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Jermaine Jones set to make Rapids return following long-term injury

Photo by Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports
Photo by Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rapids are in contention for a Supporters’ Shield without one of their biggest stars. Now, with just one week remaining in the MLS season, it appears he’s ready to come back.

According to the Denver Post, Jermaine Jones may return to the Rapids lineup as soon as this weekend against against the Houston Dynamo. Jones has been out of action since the Fourth of July with what has now been revealed to be an injury to his lateral collateral ligament, which was nearly ripped completely off the bone.

“This is why it took so long,” Jones told the Denver post. “We were trying to keep it (quiet). But it was a bad injury and I was lucky. The doctor told me if it was ripped from the bone (completely) I would be out 6-8 months. It’s 14 weeks I think.

“It’s so far a good season, and now I see (the injury) from a different way,” Jones added. “I say, ‘Colorado gets a new player for the playoffs.’ I try to give my impact to the team what I showed already, I try to score goals and hope that we can say, at the end of the season, that we are champions.”

Due to injury and U.S. Men’s National Team duty, Jones has made just eight appearances since joining the Rapids prior to the 2016 season. In those eight appearances, though, he provided three goals and two assists.

Jones added that he hopes to get some “good minutes” in this weekend’s match against the Dynamo. Entering the weekend, the Rapids need a win and an FC Dallas loss to keep their Supporters’ Shield hopes alive.

Comments

  1. If Jones is able to play Sunday and in the Rapids two semi final games I expect him to be on the roster. He has three weeks to to gain match fitness.

    Guzan, Howard, Horvath
    Yedlin, Cameron, Brooks, Johnson, Besler, Chandler, Birnbaum, Gonzo
    Kljestan, Bradley, Pulisic, Bedoya, Williams, Arriola, Gooch, JONES
    Altidore, Wood, Green, Morris

    I mean who is the alternative in that final Midfield spot: Beckerman, Zusi, Nagbe. Either Nagbe or Zusi will have had almost 3 weeks off because of not making the playoffs, plus Nagbe’s reported issue with JK, and is Jones on one wheel better than Beckerman? I still wouldn’t count out Becks over Gooch or Arriola though.

    Reply
      • With Zardes unavailable currently and Nagbe (possibly out if the rumors are true, big if) there aren’t that many other guys out there. Finlay will be off for three weeks with the Crew out, Agudelo is likely to be out of the playoffs as well. You have a way out there shot for Gatt who has been doing well in Norway, but hasn’t been with the Nats in a long time. Johannsson hasn’t played since the new manager was brought in, Boyd isn’t playing 1st team yet, Rubin isn’t playing so you could call Green a midfielder and bring another forward, but that would be Wondo. Arriola playing in Liga Mx gives him an advantage, at least in JKs eyes he likes the Liga Mx guys against Mexico and Central American teams. He could also bring Orozco as either Yedlin, Chandler, or Johnson could back up on the wing, but again is that better than a not 100% Jones, we’ll have to see how he plays.

        Our pool is much wider, but I’m not sure how deep it is.

    • The time frame just doesn’t add up to me. You have to think Colorado is going to bring him along slowly(they’d be stupid not too), especially considering they haven’t really missed a beat since he’s been injured. The National team is not where you bring guys in to gain full fitness and form so i don’t see him being an option for those games but i could however see him being called in to train or for JK to get a look at him to see where he is.

      Reply
  2. Considering his age and how long he’s been out, i find it very hard and almost impossible that he’d be called in for the next set of qualifiers. It takes more than a month for any player, especially one coming off of a major surgery, to find a good rhythm and form. Starting with Mejico and Los Ticos is no question murders row, but i think we’ve built enough depth and have enough quality to be able to get results without the likes of JJ in his current state. However, in saying that i think over the years we have seen JJ do things our younger players couldn’t from an athletic and mental standpoint so it would be foolish for even me to doubt him!

    Reply

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