MLS is Back: Talking tournament tactics – Western Conference

This week, Major League Soccer returns with the MLS is Back Tournament. Here is what to expect from each team’s tactics in this Western Conference preview.

Major League Soccer finally returns to action this week with the MLS is Back Tournament. Fans waited four months for play to return after the league shut down in March due to the coronavirus. This tournament, which is organized in a similar fashion to the World Cup, should provide lots of entertainment for fans wanting their MLS fix.

With so much time in between Opening Day and the first match of this summer tournament, supporters might need a refresher on the teams participating, especially from a tactics perspective. This preview will serve as that refresher so that hopefully you, the viewer, has an idea of what to expect from each team as they try to navigate their way through a knockout tournament.

We’ll recap how teams approached the first two matches of the season tactically and stylistically and how that might affect their success or failure in this tournament. This time, the Western Conference, after reviewing the Eastern Conference earlier this week.

Colorado Rapids

Expected formation: Robin Fraser’s men jumped out to two early wins in a 4-2-3-1 so it’s safe to assume that the Colorado Rapids will continue in that formation. Full-backs Sam Vines and Keegan Rosenberry will likely bomb forward on the flanks, while attacking midfielder Younes Namli is given free rein in the opposing half of the pitch.

Team style: Colorado will try to possess the ball as much as possible, but everything in the attack runs through Namli. Any time the Rapids moved the ball forward, Namli was there to facilitate everything. He dribbled past defenders, found the right pass, or picked out a shot himself. Meanwhile, the Rapids wingers will look to run in behind the opposing backline.

Potential success/failure: The Rapids’ potential success is reliant on two main factors: Namli’s ability to boost the attack and set-pieces. As mentioned above, Namli is the facilitator. He is in charge of connecting the midfield and attack when possessing the ball and when gaining possession in transition. The Rapids’ success from set-pieces was a big factor in nearly making the playoffs in 2019. That continued with two set-piece goals in two games earlier this year. Colorado’s potential failure hinges on their defensive midfield. Expect Jack Price to drop in between the center-backs whenever the full-backs push forward. If Price or Kellyn Acosta can’t provide adequate midfield cover when the Rapids lose the ball, they will get annihilated in transition.