OT: Vancouver Whitecaps (and general soccer) 2021

[Fatass]

I don't want to get my hopes up, but:

Exciting to get such a pláyer here, but how well can he display his skills on a stupid AstroTurf field? Or is the field in our current home grass?

 

[Petey O]

Exciting to get such a pláyer here, but how well can he display his skills on a stupid AstroTurf field? Or is the field in our current home grass?

I agree re: the turf, but if he's willing to play on it, and I'm sure he has in the past, I don't see the problem.

I don't think it's going to hamper his creativity too much. Creativity in the midfield is really what we need, and he brings that in spades.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

I know it's frustrating but 100% of managers would have done the same thing in MdS's shoes.

Big fan of defensive football. We seen how big defensive football is when locking down championships. That said, VWFC is clearly undermanned in the back and should never be resorting to the 5-4-1 formation. That's asking too much of your goaltender.

Really hope this franchise can find a guy that can command the line like DeMerit or Waston.

 

[Lindgren]

I agree re: the turf, but if he's willing to play on it, and I'm sure he has in the past, I don't see the problem.

I don't think it's going to hamper his creativity too much. Creativity in the midfield is really what we need, and he brings that in spades.

Someone referenced Alan Ball in an earlier post. He didn't seem to have a problem on the concrete of Empire Stadium.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Someone referenced Alan Ball in an earlier post. He didn't seem to have a problem on the concrete of Empire Stadium.

Camp Nou and Old Trafford have in the past decade, switched to hybrid grass. I think the argument of natural grass vs artificial turf will become moot overtime with technological improvements of artificial turf. The modern artificial turf is pretty good. The issue BC Place doesn't have to worry about is the turf surface getting too hot or warped due to UV rays.

 

[Lindgren]

Camp Nou and Old Trafford have in the past decade, switched to hybrid grass. I think the argument of natural grass vs artificial turf will become moot overtime with technological improvements of artificial turf. The modern artificial turf is pretty good. The issue BC Place doesn't have to worry about is the turf surface getting too hot or warped due to UV rays.

By the way, I wasn't meaning to suggest that the Empire surface wasn't terrible, but, rather, just to say a talented passer could still be creative playing in those conditions.

I hope you're right in your prediction.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Just brutal. This guy has lasted 10 years with the club and is still in the MLS. I for sure thought they were cutting ties with him after 2016 but they kept bringing him back and now he's signed through 2024. Why? It's perplexing.

 

[Hit the post]

By the way, I wasn't meaning to suggest that the Empire surface wasn't terrible, but, rather, just to say a talented passer could still be creative playing in those conditions.

I hope you're right in your prediction.

I *think* the legendary Ruud Krol thought to himself, "what the **** is this?" (re: the *old* astroturf aka pretty much cement surface at Empire in the 70s). I'm getting out of here ASAP. He spent only one season with the Whitecaps. He was that legit great.

 

[Lindgren]

I *think* the legendary Ruud Krol thought to himself, "what the **** is this?" (re: the *old* astroturf aka pretty much cement surface at Empire in the 70s). I'm getting out of here ASAP. He spent only one season with the Whitecaps. He was that legit great.

That's plausible. Then there was the issue of putting one of the world's best sweepers in midfield ...

 

[Petey O]

Just brutal. This guy has lasted 10 years with the club and is still in the MLS. I for sure thought they were cutting ties with him after 2016 but they kept bringing him back and now he's signed through 2024. Why? It's perplexing.

That graph completely confirms the eye test with him.

I bet if you made a heat map of his passes since he started playing professional soccer, there would be a very vivid blotch of paint in his own half and very little in the opposing half. Just no offensive instinct in his game at all.

He works hard and he's decent defensively. That's it. Good for him for keeping a job despite his total lack of competency offensively, but this league has grown so much, he would hardly be a bench player on every other club.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Watching the Whitecaps is like watching the Canucks. Completely outmatched and leaving it up to Crepeau to make a bunch of absurd saves. Teibert again a major weak spot. Not a fan of Baldy but they are missing his speed.

Oof. Nerwinski is just brutal. Countless giveaways. Good news is that Bruno Gaspar is eventually coming in to take the RB.

Dajome is really damn good.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Dajome with his second. What a header!

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Fun game today. Still nothing from open play but they're getting there. Caicedo is a frustrating player. Get Nerwinski out of here, garbage stuff.

 

[Fatass]

Fun game today. Still nothing from open play but they're getting there. Caicedo is a frustrating player. Get Nerwinski out of here, garbage stuff.

So did we win?

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Fun game today. Still nothing from open play but they're getting there. Caicedo is a frustrating player. Get Nerwinski out of here, garbage stuff.

This team just needs to get Nerwinski and Teibert out of their lineup...and bring in a #10 and they should be a playoff team.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

I don't mind Teibert as much as everyone else does...a high-motor guy in the midfield has his uses even if he lacks passing vision.

But yeah, lots to like here. If they get that 10, and add Adnan to the starting XI, the team could really do some damage.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Okay, season not looking good so far.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Okay, season not looking good so far.

Looks the same as every season.

 

[Petey O]

Team is still absolutely garbage. What's the excuse going to be now?

 

[Tables of Stats]

This team hasn't folded or moved down to a lower-tier league yet? I kid, but I can't imagine getting behind a team that constantly moves out talent because they can't or won't pay them.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

So here's something for you. Team is dead f***ing last in spending with 7.6 mil allocated on the roster (reportedly only 4.5mil is actually being spent on salary this year). The union are 2nd last with 7.8 mil. Toronto FC is spending over double on their roster.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Owned.

 

[Peen]

no good sports teams in this market

 

[Javaman]

MDS is a good talker.

Doesn't appear to be good at much else as far as I can tell.

 

[garbageteam]

So here's something for you. Team is dead f***ing last in spending with 7.6 mil allocated on the roster (reportedly only 4.5mil is actually being spent on salary this year). The union are 2nd last with 7.8 mil. Toronto FC is spending over double on their roster.

I'd say they are playing moneyball a bit considering Transfermarket has them at about 18th in the league in player values - a generally reliable rough barometer. I don't think acquiring crap players and not paying for value is the (main) problem with the club.