2017 Matchday #1: Whitecaps v Union, March 5, 2017 p/d/p (R)

Always a bonus when you wake up before everyone else and get to have that first cup of coffee in peace. Today I had the added benefit of sitting outside in the sunshine AND the first game day post of the season. What could be better than that? (I suspect your answer to directly correlate with your age).

Thanks, Aztec21bas.

Feeling so full of sunshine that I had to vote for a draw.

 

My oh my how soon traditions fall around here... West Coast evening game? L all day.

 

Vancouver plays at home on Thursday against the Red Bulls in Champions League. The first match was 1-1. Let's hope for a hard fought game that goes 120.

 

3-1 L

West Coast , still a hole at CDM (don't freak when Creavalle starts), Jay Jay hasn't solidified the gig over CJ, Pontius' already tight, Montero v Fabi. Nah y'all.

 

Flipping Canuckistanis probably spell forum with a "u"

 

Expecting a 2-2 tie out of this one. Both the U and Whitecaps haven't really been that impressive in preseaon.

 

You mean forUSAm right?

 

Must win.





I'll go with an optimistic new season 1-1 tie.... Vancouver with 85th minute equalizer.

 

Caps more focused on Thursday's game at this point.

 

Last exhibition not even in the books and I sat down and wrote all the things that yet disappoint me about this club at the end of the off-season. Don't hate. That's my job..........

So much if this season as a whole comes to the manager-but not all- for to be brutally honest I expected more from Stewart in terms of having learned the deficiencies over the course of a full season and fixing them.

Caps have/will play tournament games in advance. A sword that cuts both ways. I can appreciate fatigue being a factor in the Union's favor, but fear Philly will soon learn to appreciate how getting a couple of high quality outings against a quality league opponent might actually help sharpen their blades before the points start to matter.......

The snakes will travel cross-continent to play on a plastic road environment. Injuries are already mounting up. Laba is one of the more underrated DM's in the league. Vancouver has the advantage of comfortability on the surface and speed to burn. Manneh will be a nightmare in this game if he's good to go. Additionally; you'd have to remind me of any last 3 in MLS I should rather have than Waston, Parker & Onstead.

Lastly, I hold to certain beliefs with the vice grip of a badger until proven otherwise beyond all doubt. One of those beliefs is that Curtin is much too risk-averse. He will play who he's comfortable with. He will play those he feels he owes. He will sit back, bunker and hoof and try to avoid the counter because that's who he is at his essence. He has to protect Gooch. This will in all likelihood be the same group that leaked goals like an oil spill with one change. Med-DUNE-yawn-een is not going to protect anything in front of them. I've seen Bedoya at the 8....nothing to get excited about there. Rivet-pivoters will see time in this one.....together or individually by sub. Simpson changes the offensive flow when he plays. He gives (we think) and he takes away some things as well. Has yet to convince me he's a clear upgrade from the very low bar that is CJ.

Union have a chance to be in the contest, but invariably throw it away late: Vanc-wished 3-1.

 

The Union find a way to get a draw. Vancouver is fool's gold. They're always the pundits darlings, but have never lived up to the expectations or the hype. They are the Union of the West. Therefore this game will end in a draw.

Plus Vancouver's new DP midfield play maker is out until the summer.......

 

I voted loss due to a few reasons.

1) West Coast game (and we all know how well the Union do in those)

2) More than a few new players and unsure how they will gel together

3) The defense which gave up a ton of goals in late situations will probably be starting all but 1 of the same back four from last year

4) Turf

 

Yea, not sure how the turf will work with us seeing Gooch on the field. Given his history, I could see him coming down with Drogbaitis for that playing surface. And it's so beyond early in the season. If preseason and a the quarterfinals ties have them gassed, they're in serious trouble. More likely scenario is that they'll be just that much more sharp.

I'm going to watch this evening's game a little more closely to try and measure up this team. Haven't paid enough attention to the preseasons games due to scheduling, tbh.

 

After last nights debacle, 12 of you are delusional or are aware that to get transfer budget Earnie had the team look worse to move the money line odds better to get his offshore action at Bovada to pay off more. Dude, that's some next level Sportifing right there. Wow, he really is a genius.

 

Preseason is irrelevant. Teams lose every game and can be good. We win the sun coast whatever cup and are bad.

That said. I still voted loss because I will never trust this team out West (or in general).

 

2-0 road loss to open the 2017 campaign. I don't see where our goals are going to come from. Despite my pessimism, I'm still excited for the season.

 

I don't know if I see Mendujanin and Bedoya as a complete midfield two without a defensive workhorse pinching in from the wings (which isn't happening in a significant way because our, uh, cup of doesn't overfloweth enough with the quality to overwhelm our opponents by pulling a move like that). There are a lot of decent parts to this team (and I agree with the point above about there being goals in us), but I wonder if we still haven't found our balance yet. Could be more promising if/when we do.

I see a score draw, or a loss but not a blowout.

 

Have only managed to watch about 15 minutes of the preseason action (Montreal) so the team is still a big unknown for me. I'm concerned about the lack of pace overall. As well as the long standing doubts over Jimbo's tactical nous. I voted for a loss here, but mainly because it's west coast rather than any (lack of) expectation for the season.