Good Monday morning Caps fans, hope you all had a lovely fall weekend and are gearing up for the work week ahead.
Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Seattle is the last time we will see the Whitecaps until Decision Day and the well-earned international break (for those who aren’t jetting off to represent Canada or Jamaica) will be for both fans and players after a hectic month.
I will admit to not watching Saturday’s match live but I did catch the highlights — or what passes for highlights in a fairly cagey affair that didn’t have a ton of gilded chances for either side. Of the two sides, Vancouver will probably be happier with a point — in truth, I was chuffed to see the notification come in that they earned a draw on the road against a Seattle team that has found their feet ahead of the playoffs.
In a welcome sign, Yohei Takaoka was Vancouver’s man-of-the-match, reverting back to his form from the first third of the season after a series of matches in which he has had a rough go of it and was getting some (not misplaced) criticism from supporters.
One match doesn’t change the fact that Taka has drifted into the bottom third of MLS keepers in terms of analytics. But Vancouver is about to enter their highest pressure stretch of matches yet, I have to say I feel much, much better about the prospect of Takaoka in a do-or-die match in a best-of-three playoff series than I would any of the guys the Caps have rolled with in the post-Maxime Crepeau era. I feel much better about Takaoka after this match, which is certainly hella recency bias but in a position that is so confidence driven, the Caps need their shot stopper at max confidence entering the postseason.
The Caps remain on the outside looking in for home-field advantage, though the new format will see them host at least one match at BC Place (something I knew in the back of my mind but which have kind of forgotten as they chase a top four position). Their odds of nabbing that elusive position seem doubtful, with RSL having a match in hand and Houston winning on Saturday night against Colorado (thanks guys).
But, at the moment, I’m not sure there’s a ton separating the top six teams in the west and the Caps’ recent road form has made me a bit more comfortable with the idea of going to one of their top four rivals. In other words, rest easy during the international break, enjoy Canada’s first fixture in some time and vibe out like Vanni Sartini at an arcade.
Shameless Self Promotion
Enjoy this post match from Saturday’s action because it’s the last one for a couple of weeks.
Best of the Rest
More Vanni Sartini, this time with #takes on his favorite superheroes
Javain Brown has been called up to represent Jamaica for his side’s upcoming CONCACAF Nations League fixtures
The Canadian Women’s National team will play a pair of friendlies on the eastern side of the country against Brazil
The CPL season is in the books and if you’re a Vancouver FC fan, it perhaps is best not to look at the standings
Wayne Rooney is out as DC United’s manager, with his side eliminated from playoff contention over the weekend