Caps lose ‘best player’ going into key contest

Carl Robinson has picked the devil he knows, and he certainly knows him well.

He’s disposed to call Yordy Reyna his best player recently, as the Peruvian forward has picked up a goal and four assists in his past three games.

But Reyna’s also been prone to petulant tantrums and fouls, picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in Saturday night’s 2-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes, triggering an automatic one-game suspension. He’ll miss the next game — a massive one — against the Seattle Sounders on Sept. 15.

“I think he’s playing with an elegance at the moment,” said Robinson. “A smile, a little bit of attitude … and sometimes he gets booked. But I don’t want to take the little devil out of him, because if I do, we won’t get performances like that. It’s about curbing it.”

Vancouver hasn’t lost this season when Reyna records a point (5-03). Overall, they ’re 10-1-5 when he does.

He had a goal and an assist in Vancouver’s comeback win in San Jose, and he had two assists Saturday.

“I thought he was the best player on the field last week, and he was the best player again today,” Robinson said when asked to assess Reyna’s play in Saturday’s win.

TAKING A BREAK

With seven games left, and a playoff berth just a point from their grasp, it’s a critical time for the Vancouver Whitecaps. It’s time for a singular focus and concentration. Or not.

“I want them shut down from football,” said Caps coach Carl Robinson, whose team is off for a two-week break with international duty.

“Sometimes you’re engrossed in it, every minute of every day. I want them to have freedom of the mind for four or five days. Spend some time with family, shut down, and we’ll get back to work next weekend.”

That is, except for the eight players who have been called up to their national teams. Alphonso Davies, Marcel de Jong, Russell Teibert, Saturday, Sept. 15 Seattle Sounders at Vancouver Whitecaps

7 p.m., B.C. Place Stadium TSN2, TSN 1040 AM

and Doneil Henry will suit up for Canada, while Aly Ghazal (Egypt), Roberto Dominguez (El Salvador), Kendall Waston (Costa Rica) and Kei Kamara (Sierra Leone) are heading overseas.

“It’s huge going into the break with a win like this,” said fullback Brett Levis, who’s headed back to Saskatoon to enjoy some home cooking.

“We’re now six unbeaten, so we’ll enjoy the break — good luck to all the international guys — and we’ll come back and continue to make a playoff push.”

STORMIN’ NORMAN

Being a homegrown player with the Whitecaps doesn’t seem to end in stardom.

Marco Bustos. Sam Adekugbe. Kianz Froese. All with great potential, but never broke through to become meaningful contributors with the Caps.

David Norman Jr. has potential, too. It’s why the Whitecaps signed him last December.

But the casual Caps fan wouldn’t know it, since his lone appearance with the first team was only available via webcast when Vancouver visited Montreal in the Canadian Championship semifinal.

Some might foggily remember David Norman playing for the Caps, but that was his father — who played for the NASL side and the 86ers — not the lanky 20-year-old midfielder.

Now he’s heading on loan to Scottish Championship side Queen of the South FC through the end of this season.

“There have been lots of players who have come through but haven’t made it here, but I don’t see myself like that,” said Norman.

“I see myself being a great player for this football club and being here long term.

“Going over to Scotland now isn’t long-term. Hopefully I’ll get a chance next season to prove that I deserve to be on this team.”