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Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Fall Deeper After Suffering 0-4 Loss To Real Salt Lake

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

After giving myself 36 hours to think about the match, I can finally dive right into it. The Whitecaps let in another extra-time goal but for some reason it did not sting as much as the previous four. They gave up a goal in the first and last minutes of the game as Real Salt Lake took control early. It was almost poetic. 

With one win in nine matches, the Whitecaps were hoping to build off of the little momentum of back-to-back road draws against the Seattle Sounders and FC Dallas. Unfortunately for the Whitecaps, it just did not happen. It’s not like they played terrible, they just did not look like a team. There appeared to be a plan set by Marc dos Santos, but no one seemed to be on the same page. The result showed that. 

Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-3-3

Real Salt Lake: 

Match Details

Scoring Summary

1’ – RSL – Damir Kreilach (assisted by Aaron Herrera)

57’ – RSL – Damir Kreilach (assisted by Justin Meram)

74’ – RSL – Albert Rusnak (penalty kick)

90’+4 – RSL – Anderson Julio

Statistics

Possession: VAN 55.2 – RSL 44.8

Shots: VAN 10 – RSL 18

Shots on Goal: VAN 2 – RSL 8

Saves: VAN 4 – RSL 2

Fouls: VAN 7 – RSL 9

Offsides: VAN 0 – RSL 0

Corners: VAN 5 – RSL 4

Cautions

24’ – RSL – Pablo Ruiz (yellow)

81’ – RSL – Donny Toia (yellow)

 

Match Report

“We don’t deserve to have nine points, but we don’t deserve to have 16 points either. Maybe we deserve to have 12 or 13 points, so nine is heavy on us,” he said. “It’s a very difficult scenario we’re in. We have to find solutions, and we will for sure.

Image via Lucas Muller

The Whitecaps are officially on an eight match winless streak or only have one win in ten matches. Whichever way you spin it, it is not looking good for the Whitecaps. They cement themselves at the bottom of the Western Conference but now find themselves in a three team race for the bottom of the entire league. The only teams below them are Inter Miami and fellow countrymen, Toronto FC. Coach Marc dos Santos seems to think we deserve a better fate, but I’m not so sure on that one. 

To start things off, RSL got going early after a nice ball in behind the backline. Justin Meram did well to flick the ball to Damir Kreilach. From there the RSL #8 did well to get a toe to the shot, which deflected off of Erik Godoy and over Thomas Hasal to open the scoring for the visitors.

It was a tough blow to concede so early especially for Hasal who has not started since his injury last year. What a way to go in your first start, with a howler… To be fair the defense did not do him justice as Godoy did not track back quick enough. You have to play a bit tighter with a player like Kreilach.

The rest of the first half was fairly uneventful despite a couple chances for both teams. The Whitecaps did a good job at holding possession, 55%,  and controlling the game for the most part. They were hoping to build momentum going into the break. They just needed to generate chances. 

Like most of the season, the Whitecaps went into the second half with a bit of fire under their asses. Brian White and Cristian Dajome had a couple of excellent chances but they just could not capitalize. These missing chances would prove to haunt them as RSL came knocking soon after. 

After a great stop from Hasal, RSL winger Justin Meram whipped in a wonderful ball into the box for an unmarked Kreilach who headed it right into the back of the net. Netting himself a brace in the process. Another defensive relapse where the player loses his man. This seems to be a trend as of late…

After being down two goals in the second you would think most teams would be down and out. Especially against a solid defensive team like RSL. After some good saves from Hasal, it seemed as though the young keeper could help this team build some momentum for a comeback. 

Whitecaps came at RSL with a couple of incredibly close chances thanks to efforts from Deiber Caicedo and Brian White again. Caicedo helped set up both chances but White could not get the ball in the net. Despite having a 1v1 with the keeper. This is not the first time White has botched a couple chances. This is someone the FO paid $400k for by the way. 

Not taking your chances proves costly for the Whitecaps. RSL would once again punish them for their lack of cutting edge. Once again, it would be Meram, with the veteran doing well to win a penalty in the 73rd minute. Giving his team a chance for a third and the game ending goal. RSL DP Albert Rusnak stepped up to the spot, and he made no mistake with his effort, putting it past Hasal into the corner.

While it was a good penalty by Rusnak, I have to commend Hasal for having good awareness and positioning as he was almost able to get a hand on it. The young Canadian has potential, he just needs a little bit more time to grow. 

Not much happened for either team for the rest of the match. The next bit of action did not happen until the dying minutes of the game. After coming on as a substitute, Anderson Julio scores an absolute rocket in the 94th minute giving the fans a memorable victory.

Post Match Thoughts

I can’t say I am too happy about this loss. The last few matches have hurt a bit but this just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. The Whitecaps have extended their winless streak to eight games now and are just one away from tying the clubs previous record of nine. I understand that without two of our main starters it would be a tough match but I did not expect this. 

There is something to be said about our Canadian neighbor Toronto FC though. I’m sure fans and neutrals alike don’t forget that they recently fired their coach after such a poor start of the season. It’s safe to guess that something like this for Marc dos Santos is in the minds of fans everywhere. We were all a bit surprised when Sportstalkonline’s Joshua Griffith asked point-blank if he thought he was the man to coach this team. 

Naturally he responded with: 

“One hundred per cent, yes. But it’s a question to ask somebody else.”

 

The Whitecaps have ten days to prepare for the next match thanks to the Gold Cup. They have two more games scheduled at Rio Tinto before hitting the road for the next three. With restrictions lightening up, and Toronto and Montreal announcing their returns to Canada, one of the biggest factors working against the Caps may be removed. 

Let’s hope this prospect of going home helps build momentum going forward. If not, I fear what could happen to the team otherwise. 

“First thing it’s gonna take for us (to turn it around) is to go back home. I think that’s such an important factor, and it’s been very hard on all of us to be here. That’s the No. 1 thing,” said Dos Santos. “It’s a big factor always playing away, but one thing is playing away. There’s no doubt that we have to make sure that we go back to Vancouver as fast as possible.”

“I’m gonna have to be creative, I’m gonna have to find solutions. And I’m gonna have to think about that very well but I’m incredibly motivated to prepare for the next game.”

 

The Whitecaps now enter a 10-day break between matches before another Western Conference contest against LA Galaxy on Saturday, July 17 at Rio Tinto Stadium. Kickoff  is set for 7 p.m. PT. You can catch the match live on TSN1/4 and ESPN+.

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Image via Vancouver Whitecaps Twitter
Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Concede Late Yet Again to Earn a 2-2 Draw Against FC Dallas

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

Heading into a bottom of the table battle on Sunday night, it was important that the Whitecaps get literally anything from this match. They needed a way to stop from being even further down in the Western Conference standings. Which is hard considering they are at the bottom right now. 

Dallas has never been too kind to Vancouver as the Whitecaps have only picked up one win in the last 10 matches. History was not on the Whitecaps’ side heading into this one. 

After 90 minutes and eight minutes of extra time (MY GOD), the Whitecaps left Texas with a single point. Although it was a 2-2 draw, that felt like a loss after giving up their fourth stoppage time goal in four matches. Throwing away a half time lead that had seen Lucas Cavallini cancel out Ricardo Pepi’s opener and Andy Rose sending them into the break up by one. 

This seems to be becoming a trend for the Whitecaps as of late and I am not here for it. Their season is far from over, but it’s starting to hang in the balance here. Lost points, like the ones they saw slip away from them in this game, have played a huge role in that.

Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-3-3

FC Dallas: 4-2-3-1

Match Details

Scoring Summary

22′ – DAL – Ricardo Pepi (assisted by Jesús Ferreira)

30′ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (assisted by Cristian Dájome)

45’+2 – VAN – Andy Rose (assisted by Déiber Caicedo)

90’+4 – DAL – Ranko Veselinović (own goal)

Statistics

Possession: DAL 57.3 – VAN 42.7

Shots: DAL 17 – VAN 5

Shots on Goal: DAL 8 – VAN 2

Saves: DAL 0 – VAN 7

Fouls: DAL 11 – VAN 11

Offsides: DAL 0 – VAN 1

Corners: DAL 7 – VAN 5

Cautions

18′ – DAL – Jáder Obrian (yellow)

45’+3 – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (yellow)

67′ – DAL – Bryan Acosta (yellow)

72′ – VAN – Caio Alexandre (yellow)

’90’+1 – VAN – Patrick Metcalfe (yellow)

90’+5 – VAN – Jake Nerwinski (yellow)

 

Match Report

“I understand exactly where we are. I don’t want to give a rallying call or anything like that, but I hope the people see that and choose to stick with us. We need to become more consistent. In these last few weeks going up against good teams away from home, I think we’ve shown a lot of really encouraging passages of play. I think we’re getting really comfortable in this 4-3-3. There’s a real identity forming.” 

To start off the match, Marc Dos Santos only made one single change in the lineup for this one. Javain Brown coming back in at right back, with Janio Bikel moving back into the midfield, and Michael Baldisimo dropping out with an injury.

FC Dallas getting an early boost from their home fans really helped them settle into the match right away. Having started strong, Dallas’ Ricardo Pepi, managed first to pick up an excellent left-footed chance after a good pass, before getting a shot off the rebound after a Crepeau save. Then, despite the second point-blank chance, Crepeau’s heroics kept the game at 0-0 early on. 

It took only ten minutes for them to get the breakthrough and it was the young American, Pepi, who did the damage. After running between the two Whitecaps centre backs, he headed home a powerful Jesus Ferreira cross in the 23rd minute. Crepeau got a hand to it, and perhaps could have got a stronger one on it, but it was 1-0 Dallas.

While it was a frustrating goal to see, you have to commend the Whitecaps’ ability to fight right back. Many feared the worst but the Whitecaps made sure to end those fears moments later. 

Miraculously in the 30th minute, Cristian Dajome broke up the right, sending a low ball into the box that a Dallas defender failed to clear. The ball broke to Cavallini, who took a nice sideways touch to make room and fire home past Dallas keeper Jimmy Maurer to level the match and score Vancouver’s first, first half goal of the season. It’s taken them a while but I will take it.

That looked to be the last of the first half action as the game’s one minute of stoppage time came and nearly went. Suddenly, again from nowhere, from another Dallas defensive error, the Whitecaps found themselves in a shock lead. 

The Whitecaps found themselves a way to claw the game back in their favor. Deiber Caicedo stepped up to take a corner right at the 45th minute. He delivered in a beautiful cross finding Andy Rose for a towering header to give the Whitecaps a 2-1 lead heading into the break!

Going into the half with confidence, it felt as though the Whitecaps could pull through and snap out of this winless funk. A funk lasting 6 games might I add. But FC Dallas did not give in without a fight. Being down at the break sprung some life into the home team and they laid siege on the Whitecaps defenders. 

Unsurprisingly, the Whitecaps were having trouble getting out of their half and were unable to create anything. To be fair, they were also dealing with everything that Dallas was throwing at them. This continued for the rest of the half as the Whitecaps hunkered down and dried to defend their lead. 

The match settled down after a couple of Dallas chances but nothing really came of them. That was all until stoppage time came. After what has happened the last four games, we kind of knew what to expect from the Whitecaps in this situation. 

Dallas continued to push, and with that, the Whitecaps’ lead disappeared, as Dallas found their breakthrough in the 93rd minute. After a dangerous ball in from a wide area, defenders Rose and substitute Ranko Veselinovic crossed their signals at the near post, and the ball bounced off of Vesel and in for the own goal.

This one stung like a wasp. While it seemed as though things were starting to change, it just all came right back. Vancouver will breathe a sigh of relief at not giving up another stoppage time winner. The one goal they did give up will certainly have them leaving Texas with the feeling of two points tossed out the window. 

Questions have to be asked about the laps in judgement in extra time. The fact that there is now a pattern for Whitecaps defenders to just click off during extra time. This should not be happening so frequently. The team almost appears like they don’t want to shoot for that third goal but rather sit back and wait. 

The best form of defense is to attack, but despite MDS wanting this from his players, they just seem unable to get themselves out of these situations. Whether it’s the coaching or the players, something needs to change soon. 

Getting a point out of two tough opponents like Seattle and Dallas may be considered a win for some, but the Dallas draw feels like points lost as opposed to the latter. Every point is crucial at this stage of the season. Things are gearing up and it’s time for teams to step up. 

Some will say the Whitecaps are unbeaten in two, but all I see is one win out of ten matches. They are bottom of the table, six points off a playoff spot, and are still with a #10. So many factors go into this teams’ rough season and it’s a long road ahead. Let’s see if they can get back onto the right track. 

 

The Whitecaps find themselves with a mid-week match-up with Utah neighbors Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium this Wednesday, July 7. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT. You can catch the match live on TSN1/4 and ESPN+

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Stumble into International Break After 2-1 Loss

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

The Whitecaps head into the international break with a 3 match losing streak after falling 2-1 to the  Houston Dynamo. They were hoping that this clash against the Houston Dynamo would give them some life heading into the break, but instead, they were left reeling after the defeat to their MLS Western Conference rivals. 

Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-4-2/4-3-3

 

Houston Dynamo: 4-3-3

 

Match Stats

Scoring Summary:

8‘ – HOU – Memo Rodríguez

42‘ – HOU – Maximiliano Urruti (Memo Rodríguez)

80‘ – VAN – Déiber Caicedo (Lucas Cavallini)

Statistics:

Possession: HOU 39.1% – VAN 60.9%

Shots: HOU 14 – VAN 11

Shots on Goal: HOU 3 – VAN 2

Saves: HOU 1 – VAN 1

Fouls: HOU 15 – VAN 10

Offsides: HOU 1 – VAN 1

Corners: HOU 6 – VAN 6

Cautions:

21‘ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (Yellow)

22‘ – HOU – Derrick Jones (Yellow)

32‘ – HOU – Joe Corona (Yellow)

52‘ – VAN – Janio Bikel (Yellow)

81‘ – VAN – Michael Baldisimo (Yellow)

82‘ – HOU – Boniek García (Yellow)

88‘ – HOU – Fafa Picault (Yellow)  

 

Match Review

After a strong start to the season, the best we have seen under MDS so far, the Whitecaps have lost 3 games in a row after Saturday. We are finding ourselves back to where we started last year, after seemingly making positive strides to start the new year. 

The Whitecaps would start off the match with most of the possession but found themselves woken up in the eighth minute thanks to Dynamo midfielder, Memo Rodriguez. Memo pounced on a loose ball in the area to give Houston the early advantage. 

After the first goal, the Whitecaps would continue to hold the majority of possession and a few chances came with it. Thanks to efforts from Alexandre, Cava, and rookie Javain Brown, it appeared as though the boys had a bit of spark to them. 

Naturally, no goals came from those chances but they were a solid effort as the team did not look down and out. They continued to apply pressure to try and get themselves back into the game. 

However, the Dynamo were not having it. Having escaped the swarm of pressure practically unscathed, Houston would make the Whitecaps pay for their poor finishing, as Urruti would find his team’s 2nd goal in the 42nd minute. Off of a corner, he found himself completely unmarked at the back post, allowing him to volley home an emphatic finish to extend the lead. 

We go into the half down by two having failed to capitalize on key chances. MDS also brought on Baldisimo at the half for Teibert who was having another mediocre game. How he continues to start is beyond me. It also appeared that the Whitecaps moved to a 4-3-3 (should have been from the start by the way) formation, just like last match against Minnesota. 

Unfortunately, it was just too much of the same old story for the Whitecaps while on the  road. They came out of the gates slowly and were deservedly punished for it. Because of this, they spent the rest of the match just trying to drag themselves back into it. 

The second half wouldn’t see too many chances fall for either side, a few here and there but nothing too exciting. It wasn’t until in the 80th minute that the Whitecaps found some life thanks to a giveaway at the back from the Dynamo. Cavallini picked up the loose ball and found Caicedo wide open inside the box, who calmly dribbled past the Dynamo goalkeeper and smashed the ball into the back of the net. 

This would be Caicedo’s first goal of the season! He has been hungry for it and 100% deserved it. This would also be the Whitecaps’ first goal from open play all season. 6.5 matches, or 620 minutes… That is scary to even think about. But for this match, I will take it. 

 

Post Match Thoughts

This match is a weird one to report on. On one hand, you are obviously disappointed in how the match ended as well as our recent form, 3 losses in a row… But then on the other, you have to admire how they did not put their heads down and give up. They still fight for every match, it’s just that they should not be trying to dig themselves out of the hole they already created. 

The story is the same as it has been over the last few years, the Whitecaps are just their own enemy. This is costing the team so many points and it’s just going to bite them in the butt more often than none. This lengthy international break could not come at a better time. 

We know that MDS likes to stick with trusty 4-4-2 formation cause it is very well balanced. This helps us retain possession so much as well as keep control of the midfield. Despite that, there are just not enough chances being created. It’s time to go full into the 4-3-3. 

The team has done this two matches in a row now, switching formations at the half along with bringing Baldi into the match. The team has more life in it and their play looks much more fluid. It is a small sample size to go with, but I think reassessing the 4-3-3 and making that the main focus going forward would be beneficial. 

 

“Yeah, I think we have an assessment to do,” Dos Santos said. “Okay, we played these first 7 games, we saw the tendencies of each player, we saw the qualities of each player, what’s the best way to originate chances, and now, we have to figure out what’s the best way to play.”

 

With the whole squad being close to being fully healthy, this is a chance for the Whitecaps to reset and find their footing again. Hopefully returning to some sort of the form they showed in the first few games of the season. It’s still early in the season, meaning that there’s still plenty of time to get this ship back on track. I just hope it happens sooner rather than later. 

Following the FIFA international break from May 31 to June 14, the Whitecaps take on Real Salt Lake on Friday, June 18. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT at Rio Tinto Stadium. Watch it on TSN or ESPN+

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Streak Comes to an End

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez


Image via LAFC Twitter

Image via LAFC Twitter

This is a night that the Whitecaps will definitely want to forget… To quote Whitecaps coach, Marc dos Santos, “We have to stop the bleeding…” this is the best way to sum up this match. The Whitecaps had their two-match winning streak snapped on yesterday evening, falling 6-0 to LAFC in a howler of a match. Defensive blunders, no shape, nothing going forward, and ZERO shots on target all match. This is not going to be fun…

Lineups: 

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-2-3-1

A couple changes going into the Banc of California Stadium for the boys from Vancouver. I did not really agree with Bair getting the nod ahead of an inform Montero. I feel like he could have been the deciding factor to set the pace of the match. 

  • Theo Bair for Adnan at RW

  • Cavallini for Montero at ST

  • Baldisimo for Teibert at CDM

  • Meridith for Hasal at GK

LAFC: 4-3-3

Match Stats

Referee: Rubiel Vazquez

Scoring Summary

2′ – LAFC – Dejan Jakovic (assisted by Brian Rodríguez)

5′ – LAFC – Bradley Wright-Phillips

11′ – LAFC – Bradley Wright-Phillips

14′ – LAFC – Ranko Veselinović (own goal)

33′ – LAFC – Diego Rossi (assisted by Mark-Anthony Kaye)

68′ – LAFC – Andy Rose (own goal)

Statistics

Possession: LAFC 65.1% – VAN 34.9%

Shots: LAFC 19 – VAN 7

Shots on Goal: LAFC 11 – VAN 0

Saves: LAFC 0 – VAN 7

Fouls: LAFC 10 – VAN 10

Offsides: LAFC 3 – VAN 0

Corners: LAFC 12 – VAN 2

Cautions:

27′ – VAN – Michael Baldisimo (yellow)

83′ – LAFC – Jordan Harvey (yellow)

Match Review

“Must focus on stopping the bleeding and survive to the end… Very hard to explain why we looked how we did…”

This was MDS’ message to the players coming on as a sub in the match. This was one of those games where you kind of just wanted it to end. Right from kick off you could almost tell there was something not right. Within 6 seconds of the match starting, the Whitecaps lost the ball after a botched long ball from the defense. This felt like it set the tone for the entire match. 

Hearing MDS speak before the match sounded reassuring. It sounded like the team was primed and ready to fight for that third win in a row. There were a few players who were deemed not medically fit to play. Two of which are regular starters (Hasal and Teibert), but it felt like we have enough depth at those positions so we should be okay? And we were, in more of a general sense.

LAFC came out flying and took advantage early scoring within two minutes of kick off. Granted it was from a corner kick, but still. It did not take long for LAFC to hit another one as Bradley Wright-Phillips tapped one in in the 5th minute. He then added another in the 11th minute with a fantastic scorpion kick. Who even gets a brace in the first half let alone in the first 15 minutes?! From then it was just one mistake after another. In the 14th minute, Jankovic had an own goal making it 4-0 within the first 15 minutes. By the end of the half it was 5-0 in LA with Diego Rossi hitting in number 5. They hit the ground running from the start and had no intention of letting go. 

Owusu came on as a sub for Theo Bair in the 21st minute for tactical reasons. Which makes sense cause VWFC were losing the midfield battle and it was rough. Even from then on, there was almost no shape for this Whitecaps team. They almost looked completely different to how they’ve looked in the 3 previous matches. There was no service to Cava and the wings. They could not retain possession or even string more than 4 passes together. 

The second half was much better but still not good enough. Fredy Montero, who was MOTM  in both previous matches mind you, did not come on until the 56th minute. He looked lively and brought some intensity to an otherwise dull Whitecaps side. There was not much excitement besides that from a VWFC perspective. The next goal came from another own goal, this time coming from Andy Rose, after one of LAFC’s 12 corner kicks. 

Post Match Thoughts

On the more positive side of things, Brian Merideth, previously with the Seattle Sounder, made his debut today with the Whitecaps. He is replacing an injured Hasal who was not medically cleared by the team doctor. Although the defense did not help much in making this a good debut, Meredith still registered  7 saves. This was also only his second start since the 2013 season. He pulled off some great saves, especially in the second half. If it wasn’t for him, the scoreline could have been much worse. 

It wasn’t the lack of urgency from the players, or the lack of shape in the defensive third at times, or the VWFC twitter account for posting memes for reactions to LAFC’s goals, or hell, even the scoreline. None of that gets to me. It’s the ZERO, ZERO SHOTS ON GOAL. The Whitecaps managed only 7 shots all game but none on target. Although the twitter thing is a close second. This stat is pretty damning considering the possession stat and the saves. I’m going to sound like a broken record with this but, the Whitecaps absolutely need someone to fill that creative number 10 role. We need another creative type player to make those chances for our attackers to score. 

“(We) Might need to assess the energy levels of everyone after a match like that. Have to look at things in a calm way. Have to find a solution. Have to find that answer to battle in away matches.”

In the post match presser, MDS looked visibly disappointed. He was not his normal lively self. He did not want to use the traveling, or fatigue as an excuse on the performance. He shut it down almost right away to divert us from bringing that part up. Which fair play to him, it should not be seen as an excuse. I could tell that there was much more he wanted to say but really couldn’t or really wouldn’t say. He was level headed and wants to get the boys ready to take on Portland Timbers on Sunday. 

It’s time to move on and think about the next matches going forward and hope the Whitecaps can bring themselves back into the playoff mix. They have the quality and talent, it’s just not all there or being utilized. 

The Whitecaps fly back to their “home” in Portland where they are back in action on Sunday at Providence Park. They play as the home side against Cascadia Cup rival Portland Timbers. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST live on TSN2 and ESPN+.

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Two in a Row! Whitecaps Win Back to Back!

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez


Image via Whitecaps FC Twitter

Image via Whitecaps FC Twitter

Two matches. The Whitecaps have won two matches in a row for the first time since May of last year. That is just crazy. The team are in crazy good form and they have been fighting for every match. The boys went to Salt Lake City to take on RSL and came out with a 2-1 victory. A pair of second half goals from Milinkovic, his first of the season, and a lat game winner from Cavallini. A little bit of masterclass from your MOTM, Fredy Montero, sure helped a bit as well. This win also pumps them to 15 points on the season and lands them in a playoff position. If they keep this form up, there is no way they don’t make the playoffs. 

Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-2-3-1

Only one change to the starting 11 this time around. Ali Adnan replaces Bair and swaps sides with Dajome. Adnan is no stranger to LM, but it is a bit out of position. He also offers a different dynamic in the final third and going forward. 

Real Salt Lake: 4-2-3-1

Match Stats

VWFC Man of the Match: Fredy Montero

Referee: Kevin Stott

Scoring Summary

53’ – VAN – David Milinkovic (assisted by Cristian Dájome)

81’ – RSL – Justin Meram (Maikel Chang)

84’ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (assisted by Fredy Montero)

Possession: RSL 63.1% – VAN 36.9%

Shots: RSL 25 – VAN 8

Shots on Goal: RSL 4 – VAN 3

Saves: RSL 1 – VAN 3

Fouls: RSL 12 – VAN 9

Offsides: RSL 0 – VAN 2

Corners: RSL 10 – VAN 6

Cautions

8′ – RSL –  Kyle Beckerman (yellow)

15’ – VAN – Janio Bikel (yellow)

41’ – VAN – Ali Adnan (yellow)

63’ – RSL – Kyle Beckerman (second yellow, red)

68’ – RSL – Donny Toia (yellow)

90’+1′ – VAN – Thomas Hasal (yellow)

90’+2’ – RSL – Corey Baird (yellow)

 

Match Recap

The Whitecaps were riding high after their exciting win against Montreal this last Wednesday. Marc dos Santos and the boys were ready to go and take points in Salt Lake City. Real Salt Lake came out on all cylinders with our defence having to buckle down and take on pressure until the end of the first half. RSL came close to getting on the board a few times and outshot the Whitecaps 13-2 before halftime. Thomas Hasal said, “Not Today” as he was able to conjure up a pair of critical saves to preserve a clean sheet during the first half.

The boys got the opening goal in the 53rd minute when Fredy Montero played a perfectly weighted ball over the top to Cristian Dajome, who passed it back in front of net for a streaking Milinkovic for a go-ahead goal making it 1-0. The goal is the first in MLS for Milinkovic, who also assisted in each of the previous two matches. 

A comeback proved to be difficult for RSL  after Kyle Beckerman got sent off in the 63rd minute. Beckerman drew his second yellow card of the match after VAR showed he actually kicked Hasal’s head in a scrum for the ball in the 6-yard box. His ejection left RSL with only 10 men over the final 27 minutes.

MLS journeyman Justin Meram came to the rescue for RSL as he leveled the score in the 81st minute. Maikel Chang floated a pass into Meram near the back post and headed it forward for his third goal of the season making it 1-1 with just less than 10 minutes left of play.

Just three minutes later, the Whitecaps were off and running! Sprung by a perfectly weighted long ball from Michael Baldisimo. Montero attacked along the right side and left a well-placed cross for Cavallini who slid in for his first MLS game-winner. 

Cavallini came off the bench for the first time after serving a suspension in the last outing against Montreal. Baldisimo now has three assists in his first five MLS matches. The academy graduate has proven himself will be fighting for a place in no time. Montero finished with two assists on the evening, after tallying two goals and an assist this last Wednesday against Montreal Impact.

While the Whitecaps did not play particularly too well, they were still able to grind out a win away. This helps them move in the rankings in the Western Conference. They are now above the line with 15 points and are in a playoff spot!! The boys are in hot form as of late so there is no doubt they can keep it going. 

Cava and Fredy linked up incredibly well once Cava came on. This is exciting news that can potentially prove to be what MDS has been looking for all season. If they can play together, along with Dajome and Milinkovic, then things are going to start looking really good for the Whitecaps. 

Let’s hope they can keep the momentum going and make it 3 wins in a row on Wednesday, September 23 when they visit LAFC. Kickoff at Banc of California Stadium is at 7:30 p.m. PT, live on TSN1 and ESPN+.

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Can the Whitecaps Get Back on Track with New Tactics?

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez


Image via MLS

Image via MLS

Since the restart and the MLS is Back tournament, The  Whitecaps have struggled offensively. They have been shut out in 5 of their last 6 games as of late. Something needs to change quickly, or the fans will be calling for MDS to be out. This piece is going to give some insight on what the team can do to get back on track. 

There is no doubt that the Vancouver Whitecaps have been in an offensive and creative rut as of late. That is evident in the stat line, and their overall play. They are winless since coming back from the restart, MLS is Back does not count; only had a single win anyway. Along with that, they have only registered 4 shots on target in 3 of those last 5 matches. That is the most damning stat. This just shows how little they are able to create in that final third. You have players like Cavalini and Reyna who can score goals, but with no service. This all starts with the shape in the midfield. 

Luckily for them, their time is not quite up. While they may be last in the Canadian Championship race, they can still make their way back to the top. As long as they can make up the goal difference and win out the next four games against the other Canadian teams. In order to do that, they need some sort of creative outlet to get the ball to the forwards running through. 

Looking at the Numbers: 

Like I said above, 4 shots on goal in 3 matches is just something else. Almost impressive how low that number is. Their best chance was the penalty miss from Cavalini last week against Montreal. If you want to get into some of the advanced stats, they’ve only generated 1.7 Expected Goals in that time span as well. The roughly 20 shots they’ve sent towards goal haven’t been from quality positions, hence the limited xG and shots on targets that they’ve created. After scoring through all 6 games of preseason, and scoring in their first 3 games of the regular season, they’ve clearly hit a wall offensively as of late. 

Due to this fact,  it has been a tough time for the defense. They have done well enough to only concede 9 goals in that 6 game span, yet they’ve only won one game in that time. That lone victory coming against the Chicago Fire at MLS is Back tournament. While those 9 goals is not anything to write home about, it is still better considering how much space they tend to give their opponents. 6 of these goals came from two games so there are some positives to look at. It is evident that Marc Dos Santos’ obsession with the 3-5-2 and 5-3-2 formations are working defensively. 

Formation Shifts: 

At the start of the season, MDS and the Whitecaps seemed to come out in a 4-3-3 formation nearly every game. It played to the strengths of the players and it made their play much more fluid and entertaining. The shutdown and restart changed all of that. Many players opted out or even came in injured. This did not help with the player selection process as many of those players were starters including Jaino Bikal, Erik Godoy, and Fredy Montero. 

Not having his players has caused MDS to do some experimenting with the formations and playing players out of position. The go to has been the 5-3-2 formation. This formation in particular is interesting. It is VERY defensive minded and is usually used in cases where the team using it needs to bunker down against stringer attacking teams.

With this in mind, it is no wonder why they can’t seem to create many chances. They seem to just sit back and wait for the opposing offense to come forward. 


Caps Press 1.png

The picture above just shows how far even the forwards are and they just allow the Montreal defenders to have time to set up the next pass. This does not even show the rest of the team’s shape. 


Caps Press 2 part 2.png

The Whitecaps’ defensive shape is actually really impressive and very tight. Which is why they have not had many goals go through, besides the two where 3 goals went in. Despite this, they are still allowing too much space for the opposing teams to really do what they want. 

With the team sitting so far back, they have no real way to get into an offensive rhythm and make those key passes to get some chances going. Not having the correct players for this formation definitely does not help either. 

Andy Rose, who is a midfielder, is playing at CB. While he has excelled there and said in an interview last week that he enjoys it, it is not his natural position. There is also Cristian Dajome, who is playing wingback but is definitely an out and out winger. Dajome has struggled to make an impact in this role. The players at times, have no idea where to go next in the 5-3-2. 

MDS has even tried to go with a 3-5-2, which is very similar to the 5-3-2 just a bit more offensive. The same struggles that the team faces applies to both formations. They tend to press higher a bit more in the 3-5-2, but it still leads to nothing since there are only 3 natural defenders on the field. This is where they get caught the most on the counter attack. This is shown in the last game against Montreal where Dajome was not in the correct spot and got beat down the line leading to a goal. 

Which Formation Will Work Best: 

Based on the players at MDS’s disposal, I firmly believe that a 4-3-3 or a 4-3-2-1 would get the most out of the players. Both formations allow the players to play in their natural positions and will give them more clarity in their roles on the pitch. This will also force them to be higher up the pitch to go fully into a press when they need to win the ball back when they lose the ball. 

4-3-3

The 4-3-3 allows more bodies up the pitch and adds to the press. This tactic worked last week when they had Cavalini, Dajome, and Milinkovic as the front 3 in the latter part of the match. They also showed much more tenacity in the final third and were able to put together a few string of passes.  You could tell just by how the players were moving and playing that they were much more comfortable. 

Even with them missing Bikel and Godoy, they can still provide a strong lineup to challenge for the Canadian series. While switching to a 4-3-3, the lineup could look like this: 

Hasal

Nerwinski Veselinovic Cornellius Adnan

Owusu Rose       Teibert

Dajome Cavalini Milinkovic/Reyna

I really do think that this is their strongest lineup and doing this can get things back on track. They started the season with this formation, why not go back to it? Once everyone is fit and back, it will be easy to slot them in where they will be best. This also gives them more wiggle room on what kind of player they need to look for. 

In an interview with Marc dos Santos before the match, I had asked him about his transfer targets and where they were looking. He said this, “We are looking for a creative midfielder, like a number 10, to help with the transition in the middle of the pitch. We are looking at players here in MLS along with the Canadian Premier League. European transfers are almost out of the question due to travel restrictions.” This gives us an insight on what to look for in the coming months. 

4-3-2-1

With their transfer target in mind, this could set them up to come out in a 4-2-3-1 formation. This not only gives them options in the midfield, it also provides a more possession based game. It is the same formation that their Cascadian rivals, the Seattle Sounders, use in most of their games. The players will still be in their natural positions and give them more depth and width as well. This formation helps keep that control in the middle of the park, which is what MDS is so desperate for. It also makes the transitions from attacking to defending easier. 

The lineup could possibly look like this: 

Hasal

Nerwinski Veselinovic Cornelius Adnan

Owusu Teibert

Dajome   ??? Milinkovic

Cavalini

Even here, this is still a much stronger lineup than what they have been putting out as of late. All that is missing is the potential signing they are out looking for to fill the gap. Although I must say, while this 4-2-3-1 looks appealing, the 4-3-3 is going to be the best option moving forward for this Whitecaps team. 

Where to Go from Here: 

The Vancouver Whitecaps are at the bottom of the table so there is nowhere to go but up. The talent is there and you see it at various times throughout the matches. It’s just about consistency. This is how they move forward from here. Once MDS gets his tactics in line and gets the players in their correct positions, things will be smooth sailing. 

In a press conference the other day MDS said this:

“The difficult thing for us right now is to find the best formula because of players that we lost or players that are not in, and that’s difficult for us. I feel that, yeah, you have answers in the second half that allows you to have an opportunity to grow as a team.  But man when you have so many guys out when we went to Orlando, and then back in and sellin
g In Beom (Hwang) that is the most creative midfielder we had, you ask yourself so many questions and what’s the best formula, how can we go about things and always being on the road also.”

“But (Michael) Baldisimo and even Pat (Metcalfe) I would say with these two games, they’re giving us options to also be in a 4-3-3. Hopefully (Janio) Bikel is going to come in soon, hopefully Erik [Godoy] we could use him soon, but right now we have to do the best right now with the players we have and that are available.”

This seems to indicate that he seems to want to go back to his previous 4-3-3 but he is just unsure. While I agree losing your three best players is a tough spot to be in but MDS is running out of options and out of excuses. If results do not start changing, there will be calls for him to be out. He is a great coach and a good tactician, he just needs to find a narrative and stick with it. 

Check out Vancouver’s next match later today as they take on Toronto FC at home in BC Palace. Kick off is at 6:30 PST on ESPN+

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