Foreign Exchange: Three questions with Eamon Shaw of Burgundy Wave
On Saturday night, the 13th and 14th place teams in the West square off. We checked in with our favorite Colorado Rapids site to get some intel on a familiar foe.
It's a Denverde Saturday!
One of the most lively away matches of the year for Austin FC fans is the trip to Commerce City, dubbed "Denverde" back in 2021 when it was just the club's second away match (indeed, second-ever match, in the days leading up to Q2 Stadium's opening), first goal in club history (courtesy of Diego Fagundez), and first win in club history.
To get some insights on the matchup between the current 13th and 14th-place teams in the West, we checked in with Eamon Shaw of Burgundy Wave — or, more precisely, he reached out to us as we were looking to check that off our to-do list. (Our answers to his questions is already up.)
We'll also have some additional insights woven into our latest episode of Emergency Podcast, up later today.
To the questions!
Rafael Navarro leads the team with 12 goal contributions, but he's also been the subject of transfer rumors in the past. Is he still a player who could move for a hefty sum, or is he more of an anchor for the team going forward?
Rafael Navarro has settled in nicely for Colorado. In the past seasons, he's played extremely well and at a very high level, which has garnered him plenty of attention from outside of the MLS. If you were to ask me this question last season, or the year before, I'd say Navarro could definitely be a player to leave for a hefty sum. Now, I disagree and have started to view him as an anchor for the team going forward. He served as captain several times this season, and he's established himself as an experienced leader for the burgundy boys.
How is Matt Wells working out as head coach? The Rapids are 13th in the West, but is that attributable to him, or are there other factors to point to in explaining a less-than-ideal place in the table?
Yes, Colorado sits 13th in the West, a less than ideal position more than halfway into this season. I would say that Wells has worked out well so far for the Rapids. It's been difficult to judge. He's come into the head coach position leading a very young MLS side, and attempting to bring a new culture and identity to the Rocky Mountains. That feat is always going to be a difficult one.
Tactically, he demands much more from Colorado than we have seen in the past. It's been an up and down season for the Rapids. They looked exceptionally well early on in the season, and were attacking with threat, bringing unpredictability, and pace. It seems this way has come to a bit of a stall. Whether that's due to Wells, or teams just simply finding more solutions to the danger that Wells brings, it's up for debate. I do appreciate the mentality and culture he has brought into the club, but with a young squad, a bit of an overhaul needed, and culture changing, results won't be automatic.
Who is an "X factor" player we should look for to impact Saturday's match, and why?
As far as an "X" factor player, I would look no further than Paxten Aaronson. Although he's been a bit out of form this season and not creating or impacting as much as Colorado fans would like, he can change the game in a snap of the finger. Aaronson is dangerous in the pockets and bringing the ball forward. Keep an eye out for him playing and creating dangerous opportunities. If he is on against Austin, it could spell trouble. Unfortunately, Aaronson hasn't been able to find such consistency yet this season.
Well, of course he's the X factor! He even has an X in his name!
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
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It's a Denverde Saturday!
One of the most lively away matches of the year for Austin FC fans is the trip to Commerce City, dubbed "Denverde" back in 2021 when it was just the club's second away match (indeed, second-ever match, in the days leading up to Q2 Stadium's opening), first goal in club history (courtesy of Diego Fagundez), and first win in club history.
To get some insights on the matchup between the current 13th and 14th-place teams in the West, we checked in with Eamon Shaw of Burgundy Wave — or, more precisely, he reached out to us as we were looking to check that off our to-do list. (Our answers to his questions is already up.)
We'll also have some additional insights woven into our latest episode of Emergency Podcast, up later today.
To the questions!
Rafael Navarro leads the team with 12 goal contributions, but he's also been the subject of transfer rumors in the past. Is he still a player who could move for a hefty sum, or is he more of an anchor for the team going forward?
Rafael Navarro has settled in nicely for Colorado. In the past seasons, he's played extremely well and at a very high level, which has garnered him plenty of attention from outside of the MLS. If you were to ask me this question last season, or the year before, I'd say Navarro could definitely be a player to leave for a hefty sum. Now, I disagree and have started to view him as an anchor for the team going forward. He served as captain several times this season, and he's established himself as an experienced leader for the burgundy boys.
How is Matt Wells working out as head coach? The Rapids are 13th in the West, but is that attributable to him, or are there other factors to point to in explaining a less-than-ideal place in the table?
Yes, Colorado sits 13th in the West, a less than ideal position more than halfway into this season. I would say that Wells has worked out well so far for the Rapids. It's been difficult to judge. He's come into the head coach position leading a very young MLS side, and attempting to bring a new culture and identity to the Rocky Mountains. That feat is always going to be a difficult one.
Tactically, he demands much more from Colorado than we have seen in the past. It's been an up and down season for the Rapids. They looked exceptionally well early on in the season, and were attacking with threat, bringing unpredictability, and pace. It seems this way has come to a bit of a stall. Whether that's due to Wells, or teams just simply finding more solutions to the danger that Wells brings, it's up for debate. I do appreciate the mentality and culture he has brought into the club, but with a young squad, a bit of an overhaul needed, and culture changing, results won't be automatic.
Who is an "X factor" player we should look for to impact Saturday's match, and why?
As far as an "X" factor player, I would look no further than Paxten Aaronson. Although he's been a bit out of form this season and not creating or impacting as much as Colorado fans would like, he can change the game in a snap of the finger. Aaronson is dangerous in the pockets and bringing the ball forward. Keep an eye out for him playing and creating dangerous opportunities. If he is on against Austin, it could spell trouble. Unfortunately, Aaronson hasn't been able to find such consistency yet this season.
Well, of course he's the X factor! He even has an X in his name!
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
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