After the dramatic finish to last weekend’s game in Minnesota, Vancouver Whitecaps play host to CF Montréal this weekend.

While Hernan Losada’s side registered their first win of the season over Philadelphia Union last weekend, another game with late drama, Vancouver Whitecaps are still in search of their first win of the MLS season.

How to stop CF Montréal

Vanni Sartini has been operating with a compact midfield and defence, looking to be hard to play through and forcing the opponents wide and away from goal.

With a new look back four, this caused some issues in transition last week resulting in conceding a goal from a cross by Minnesota full back Zarek Valentin into Mender Garcia to head home. With Minnesota playing with two centre forwards, rather than the lone striker systems Vancouver had previously faced in MLS, the central defenders had a new challenge to face.

With a congested midfield three, the onus in on the attacking midfielders to drop and provide support if the opposing full back pushes forward. At times, especially in transition, this can be difficult. CF Montréal though, will provide a new system to challenge Sartini’s side with the use of wingbacks and possibly two centre forwards.

Mason Toye combined with Romell Quioto in the last match which would leave the likely pairing of Tristan Blackmon and Ranko Veselinović occupied in the centre of defence. Losada has at times played two attacking midfielders behind a lone striker, but in getting their first win last weekend it would be likely they will use this same system once again.

As Losada will have no wingers in his system this will leave the Whitecaps attacking midfielders to keep track of the wingbacks with the knowledge that in certain situations, they can be passed on to the full backs, last weekend being Ryan Raposo and Mathias Laborda.

When the attacking midfielders like Ryan Gauld can stay high out of possession, the threat of transition could force the Montréal wingbacks to be more conservative in their attacking threat. If not, the Whitecaps full back could come out to provide pressure leaving the likes of Gauld in more attacking areas which could disrupt the balance of the three central defenders of Montréal, creating space for himself or lone striker Brian White.

Midfield three out of possession

We could see the three-man midfield block drop a little deeper with Montréal’s use of a 10 in front of two more defensively minded central midfielders. Whether it is Nathan Saliba or Sean Rea, they will try to occupy spaces between the defence and midfield lines. If that gap is narrowed, play will again be forced wide, but give the full back cover if they are forced to engage the wingback, in this case one on the wider central midfielders can drop in to cover the space that has been left which Montréal runners would look to target.

Dynamic Movement

There will need to be a visible improvement in the movement across the front line. Brian White will often occupy central areas as a focal point striker. Often a ball into his feet can used to link play and feed runners from midfield, though too often the striker is joined in a line with the attacking midfielders, all with their backs to goal waiting for the ball.

Vertical runs are required from the attacking midfielders, Gauld and Cristian Dájome in the last game, to try and move the opposition defenders and create space. The lack of incisive and intelligent runs at times limits opportunities and fails to create space to provide clear goal-scoring opportunities.

CF Montréal have struggled this season coping with transitional attacks, and with Gauld and co supporting White, there is the chance to break, and the Whitecaps have players who have the quality on the ball to provide opportunities.

Alessandro Schöpf (unavailable this weekend) and Julian Gressel have shown the ability to make good third man runs, but the attacking trio need to open holes in the defence to capitalise on these opportunities.

Vancouver managed 23 shots on goal against Minnesota last weekend, but only five were on target. This is often due to the lack of clear-cut opportunities and shots from distance when opposing defenders are organised and comfortable. More needs to be done this weekend to create better opportunities.

In Summary

• Better transitional movement is needed to disorganise the Montréal defence and open clearer opportunities in the final third.
• Strong communication and coordination between fullbacks and attacking midfielders on covering the opposing wingbacks.
• Deep midfield looking to dominate and restrict space for Montréal to play in the centre of the pitch.