A movement has been afoot of late on the twitter to make every Wednesday a #WhitecapsWednesday. We at Pucked in the Head love ourselves a good hashtag, so we’re planning on going blue and white every Wednesday for the 2013 MLS season. It’s been an exciting couple of months in Whitecaps land, and the consensus is that manager Martin Rennie has finally divested himself of all the unwanted detritus of the Thordarsen/Soehn era. Here’s a look ahead at seven things we’re eagerly anticipating this year.
Depth
The 2012 Whitecaps were deep at striker. They also had a bunch of strikers. There were a few strikers on the squad, too. Beginning the season with Darren Mattocks, Eric Hassli, Camilo, Sebastien Le Toux, Etienne Barbara, Caleb Clarke and Long Tan, much of the talk centered on how many different scoring threats the Caps possessed. Then the season started and everyone realized that they couldn’t all play at the same time. Nor could they distribute the ball to themselves or play fullback. When Davide Chiumiento departed in July, so did fans’ dreams of a balanced midfield. Incoming Scot Barry Robson was forced into a role he was admittedly uncomfortable with, and the Whitecaps’ already mediocre attack fizzled down the stretch. The defence that started the year with an MLS-record 427 minutes without conceding a goal finished the year looking old and tired. YP Lee played every minute of all but one MLS game because Martin Rennie just didn’t trust anyone else at right back.
This year, the squad appears much more balanced. Draft picks Kekuta Manneh and Eric Hurtado are both blazing fast, comfortable on the wing, and have had great camps. An already solid defence corps remains intact, but has been bolstered by the additions of Brad Rusin and young Honduran standout Johnny Leverón. In midfield, rumours of Gershon Koffie’s impending exit to [insert major European club] appear to be unfounded. For the short term, at least, Koffie has stated he is very happy in Vancouver, and there’s even been some chatter about him gaining citizenship and playing for Canada. He’ll be joined by Japanese attacking mid Kobayashi Daigo and – if MLS legalities can be sorted out – former Bolton captain Nigel Reo-Coker. This will give Rennie the wonderful flexibility to use Alain Rochat at his natural left back position, rather than as a converted defensive mdifielder.
A Victory in a Cup Game
Please? Just one? Then maybe five or six more? Since the Whitecaps jumped up to MLS, they have yet to beat an MLS side in either a Cascadia Cup or Canadian Championship match. They were agonizingly close to beating Seattle both times the Sounders visited BC Place last year, but first Fredy Montero scored, then Camilo didn’t, and the Caps settled for two draws. This is the year.
Scorpion Kicks!
More of this, please!
Playoffs at Home
Despite being the first Canadian team to qualify for the playoffs last season, Vancouver finished 11th in the overall table. If MLS had kept the less ridiculous playoff format they used in 2011, Vancouver would have finished out of the playoffs, 9 points behind the Columbus Crew. Even that was a remarkable turnaround from the horrific 2011 season, but with their new additions Vancouver can and should do better.
A Hoop
File this under “almost certain not to happen this season,” but I really want the Whitecaps to bring back the hoop. Since very early in their history, the Whitecaps have been identifiable by the single thick blue stripe on a white background. In 2011, the move to MLS brought with it a sterile new shirt with weird squiggly lines down the front. It wasn’t broke and shouldn’t have been fixed, but it looks as though the first chance to correct this mistake – MLS mandates at least one kit be changed every season – will pass with only minor adjustmenets.
Wingers
The Whitecaps tried a ton of different players on the wing last year. Sebastien Le Toux was probably the most effective. Sebastien Le Toux was very good at tracking back on defence. Sebastien Le Toux had to be good at tracking back on defence because he’s got a club for a foot, no first touch and the crossing ability of your average guy with a club for a foot and no first touch. Suffice it to say he was not an effective wide player. With the 4th and 5th overall picks in the 2013 draft (both acquired via trade), Vancouver selected two young men who are effective wide players in Kekuta Manneh and Erik Hurtado. They acquired a third, Paulo Jr., from Real Salt Lake. Both Manneh and Hurtado can flat out fly, and pairing them with Darren Mattocks will give the Caps the fastest front line in the league.
CONCACAF Champions League
The only thing better than Whitecaps soccer is MORE Whitecaps soccer! The Whitecaps are a dismal 0 for 11 in the Canadian Championship since its inception in 2002. It’s about bloody time they win that thing and qualify for the North American club championship. It’s embarrassing having Toronto represent Canada year after year.