OT: 2024 Soccer and Vancouver Whitecaps Thread

[Sexy Necksy Garland]

We’re 8th of 29 teams in MLS this year and you want the team to fold because they aren’t Inter Miami?

To each their own, but this is a bizarre take.

We’re also very clearly not a ‘world class city’ on par with NY/LA/Miami.

I think it's bizarre to follow a franchise in a non-elite league where neither the league nor the owners of said franchise give a crap about ya, but you know, people and their eachin' owns.

 

[MS]

I think it's bizarre to follow a franchise in a non-elite league where neither the league nor the owners of said franchise give a crap about ya, but you know, people and their eachin' owns.

You’re basically saying that 95% of the soccer fans in the world should stop following soccer, which is weird.

 

[Sexy Necksy Garland]

You’re basically saying that 95% of the soccer fans in the world should stop following soccer, which is weird.

Sounds like I'm weird. No complaints whatsoever in this instance.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Sounds like I'm weird. No complaints whatsoever in this instance.

League football is weird. For some markets...There's literally zero expectations to win or do anything to a build a contender.

I can criticize the owners for being cheap asses between 2013 and 2018 when there was more parity in the league. Right now...we cannot outbid LA and Miami, and have nothing that we can offer to attract top talent.

 

[VanJack]

League football is weird. For some markets...There's literally zero expectations to win or do anything to a build a contender.

I can criticize the owners for being cheap asses between 2013 and 2018 when there was more parity in the league. Right now...we cannot outbid LA and Miami, and have nothing that we can offer to attract top talent.

Admittedly I know next to nothing about the player budgets or how MLS teams operate, but does the league have any sort of salary cap? If not, then it seems teams in some of the larger cities like New York, L.A. or Miami might have a huge advantage.

Obviously there are a lot of small market teams in places like Nashville, Austin, Cincinnati, Portland and Columbus. So Vancouver isn't alone. I assume those teams have as much trouble attracting top international talent as do the Whitecaps?

 

[carjackmalone]

The road warriors great win

 

[VanJack]

The road warriors great win

Yep, that's one of the most shocking thing about this version of the 'Caps--their road record. After last night's win in Austin, Vancouver has one of the best road records in MLS. How do you figure it?

They go from having one of the worst away records in the league to one of the best in a single season. I suppose it could bode well for the playoffs, where you pretty well have to win road games to advance.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Suddenly, this team looks good. Players playing well and getting calls into their national teams.

What happened to Adekugbe?

 

[Bubbles]

Admittedly I know next to nothing about the player budgets or how MLS teams operate, but does the league have any sort of salary cap? If not, then it seems teams in some of the larger cities like New York, L.A. or Miami might have a huge advantage.

Obviously there are a lot of small market teams in places like Nashville, Austin, Cincinnati, Portland and Columbus. So Vancouver isn't alone. I assume those teams have as much trouble attracting top international talent as do the Whitecaps?

I believe the "official" salary cap is $5.4 million. But the MLS allows 3 Designated Player slots, which don't count at all in the cap. There are other weird rules which allow circumvention, like GAM or TAM.

Messi and Busquets don't count on the cap. Suarez is a "TAM" player and not DP and doesn't count against the cap as much.

Messi is on the books as $12 million but actually paid $20.4 million in real money. Not to mention he gets up to $50 M via different endorsements.

MLS is unlike the NHL in terms of salary. It's a bit of the Wild Wild West there.

 

[Jyrki21]

Unexpected new signing:

 

[PanniniClaus]

Unexpected new signing:

Wow - replacement for White I assume.

 

[Jyrki21]

Wow - replacement for White I assume.

No, Armstrong is a DP midfielder. White isn’t going anywhere, he’s the team’s main striker.

 

[PanniniClaus]

No, Armstrong is a DP midfielder. White isn’t going anywhere, he’s the team’s main striker.

I thought White may have been hurt, Wasn't sure how bad.

 

[Jyrki21]

I thought White may have been hurt, Wasn't sure how bad.

Oh yes, he is right now (concussion) but it’s not related. It will be a pretty threadbare lineup this weekend, and even worse if White can’t play.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

That's a very good signing. Will really close down the gaps on the back.

 

[credulous]

I think it's bizarre to follow a franchise in a non-elite league where neither the league nor the owners of said franchise give a crap about ya, but you know, people and their eachin' owns.

yet you follow the canucks. curious

 

[VanJack]

Stuart Armstrong had a quite a fan following in the Scottish Premier League. He was a threat almost every time his touched the ball in front of goal, and his YouTube highlight package includes some crackers from distance.

Might be one of the missing ingredients on the Caps.....an upfront player who's actually a threat to score from well out. He's still only 32, so should have a few good seasons left in the tank. Strikes me as a solid, late-season pickup by Vancouver.

 

[MS]

Stuart Armstrong was a regular EPL starter for 5 straight years from 2018-2023 and a starter on a promoted Championship side last year which is still miles better than MLS. It's probably one of the highest-pedigree signings in the history of the franchise.

Hasn't played club football since May but he was part of Scotland's Euro 2024 squad much more recently than that so he shouldn't be that far from getting match-fit.

 

[PanniniClaus]

That game against Dallas was absolutely wild. No idea how someone didn't score.

 

[Jyrki21]

That game against Dallas was absolutely wild. No idea how someone didn't score.

They played surprisingly well considering the strength of their lineup. I thought Ocampo looked promising in his debut, and even though Caicedo failed to score on two glorious chances, it is promising that he got them (and the second one wasn't his fault – just stellar goalkeeping).

The expected goals told a pretty stark story that this Whitecaps B-team dominated. And that's really encouraging. It wasn't a boring game to watch either, for 0-0.

 

[Frostage]

To add: Canada looked superior in their game against the Americans. Thought they could've scored a couple more than the two that they did.

 

[VanJack]

To add: Canada looked superior in their game against the Americans. Thought they could've scored a couple more than the two that they did.

Yep.....the momentum in CONCACAF is definitely swinging, and COPA America was no fluke. But still no change in the FIFA rankings. Canada still in the low 40's and the U.S. at 16th overall.

Do the results of 'friendlies' have any bearing on the overall rankings? Obviously that's a ridiculous gap in placing between the two nations, given the results recently.

 

[Jyrki21]

Do the results of 'friendlies' have any bearing on the overall rankings? Obviously that's a ridiculous gap in placing between the two nations, given the results recently.

I believe so, but if I recall there is only really movement if an upset happens.

I agree the teams are probably a bit closer than that, but Canadian fans are also overblowing Copa America a bit too. Like it was encouraging that they could kind of hang with the big boys, and no question it is a sea change from a generation ago, but you'd think Canada tore through the tournament the way people talk about it. At the end of the day Canada only actually won one game there (and scored but one goal in the group stage). There was much excitement over "beating" Venezuela in the knockout, except that it was a tie game that went to PKs... and you can't just ignore that Venezuela was the only remaining team ranked lower than Canada. So there is definitely some literal luck of the draw in effect too.

Don't get me wrong, they actually had a chance to beat Uruguay for third and it was quite remarkable that they played them to a tie (although it's doubtful the Uruguayans were giving it their all at that point), but I think people do need a little bit of perspective before puffing out their chests too much.

 

[Frostage]

I believe so, but if I recall there is only really movement if an upset happens.

I agree the teams are probably a bit closer than that, but Canadian fans are also overblowing Copa America a bit too. Like it was encouraging that they could kind of hang with the big boys, and no question it is a sea change from a generation ago, but you'd think Canada tore through the tournament the way people talk about it. At the end of the day Canada only actually won one game there (and scored but one goal in the group stage). There was much excitement over "beating" Venezuela in the knockout, except that it was a tie game that went to PKs... and you can't just ignore that Venezuela was the only remaining team ranked lower than Canada. So there is definitely some literal luck of the draw in effect too.

Don't get me wrong, they actually had a chance to beat Uruguay for third and it was quite remarkable that they played them to a tie (although it's doubtful the Uruguayans were giving it their all at that point), but I think people do need a little bit of perspective before puffing out their chests too much.

I agree with what you've said.

But on the other hand, it is not just the Copa. Canada looked competitive at the World Cup. They outplayed Belgium and were no pushover in their group games as well.

Recently they didn't look bad against France (albeit a sans Mbappé France), outplayed America (a weaker US team in turmoil) and drew Mexico. I take these as encouraging signs.

Hopefully, the trend can continue, and the days of losing to the Trinidad and Tobago B team in an untelevised last chance qualification game are over.

 

[VanJack]

For a 'friendly', that game with Mexico was about as ugly as it gets......it's a miracle no Canadian player came out out of the match without sustaining a serious injury....some of those fouls were bordering on vicious......only two yellow cards to the Mexican side, but easily have been a couple of reds.

I don't know if the strategy was to slow down the Canadians outside of the rules. But whatever it was I guess it worked. But as other commentators have pointed out......Mexico came into the match worried about this Canadian side, and were determined to slow them down. So I suppose that's a backhanded gesture of respect.