OT: 2024 Soccer and Vancouver Whitecaps Thread

[Sexy Necksy Garland]

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.

Every game with them lately has been chippy and that's much different than before. They absolutely see us way differently now.

 

[PanniniClaus]

I see Badwal and Chateau signed deals with the Caps. Excellent news as long as Sartini doesn't try to play them out of position like he does almost everyone else.

 

[VanJack]

I see Badwal and Chateau signed deals with the Caps. Excellent news as long as Sartini doesn't try to play them out of position like he does almost everyone else.

It always amazes me how little you read about the 'Caps development team......no scores, player profiles or even the league they play in. In fact, what league do they play in? Who are the up and coming talents?

You read a lot more about the semi-pro Canadian Premier League. Maybe because a lot of those teams seem to be 'tough outs' for Canada's MLS teams whenever they play for the Canadian pro soccer title.

 

[PanniniClaus]

It always amazes me how little you read about the 'Caps development team......no scores, player profiles or even the league they play in. In fact, what league do they play in? Who are the up and coming talents?

You read a lot more about the semi-pro Canadian Premier League. Maybe because a lot of those teams seem to be 'tough outs' for Canada's MLS teams whenever they play for the Canadian pro soccer title.

You would think they would try to promote MLS next pro although I feel the CPL should expand and be that place where these young players play. They can be loaned from the MLS and play in the CPL where they will get some exposure rather than next pro where friends and family watch.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1839019032781164911

 

[PanniniClaus]

Ahmed at LWB and Adekugbe at RWB. Always something unorthodox with Sartini. Playing ok though.

 

[Jyrki21]

It wasn't a pretty one (Vancouver clearly the inferior team), and PK results suck, but...



Boehmer was awesome. By far the busier keeper shot-stopping-wise, stopped Bernadeschi on an in-game PK, and stopped another in the shootout. I suspect he will be next season's starter.

 

[Wry n Ginger]

Really wish this team had been managed better over the last X # of years. Vancouver is a market that was just waiting to go mad for soccer...whitecaps would have been in competition as a legit #2 for Fan's but it's all been pissed away.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Really wish this team had been managed better over the last X # of years. Vancouver is a market that was just waiting to go mad for soccer...whitecaps would have been in competition as a legit #2 for Fan's but it's all been pissed away.

They've done well to correct the ship since 2021. We are not a market that can attract big names from Europe or Latin America so the best we can hope for is taking shots at guys like Édier Ocampo.

I keep saying it but will say it again....2013-2018 were years that were pissed away. Had a decent squad in 2015 but failed to add anything during the transfer windows and predictably failed to score in the playoffs. They then spent 3 years shedding salary and penny-pinching despite having the best young talented player in the league. That was a prime period to really go for an MLS Championship. Portland, Seattle and Toronto deservedly won while we became a bottom-tier franchise for no reason. I still haven't forgiven the owners for this.

 

[VanJack]

Seems to me in the last few games the Caps lineup has been all over the map.....with World Cup commitments, injuries and a compacted game schedule heading down the stretch, it would appear that Sartini is fielding some pretty questionable lineups.

So assuming they get all their players back 100 percent healthy, this Caps lineup is looking pretty decent. Do they have what it takes to go very far in the MLS playoffs?

 

[PanniniClaus]

It wasn't a pretty one (Vancouver clearly the inferior team), and PK results suck, but...



Boehmer was awesome. By far the busier keeper shot-stopping-wise, stopped Bernadeschi on an in-game PK, and stopped another in the shootout. I suspect he will be next season's starter.

Watching what I'm watching... I don't see why Boehmer can't take over Takaoka. Tak is having a much better season than last, but Boehmer is flashing the kind of stuff that can take you places.