A Big Question: Do they have enough mobility in central defense to play Jack Price as a No. 6?
Colorado spent a lot of money on Price, Danny Wilson and Tommy Smith last year, and found it was basically impossible to play those three guys together because they just didn't cover enough ground. Teams regularly exploited that:
Does it seem like a lot of players have a good game when they face Jack Price & Danny Wilson?
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 9, 2018
...
You all want to tell me Jack Price is good for the Rapids, but his defending leaves a lot to be desired, and what he's added offensively hasn't matched the difference. #Rapids96 https://t.co/uaAkQ6mE3g
If Price is going to be the No. 6 again – and it seems like that's the plan – Anthony Hudson has to compensate. Price basically just marks the zone and doesn't actually get a ton of pressure to the ball, or win many 50/50s. The Rapids need other players to come to that area and help out.
Part of this should be solved by playing a compact midfield formation (the 4-4-2 diamond) with shuttlers who have clear defensive responsibilities: rotate back, guys!
But the other part of it has to come from the central defenders being willing and able to step off their own line and make a play. Walker Zimmerman did a ton of this last year for LAFC, and that's a blueprint the Rapids need to steal and make their own.
