Attacking midfielder crucial for Caps
Finding the right No. 10 tops list of team's needs heading into unpredictable 2021 season
It's been official for a week: There will be a Major League Soccer season. We don't know when — or where — the Vancouver Whitecaps might begin their 2021 campaign, but here are five things to look for when it finally does.
1 A PERFECT 10
There's a lot riding on the team's search for a No. 10 — or as coach Marc Dos Santos prefers to say, a creative midfielder with attacking qualities.
Why is it such a crucial position? Well, with a nod to newly minted director of recruitment Nikos Overheul, late of Statsbomb, here is some stats fodder, including some X factors from the analytics site.
In 2020, the Whitecaps were last overall in many, many offensive categories, such as: Shots (8.57), shots on target (2.87), key passes (143), possession (41.8), expected goal differential per 90 (0.61), while occupying the conference basement in xG (23.8) and xGD (-14.1).
With such low possession, their passing stats followed suit. The fewest touches in the attacking third, second fewest in the opponent's box, third fewest in the middle third, second-lowest number of passes into the box or the final third. The players with the most total distance with the ball at their feet? Ali Adnan, Jake Nerwinski and Russell Teibert.
Lucas Cavallini is clearly starved of service. His six goals was the lowest total for a leading scorer in team history, the caveat being it came in 18 games, as opposed to Fredy Montero's eight in 32 games in 2019.
Head reeling from all the numbers? Now you know how the under-siege Whitecaps defenders felt last year. The numbers paint the same picture that played out on TV screens for the team's fans: A squad that couldn't hold onto the ball, progress through the middle of the field by foot or pass, and had little offensive bite when it came to the final third or opposing box.
It's why the Caps set their sights on No. 10s like Porto's Otavio and Benfica's Chiquinho, though neither of them appear keen on the offers made by Vancouver.
2 A DP OR THREE
In Cavallini and Adnan, the Whitecaps have two senior Designated Players. If the new No. 10 is not 23 or younger, the Caps will be limited in their use of the new U-22 initiative, which would allow them to bring in up to three players under the age of 22 with no limits on their transfer or loan fees. Teams that have three senior DPs will only be allowed one U-22 initiative player.
Vancouver has already made one such signing in the $2.5-million transfer of Déiber Caicedo, the 20-year-old winger from Deportivo Cali in Colombia, and Schuster has previously stated his desire to have a full allotment of U-22 initiative players.
3 CENTRE-BACK CONUNDRUM
Erik Godoy is a lock to start in the middle for the Whitecaps, but will he partner with Derek Cornelius or Ranko Veselinovic?
Dos Santos clearly favoured the Serbian last year, giving him 16 starts to DC's 11. Cornelius was sometimes even passed over in favour of Andy Rose, who made nine of his 13 appearances at centre back.
The 21-year-old Veselinovic is better with the ball at his feet, ranking in the team's top four in passes completed and attempted, completion percentage, progressive distance, while the 23-year-old Cornelius was much steadier defensively, making the most tackles as a centre back and winning more aerial battles than all but Cavallini and Adnan.
The money is on Veselinovic to start the season as the part of the primary pairing in an expected 4-4-2, but a strong showing from Cornelius at Olympic qualifying (he'll miss much of camp because of it) could change the math.
4 GOALIE SCHMOLY
Who will start between the sticks for the Caps? Probably whoever is healthy.
Both Maxime Crepeau and Thomas Hasal missed the majority of the 2020 season because of injury. Crepeau, the de facto No. 1, broke his thumb at the MLS is Back tournament. Hasal stepped up to fill the void until he went down with a concussion and stress fracture.
Hasal seems the more likely choice to be loaned out, especially after the club swapped Evans, bringing in 32-year-old USL Championship goalie Evan Newton from Indy Eleven as the backup to replace the Columbus Crewbound Evan Bush.
But don't count Hasal out yet. He had superior goalsagainst and shot-percentage numbers than Crepeau despite facing shots with a higher PSxG (those more likely to score).
5 OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND
COVID-19 border restrictions mean it's all but assured the Whitecaps will be based out of the U.S. in 2021, with them likely departing Vancouver towards the end of March to relocate to Sandy, Utah, where they will occupy the facilities of the former women's team, the Utah Royals.
The Caps played just five games at B.C. Place Stadium last season before moving to Portland to play out the string. Being away from home for another year is a daunting prospect for a club fighting to stay relevant with an apathetic audience in Vancouver.
The club has missed the playoffs three straight years and been dogged by controversies including allegations of sexual assault and misconduct by former players and women's coaches, and seen its attendance droop along with its stature.
Recapturing the attention of those who have tuned out will be tough, but they're hoping the culture reset that Dos Santos promised when he arrived in 2018 will eventually win them back. This has also included filling the roles of sporting director, a head of recruitment and creating an actual scouting department.