August 20 - Vancouver vs. Minnesota [R]

[DarnCherry]

quote:As for the retirement home. I can't understand what Krammerhead is defending. Rightly speaking any side below a top flight is developing players, as any side where the good guys who are young enough will move on is in a development phase

I'm not defending anything, I don't have to. The point I am making is that the Whitecaps aren't there solely to develop younger players to go on to a higher level (that happens on it's own), they are there to win games and entertain the home fans. I made it clear in my other posts that these older players aren't getting the majority of minutes, and they aren't keeping younger guys out of the lineup. But I read on this board constantly the reference and complaints about Vancouver being a retirement home, which are particularly funny coming from people who don't have their own professional team in their city, or had unsuccessful ones.

Fact is the complaints about using the older players may have some validity if those players were getting lots of minutes, if the team were losing and if the stadium wasn't 90% full each night (actual figure). Last time I checked they were third from the top in the league, 6 points behind the second place team with 2 games in hand. They are +16 in goals for/against, one behind both Montreal and Rochester. The club is tied for league lead in goals for (suprising considering the coach) and have only allowed 4 more goals against than league leader Montreal (having played one more game). The team has lost only 2 more games than Montreal. Vancouver also has the best home record in the league scoring 25 goals and allowing just 6, and being the only club undefeated at home.

So it seems to me the Whitecaps are doing something right with their roster despite claims from people otherwise.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by Krammerhead

I'm not defending anything, I don't have to. The point I am making is that the Whitecaps aren't there solely to develop younger players to go on to a higher level (that happens on it's own), they are there to win games and entertain the home fans. I made it clear in my other posts that these older players aren't getting the majority of minutes, and they aren't keeping younger guys out of the lineup. But I read on this board constantly the reference and complaints about Vancouver being a retirement home, which are particularly funny coming from people who don't have their own professional team in their city, or had unsuccessful ones.

Fact is the complaints about using the older players may have some validity if those players were getting lots of minutes, if the team were losing and if the stadium wasn't 90% full each night (actual figure). Last time I checked they were third from the top in the league, 6 points behind the second place team with 2 games in hand. They are +16 in goals for/against, one behind both Montreal and Rochester. The club is tied for league lead in goals for (suprising considering the coach) and have only allowed 4 more goals against than league leader Montreal (having played one more game). The team has lost only 2 more games than Montreal. Vancouver also has the best home record in the league scoring 25 goals and allowing just 6, and being the only club undefeated at home.

So it seems to me the Whitecaps are doing something right with their roster despite claims from people otherwise.

Well all I can say is that the Caps perhaps have a decent balance between older and younger guys, and that their record is strong enough, a perennial contender. I would just like to see them pull in a little transfer payment every now and then from selling off a player they have brought up and sharpened. Anyone in the last phase of a career is not as motivated normally, and will end up playing a bit softer than in his prime. Too much coasting out there, Nash especially is a real trotter away from the ball.

Is it normal for teams coming into Swangard to be so sloppy and passive? Both Richmond and especially Minnesota were quite poor, they had great problems with ball control, even out of the backline, and the Vancouver pressure was not even that hard for good chunks of both games. Does this unmotivated lack of drive come down to tiredness in the end?

[DarnCherry]

The problem most Caps fans have with Nash is his set plays. He may be a trotter out there, but I was suprised looking at the league stats yesterday that he is near the top of the league in assists (stupid stat, but it shows he's setting players up).

Good observations on Minnesota and Richmond being sloppy and passive. Richmond had an excuse, they played the night before in Seattle and were obviously tired. However Minnesota was a rested team when they came into Vancouver last. They are a sloppy and what I'd call a "negative" team. The first time they were in Vancouver this season they had played the night before and had Vancouver any skill at finishing plays they could have been beaten 6-1. They spent the majority of the game trying to waste time, including kicking as many balls out of the stadium over the eastside fence as they could. I chalked that up to them being tired, but damned if they didn't do it last weekend as well. Not just kicking balls out of the stadium, but kicking balls well out of play after the whistle had already blown (and not getting carded for it). Add to that the cheap fouls, dangerous fouls (that deliberate shot to the face that Brunt gave to Nash that only ot a yellow) and the players whining. Why they play that way, who knows? They can play, the yadvanced to the semi-finals in the US Open Cup last night.

[Blue and White Army]

I thought Harmse showed excellent potential when I saw him play during the 2004 pre-season and early season.

Same for Justin Thompson, but for some reason he got the boot.