Lengthy away schedule may test Caps’ energy
A roller-coaster of some kind awaits the Vancouver Whitecaps in a few weeks, but right now they want to make sure they’re done dealing with the funhouse mirrors.
Centreback Derek Cornelius challenged teammates to look themselves in the mirror and take stock of what they saw after the team’s 2-0 loss to the Montreal Impact at the end of August, the fourth defeat of a grim shutout skid.
A productive team meeting helped dictate the best response — Saturday’s 3-2 win over Toronto FC — and now they face that same Impact squad on Sunday night.
“The message that we all got across is that we can’t blame people, we can’t blame the situation, we all just have to individually be better and see areas that we can improve on that’s going to be beneficial to the entire group,” Cornelius said, adding his team showed its resolve when the heavily favoured Toronto side tied the game twice after Vancouver had built leads.
“I think that showed in the game against Toronto. So we’re just looking to continue to grow and to bring that same energy, the same commitment to the game on the weekend.”
The Caps play Montreal twice — on Sunday and again Wednesday — before getting set for the next phase of play. The Impact will reportedly be based out of the New York Red Bulls’ field and facilities, with Portland the leading contender for the Whitecaps, as Major League Soccer looks at a base-city format for the Canadian teams for the next phase of the schedule.
It’s more likely the Caps will be playing fly-in/fly-out games in the Western Conference moving forward, as Canada’s strict quarantine protocols are unlikely to be waived for pro sports teams.
Whitecaps coach Marc Dos Santos wasn’t allowed to speak about the league’s plans for the Canadian teams, but did say he’d seen a potential playing schedule that would severely test his team’s depth.
“I had a glimpse of a possible schedule after these two games, and it’s gonna be a roller-coaster. It’s not going to be (restful),” he said.
Before the win over Toronto, the Caps’ string of results were less like a roller-coaster and more like bumper cars, where you get pinned in the corner and people take turns ramming you.
Vancouver (3-6-0) had just three shots on goal from the field in the previous three games, and matched that total against Toronto — scoring on all three of them. Their 4-3-1-2 formation allowed them to weather the TFC attack and be dangerous in possession themselves, like the 23-pass sequence that led to their opening goal from Lucas Cavallini — easily their most impressive team goal of the year.
Rookie midfielder Michael Baldisimo has been a revelation in his first two career starts, capably serving as a pivot point in the middle of the field and at a fraction of the cost of the departed Inbeom Hwang (US$83,000 vs. $655,000).
The forward partnership of Cavallini and Theo Bair was also effective as they helped produce the most scoring chances since the Caps fell 4-3 to San Jose on July 15 at the MLS is Back Tournament in Florida.
“We need to find something steady right now, something that fits the guys that we have. What changed that a little was selling Inbeom. And now, because of the situation of the market and with COVID not being able to replace Inbeom right away, you’re trying to find the best solutions with the players you have,” Dos Santos said of the formation.
“What I liked about Cava and Theo was the differences that they have as players. Cava is a player that likes to be in the box, likes to receive balls around the box and that’s an area where we have to grow as a team in our possession. And Theo, what he does well is the way he attacks the space in behind. That difference between the two players, they complement each other well. What they need to become better is playing closer to each other, and I like my two forwards to play close to each other, almost to have the ability with one or two touches to find the other one.
“What we need to grow is when you play a 4-3-1-2, or 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield, you have to have the ability when the ball is switched to get across faster, because that’s what you give away to the opponent. You give away to the opponent the wide areas with their fullbacks, and you have to have the ability to come across quicker, and that’s something that we need to work on.”
That’s fatal against a counterattacking team like Montreal that exposed the Caps’ left side in its two goals, especially on Lassi Lappalainen’s goal when he got in behind centreback Ranko Veselinovic.
“Against Montreal … defensively, they don’t give a lot of chances and when you have the chance, you have to finish it. And at the same time you have to be aware in transition, you have to be aware of the space behind you and how you defend that space behind you. The moment where you lose the ball against Montreal is very important.”