Know The Foe: Rapids look to stay hot against the Houston Dynamo

We chatted with our friends over at The Dynamo Theory (SB Nation’sHoust Dynamo FC site) to get an idea of what Saturday’s match in Texas may look like

The Colorado Rapids (2-1-0, 6 pts) will look to extend their recent winning form as they kick off at PNC Stadium at 6:30 p.m. m.t. Fraser’s side is riding a two-game winning streak following consecutive home wins over Atlanta United FC and Sporting Kansas City. Rapids forward Diego Rubio scored his second goal is as many games, while William Yarbourgh played fantastically.

Houston will continue a two-game homestand on Saturday following a 2-1 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC last weekend.

“You just have to know where the danger comes from with Houston,” said Fraser ahead of the match in a news release. “They have a number of players who are good attacking players. Darwin Quintero is in great form at the moment and he’s the type of player who, if he’s full of confidence, he’s a real handful... So we certainly have to keep in mind their personnel and the players who can hurt us the most and be mindful of that in terms of how we set up defensively.”

Here’s what Dustyn Richardson had to say in response to my questions. To see what I said about the Rapids, click here.

How do fans feel about the team after three games of play?

There is a renewed confidence around the Dynamo fan base. The results haven’t been great, a win, draw, and loss, but there is a clear vision now from the new front office and coaching staff. There is a group of the fan base that is already frustrated, that’s what fans do right, but I think most people realize there is a rebuild happening, and it’s going to take some time.

What are the expectations for this season, and will the club end their playoff drought?

A playoff appearance would be great. Like I said before, this team is trying to rebuild into a solid MLS club again, and Rome wasn’t built in a day. If the team can put up some results before summer and Hector Herrera arrives, there will be a renewed energy to get back into the playoffs and end that drought.

Who is your player to watch for Saturday?

Darwin Quintero made the MLS Team of The Week after scoring a brace but I think the player to watch Saturday will be Sebastian Ferreira. Ferreira is the club-record signing who has yet to score in his first 3 games. The Dynamo need to get him going and I think they will make it a point now with Darwin Quintero and Adalberto Carrasquilla joining the starting lineup. Look for Ferreira to be a factor this weekend.

What is the outside perspective on the Rapids right now?

The Rapids' success without spending big money on any designated players is certainly a model to admire. I know, at least from my perspective, I see Colorado as a team built to contend with a solid roster and coach. It will be interesting to see what they do this summer, if anything, to maybe bring in some stars to theoretically take the next step.