Vancouver Whitecaps - 2022 Season Thread

[Watchmen]

Whitecaps looked good last night, at least until the subs started to come in.  Good early showing from Cubas.  Beautiful free kick from Caicedo.  Another goal from Cavallini (though an ugly one).  

[BearcatSA]

1 hour ago, Watchmen said:

Whitecaps looked good last night, at least until the subs started to come in.  Good early showing from Cubas.  Beautiful free kick from Caicedo.  Another goal from Cavallini (though an ugly one).  

It was a nice hit by Caicedo but if we are being totally honest here, if that goal was conceded by the Caps' keeper and "matador" on the edge of the wall, how would Caps' have viewed it?

[Watchmen]

3 hours ago, BearcatSA said:

It was a nice hit by Caicedo but if we are being totally honest here, if that goal was conceded by the Caps' keeper and "matador" on the edge of the wall, how would Caps' have viewed it?

Could Dallas have done better on it? Yes. Was it still a nice shot? Also yes.

[BearcatSA]

4 hours ago, Watchmen said:

Could Dallas have done better on it? Yes. Was it still a nice shot? Also yes.

It was a nice strike but it should have been dealt with much better. 

[The Beaver 2.0]

Smart match from the Caps. Early days, but I like the look of Cubas. He should provide cover for the defense and free up guys like Gauld, Dajome and Caceido to push forward.  This team is scrappy as hell, but now they've got a bit of quality too. (Only a bit, mind you.) They need some time to get everyone healthy, in game shape and building chemistry. It is almost a second start to the season for them. Curious to see if they can go on a bit of a run till the end.  I've been impressed with Godinho the past couple of games. Hope he continues to grow. Raposo has had a decent season so far, too. 

[BearcatSA]

Cubas was very impressive but the front three of Caicedo and Dajome on either side of Cavallini was very good and posed a dangerous threat off the counter (Cavallini is no burner but his work ethic is back to where I expect it and he earned the opening goal as a result).  The rest of the midfield has some strengths but also some weaknesses which didn't get exposed on the evening.  Brown playing on the right side of the back three is a decision which you wonder why the coach waited this long to try, because he is better there than at wingback.  Nice to see Cropper have a bounce back match.

[Watchmen]

Schuster's German connections maybe finally coming through:

 

[SthMelbRed]

21 hours ago, Watchmen said:

Schuster's German connections maybe finally coming through:

 

So, the Whitecaps, as an organisation were so embarrassing to deal with during the Davies negotiations that the guy who largely led the negotiations on the Bayern side is happy to have his son join them on loan?

[Watchmen]

54 minutes ago, SthMelbRed said:

So, the Whitecaps, as an organisation were so embarrassing to deal with during the Davies negotiations that the guy who largely led the negotiations on the Bayern side is happy to have his son join them on loan?

I mean, they've pretty much overhauled the front office since then. Lenarduzzi, Lewis, Anderson all gone (Lewis for sure, the other two might as well be).

[Free kick]

NE 0

VAN 0

Caps need to get a better result in this game.  They played well enough to win and deserved to win but final ball was always was always way off target.  

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

 

[Watchmen]

3 hours ago, Free kick said:

NE 0

VAN 0

Caps need to get a better result in this game.  They played well enough to win and deserved to win but final ball was always was always way off target.  

Wondering if heat was a factor tonight.  They seemed very slow out there tonight, even when they had time and space to do something.  Granted, that could also be a lack of talent and soccer IQ, but it seemed especially egregious tonight.

[snake]

Going for the crucial point tonight 

[Unnamed Trialist]

Over the past 10 matches the Whitecaps are the most on-form team in the league, 20 points. 

Three clean sheets in a row with a keeper no one knew much about before the season. 

Stats tend to show they don't have possession but do get chances, and can get deeper into the attack, getting shots and corners.

On the Canadian front, Godinho is getting minutes after being ignored most of last year. Raposo. And Teibert continues with his solid midfield play, not always starting though. Cavallini, not slipping in form yet. 

[youllneverwalkalone]

Cubas seems to have glued everything together. Funny they are doing well with so much payroll on the bench. I wonder if they will move out a few people in this window.

[BearcatSA]

^The back three have been strong and Cubas has really impressed in his d-mid role.  Brown seems to have settled nicely into his new position and Veselinovic has taken his game to a higher level.  Though healthy, the higher priced Godoy seems to spend more time on the bench.  Gutierrez looks to have taken over the china doll durability title from the Argentine.

They need to pose a more consistent threat on the flanks in order to augment their attack.  Godinho had some impressive dribbles (including that one mazy run in the second half) but his final product is inconsistent.  Not a Raposo fan:  does stuff that shows up well and flatters to deceive on Opta stats but opponents don't need to specifically gameplan for him, unlike a Richie Laryea.  It was notable that the attack down the left picked up once Dajome played as winger there after Vite came on.  Dajome's had his ups and down, in small part because of positional change/flux, but to me he needs to play up top with Gauld and either Cavallini or White:  he poses a bona fide sudden counterattacking threat with his pace.

Teibert?  He'll be the starter (and captain) on a consistent basis as long as he is with the club.  I'm in the Kilbane/JDG club in my assessment of his contribution.

One thing about Cropper is that right now he seems to have a presence about him that helps with Veselinovic and the rest of the d, and now that Cubas is on the scene, they look like a tougher nut to crack.

 

 

 

[BearcatSA]

Cubas:  the Paraguayan Piranha.

You heard it here first.  JJ Adams, feel free to use it in your next Province headline.

Edit: I'll settle for El Piraña

Edited July 3, 2022 by BearcatSA

[Watchmen]

2 hours ago, youllneverwalkalone said:

Cubas seems to have glued everything together. Funny they are doing well with so much payroll on the bench. I wonder if they will move out a few people in this window.

Funny, I'm looking at the bench right now and thinking "they have actual options now late in the game for substitutions that might make a difference."  I'm not saying there's not a few players I wouldn't like to offload if possible (Teibert, Nerwinski), but a Dajome and Godoy on the bench is nice to have for once.

[youllneverwalkalone]

Not sure about Godoy at his wages. Rather have Cornelius back or sign Henry. But Dajome for sure, except he'd probably start as RWB in this system if I was putting it on the sheet. 

[Watchmen]

I'd take Henry back right now. Add to the defensive depth. Godoy's only concern for me is his injury history.

I know people are high on Cornelius  and I'm glad that he's doing well in Greece, but I'd present the argument that the Greek league is worse than MLS (with the possible exception of Olympiakos). He struggled with the Whitecaps.

I have not been impressed at all with Dajome as a WB this year. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

On 7/3/2022 at 1:03 PM, Watchmen said:

I'd take Henry back right now. Add to the defensive depth. Godoy's only concern for me is his injury history.

I know people are high on Cornelius  and I'm glad that he's doing well in Greece, but I'd present the argument that the Greek league is worse than MLS (with the possible exception of Olympiakos). He struggled with the Whitecaps.

I have not been impressed at all with Dajome as a WB this year. 

Olympiakos, AEK, Panathinaikos and Paok are all at MLS level, then it drops down. Not too different from many mid-level European leagues. 

Odd that the Cornelius loan was to the end of 2022, not to summer, but that gives him an intense next few months with his club. 

Edited July 5, 2022 by Unnamed Trialist

[Watchmen]

51 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Omympiakos, AEK, Panathinaikos and Paok are all at MLS level, then it drops down. Not too different from many mid-level European leagues. 

Odd that the Cornelius loan was to the end of 2022, not to summer, but that gives him an intense next few months with his club. 

Agreed, though my point was that if there's one team that's better than MLS it's Olympiakos.  The others you mention are about MLS level. So for Cornelius to be having success in a league where the majority of it is below MLS makes me think that he's found the right level for him right now, not that he should should be returning to MLS.

It was always an odd loan time period.

[BearcatSA]

12 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

It was always an odd loan time period.

Quite a long rent-to-own scenario, that one.

Moving on from Cornelius, I would still  prefer the club having a natural left footed guy on the left side of the back three.  There are some clear disadvantages to having a guy reluctant to use his left foot out there which opponents can film study and try to expose.

At least they may have finally found their Diego Chara in Cubas.

[Watchmen]

48 minutes ago, BearcatSA said:

Moving on from Cornelius, I would still  prefer the club having a natural left footed guy on the left side of the back three.  There are some clear disadvantages to having a guy reluctant to use his left foot out there which opponents can film study and try to expose.

At least they may have finally found their Diego Chara in Cubas.

Agreed.  They've ended up with 3 strong RB options in Godoy/Brown/Blackmon, though Godoy can also play as the center of the 3.  I like Blackmon but it does feel like just a matter before teams study the film and figure him out in that position.  Still, I'd rather have Blackmon there than Nerwinski.

Cubas has been great.  Reads the play incredibly well and he's covering for Teibert's blunders on a regular basis.  He's also able to play the ball forward much better than anticipated. 

[BearcatSA]

El Piraña makes the MLS Team of the Week!