CAPS HAVE GOALS IN MIND, THEY JUST NEED THEM TO GO IN
Vancouver averaging just one marker per game, third-worst in Major League Soccer
There were 10 different countries represented in the Vancouver Whitecaps’ starting lineup last week. Canadians, Kiwis, Americans, Africans, South Americans … but no Finnish.
Bada boom, try the veal folks, we’re here all week!
As easy as it is for scribes to make jokes, it’s been conversely as difficult for the Caps to score. Their average of one goal per game is better than only Philadelphia (0.8) and Seattle (0.7) in Major League Soccer, with the Union being shut out a league-high five times, and the Sounders and Caps close behind at four.
It has been mentioned, ad nauseam, how solid Vancouver’s counter-attack is. They’re in the top 10 in key passes off long balls per game, and rank fourth in the league in counter-attack goals.
And the Caps’ lack of possession (43.4 per cent, second-lowest in MLS) and passing accuracy, a 77 per cent clip that ranks 18 out of the 23 teams in the league, are oftmentioned.
But it’s the lack of finish that has been the fine line for Vancouver.
Against Minnesota on Saturday, the Whitecaps had 19 key passes — passes that lead to a scoring chance — and a 71 per cent pass accuracy in the final third, but were blanked for the fourth time this year.
After training this week, Caps coach Carl Robinson was asked if the lack of scoring was a concern on a team that’s mustered three goals in five games.
“I don’t think so, at the moment. You’re always trying to find solutions to the problem,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve created as many chances as I’d like … ( but) we’ve had six away games, it might be down to the formation.
“On Saturday, we created a boatload of chances, but we didn’t take them. You’re always looking, away from home, for one or two chances. And I think we had five. We weren’t good enough in the attacking third.”
Is it bad luck? The Whitecaps have had games where they’ve run into a hot keeper or a hotheaded referee that have been the game’s determining factor.
Is it bad passing? It’s a fact Vancouver is last in MLS with 350.9 total passes per 90 minutes, with their short-range passing — 245.5 passes per 90 — ahead of only Eastern Conference bottom feeder D.C. United.
But in the games where they’ve had better than 70 per cent accuracy in the final third, they’re 1-2, with the win coming in the seasonopener against Montreal.
Russell Teibert, who’s second on the team with an 89.9 per cent pass completion rate, put the onus on the team’s ball distributors.
“I think we rush the final pass too much. I think we’re so eager to get a goal, that we’re not concentrating enough on the actual buildup to the goal, and we’re trying to force plays that don’t need to be forced,” he said.
“When you end up trying too hard, it doesn’t come off. When you just let it flow, that’s when good things start happening. You need guys that are comfortable in the final third and confident in the final third. And the confidence plays a big part of it.
“At the moment, we might be lacking a little bit of confidence, but that’s something you can only gain through games and training sessions. That’s what we’ve been working on this week, is scoring goals.”
There’s also been the massive change in personnel, notably with the addition of Kei Kamara up front in place of Fredy Montero. Where the wily Colombian striker could score from inside and out, it was his slippery ability to shed marking in the box that made him dangerous.
Kamara’s strengths come in the air and as a big target player, but one who’s dependent on good service from his wingers and midfield.
“There’s the Messi who dribbles, and the Ronaldo who scores from far. Fredy actually is somebody I watched and admired. He had a bit of both,” said Kamara. “His movement was very quiet; not noticeable, but he puts himself in the right place to get those goals.
“It’s simple for us. The final pass. We’re getting good numbers and players in the final third to be able to score goals ... but it’s been rough in the final third. Maybe we started off the season, getting one or two goals, and we thought we had it. But you see after training, we’re doing a lot of those drills to try to get our connection back.”