GAME REPORTS/COMMENTS FOR 2021

GAME VS SEATTLE- JUNE 26- 2-2:

a gutsy effort for a full 90 minutes- on a sweltering night, the players worked their collective arses off - a win was deserved, but the tie was an unexpected bonus

 

GAME AT DALLAS- 2-2: an OG by a defensive sub in the last 2 minutes-- HUH!!!????

only 1 question has to be asked - should MDS make defensive changes sooooo late in the game ?? i think it was a foolish decision- and our bench players like raposo and metcalfs are just not good enough- why didnt he use owusu ?? strange

MDS confuses me with his decisions that just seem to cause havoc

 

BUT another gutsy effort by the guys who really do pull for each other- i think the head coach has NOTHING to do with it

 

waiting for Langley FC

 

GAME VS LA GALAXY- 2-1 WIN-- comments:

1. Split personality- 2 halves, 2 different teams- cant figure this out, but the change was soooo dramatic, it took a boring game onto the front burner
is it to do with the head coach or teibert's motivational talks or ????

2. Golden find- axel schuster got it right in 2020 when he signed dajome, the leader of the pack Cap; and caicado is beginning to show what he is capable of

3. Achilles heel- still has to be our weak, porous MF with Bikel being the only quality; baldisimo is an effective 45-55 minute player, then he gases out; rusty is rusty; alexandre could show his stuff with an AMF to complement him

4. He didnt do it this time- head coach MDS didnt fiddle with the defence - he let them endure the whole game - wise move, Marc !

5. The only way it happens- should the Caps sign AMF, Ryan Gauld, for a reported $1.5 mill/season, it only will happen if the salary can be paid through MLS pots or a sale (possibly cava who is making about the same)

6. Dont think that !!- there is NO WAY the Caps can have brian white as its #9 player... or ricketts or bair for that matter

7. BUT>>>- money always talks and walks with this Club

8. I still say- this team is 2 players (AMF, CB) shy of being an up and coming team (and if cava stays) (and if MDS modifies his coaching style and uses owusu more)

 

GAME AT LAFC- 2-2- comments:

1. MOTM- a pair of Caps- guti and dajome-- solid, determined play with some great touches and insightful passing

2. What did i like- 94 minutes of entertaining, edge-of-your-seat play, gutsy/united team play, 2 first half goals (when was the last time we saw that ??!!)- a point was well-deserved

3. I was screaming- MDS once again gets too absorbed/lost in the game, refusing/stubborn to make sub changes in MF and offense when it was obvious that the team needed an infusion of energy by the 65th minute- white, alexandre, baldisimo were cooked - he left it too late IMO- bair, owusu again were glued to the bench

4. Its obvious- when MDS gets a burr up his arse about a player- like bair and owusu- you dont even need to wash their gear- how they can stand it is beyond me- i would be phoning my agent to get me the hell out of dodge

5. Do you see it ?? - with 2 players (AMF and CB), this team becomes an up and comer in MLS, regardless of MDS - we could also use a young, pacey striker

 

GAME VS LAFC-- 2-1 WIN-- observations:

1. IS IT POSSIBLE ?? - 6 ties, 2 wins in the last 8 games - what seemed impossible 6 weeks ago has now been flipped on its head- with 9/15 left games at home, the emotional connection between the players and the supporters, IT IS POSSIBLE or at least we can take a run at it

2. The unthinkable has happened- head coach MDS has learned how to do his subs better- his timing and choices have been spot-on

3. Gotta say it- LAFC missed so many golden opportunities and along with a post, just couldnt put the ball in the onion bag outside of a PK - should have been 3-0 at the half

4. ITS MAGICAL- RYAN GAULD has not only inspired and elevated the players, he has also done the same with the supporters - personally, i had to be dragged to the game by my usually dim-witted son, but 43 years of tradition made me succumb- HE IS NO LONGER DIM-WITTED and i walked away having a tremendous night - THANKS SON!!! you were right and i would have been dim-witted if i hadnt gone

5. This is still needed- we need to shore up our CB position- perhaps jungwirth- our new signing- can help - a combination of he, godoy and vesalinovic could be a decent pairing

6. Be careful- new turf, mid-season play can put a strain on gauld's body- so maybe MDS is getting it right by subbing him in at the second half... and DAMN if it isnt working !!

7. Its fun to notice- MLS press is letting/not noticing the rising Whitecaps - we dont need the pressure of being noticed - outside of Seattle and the Revs, the Caps are the third hottest team and the hottest team over the past 8 games (2 wins, 6 ties)

 

GAME VS PACIFIC FC- 3-4-- comments:

1. YUP, it usually turns out this way- the team that wanted to win the most, does win and deserves to win- well done, PACIFIC !!! now we can focus on the MLS playoff line

2. Have you ever done the same ? -- if you have played sporting games at any level, you will know that its difficult to get motivated to play supposedly lesser quality OR there isnt much difference in quality and this proves it

3. What to expect- how the Caps come out vs RSL on sunday will tell us a lot about the remaining 14 games and how the team will do - i expect a rebound, but it is and has been a schizoid team

4. At least we got to see further proof- watching ryan gauld score 2 goals and his desire and committment to win came through in waves- he can be the game changer for the caps, but 2022 will be the test - hopefully there are upgrades at CB, our weakest and most vulnerable position

5. When all is said and done- it was an exciting game and its good to see the under-dogs win... and it will happen to other MLS teams, just as it does in England's FA and League Cups - upsets create a lot of drama, promote the game and hype fan excitement

6. BTW- Starlight Stadium looked great and lets hope we see something similar in the fraser valley to get a CPL franchise

 

GAME VS RSL- 4-1 WIN-- thoughts:

1. The Response- well after a shite performance against Pacific FC, the Caps came back with a LARGE BANG-- pride and integrity shone through- how much the interim coach had to do with that is unknown, but i expect and hope it was minimal- this had to come from each player AND IT DID

2. Dream the Impossible Dream- the playoffs are a distinct hope and after all the negative stuff for 7 months, it sure is nice to see the other side- the corner has been turned and i dont see a relapse coming

3. The Best Part- MLS is still ignoring this team that has 6 ties and 3 wins - we are on a BIG roll and being ignored is a GOOD THING

4. What to do ??- with Brian White getting scoring results in a BIG way, what to do with cavallini when he returns from national duty becomes a significant question- as for me, you gotta stay with the guy that has the hot boot- White gets my nod

5. He made the difference- new CB, Floria Jungwirth, is solid and a definite upgrade to our weakest part- well done to Axel and the scouting staff for getting this right !

6. You pay the money hoping you get a return- and what a return Ryan Gauld has been - he has been the spark, the ignition, the new battery the Caps needed- most of all, he gives the team and supporters the belief that the team can WIN and make the playoffs

7. Dont work the winning horse too hard- protecting Gauld from injury and other team 'thugs' is a HUGE priority

8. What's next - if the Caps win against austin and portland (even 4/6 points) would be amazing- keep your feet on the ground and do what has been working

9. It didnt have to be this way- finally we have heard of some emotional upheaval from the 2 major owners- kerfoot and mallett- its about time as us supporters have suffered for years from what appeared to be a distant, numb ownership group

10. You put out the money and you can make more money- investing millions in DP Ryan Gauld can get lost supporters back in the stands and that return can pay dividends

11. The worst part of the game- i made a serious mistake and paid for a boiled hot dog and a beer- almost $25.00- BC Place can go piss up a tree !!!!!!!!!!!

 

GAME VS AUSTIN- 2-1 WIN- report:

1. Black and then White- dark first half, excellent second half- gets your heart pumping and gauld and white get assists - Cava who ?? you cant bench white when he is hot, hot, hot

2. It was a bummer of a performance- gotta to give Gaspar some leeway after a long injury, but he was HORRIBLE- good move to sub him out

3.SOLID, SOLID, SOLID- goalie, thomas hasal, was solid in goal - he has to be a starter someplace for 2022- he's ready

4. POTM- ERIC GODOY was huge on defence and got us the first goal- he and jungwirth look like the duo at CB

5. Game of the week- next friday, the hot Timbers roll into town- we cant start black against them- we have to start like we did against RSL- its the BIGGEST game of the season

6. IF i were head coach- i would give the top 15 players 2 days off to rest the body and the mind- we must have freshness and energy on friday

7. WHO WOULD HAVE THUNK 2 MONTHS AGO ???- down and out with lots of pissed-off supporters and a market in a who cares mode- its a magical mystery ride

 

GAME VS PORTLAND- 0-1- comments:

1. He got it wrong-- our head coach had it wrong with his starting MF of baldisimo, metcalfe, teibert and bikel- the MF is the creative, energetic part of any team and in playing portland, we needed to dominate in that area; instead we had the group of 4 hard-workers and not much else-- is it any wonder the first half was more about portland rather than the Caps?? IMO, it cost us the game

2. Tea and Toast- watching him come on in the second half as a late sub, it was clear to me that cavallini's passion and heart for the Caps has left town- Brian White plays with grit, hard work, energy and does do some attacking- CAVA WAS NADA!! he was on a lunch break IMO

3. Now what to do ??- what do the Caps do with an expensive DP that wanders around ? Cava is the proverbial square peg in a round hole- he just doesnt fit into the team moving ahead- its important its solved asap

4. Super Sub- gotta love the energy and directness of caicado- should he start or be a sub ?? IMO, ya gotta go with your best from the get-go- no tricky shite which MDS was famous for

5. The worst part of the game- we had a gabber behind us - non-stop talk about NOTHING

6. NO I DIDNT- unlike last game, i refused to pay BC Corp for a crappy boiled hot dog and beer for almost $25- disgusting corporate mismanagement- they know where they can shove their prices ... and i would assist

 

GAME IN COLORADO- 1-1 - thoughts:

1. It has to be said again- striker brian white is the #9 player- he scored on a terrific power shot while Cava blew 2 prime opportunities- the Caps should try and 'cut bait' with Lucas and hope to recoup some of their investment

2. Engine running low- after a whirl-wind beginning, Ryan Gauld is hitting a wall and the reality of all the new challenges is showing- its not unexpected- jumping from Euro soccer to MLS is even bigger than coming across the Pond

3. Wont happen- some soccer pundits thought that our young CB, ranko vesalenovic, would attract a lot of interest in Europe and the Caps could sell him for a lot of money- unfortunately, ranko is slow-footed and i dont see him going up the soccer ladder- maintaining himself at a starting MLS level will be questionable

4. Busted Balls- either team could have had 2-3 winners in the second half, but all came to nada, so....

5. A tie is a tie is a tie- taking 1 point on a road game in the elevation of colorado is an achievement

6. Its going to be TOUGH !!!!-- the magic number to make the playoffs in MLS is 48 points- we now sit at 30 with 10 games remaining
YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!- we need to take 18/30 points in our remaining 10 games - its a 60% clip - Gauldi will have to get his A game back, White will have to continue to get goals and assists, our defence will have to be solid, especially on defending set pieces and our mediocre/average MF will have to take it up several notches

its possible, but not likely... but at least the Caps are in the conversation unlike 10 weeks ago

 

GAME VS DALLAS- 1-0 WIN-- comments and all that jazz:

1. Another 3 bite the dust-- take the 3 points which takes us to 33 and 15/27 points left to the make the magic line of 48

2. POTM- most will say it was maxie in goal for his PK save-- and he did play solid and IMPO, is one of the top 3 goalies in MLS- but for the game, it is OWUSU and why he isnt a regular starter is a gross oversight from our head coaches (and patrick metcalfe just isnt ready for MLS)

3. A Square peg in a Round hole- brian white fits like a round peg in a round hole and has 5 goals in the last 7 games... and Cava doesnt... he just doesnt fit the TEAM

4. The best scene of the game- our goalie giving a massive hug to the Caps goalie coach who is a guy worth a longggg contract - maxie knew the prep with the goalie coach before the game helped him make the key save

5. Best Singers- the entire Cap team along with the Southsiders belting out, "STAND BY ME"

6. A great sight that warms my soccer soul- seeing the entire Cap team rushing out to congratulate Maxie when the game ended- THIS IS A TEAM

 

GAME AT HOUSTON-- 0-0-- a game to forget:

1. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, snore- that says it all

2. Go figure- coaching decisions are often a mystery to me- the starting line-up, needing a win against a bottom team and vanni goes with this ??!! it was a strange one, pulled from the files of MDS

3. We didnt deserve it- we were lucky we had Max in goal- outside of 1 bobble that almost cost us a goal, he made some sensational saves - POTM

4. Is he finished ??- another injury for lucas- he looks sooooo lost out there- gotta feel sorry for him, but then i have to remember his transfer fee and salary -- will he play another Whitecap game ?? should he be a starter ?? he just looks like another joe average, grunt player, not a DP

5. You gotta go for it- you have to start from the get-go with your best 11 - its not a time to do tricky line-ups- these are professional footballers in the prime of their lives - last night was 2 points lost, not 1 point gained

6. The only way this game is forgotten- a win vs SJ-- no diddling around

 

GAME VS SAN JOSE-- 3-0-- COMMENTS and all that shite:

1. My cup runneth over- getting a hat trick is great, but we mustnt forget his high work rate- BRIAN WHITE is the MLS bargain of the year with 9 goals and multiple assists- Cavallini is buried behind this guy- POTM

2. Bull rampage- Leo Owusu was a beast in the MF- terrific performance

3. He adds to his tally- while he didnt get a goal, he had 2 assists and worked his arse off to lead in creativity- Ryan Gauld

4. Jake the snake is back- nerwinski had a strong game as a LCB defender; CB Jungwirth is another MLS steal by Axel and the player scouts

5. The charge of the Light Brigade- the Caps are rolling as a TEAM- get on-board and enjoy the ride

6. Truth be told- the measuring stick is coming next week in Seattle- get at least a tie and the Caps are THE Rising Star in MLS- only 1 loss in 15 games

7. Its getting close- the playoff line is usually 48 points- we now have 37 with 8 games remaining- 11/24 is definitely doable -

8. What a difference 4 days make- after the lucky snore-fest tie on wednesday vs Houston, this a dramatic turn-around - the 100 minute trip to the stadium was worth it... and my son bought the beer which helped me forget the boiled hot dog (BC Place Corp should be ashamed serving such crap at a high price)

 

oops- go it wrong:

Its getting close- the playoff line is usually 48 points- we now have 37 with 8 games remaining- 11/24 is definitely doable -

its actually 7 games remaining-- 3 home, 4 away which makes it more difficult- we need 11/21 points, a 52% clip

over the past 15 games, we have 7 W, 7 T, 1 L- 28/45 points- a 62% clip

take 3/3 wins at home and 2/4 ties on the road = 11 points

YUP... its doable - but all games are vs teams in or competing for the playoffs

LETS ENJOY THE RIDE - its sure a lot better than the doldrums/disinterest 3 months ago

 

YUP- i basically had checked out of the Club, but my annoying son kept pestering me to keep going to keep the tradition of 43 years

Glad he kept pestering!!

now if he only could keep me from buying the hot dogs and then crouching later for the waste of spending good money on a bad product

 

GAME VS SKC- 2-1 win-- comments and all that blather:

1. It wasnt a black knight-- our #9 striker, Brian White, continues to be our white knight-- assisted on both goals -- this guy keeps on giving back and never gives up- what i like most of all is how he is in sync with the players around him

Axel and scouting staff... take a bow

2. UFO sighting- an unusual thing happened last night---- Russell T scores a ripper- R T, phone home time- everytime he scores (4 goals in 11 MLS years), we win

3. The Boxing Scorecard- SKC goalie and SKC defender almost duking it out - i dont think i have ever seen that happen on a soccer pitch

4. What a duo that would be -- getting SKC Scotsman, johnny russell, to join the Caps and hook up with Gauldi-- dynamic combo !! pass the haggis

5. POTM- returning from a long injury, CB Eric Godoy- he and jungwirth make a solid back line - White would be a close second

6. The Tank- no, not Cavalinni who is so buried on this team (a deal must have been made for a short loan and his leaving asap is a distinct possibility)- our new tank is jake nerwinski- watching him charge down a 50-50 ball is quite the sight

7. Its finally arrived- a TEAM that is playing with HONOR

8. The stars didnt line up for the Caps- all the teams fighting for a playoff spot won this weekend, making it even a tougher fight for the Caps

9. I hope i dont hear it- the game in Portland on wednesday where a Timber goal gets the wretching sound of the CHAIN SAW