COMMERCE CITY, Colo. -- He was brought to Colorado in the offseason to be a game-changer, and the Rapids' 2008 attack was built around Christian Gomez, the 2006 MLS MVP, a four-time MLS All-Star, and an MLS Best XI honoree in each of his three full seasons in the league, leading all players in points those three years.
But as the Rapids make their homestretch push for a playoff position, that expected centerpiece of their attack has gone missing. After starting the first 11 games of the season and 17 of the first 19 games, Gomez has not started any of the Rapids last seven games, making only two substitute appearances, playing the final 32 and 45 minutes in Colorado's back-to-back losses to D.C. United and Real Salt Lake, Aug. 23 and 29.
Those were Gary Smith's first two games as interim coach of the Rapids, following a victory against Kansas City, when Smith filled in for head coach Fernando Clavijo, and the two coaches worked together to make significant changes to their starting lineup, including sitting Gomez for the entire match.
It's been four weeks now since Gomez has seen the field, as he spent the 90 minutes of last weekend's match in New York entirely on the bench as the Rapids battled to a 5-4 win, with Conor Casey scoring the game winner and finishing off a hat trick in the final minute of the match.
Even with Terry Cooke unavailable to start, Smith maintained the same system as he had employed over the balance of the New England match the weekend before, with Mehdi Ballouchy in a central midfield role and Nick LaBrocca in a wider position.
"Conor gave us a little extra strength and a slightly different angle up front, and [I wanted] to go with Mehdi in behind those front two and still have two creative players out wide," Smith said after the Revolution game.
It seems unconventional, to say the least, to keep a player of Gomez's caliber on the bench in the midst of a critical race for a postseason berth, but the Rapids are 3-0-1 in the games since Gomez has seen the field. Before the K.C. game, when Clavijo and Smith agreed to try a different attack, the Rapids had run a string of games in which they overwhelmed their opponents with scoring opportunities, but gave up goals and games on the limited chances they yielded to the other sides.
"There's no doubt in Christian's ability. There's no doubt in Christian's worth," Smith said. "At the moment, I think we're making the transition from a side that were quite creative at times but conceded too many goals to a side that hopefully over the course of time will show that we're very frugal with what we offer other teams."
The Rapids had allowed just one goal in three games before last weekend's wild match in New York, where they conceded a season-high four goals. But even then, they stormed back to score a club-record five goals for the victory.
"One goal in three games is a good foundation," Smith said. "And within that system, and within that shape that we play, I just feel the players that we're using at the moment are more beneficial for the way and the style that we're playing."
In Clavijo's last game actively coaching the Rapids, he alluded to the team's recent frustrating futility, calling the team's home loss to a short-handed Toronto an embarrassment.
"We have adapted to a different system to accommodate players, and you know what? The players never showed up to play," Clavijo said.
While Clavijo and Smith both recognize Gomez's value, they also agreed that the team needed a new formula to salvage their season. The formula was put together from the back, turning to Burpo in goal over Bouna Coundoul, who had started 15 of the team's first 19 matches. At the same time, Mike Petke returned to center back after missing much of the season to injury, and the Rapids acquired Cory Gibbs, adding consistency and experience to the foundation.
"I do think it helps that you've got the same four guys right now back there," Burpo said, speaking about the generally improved team defense down the stretch. "You've got the two guys [midfielders Pablo Mastroeni and LaBrocca] in front of them that have done great. Colin Clark and Terry Cooke have gotten on board defensively. You've got the guys up top, trying to push the ball to one side. Everyone is putting something into it, and I think it shows in the last three games."
Gomez, meanwhile, has been largely limited to reserve team action, playing 90 minutes against Dallas in the last reserve match, scoring a goal and making an assist.
The newly laid foundation has proven sturdy, and Smith's squad will continue looking to move further up in the playoff pack, hoping their newfound formula can push them up the field of contenders as they pursue a postseason berth in their remaining four matches.
With their principal Western Conference rivals, Chivas and Real Salt Lake also winning Saturday while first-place Houston tied, the table remains tight, with RSL and Colorado tied for third, two points behind Chivas. The two Rocky Mountain rivals also have moved into a tie for seventh place overall, improving their odds at securing one of the eight playoff berths.
"For sure the more you limit your opponents to opportunities, the more chance we have of winning, because you can see what we're capable of in front of goal," Smith said. "It's just making that transition where we're comfortable stopping opponents from creating chances and expressing themselves. And then going on and doing what we are very good at, which is creating our own chances. We have the players to do that. So I'm certainly not going to stifle that.
"At this precise moment, the players that we're using are giving the squad a platform from which to work from and move on to."
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