Good Monday morning Caps fans, hope you all had a nice weekend and are gearing up for a lovely workweek ahead (insofar as any work week can be lovely).
Sunday night certainly wasn’t a lovely start to Vancouver’s best-of-three playoff series against LAFC, with a result and performance that we’ve seen all too many times before against the LA rivals.
The Caps cooked in the first half. Stuart Armstrong, Pedro Vite and Andres Cubas ran the midfield and the first two look completely comfortable together alongside Ryan Gauld. Armstrong should have had an assist minutes in but Brian White hit the upright and that moment ultimately loomed large.
Much attention will focus on the first LAFC goal, which came after VAR deemed Tristan Blackmon to have handled the ball, a call that was harsh on Blackmon and will be debated a bit.
Initially, I thought this was clearly a penalty. But the more I watched it, the more I felt otherwise. Blackmon is turning away and the ball glances off his upper arm. There is no intent and I don’t know how a human being is supposed to turn in a more natural position. You could debate this one but that’s not the standard for VAR intervention — a clear and obvious error is. I just don’t think this meets that standard.
Ultimately, however, the Caps have only themselves to blame. After a strong first half, they just ran out of gas and the goal they conceded (and a couple they should have conceded) showed all the hallmarks of a tired defense facing a better team.
Ryan Gauld pulled one back late and the sharp build up play was exactly what Vancouver were missing throughout much of their listless second half. That goal in some ways twisted the knife for this result: it reminded of what could have been.
Instead, the Caps were punished for falling to 8th and not earning more of a rest. And the lack of depth was exposed as well — bringing off Stuart Armstrong for Alessandro Schopf was, to put it mildly, a bit of a drop off in terms of their quality on the ball.
This wasn’t an irredeemably bad performance. But that in some ways makes it more painful. At some point you have to do more than just hang around in these big games — you have to finish your chances and put LAFC on the back foot. The penalty robbed them of some momentum, to be sure, but the difference was the missed opportunities that came before the spot kick.
Hope certainly is not lost for the second match at BC Place. The Caps showed for period of time in this one what they can do at their best and that level is enough to beat LAFC and extend this playoff series. Let’s hope that’s the type of Whitecaps team we see in a week’s time.
Shameless Self Promotion
Our post match digs into the good and the bad from Sunday night in LA.
Best of the Rest
Elsewhere in MLS Cup playoffs action, Miami beat Atlanta 2-1, LA Galaxy dominated Colorado 5-0 and Orlando saw off a 10 man Charlotte side 2-0.
It was another dominant display from Canadian national teamer Alistair Johnston in the Scottish Premier League over the weekend.
Cavalry ensured they will be hosting the Canadian Premier League final if they make it that far with their playoff win over the weekend.
What should we make of Vancouver FC’s sophomore CPL season?
The shot that resulted in the PK was hit from about the edge of the penalty area with Blackmon a bit in front of the spot. Within about three yards a shot that was taken from the ball being on the ground had risen to his upper arm. It’s not part of the VAR guidelines, but perhaps part of the decision should be “is the ball, if touched, headed for the net?” This one rose four feet in three yards with about thirteen more to go. It was headed well over the net. Without such a consideration, forwards are simply blasting shots at lunging defenders knowing that the current Laws favour them if they can hit the defender’s arm. The sad part is that any Caps watcher knows full well that this same situation in the other end has a strong chance to be called differently: small market versus large market is “heads I win, tails you lose” in any judgment call. I fully expect the Caps to go out in Game 2 or perhaps Game 3 on some dubious PK call because that’s what the MLS script requires when the favorite encounters difficulty from the upstart. Or maybe it will be just the usual run of decisions favoring LAFC and ignoring their defenders’ habit of pushing through the back and then claiming it didn’t happen.
Don’t be a lunging defender.
Lots to say but not enough time…so, the Caps could learn a thing or two about counter attacking: do so at max speed and try to out number the defenders. Too many times this season I’ve seen the Caps miss a counter attacking opportunity by stepping on the ball and then playing it backwards. Whether an LAFC trap or poor Caps passing, LAFC showed that if you attack the Caps quickly with the Caps out of position then you’re going to cause the Caps some serious trouble
4 things that roll around in my bulbous head:
1. within 1 week, i have gone from wanting nothing to do with the Caps 2024 season, to looking forward to Sunday’s game- the Team has some mojo back
2. for 2025, the Caps have to/need to address the lack of mental and emotional toughness at home; during significant parts of the games they have little drive- its been a constant problem this year- i think they have too many soft players that cant UP their game when the other team does
3. we need to recruit faster defenders who can protect our flanks – its been our achilles heel alongwith 2. above– Ocampo has to be given a try
4. we cant have another year where our goalie goes missing on short goal shots- his kicking is very good, but he really misses it on cross balls and short-side shots/goals- his contract ends this december and we need to upgrade- at a cheaper price- as Takaoka is making almost $800 000– there might be some odd moments with Isaac Boehmer, but he will get better with first team starts- he hasnt reached his ceiling at 22 years old- Axel needs to roll the dice with him
(as a side note, the Caps signed Isaac to a 2 year contract a few months ago; havent signed Takaoka– thats interesting!)