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Drawing of the 30: ‘Keepers
Welcome back, friends and readers, from the holiday breather. I hope you are all refreshed and ready to go as the new year starts and the championship hangover fades.
With the MLS roster now expanded from 24 to 30 players and the reserve league’s rebirth, the Rapids have to start the challenging process of putting together a roster that will be able to meet a host of demands in 2011. The team will have the challenge of the regular season and defending an MLS Cup title. There’s also the opportunity to make a run in the U.S. Open Cup, CONCACAF, and in developing players in the Reserve fixtures. Oh yeah, and there will be everyone in the regular season trying to take some shine off the surprise champions.
In two days, the MLS SuperDraft will give the Rapids a chance to add a couple of young prospects to the roster. It’s critical they do well, because the 30-man roster has to have five players in 25 and younger category. Here’s the best chance to get that done.
As the team continues stocking and shopping players, we’re taking a look at areas in the squad that will make a difference in putting together the future 3o. We start with goalkeepers and move up the field from here.
In goal: Starter Matt Pickens and backups Ian Joyce and Steward Ceus are the only ‘keepers on the roster. The Rapids will want three on the 30-man. With 34 regular season games, 10 reserve matches and an indeterminant number of Open Cup and CONCACAF ties, all three will be needed.
Outlook: Pickens, 28, was the man all season and is the man for 2011. Underappreciated around the league, Pickens is a solid cog at the back. He never looks ruffled. The team looks confortable defending in part because of his presence.
Joyce, 25, finally got a match in 2010, and preserved a 3-0 win over the Houston Dynamo. Ceus, 23, has spent two spells on loan to Charlotte, and is likely to see time in reserve matches and the Open Cup.
Likely move: A great starter and two young backups. The Rapids aren’t likely to make any changes in the back.
Next up: Defenders.
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