Another MLS season is about to begin for the Vancouver Whitecaps, and with that, it’s time for our annual pre-season round table, as we do our best to get a sense of how The Third Sub team feels about what lies ahead. Hopefully, we will have a bit of fun along the way as well.

As always, if you have thoughts you’d like to share, please leave them in the comments section down below. In particular, we would be curious to hear your bold takes for the upcoming season, and we will review the best of them mid-season, along with our own, to see how well we were able to predict the future.

Alright, without further delay, here we go:

Where will the Whitecaps finish in the Western Conference standings, and if they make the playoffs, how far will they go?

Caleb: Heavily dependent on possible additions (which will surely come at some point…right? right!) But, assuming the roster as it stands now is the team, I’m going with 8th. Under those same circumstances I think another first round exit is the most likely outcome.

Andrew: I’m trying to balance two competing thoughts in making this prediction. On one hand, I still believe in the Whitecaps’ core of players. On the other, I can’t help but see steps forward in the roster build of most of their western conference rivals. Doing serious business in the summer won’t necessarily matter if this team isn’t already in contention. This core is still as strong as any in the conference, however, and there is a real chance Jesper Sorensen raises their ceiling. I’ll go with 9th as my prediction.

Sam: I think my thoughts will echo much of what was said above. Given the Whitecaps off-season to date, they are in about the same place they were last year: a competitive team, but not one with the firepower to challenge for the top of the West. It all really hinges on what they are able to do with those remaining roster spots. That said, I also think it’s important to remember that this team did not have Stuart Armstrong for most of last year and was pretty strong right up until the end of the season. Overall, because of the uncertainty in terms of those new players, the highest I can predict the Whitecaps to finish is 6th.

AGR: Until they bring in that third DP, it’s hard to gauge how high this team can finish, but it’s not like they’ve got to rely on a ragtag group to get them by until then. This is still a side with Ryan Gauld, Brian White and Andrés Cubas, after all, and that alone should be enough to make them a playoff side. Plus, I do feel that Jesper Sørensen’s style of play should fit well with this group, which is a bonus. You can already see the benefit for someone like Ali Ahmed through preseason, for example. Because of that, I’ll predict they finish 6th in the West, with the goal in the playoffs being to get past that first round.

Kian: Stuart Armstrong aside, the squad isn’t wildly different from last year, but there is still a DP slot and an U22 initiative player, as well as more squad pieces, to come in. If those signings are the right players, and stay healthy, I think 7th (or higher) is realistic. I think they can win in the first round of the playoffs, but I’m not confident they can go further. I also think they will win the Canadian Championship.

Ian: No lie, the Whitecaps may be the most unknown, unheralded team in MLS this season. Again. Look at what happened last year: the pundits over at mls soccer dot com picked the ‘Caps to finish anywhere between 4th and 12th! No one ever seems to know what to make of the Whitecaps regarding MLS at-large. Those are the breaks when it comes to being a mid-market spender on the west coast who makes signings late and finishes their games even later. What do I think it really comes down to? How much of a game-changing coach Jesper Sorensen will be. The biggest criticism of Vanni Sartini was that he could never put the ‘Caps over; the gusto was there, but the tactics weren’t usually “next level.” If Sorensen can make that push with relatively the same squad, maybe the ‘Caps finish as high as 4th. But I’ve been too seasoned with letting my optimism get the better of me. I’m calling for a 7th place finish, with some weird Decision Day magic to avoid the wild card game.

The Vancouver Whitecaps had a +3 goal differential in 2024, will they be better or worse than that in 2025, and why?

Caleb: As above, it’s too early to say with certainty. It’s possible whatever I say here will look naively optimistic or wildly pessimistic depending on if and when there are more additions. But right now I would say slightly better.

Andrew: Without getting an extended look at Sorensen’s tactics I have a hard time picking something wildly different than where Vancouver finished last season. I’ll say they have a slightly better differential.

Sam: Late antics against Saprissa aside, I am buying how the Whitecaps look in a back four with Veselinovic and Blackmon and the centre of it, and I think Vancouver will be a better defensive side in 2025, perhaps top third in the league. While I don’t think they will be an elite attacking team, I do like the additions of Sabbi, Rios, and Nelson, so I think the Whitecaps will get more goals from a variety of players, which is important. I think the goal difference will be very similar, albeit a bit lower event.

AGR: I’ll say slightly better. The offence looks to be a bit more balanced, which along with the arrival of Sørensen, will help them move past the “feast or famine” they’ve struggled with over the last few years. As a result, I feel like the answer to this question will hinge on the defence – given that there’s a lot of familiarity with this group, and that Sørensen’s possession-based style will help them close out games, I can see them taking a slight step forward in that regard.

Kian: I think the squad looks like they have slightly more goals in them this season, with the additions of Nelson, Rios and Sabbi, so I think it will be better.

Ian: Basing this on vibes only: they’re going to find a way to be better than +3, but it won’t be through more goalscoring. That’s saying something, considering the Whitecaps only bagged 52 last season. Somehow, Vancouver’s defense will be better, to the point that their differential will be wider, but marginally. Let’s aim for +5.

What was Vancouver’s best off-season addition?

Caleb: Tate Johnson. He will probably be a squad player this season but based on his NCAA numbers and his preseason performances, that’s a player who could be your left-back for a decade.

Andrew: I’ve been buying lots of Emmanuel Sabbi stock…only for him to miss the first few weeks of the season with an injury. Sabbi seems to fit this system quite well as someone who can play anywhere across the front three. His profile also indicates he should be able to cope with the physical demands of MLS and can press well, which is an asset for this team. I think Sabbi could put a big dent in Fafa Picault’s lost production.

Sam: Certainly, Sabbi and Nelson both have a compelling upside case. That said, I am going to go with Daniel Rios. The Whitecaps have not often had reliable no-nonsense goalscoring depth, and Rios has proven he can provide that in a variety of MLS stops. I also think the addition of Rios could be really good for Brian White, who is a streaky goalscorer and could use someone to take the odd start throughout the rigours of a long season.

AGR: Does J.C. Ngando count? I kid. On a more serious note, I’ll go for Jayden Nelson – he might frustrate fans as he gets up to speed, but he’s shown with Toronto FC and Rosenborg that there’s a fun player in there when it clicks. With Gauld, White, Sabbi and Ahmed all occupying attacking roles, Nelson doesn’t have to be the guy right away for this Whitecaps side, as he’s often been asked to do for his other teams. For a young guy who is still developing, that could help him immensely, even if it might be a bit of a slow burn to get to his best level.

Kian: For the long term, I’d probably agree with Caleb and say Johnson. However, I think Rios and Chateau this year will add a goal threat from the bench that the team lacked last year, so I’m excited to see their contributions.

Ian: I’m going with Jayden Nelson, because he’ll bring a lot of the needed dynamism after Fafa Picault left for Inter Miami. But I’ll admit, my choice of Nelson may be the biggest hit or miss. If he can bear even the slightest of resemblances to ‘24 Fafa, it’ll be a great signing; but if he can only muster enough goal contributions to count on one hand, it’ll be a long summer.

What’s one glaring weakness you think could be exposed this year?

Caleb: It’s basically over if, for any significant period of time, Ryan Gauld isn’t 100% healthy.

Andrew: Not to beat a dead horse but the lack of depth remains concerning, particularly in attack. Midfield could probably survive losing Andres Cubas. No Ryan Gauld poses much bigger problems. Given how this team ended the 2024 regular season, you can see how things could go wrong this year.

Sam: Everyone else has said Ryan Gauld, and the lack of depth behind that, which is the right answer, but I might as well go in a different direction for argument’s sake. I am still not convinced that Yohei Takaoka is the locked-on starting keeper you want on a top MLS side. He struggles to make big saves, is weak in the air, and is regularly beaten from distance. I like Isaac Boehmer, but he has very little MLS match experience, so that’s still a bit of a wildcard. If Takaoka is not up to the challenge, the Whitecaps’ keeping situation could become a surprisingly big problem.

AGR: A lack of killer edge in the big games. Other than Ryan Gauld, a lot of players have struggled to step up and find goals in the sort of matches the Whitecaps will need to win this year (like important league games, playoff matches and other knockout settings). Got to find a way to get over that hump, which is definitely a psychological one, as the Whitecaps tend to perform well in these big matches, but come up short in the margins.

Kian: Scotland have just realised Ryan Gauld is good, so he’ll be called up for international games over the course of the year. Losing him, Cubas, Ahmed, and Vite to international duty will leave the team lacking in those games, especially due to the lack of depth beyond those guys.

Ian: No going against the majority here. It’s the bench depth behind Gauld; it’s too much of an issue to ignore. If the Whitecaps can create-by-committee for any of the games Gauld will inevitably miss, maybe it won’t be so bad. But that means guys like Pedro Vite, Sebastian Berhalter, or To Be Announced DP #3 will have to over-delivery half the time. That’s asking a lot, but Gauld has pretty big boots to fill.

Who will be the team’s unsung hero or surprise performer this year?

Caleb: I think Belal Halbouni’s skillset is a nice fit for Sørensen’s system. He might not be a nailed on starter but I could see him being the Sebastian Berhalter of the defence.

Andrew: I think Ralph Priso can continue further down the Sebastian Berhalter-style path of “cheap depth piece turned actual MLS-level starter.”

Sam: This is where I will go with Tate Johnson. The team is very pleased with how he performed at training camp, and with Sam Adekugbe’s health being a constant question, Johnson could play significant minutes at that left fullback spot. I think he has the mentality and skills to step up to that challenge.

AGR: Not only will Daniel Rios be key in helping the Whitecaps with their depth scoring woes, but he’ll provide key rest for Brian White in busy stretches. If Rios pushes for 25-30 appearances, with ~10 starts, and matches similar output from past MLS stops (~7 goals), that gives the Whitecaps a profile they sorely lacked last year, as there were a few stretches where they overplayed a White that was either slumping or fatigued.

Kian: Having watched the WFC2 team regularly last season, I think Jeevan Badwal will surprise and impress many.

Ian: Ranko Veselinovic! This is the year he makes the rest of the league take notice. I’m thinking mid-2010s Tim Parker-level stuff. If and when the Whitecaps defense performs well this year, it’ll be because Ranko is anchoring it all from the back.

What is one bold prediction you would make that others might not see coming?

Caleb: Max Anchor will surpass Isaac Boehmer as the second choice goalkeeper. This, in turn, will set the stage for Anchor being the #1 in 2026 when Takaoka’s contract expires.

Andrew: This is perhaps not that bold given how Vancouver revitalized Fafa Picault but I think Daniel Rios and Emmanuel Sabbi will both post career highs for goals plus assists.

Sam: Perhaps those in the comments can tell me if this is bold or not, but I don’t think the Whitecaps are that far away from being able to compete amongst the top echelon in the West. This team was on the precipice of being in the top four late last season, and then after the Canadian Championship final they simply ran out of gas. If Axel Schuster is really able to nail the Armstrong replacement, I think the Whitecaps can vault themselves right back into that mix. Equally, I think the Armstrong departure could be a blessing in disguise, especially if the Whitecaps can find someone younger who can play match in match out.

AGR: Given Jesper Sørensen’s reputation as someone who likes to embed youth into the fold, he finds 500 minutes across all competitions for u21 Canadian players. Come on up, Jeevan Badwal, Liam Mackenzie and co.

Kian: IF the Whitecaps can turn it around and beat Saprissa, this team will surprise Monterrey in the second round and go deep into the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Ian: Someone that ISN’T Ryan Gauld makes the MLS All-Star squad. It’ll likely be Brian White, primarily because the league marketing team loves an American striker success story. But if White gets off to a hot start, especially with World Cup ‘26 on the horizon, he could very well find himself in Austin in late July.

Are there any players on the current roster you don’t think will be with Vancouver by season’s end?

Caleb: You can usually spot when an agent is testing the waters. You will see a headline like [player name] has interest from clubs in [nation 1, nation 2, nation 3]. So far I have seen stories like this (in various languages) about Ali Ahmed, Pedro Vite, and Mathias Laborda. That doesn’t mean a move will definitely happen for those players but they are all a year or two out from their contracts being up and all might be looking to take a step up (even a relatively small one). Something to watch.

From a team perspective, buying out Damir Kreilach mid-season to create space during the secondary window (when it can be easier to make big moves) seems like a lock to me. I think we will see Giuseppe Bovalina go on loan. I’m pretty excited for Bovalina’s future potential but for now an international spot on your 3rd choice right back isn’t good resource allocation.

Andrew: I’m pretty sure I said Ali Ahmed the last time this question was asked and, well, he’s still in Vancouver. Ali had a somewhat disappointing season last year but his age and skill profile make him an obvious fit to follow fellow Canadian internationals Alistair Johnston, Ismael Kone, etc. abroad.

Sam: I’m not going to add anything groundbreaking here, other than I hope Vite and Ahmed are playing well enough where the summer transfer window leads to some difficult decisions. In terms of the overall roster build, I think like Caleb said, the Whitecaps have to consider clearing Kreilach off the books, even if he is a good guy to have around the team. I’d also watch for what happens with Max Anchor if he plays for WFC2 all season, or if perhaps the Whitecaps send him out on loan.

AGR: Bjørn Inge Utvik did not look very comfortable in Sørensen’s system in preseason, and has looked to have fallen to either 4th or 5th in the depth chart. For someone on $500 000 and filling an international spot, that could make him a candidate to be sold or bought out in the summer, helping clear room for a DP or a U22 player to come in.

Kian: Ahmed and Vite are quality young players who I would not be surprised to see attract interest from European sides over the summer.

Ian: Let’s go for the contract-centric, low-hanging fruit: it’ll be Damir Kreilach because, as Caleb noted, the team will need the cash to bring in a new player, maybe even DP #3. Maybe the ‘Caps are ready to sell high on Ali Ahmed; I don’t see it, but he’s already 25(!) so the time might be right.