Cole Bassett Hasn’t Been Right in 2025. It’s Holding Colorado Rapids Back.

Commerce City, CO – It’s been a frustrating first half of 2025 for Cole Bassett. Injuries. Different tactical roles in different formations. Not being able to take over games. It’s been turbulent all season. He needs to get right and settled for the Colorado Rapids to truly click.

Let’s start with the injuries. Bassett was gutted to miss the final month last season with a calf injury. He recovered in time to have a normal preseason but had a calf strain that saw him miss the May 3 match at D.C. United. Later that month, he sustained ankle bone bruise that caused him to miss three games in a row. He returned against Orlando City, but re-injured the ankle.

“Felt a little bit of a pop early on. Didn’t feel good,” Bassett told Burgundy Wave. “”Playing through a lot of pain right now. It’s tough. My body hasn’t felt good all year to be honest. I even get a little emotional right now. I can’t help the team in the way I want to. Been dealing with too many injuries.”

Bassett missed both games last week, but he is not listed on this week’s availability report. Presumably, he is available for the 4th of July match against Sporting KC. They scored three goals last Saturday without him and Djordje Mihailović, which could relieve some pressure.

The tactics have been chopped and changed as well. Head Coach Chris Armas hasn’t been able to settle on a formation or lineup for several reasons. Injuries across the team have caused that. He’s also been experimenting with shape amid streaks in form. They started the season in a 4-3-3. There was the 4-4-2 experiment with Darren Yapi starting, which worked in a massive 3-2 home win against San Diego then went winless in five.

“If I can just look at myself before anybody else and call them out. I’ve got to get healthy to be able to help this team. Play my true position because I haven’t been able to do that much this year.”

The 4-2-3-1, which was fantastic in 2024, has been reprised. Bassett has spent little time in the double pivot alongside longtime academy teammate Oli Larraz. Cole’s role in any of these setups has varied. He’s played at left wing at times.

“On the wing, that’s not my position obviously. It’s trying to do a role for the team. That’s not my best role. You want to put your best players in their best positions,” he said in February after starting on the left at St. Louis City then being moved to midfield at LAFC.

I don’t think Bassett throwing shade at Armas and the coaching staff with these statements. He gets it. The team is trying to find any rhythm. If anyone is versatile enough to take a slightly different role and suffer to help the team succeed, it’s Cole Bassett.

“It doesn’t look like Colorado Rapids football. I don’t think we’re getting after teams enough, putting them under pressure, playing that high intensity football that we were known for last year. That has to change.”

Last year, they were all gas: 61 goals for, 60 against, win games 3-2, outrun everybody. That worked with the 4-2-3-1. Moïse Bombito’s record speed helped paper over the holes left by the riskier game model.

This season, they’ve tried to concede less and have a better rest defense. They weren’t vertical enough to start the year in the 4-3-3. The 4-4-2 didn’t work against teams that don’t play out of the back. The 4-2-2-2 has been too wide open. Bassett, Larraz, and Josh Atencio have tried to find balance when it’s the three of them. It’s not the same as 2021 with Kellyn Acost and Jack Price.

The 4-2-2-2 is a bit narrow. Basset’s best role starts has a deep-lying playmaker who then covers ground going forward, starting attacks then crashing the box. Take pressure of Mihailović and the defense, make it seamless for the wingers in front of him. He hasn’t gotten consistent playing time in the same role in the same shape to be able to do that.

Then there’s the emotional bit. Bassett cares as much about this team as anyone. He gets frustrated when he or the team aren’t playing well. He shows that at times. As Rapids 2 coach Erik Bushey would remind him during their academy days, there’s a time and a place for that to help. There’s times that’s detrimental. ‘Goal Bassett’ is the best Cole Bassett. He’s only been able to contribute 1 goal, 2 assists this year.

How do you press teams from the front, go at them in transition, and protect yourself against counter attacks into space? How do you do that when your star midfielder who made that work in harmony last year hasn’t been clicking? How do you get him going without benching/moving someone else who’s been healthier and more consistent?

“I haven’t taken control of games this year, set the tone like I did last year. That needs to be a point of emphasis going forward. I go make the team click, making sure we have the right tempo. Right now, it’s all over the place. We’re not in control,” a frustrated but mature Bassett explained.

For this team to build on what they did last year, Bassett has to stay healthy and get going. ‘Goal Bassett’ needs to make a comeback. Armas might have to find a way to fit the pieces together that doesn’t require Bassett to be a round peg in a square hole. Bassett might have to control games when not in a double pivot or three-man midfield.

The Rapids still have time to harmonize with Bassett orchestrating everything.

Photo Credit: Mark Shaiken

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