The Vancouver Whitecaps fell at home 3-1 to the L.A. Galaxy. Accurate analysis of this match requires threading a difficult needle. On the one hand, in terms of chances created, this game was basically a coin flip. Sometimes the coin flip goes your way, sometimes it doesn’t, but losing a coin flip is no reason to think the sky is falling. On the other hand, you can’t get bogged down in triumphalism. If you’re a serious contender, you need to be doing a little better than a coin flip when other good teams come to town.
The first half was a bit of a snooze fest. L.A. dominated possession but created very little in the way of dangerous chances. Gabriel Pec had a well-placed curling shot that forced a good save from Takaoka but other than that there was nothing of note. Vancouver, I thought, actually did quite a good job of creating chances with the little of the ball they did have. Brian White flashed a decent chance wide of the post after being sprung in behind by Gauld and he had a couple of other half chances as well. Fans online were quite frustrated with Vancouver’s defensive posture but, based on the damage L.A. did in transition in the second half, can you really say it was the wrong choice to come out that way? Fafa Picault came off with an injury. Sartini responded to this by rotating Ali Ahmed into the front three. I don’t really like Ahmed in that position, for all his speed and dribbling ability I don’t think he quite has the final 3rd juice to be a winger. I am glad the Whitecaps didn’t try to force Damir Kreilach into the game that early but I probably would have gone with Levonte Johnson or even kept Pedro Vite further forward.
The second half was much more open. It was L.A. who struck first, catching Vancouver on the counter after the Canadian side had a good chance of their own. Vancouver pulled one back from a corner but L.A. scored capitalized on a poor defensive line by Vancouver and another counter-attack to ultimately come away 3-1 winners. Vancouver did not go quietly, they forced a number of saves from John McCarthy. I was particularly encouraged by how good Kreilach looked in a super-sub role. He did not finish any chances on the day but getting a couple of dangerous shots off against a parked bus late in a game is what he’s here for.
So, what did we learn? Not much, truth be told. As fun as it is to troll the official MLS account when it posts power rankings, I think we all kind of knew Vancouver hadn’t quite hit elite status in the league yet. If things had gone slightly differently they could very easily be top of the West with a game in hand still. So it would be goofy to despair after this game. But, as we have discussed ad nausea on this blog, the time for the Whitecaps to push the chips in is right now. This game made it clear that there’s still a little bit of a gap to where they need to be. It’s a much smaller gap than it has been in previous years but it still exists. Some all-but-confirmed MLS changes will allow the Whitecaps to make some pretty significant additions in the summer (either another senior DP or 3 more U-22 initiative players). The way I see it, basically everything is riding on them nailing those additions. Vancouver didn’t quite have the quality to match the four-headed dragon of Puig, Paintsil, Pec, and Jovejlic. But they got pretty close! So, we should be clear-minded, this game showed the Whitecaps aren’t quite where they need to be. But, where they need to be is not terribly far away.
Totally agree with Anonymous above or below depending on where this comment gets tucked in…anyway, please read Anonymous comment..he/she is right on with that comment
“They” is more appropriate, fyi.
Also, which Anonymous comment is being referred to ?
Totally agree with Anonymous above^^^
That game was the Riqui Puig show, he was involved everything. Also, the way the Galaxy are able to consistently knife diagonal switches across the top with such accuracy was stretching our back three constantly, we should have been playing a 4-4-2 for that game.
Sure wish Julian Gressel had stuck around.
If you look past the lopsided possession numbers, the rest of the stats really do support the coin flip analysis. Vancouver actually went into half time up ahead in xG (0.6 v 0.3) and ended the game tied in that category (2.2 v 2.2).
White got some golden chances this game with beautiful service and he blew it. He obviously knows that from his body language and mouth guard drop-kick. Kreilach also had several quality chances. Frustrating to see for fans, especially at home, but the Caps came into the match leading the league in goals per game despite being dead last in shots. That is not a sustainable conversion rate.
From my couch, the thing that put the coin flip in LA’s favour was that Puig and Paintisil had another gear after the 80th minute and we didn’t. Gauld and Ahmed looked gassed and a half step behind, while the LA stars looked like they could have played another 90.
Sartini’s system runs guys into the turf, hence Gauld and Ahmed looking gassed. That is not sustainable and at this rate I expect/fear longer term injuries down the road.
insightful comments – they add to mine – depth of quality will be the difference come september- it cant always be on Gauld’s shoulders to lead the team
how can CEO Axel Schuster push, pry more money from the wealthy collective of owners by the summer ?? the supporters have spoken and have invested; now its the owners to step up
for whatever reasons, – poor first half tactics or just the moments are just too much for some of the players- the Caps sometimes come out flat at home- they just cant seem to consistently seize the moments to take the game to their opponents (apparent at last night’s first half) and capture the growing supporters
when at home, you should come out firing and take the game by the scruff of the neck, like they did vs Portland and TFC
as the writer says- the Caps are close to being a serious contender, but need 1 significant DP leader, preferably in MF – the summer transfer window beckons for one, but will the missing-in-action owners invest with the Davies transfer money of about $5 mill USD (if the trade happens), or HEAVEN FORBID, open their collective wallets and see that an investment can return more money (they arent really soccer-knowledgeable people)
MLS is changing the rules for spending this summer and either the Caps owners join in or risk loosing the city again and being a maybe yes or maybe no playoff team… as usual
AND I AM TIRED OF USUAL
“I don’t really like Ahmed in that position, for all his speed and dribbling ability I don’t think he quite has the final 3rd juice to be a winger.”
Seriously? He is clearly the best winger they have in the final third: lots of juice to take guys on and make things happen. However, the formation and skillset needed for the two players on the flanks of the front three is more about being a channel running forward and not a 1 v 1 winger.
Cubas was not effective tonight: maybe because he was on a card after 20 minutes, he felt he could not commit to 50/50s as much. Losing Fafa’s pressing and counterattacking speed (his role in 3-4-3, not a winger) did hurt but good teams overcome that. The terrible defending between Adekugbe and Blackmon on the winner by Paintsil needs some reflection for both players. The favourite of the this fan blog’s contributors, Raposo, had a cross for a key pass to White but the rest of his play was poor, including two really bad giveaways and only lasted a half (4.5 would be a fair rating).
It was a just result. The Galaxy’s passing was incredibly crisp for a team that doesn’t play on Fieldturf, and their movement off the ball and interplay was a class above. When the Caps did get the ball in the first half (in their 15% of possession) they could not generate anything except off a quick strike counter. There was more urgency in the second half but in doing so they opened themselves up to a quick counter and were duly punished, but not before their keeper made two sensational saves off of White. As Robbo used to say. “Fine lines!”
They’re 2-2-1 at home (and one of those wins only came after they blew a 2-0 lead). They’re doing this in front of their biggest crowds in a decade, with a chance to really integrate themselves back in to this market as a relevant team, and they’re blowing it. This simply isn’t good enough.
Totally agree with anonymous above…
Convincing argument. I feel better about the loss having read this.