| | DENVER -- The last weekend of the Major League Soccer
regular season couldn't have turned out worse for the Colorado
Rapids, and coach Glenn Myernick is contemplating a change in
lineup as the team gears up for the Western Conference playoffs.
"We don't have anyone from our midfield players and front
players who distinguished himself during the second half of the
season," Myernick said. "Not just in terms of points, but in the
consistency and quality of play.
"It's not the right time of year to be (reevaluating
personnel), but that's the reality of the situation."
The Rapids hit the skids at midseason. But going into the last
weekend of regular season play, they still had a chance to finish
first and with the Western Conference title. Instead they ended up
fourth.
The other three Western Conference playoff teams all won, while
the Rapids came away with a 2-0 loss to Miami on Saturday.
Colorado lost the opportunity to win home-field advantage and
now must face Western Conference champions Los Angeles in a
best-of-three series in the first round of the playoffs.
The Rapids play their first home playoff game at Mile High
Stadium on Oct. 22. Should the series go three games, the deciding
game would be played at the Rose Bowl on Oct. 27.
The Rapids were shut out in each of their last five games.
"I would say effort is a huge part of it," Myernick said.
"But I would have to say that we at times have not had enough good
soccer players. Put it this way: The guys we had on the field
during the second half of the season did not take care of the ball
well enough."
Myernick gave the team Monday off before resuming training for
the playoffs. He is hoping the week-long wait will help the Rapids.
"We need to have some positive training sessions," Myernick
said. "We need to get our confidence back."
Injuries have cost the Rapids dearly and the team still isn't at
full strength after Ross Paule turned his ankle last week against
Chicago on the Mile High Stadium turf. Midfielder Anders Limpar,
who missed 11 straight games, also sat out the Miami game because
of a red card assessed in the Chicago game.
The Rapids haven't done well at Los Angeles. They lost both
games there this season (2-1 and 4-0) and trail 7-1 over four
seasons.
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ALSO SEE
1999 Major League Soccer playoffs schedule
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