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Vancouver Whitecaps 2020 Season


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Didic on in the 39th for khmiri. He is right at home if not a cut above. This is sub standard CPL at its worst.

Buchanan getting minutes for new england. Has been involved but not very inspiring. Raposo and Gutierrez look lightweight and out of place. The latter has grown into the game. 

Both teams are at least not at full strength but I think its another long hard season for the caps.

Edit: much better second half for the caps. Great goals from cavallini and Adnan. Those two, Teibert and surprisingly Montero were pure fire. Cavs looked to have done his hamstring. 

Didic did well. Sissoko and Mukumbilwa got minutes too. 

Buchanan played the full 90 and was a bright spot for NE in the second half.

 

Edited by toontownman
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Nah he is just used to playing in CPL at its worst 😛

Thought he looked great and the standard of the game was much better in the second half and he looked even better. He got his head on almost everything that came into the box and had a couple of great long ball passes from the back. 

However, not really any room at the inn for him unfortunately. Whitecaps have 4 CBs then Rose and Facchineri. 

Will be a big boost for Edmonton to get him back if he returns.

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Caps with a strong comeback win in preseason today versus Minnesota. Seriously outshot Minnesota and save for the blunder on the first goal against, the Caps looked the better team for nearly the full game.  Too early to tell, but it looks like the Caps have a team this year, by which I mean a cohesive group who know how to play together and with purpose.  Lots of bright spots out there today, but I was especially impressed by Tiebert, Adnan, Cava and Dajome. Inbeom was also excellent, as was Reyna. It is pleasing to see how good a footballer Cava is. He works his ass off and is very smart.  Notched his fourth preseason goal in four games. This team is much better in possession than they were last year--so far--and they are playing more cohesive football all around.  Looks like a tight group already.  They've a couple more players yet to join, but they arrive this week, from what I hear. They do not have massive depth, but this squad looks stronger and more complete than the one from last year.

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Missed the second half but agree with the sentiment above. Same impression I've got from the preseason games. With everyone fit they could shock a few people. Unfortunately I think its skin deep and they could always be a couple of injuries away from struggling again. 

There is a ton of youth in that squad underbelly that could blossom though. An interesting one to watch through the season.

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Definitely in a sleeper pick/very low expectations category and that's a good thing.  Could potentially come out of the gate with some very good results to start the year off.  But this league is such that you could play really well and lose a string of close matches but  perhaps get outplayed then smash and grab results, especially on the road.  Cavallini looks like he is up for up, and I like the chemistry of Milinkovic and Adnan on the left.

I'm looking forward to seeing how they do when the regular season gets going.

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3 hours ago, toontownman said:

Ok, this is a signing I like. I like alot. 

https://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2020/02/27/vwfc-acquire-bikel 

good age, good experience (portugal youth + eredivisie)... the type of shrewd signing that schuster's been brought in to deliver

they still have another intl slot open, presumably for korea u23 international CAM dong gyeong lee

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28 minutes ago, saladroit said:

good age, good experience (portugal youth + eredivisie)... the type of shrewd signing that schuster's been brought in to deliver

they still have another intl slot open, presumably for korea u23 international CAM dong gyeong lee

I hope he turns out to be a really good acquisition.  Maybe he can be a Diego Chara style of defensive mid (mobile, strong ball winner, good range) and if so, that would be terrific, but who knows.  This team really needed to improve it's midfield play from last year and I'm hoping that these signings and tactical switch can bring about improvement.

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Likely means at least one of Baldisimo, Colyn or Metcalfe is heading out on loan and to the CPL with luck. First take make sense given they didnt feature much in pre-season.

It's all a bit unpredictable but potential is there. No superstars but some hard graters and a lot of different skillsets/abilities. The addition of an ACM in dong gyeong lee would be a huge piece of the jigsaw. 

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They are really sticking to a particular profile and I admire the vision and strategy. Let's see if it works. This guy seems solid on the ball, sort of like Deguzman in his prime. Excited to see what he might bring to the team.

Wife and I are heading to the game tomorrow. Very excited! Let's get this season off on the right foot.

 

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Wow. That was absolute trash from the caps tonight. Adnan might very well be the best attacking full back in the MLS, he is also making a case to be the worst defensively. When he wasnt surrendering possession or getting beaten he was at fault marking and conceding goals. Really poor. Dajome looked good but he has to cut out the overacting.

The team just didnt come out of the blocks. Some flashes of nice link up play that will surely improve as the season goes on. Cavs just didnt get the service but when he did he couldnt convert tonight. A couple of CMs to welcome into the team yet too. Already looks like it will be a similar season to the last though. Tough away game next week. 

 

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How in the world does dos santos believe this team will make playoffs..dont think he even believes that..way too many weak spots..crepeau cant give a proper aerial diagonal ball with his feet..teibert cant give quality pass or shoot under pressure..cornelius turns it over too much..inbeom not dp qualirty..you cant have 3-4 weak players for this level in the 11 and qualify for playoffs..and adnan is a dp also..wow

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36 minutes ago, Big_M said:

How in the world does dos santos believe this team will make playoffs..dont think he even believes that..way too many weak spots..crepeau cant give a proper aerial diagonal ball with his feet..teibert cant give quality pass or shoot under pressure..cornelius turns it over too much..inbeom not dp qualirty..you cant have 3-4 weak players for this level in the 11 and qualify for playoffs..and adnan is a dp also..wow

I thought the same thing when I heard his pre-game speech. 

I don't get this "team". They have no ideas in attack, just individuals who try their best to create something.

Adnan does what he wants going forward. It's the Ali Adnan show and everyone else must adjust accordingly. Sometimes it comes off, but most times it doesn't. At some point they are going to need a structured way to build out from the back down that side. JN is useless with the ball at his feet on the other side.

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After the optimism of the final preseason matches, the air deflated from the balloon in this one (or was it the Hindenburg bursting into flames?  Your choice).

There was a definite disconnect in the build up play from the back.  One of HIB or Teibert has to be able to break from pressure after receiving a pass and then get up the field in a more direct manner on the deck:  way too much hesitating and then back/sideways passing with the back line and keeper, with hopeful punts thumped forward.  And the midfield defensive shield in front of the back line wasn't any different from last year, where it was a league leading shooting gallery for goal attempts against (note the second SKC goal).  At the end of the day, SKC were far better in the middle of the part, closing down passing lanes as well as working the ball around the Caps midfield.  Kinda looked more than "kinda" good for them, as well:  hopefully Owusu and/or Bikel can do the same in Vancouver.  

Reyna is dangerous on the run off the counter, like a basketball point guard off the fast break.  But in his role, he doesn't help the other two mids enough in this particular tactical set up.

It was very clear from the start that Vermes used RW Shelton as a clear minder for Adnan.  The Iraqi made a few breaks a couple of times but as the game wore on every time he received a pass, the athletic Shelton was in his grill and limited his threat.   That took away a lot of attacking service.  Also, I was appalled by his complete disinterest in getting back to cover the far post where Hurtado was located and from which the ex-Cap scored.  Brutal. 

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On 2/28/2020 at 6:23 PM, saladroit said:

good age, good experience (portugal youth + eredivisie)... the type of shrewd signing that schuster's been brought in to deliver

they still have another intl slot open, presumably for korea u23 international CAM dong gyeong lee

I followed Bikel a few years back when he was in Portugal's u20 and in Holland.   He looked at the time like he had a very bright future.  Obviously playing with all that offensive talent in Portugal's team (Andre Silva, Goncalo Guedes, Gelson Martins...) means that as a midfielder you don't have to create a ton of chances on your own.  You are free to concentrate a bit more on protecting the back line and just getting the ball up to your attackers, which I though he did well.

After starting for NEC in the Eredivisie for two seasons he's fallen off the radar by playing in Bulgaria the last two.  

Considering the display last night, I would think Bikel's got a good chance to start at DM soon, and push Inbeom further up the field.

 

 

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23 minutes ago, Acid-Tone said:

I followed Bikel a few years back when he was in Portugal's u20 and in Holland.   He looked at the time like he had a very bright future.  Obviously playing with all that offensive talent in Portugal's team (Andre Silva, Goncalo Guedes, Gelson Martins...) means that as a midfielder you don't have to create a ton of chances on your own.  You are free to concentrate a bit more on protecting the back line and just getting the ball up to your attackers, which I though he did well.

After starting for NEC in the Eredivisie for two seasons he's fallen off the radar by playing in Bulgaria the last two.  

Considering the display last night, I would think Bikel's got a good chance to start at DM soon, and push Inbeom further up the field.

 

 

This game was lost in the midfield, for the most part, and it does not help that Tiebert and Inbeom BOTH play so far back.  We simply could not keep the ball last night, at least not for the bulk of the game. Very interesting to see who of this opening night 11 becomes a core starter as the season rolls on.  We've two CBs on the sidelines who will likely win starting roles, plus two midfielders, one of whom will likely relieve Tiebert of his starting duties.  Nerwinski had a very good game all around, and Reyna had some good moments, along with Melinkovic, and Cava put in a shift but got very little service, but this team looked disjointed and fresh out of ideas. SKC is a good side with an excellent coach, mind you. Kinda is the (sorry) kinda fella we need in the midfield, covering a ton of ground, always pressing, great on the dribble, smart in passing. He makes shit happen. And he scored a brilliant goal. 

Lots of work to do if this Caps team is going to show better than they did last year. I am not giving up hope, but let's see how the new guys are integrated and how this team builds.  I need to see real cohesion and improved team play in the next five games!!

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KC may be a really good team this year. They were looking like one of the best teams early last year during the Champions League. They also added Pulido who could be a top scorer in the league. The Whitecaps could still be a good team that got taken apart by a potential top team this year.

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