Consistent Rapids working through defensive changes
Rookie Scott Palguta earns starting role after injury to Ty Harden
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The defense has been steady as well, but it's been the area of most frequent fluctuation. Preston Burpo earned a start in L.A. in the season's third week when Matt Pickens suffered back spasms, and Burpo has held the post in front of the net ever since.
The other significant change has been a shift in the back four for the pair of road games against the last two MLS Cup champions, Columbus and Houston. Opting for a bigger back line, head coach Gary Smith started Ty Harden in center beside Cory Gibbs in Columbus, shifting Ugo Ihemelu outside and putting Kosuke Kimura on the bench.
Rookie Scott Palguta was beside Kimura on the bench in Columbus, looking for his first MLS action after four years with the USL-1 Rochester Rhinos. When Harden pulled a hamstring early in the first half, Palguta found opportunity knocking even sooner than he'd anticipated.
"It was a bit unexpected, because nobody thought Ty would go down after 17 minutes," Palguta said. "I was on the bench prepared to play, but I didn't know my name would get called so early."
His "welcome to the MLS" moment came soon enough, when Emmanuel Ekpo found MLS MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto at the spot, setting up the go-ahead goal.
"I'd only been in the game about 15 minutes and they scored the goal on us," Palguta said. "It was Schelotto, with a classy finish. It just opened my eyes and I realized that one of the big differences between the level I came from and this level is that mistakes are punished at a much greater rate. You have to keep that in mind. We gave the ball away, our positioning was off - and boom, goal, just like that."
Smith was impressed enough with Palguta's play to start him in Houston, and he appears slated to make his first start at Dick's Sporting Goods Park when the Rapids play host to the LA Galaxy Saturday. Kimura returned to the starting 11 in Houston when a groin injury made Gibbs unavailable, and with Gibbs and Harden still unlikely starters as they continue to recover, the same back line from Houston will likely be in place in Commerce City.
Palguta has shown the ability to adapt quickly to the U.S. top flight, and his work in the center beside Gibbs in Columbus and Ihemelu in Houston has given the team confidence that they can take a hit or two among their defenders without missing a step.
"I thought my transition went pretty smoothly, considering I hadn't played any MLS games before," Palguta said. "I kind of got thrown right into the fire. All in all, we fought back and got a draw in Columbus, which was great. We didn't win the game, but everybody was pretty pleased with the way we fought back. We at least got a point out of it.
"Considering how poorly we started in Houston, the fact that we had a penalty late in the game and could have come back and tied or even won it late in the game, showed a lot, and I felt like I transitioned pretty well from being on the bench for a couple weeks to getting thrown right in there. It wasn't easy, but the guys around me have helped a lot. It's helped having leadership in front and behind you."
He's also benefiting from the leadership on the sidelines, where his coach from Rochester, Steve Guppy, is serving as Smith's assistant coach. Palguta was a standout starter at Rochester, and he has shown the ability to move forward and contribute on the attack from as far back as his college days at Cornell. He scored four goals and eight assists with Rochester.
When Gibbs and Ihemelu are both healthy, it's hard to find room for another Rapids center back, but with both having suffered their share of injuries in the past and both hoping for more potential U.S. national team call-ups in their future, the slots in the back third remain constantly in play.
"No matter who we throw out there, the chemistry amongst all of us is pretty good," Palguta said. "Obviously every day we come out here there's a lot of competition for jobs between myself, Ugo, Corey, Ty, and Mike [Holody]. Everybody's competing for those two center back spots.
"But the competition has been really friendly," Palguta added. "No matter who's playing, guys are supportive of one another. Down the line that's going to prove pretty helpful. Whoever's not playing isn't bitter about it. They support the guys. They come out to training, work hard, and try to get their spot back."
That sincere team approach has been critical to the Rapids' strong showing early in the season facing a challenging schedule and formidable opponents. There has been no shortage of disappointment from those edged out of the starting 11, but the commitment throughout the 24-man roster to push themselves and each other has resulted in a team confident it can compete in any venue in the league.
Owen Perkins is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
