<b>KEY PLAYERS :</b>
ATTACKING
After starting in three games since his arrival, and with the departure of Davide Chiumiento, the Whitecaps are counting on <b>Barry Robson</b> to be more of a creator in the midfield. There have been flashes, including when he sent in Darren Mattocks for the opening goal against TFC, but there will need to be more consistency for the full 90 minutes.
With his previous club, Houston Dynamo, <b>Dominic Oduro</b> was all pace and no finish, but since he has arrived in Chicago the Ghanaian striker has added some touch when in dangerous positions. Last season he more than doubled his previous high with a total of twelve goals and has started with five this season.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
DEFENCE
The Whitecaps have put <b>Alain Rochat</b> in the midfield for the last three matches, with solid results, but it may be time for him to return to his natural left back position. The defender will put some more bite in Vancouver’s attack from the left side and allow Jun Marques Davidson to return to the holding midfielder position.
A top ten pick in the 2011 SuperDraft, <b>Jalil Anibaba</b> has become a regular on the backline for the Fire, whether he plays right back or his normal position as a central defender. The sophomore has a very good combination of physicality and athleticism and might be the best option for the Fire to keep Mattocks off the scoresheet.
<b>WHO'S ON FORM :</b>
It didn’t take long for <b>Darren Mattocks</b> to become a known name in the mainstream sports media and his header against TFC made the rounds in the highlight reels. The striker has already taken over the lead in goals for the Caps and is second only to Alan Gordon, who normally scores as a sub, in goals per ninety minutes.
While he allowed only one goal in the 2012 qualifying tourney for the States, it was the one that knocked them out and <b>Sean Johnson</b> took the majority of the blame. It seemed to affect his confidence when he returned to Chicago, but he has bounced back including a recent performance against SKC where he made eight stops, some of them spectacular.
<b>2012 RECORD :</b>
Vancouver:
8W-6D-5L
4th in Western Conference
Last Match: 3-2 Loss at Toronto FC
Chicago:
8W-4D-6L
4th in Eastern Conference
Last Match: 2-0 Loss vs LA Galaxy
<b>PROJECTED LINE-UPS :</b>
<b>INJURIES/MISSING :</b>
Vancouver:
Out: FW Atiba Harris (knee), FW Omar Salgado (foot)
Doubtful: MF John Thorrington (quad), MF Matt Watson (ankle)
Chicago::
Out: DF Cory Gibbs (knee), MF Steven Kinney (achilles)
Questionable: MF Marco Pappa (upper respiratory infection)
<b>GAME ANALYSIS :</b>
The Whitecaps have a chance to prove to how mentally strong they are as they face Chicago Fire at Toyota Park on Saturday. They must prove they can bounce back after their most heartbreaking loss in the MLS this season, losing at the death to TFC. A victory against the Fire would also split their five game road trip even, with two wins, two losses and a draw.
There are some expected changes to the lineup, especially after the late trade of Sebastien Le Toux to the Red Bulls for Dane Richards. Joe Cannon is still expected to start in goal for the Whitecaps while DeMerit, Bonjour and Lee will be part of the backline in front of him. After playing three games in the central midfield Alain Rochat will most likely return to the left side of the defence.
His DM spot will be retaken by Jun Marques Davidson, who returns after three games away, and he will partner with Gershon Koffie and Barry Robson.
Up top, Darren Mattocks will try to duplicate his performance from the last match and will be flanked by the newly acquired Dane Richards and possibly Michael Nanchoff, who could take over from the ineffective Camilo.
With the addition of Richards, the Whitecaps now have two of the fastest attacking players in MLS and the Jamaican is more of a pure winger than Le Toux. Look for him to break down the opposing left back and either attack the net or cross the ball into Mattocks for a finish.
The Whitecaps need Barry Robson to step up his play to another level and become the engine that runs the attack. The connection between him and Gershon Koffie will be vital in order for the Caps to control the tempo and make the most of their opportunities.
The Fire, who are going through some controversy in the last few weeks, will be without their leading playmaker in Sebastian Grazzini, who is on a family leave, and co-leading goalscorer Marco Pappa, who could miss the match due to injury but also is rumoured to have requested a transfer. The club still has dangerous attackers in Dominic Oduro, Patrick Nyarko and veteran Chris Wolfe, all of whom are capable of giving the Whitecaps trouble.
After playing the match against Chicago the Caps will no longer host or visit an Eastern Conference team and will solely play against Western Conference teams for the remainder of the season. The Whitecaps will try to end their last extended road trip of the season with three points but will need to play mistake free football in order to make this happen. They will not be able to revert back to their play in TFC game, where missed assignments and communication issues cost the club points. If they do fall back into bad patterns then it could be a long hot evening in Chicago for the Whitecaps before they return home.
<b>AFTN Editor's Prediction: Chicago Fire 1 Vancouver Whitecaps 1</b>
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