MLS is Back

Colorado Rapids 2023 Season Preview

Colorado Rapids: 2023 New Day Kit

Armchair Analyst's Breakdown

  • Strength: Their offseason maneuvering, along with a pinch of internal development, has put them in a place where they have a ton of depth (and with it a ton of flexibility). So once again Robin Fraser can toggle through formations.
  • Weakness: Unless somebody jumps a few levels, they just don’t have the type of top-end talent that can brute force a few regular-season wins of the sort that push you over the line and into the playoffs.

Key Departures

Key Acquisitions

  • Andreas Masxø: The Rapids went to Europe to bring in a DP center back, signing Denmark international Andreas Maxsø from Brøndby IF. He looks the part of a new defensive anchor for the group that has missed Auston Trusty since he left last summer for Arsenal.
  • Kévin Cabral: Kévin Cabral spent the last two seasons with the LA Galaxy after a $5.9 million transfer from France, but struggled with his end product. Colorado traded for the dynamic attacker – another undervalued, young piece – to give Cabral a fresh start. He holds a DP tag.
  • Connor Ronan: Irish midfielder Connor Ronan arrives from Wolverhampton, reuniting with former teammate Jack Price. Ronan, a talented product of Wolves’ academy, spent the last half-decade on loan and couldn’t quite crack the Premier League rotation.
  • Full roster

Projected Starting XI

Season preview - 2023 - COL lineup

Predictions

  • Marcelo Balboa: 7th in West
  • Charles Boehm: 10th in West
  • Tom Bogert: 7th in West
  • Matt Doyle: 10th in West
  • David Gass: 10th in West
  • J. Sam Jones: 10th in West
  • Sacha Kljestan: 7th in West
  • Kaylyn Kyle: 10th in West
  • Joseph Lowery: 9th in West
  • Melissa Ortiz: 7th in West
  • Danielle Slaton: 10th in West
  • Andrew Wiebe: 11th in West
  • Bradley Wright-Phillips: 9th in West

Odds & Ends

  • Head coach: Robin Fraser
  • Stadium: Dick's Sporting Goods Park
  • Last year: 11W-13L-10T, 43 points, 10th in West
  • Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs: Did not qualify