at first,ā Le Toux explained. āIāve played twice there and for six years. I grew with the fan base over there. Itās a great city and I will always come back. Itās my second hometown outside of France probably. I know I will always be welcome in Philadelphia.ā
Union head coach Jim Curtin called the move āhardā and one that āseems cruelā. But with Philadelphiaās need to make room for the imminent move of Alejandro Bedoya, Colorado saw an opening to strengthen their squad.
āWe were trying to figure out what would help us get better and an opportunity presented itself,ā Rapids technical director and VP of soccer ops Paul Bravo explained. āWe needed to add some more depth on the wings and Sebastienās experience in this league and his goalscoring record, we liked that sort of production. He scores a goal or adds an assist in just about every other game.ā
In the process, the Rapids had to make some difficult decisions of their own, sending Argentine striker Luis Solignac to Chicago after 18 months in Colorado.
āSigi [Schmid] said to me that when moving anyone becomes easy, this job isnāt for you,ā Mastroeni said. āLucho has been a consummate pro and has grown alongside the rest of us. Itās losing a really good friend whoās shared in some difficult experiences over the last year.ā
But in contrast to Solignac, who showed discomfort at times outside of his preferred No. 9 role, Le Toux brings a level of comfort at each of the front four positions in the Rapidsā base 4-2-3-1; a quality which Mastroeni has been looking for.
āI spoke with Pablo and heās very confident in me,ā Le Toux said. āIn Colorado they play the same style so I can be used in a few positions. Right now Iāll probably play as a winger on the right or on the left. I think the most important thing is to work well with my teammates and make sure Iām ready to play with this team.
But with lingering back pain entering this Saturdayās match against Vancouver, Le Toux isnāt quite ready to make his Rapids debut. Additionally, it will inevitably take some time for him to adjust to the climate and altitude in Colorado.
āItās always hard with the altitude, so I have to make sure Iām ready to run 90 minutes in this atmosphere,ā Le Toux said.
Even with the short waiting period ahead, the trade is a āwin nowā move for the Rapids, with both Le Toux and Mastroeniās contracts reportedly expiring at the conclusion of the season.
āWe have 13 more games,ā said Bravo. āWeāre not in the playoffs by any stretch of the imagination. We have a lot of work to do. This is getting more experience into the building and giving us that added punch that we think will get us where we want to be and thatās fighting for a trophy at the end of the year.ā