Well, after watching seven games now, talking with other fans, and reading comments on this board and the Southsiders board a few troubling thoughts are creeping into my head. 1. Our bench is thin. Without our regular starting 11, due to injury, we will struggle to get results. 2. 4-4-2 is getting old, teams are figuring us out. TT is unwavering in his approach, and is dead set on this formation. Subs seem scripted, and late. Get some cojones! 3. Lack of quality in the middle of the park. Not many good balls been played to the feet or thru to our forwards. Need Chiumiento to be able to roam in the center, or go after a quality DP attacking midfielder. Everything is wing play, see point #2. 4. Goal keeping. Why has Cannon only had one game? Hopefully, with the return of guys like Demerit, Teibert, Salinas, Koffie, Thorington, we can start to win some of these games and make some of these issues fade away. Thoughts?
This is precisely why "expansion" teams struggle in leagues like this. Long travel and a non-fifa recognizing schedule makes for the teams with the most quality of depth to be the most successful. You could, really, have put two scarecrows in CMF the other day for the Caps, the ball was being humped high and long all day from the full backs and bypassing the middle anyways...but you are right... the middle lacks depth, if I'm Soehn and Co. I'm not looking to sign Sheva, I'm looking for a quality Central Midfielder, or two.
I'm a TFC fan but wish Canada's other MLS team well. Don't sweat it - the Whitecaps are an expansion team, despite their history. You started on a high, and good for you, but team's recent play and the problems you list (especially lack of depth) are classic expansion team problems. On a semi-related note, what is the current situation with the residency program? I had expected that a much greater number of Vancouver's bench players would be residency grads, especially since the program has been around for a few years already. That doesn't seem to be the case, though.
There should really be no "expansion" team excuses. This isn't like other North American pro leagues where a new team is stuck to playing other teams cast offs and huge money teams destroy the new weaker teams. The Chicago Fire won both the MLS cup and the US Open Cup in their expasion year. Granted the other teams were only a couple of years older than them but you get the point.
Not that I disagree with K-head, but more to the point: Seattle worked with the same constraints and helps that we had (expansion team with a D2 roster to scaffold from) and enjoyed good success their first season. (Although you could argue they had better picks from the expansion draft since they didn't have to race another team for the best picks.) Despite concerns similar to Rico's, I think that IF we ever get most of injuries sorted out, we'll be okay. I mean, Akloul had barely played, we're missing Koffie and Teibert, Salinas and Thorrington haven't suited up, and DeMerit has been out. I do agree that our pressing need is more CM depth. I want to see us sign a starter to pair with Dunfield so that Koffie is coming off the bench - then we are in much better shape.
I don't think "expansion team" is an excuse. If we leave aside Chicago for the reason you stated, it took subsequent expansion teams the following number of years to reach the playoffs for the first time (brackets indicate minimum possible for teams that still haven't made the playoffs): RSL 4 Chivas 2 TFC (5) San Jose 3 Seattle 1 Philly (2) On average, then, about three years. There appears to be a legitimate expansion team phase. The Seattle example got discussed in a thread last year. They did scaffold from D2 but took only a handful of players. If I recall correctly, those players combined only had something like 20 starts (of which most were by one guy). Are the Whitecaps' D2 guys seeing significant playing time (I ask in earnest)? It wouldn't surprise me if the answer was no and that Vancouver's performance this year will depend mainly on the other players they've acquired.
Your logic is sound but I don't think it changes my point. Vancouver had the same opportunities Seattle did. If we blew it, and it is entirely likely we did blow it by not having a solid D2 core to bring up, then our FO is to blame. But we could have done as well (or better, in my opinion). Having said all that, I actually think the FO did quite a good job, and that our real issue is constant injuries. Imagine all our players healthy, and put that up against the healthy quads of every other team and I think we come out middle of the pack. (Unless TT is to blame, by not employing better formational tactics - but that's another thread.) I still believe that we are a Top 10 team if we can just shake this insanely broad injury streak. (And sign another CM. =)
I think your FO did a good job, too. In fact, I think Vancouver will probably rise quite quickly to become a perennial contender because the organization has always been top notch. (At least as far back as the CSL days which is when I started following things.) This can be contrasted with the TFC experience. Despite the whining you'll hear to the contrary, MLSE has never been stingy with the money on TFC. They've funded the team, improved the stadium, and brought in a DP even when all the tickets were already sold. What they haven't been able to do, however, is use those resources wisely and build a winner. As a fan it is very frustrating. Now they have the whole huge investment in the expanded Academy. Maybe it will pay off but it will take yet another couple of years. Meanwhile I expect Vancouver will do equally well while expending a fraction of the resources.
About your last question - To this point, 36 games started by people who were here last year. Now, there's some provisos to that. Chiumiento would not have been here last season except to prep for MLS. That argument can plausibly be made for Dunfield and probably Koffie, too. But that still leaves 23 starts. Of those 23, Nolly and Janicki don't surprise me, and Teibert is a young guy who won a job in camp. But Knight, Wagner and Khalfan came out of camp as guys who figured to be depth guys. They've combined for 13 starts. That's the problem - much as I like them, 13 starts through seven games is too many. But the injuries, suspensions and international duty have really taken their toll. They always take a hit, you always figure one or two are out, but Vancouver hasn't had anything even close to its top lineup on the field since the opening game. So, until I see a couple more guys back, I'm not going to pass judgment. I won't argue with the possibility of 4-2-3-1, and to be fair to Teitur, they used it a lot in preseason, so I don't think he's written it off.
3 points i want to make: 1. the Caps are 2-3 experienced, quality players (midfielder and striker) away from being a playoff team-- too many young, inexperienced players filling in for injured players 2. Cannon needs to be given the goalie shirt-- Nolly has made some glaring mistakes-- dropped balls, poor postioning, poor decision-making when coming out for balls-- makes the defence unsure and nervous, leading to poor goals 3. TT, the coach, has to realize he has the least-fit team in MLS-- so many injuries to key players... its not just bad luck- its overtraining, the evidence being groin and hamstring injuries in growing numbers (ankle sprains are normal playing/training happenings, groin and hamstrings are not)... overtraining is just as bad as undertraining, especially when playing on turf-- he and the conditioning coach need to take their 'feet off the pedal'
Oh. my. Sportie1 just posted something I completely agree with. Holy sh**. Seriously. This is some f***ed up sh**. I fully expect hell to freeze over, the world to end, and krispy kreme to make a 100 calorie donut by tomorrow morning.
i'm getting really upset at the Caps Staff and FO-- they have large amounts of incoming cash from STHs, TV and corporation dollars-- and they are not expanding their roster with 2-3 quality, experienced players 2-1 losses could be 2-2, and 1-1 ties could be 2-1 wins-- these players could make the difference from being competitive (which the Caps are), to being very competitive and reaching the playoffs in year 1 dont do what TFC did for 4 years! be smart and invest-- build quality with youth over time, but dont forsake the present when we are close to being a good side rather than an average side
The fact that coach TT is sticking with his division 2 level players. He will continue to sink the ship and go down with it. Case in point- Nolly is the worst goalie in MLS statisticly speaking and otherwise....If he had only a poor goals againt average, but he was tops in saves and save percentage that would be a different story. But he ranks in the bottom 3 in every goalie statistic....Yet on the bench sits Cannon who even at 80% in his one appearance only gave up one goal while playing a man down for a majority of the match....Nolly wouldn't be able to do that....Why would you even waste a draft pick and a larrge amount of money on a top flight mls goaltender and not even use him...
Get Demerit back and bench Nolly in favor of Cannon and you're all set. The Whitecaps have a pretty good team and should be fighting for a playoff spot as long as they don't fall too far behind too early. The key is the return of Demerit and getting better goalkeeping. (I also think Leathers is a weakness but that's not as crucial.)
Ya I am pretty surprised/shocked that Teitur did not even give Cannon a start against Montreal in the Nutrilite games. WTF????? Will we see Cannon vs Chicago?
I would normally say that I was surprised that Cannon did not start the Nutrilite games...but nothing shocks me this season.
its interesting to note that both FO staff, paul barber and tommy soehn, were in chicago watching the game probably analyzing the team and talking with TT about what needs to change/be added to make the Caps more competitive its obvious that, unless something changes such as 2-3 more experienced, quality players, the Caps are in for a disappointing season its apparent that chumiento is a 60 minute player and that hassli and camilio are not a good match-- its time to get players who can 'nick the odd goal' to get ties and wins wanting to develop the team with youth is a good policy, but the present should not be sacrificed-- with a little tinkering and money, the Caps can be a very competitive team i just hope the Staff do not wait too long as the Caps are falling behind the points race to the playoffs
Fans that are coming to the game with Canucks jerseys. Im sorry but last time i checked their kicking a ball around and not shooting a puck. I understand the teams doing well, and the citys kind of taken over by them, but i love my caps and hate cross sport jersey wearing. /rant
Well some people might not have any whitecaps stuff to wear to the game. hopefully we can get a win today.
Maybe they saw that the Canucks jerseys are the same price as Whitecaps ones and figured they go with higher quality thicker hockey jerseys. More bang for your buck.
Re: Growing concerns, I'm really starting to wonder if Teitur is out his depth. Seems to me that all injuries/suspension issues aside, he is really struggling in his player selection and tactics... I know I'm just an armchair manager here, but he seems completely out to lunch on who he is selecting, the formations he does select, and his choices on whom/when the substitutions are made and his inability to tweak the palying style/formation throughout a match. 1. For me I want to see Cannon. Nolly has had his time, and he sits near the bottom of the table in every goalkeeping statistic. 2. He continues to deploy Davide in a wide role... and without banging the drum too hard, I'd really rather see a 1 striker setup with Davide in the trequartista role behind Eric... or have Davide play behind 2 strikers in front of a 3 man midfield. 3. Dunfield/Koffie/Harmse/Brovsky/Morfaw/Thorrington is not a good enough group to select 2 starting CM's from. They need help here, and the Management's inability to get an impact player at this position is impacting TT, however TT needs to stop giving certain guys free reign. Dunfield was shocking last night, and Koffie never saw the park. TT please explain. 4. They need to stop this policy of rotating the squad, especially against 'beatable' teams. Wes Knight has no business starting that game... and if you're concerned about Demerit and don't think he's going to be able to put in a full 90, start him and sub him at half or early in the second... last night he got it all wrong. I'd have had two options, and then based on who the opposition started and how they set up based on scouting I would have had the following two options: If SJ looked as if they were going to play with more of an attacking go for it mentality I would have started: ---------------Hassli------------------ --------------Chiumiento--------------- Teibert--------Koffie/Dunfield-------Salinas Rochat-----Demerit-----Akloul------Leathers ----------------Cannon-------------------- If they looked to come out and clog the park and counter: -------------Hassli--------Camilo-------------- Teibert------Dunfield-------Koffie--------Khalfan Rochat-------Demerit-----Akloul---------Salinas -------------------Cannon--------------------- It's about time we start playing/tweaking the tactics to our advantage, this business of playing guys for the sake of playing guys makes me wonder. Why was Brovsky started ahead of Koffie? (Don't tell me Koffie needed a rest or whatever, he's young, fit, etc and if you wanted him for one of the two games I'd have thought It'd be better to start at home vs the weaker team than on the road vs NE Revs) Some positives: Chiumiento has played two straight full 90 minute games in a row. Salgado looked efficient and energetic is the last two appearances... and Demerit is back. You could see the team lift in spirit when he came on. thoughts?
I think you've summed it up pretty well Johnny. I said last year before they announced who was going to be the coach that there was more of a chance of monkeys flying out of my butt than Teitur getting the coaching job in MLS. I was wrong of course but my opinion is still the same. He was a successful USL coach to be sure, but that was because he had the highest payroll in that league and was basically coaching a team with higher aspirations playing against minnows.
Yep that sums it up for me too. Especially the point on Cannon and having Chiumiento in this wide role, though him scoring from a wide position last night to level the match may stay in TT's head for awhile on keeping the status quo. Unfortunately the club seems to have put a lot into TT and I just don't see them changing managers for some time.