Every week, Sportsnet.ca will chat with Sportsnet soccer commentator Paul Dolan—a former Canadian national team goalkeeper—about the big stories and issues in Major League Soccer.
The Vancouver Whitecaps are coming off a big win over Real Salt Lake and sit first place in the Western Conference, and second place overall. The Whitecaps have been pretty consistent all season and look like legitimate MLS Cup contenders. What’s been the key to their success so far in this campaign?
You said it, consistency. And a lot of that is down to consistent and aggressive game plans both at home and on the road where they look to attack teams and unbalance the opposition from the start rather than just defend and concede the initiative. Coach Carl Robinson deserves a lot of credit for keeping a deep squad happy and using his personnel wisely both in terms of playing time and tactically.
His best players have won them points this year as well, namely Octavio Rivero, especially early in the year with timely goals to get the positive mindset and momentum going, and David Ousted who came up with important saves at key times. Kendall Waston and Matias Laba in front of him have been extremely solid providing a core to the team that might be second to none in the league.
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What’s your take on the Patrice Bernier situation with the Montreal Impact and how both sides have handled it?
I hate to comment on internal issues within a locker room as you never know the whole story but from a distance I’m shocked the Impact have used Bernier so sparingly this year knowing what he can provide both in terms of quality play and composure in the midfield (where the Impact so desperately need it) to his presence and experience inside the room. I suppose I have a biased stance too with regard to how Canadian players are used in this league as my view is if it’s even close a Canadian should play, especially a fan favourite in his home province.
It’s hard for me to believe there isn’t a place for Bernier to play more minutes this season but it’s up to the manager in the end on how he wants to use his players. You would only hope there is clear communication to avoid the type of situation that took place last week.
Benoit Cheyrou will be back from suspension when Toronto FC travels to New York Red Bulls this weekend. Assuming coach Greg Vanney plays with four midfielders, who should he move to the bench: Cheyrou, Bradley, Osorio, Warner or Delgado?
The type of problem a coach loves to have. I think he’ll maybe look to bring Delgado off the bench as he’s proven he can be an offensive threat if Toronto needs to chase the game a bit and I really like the balance they get from the other four at the moment with Bradley and Osorio free to get forward a bit more and Cheyrou and Warner providing more cover. What a bonus to have a young player provide so many good minutes already this year and I don’t think Greg Vanney would hesitate to use him in almost any sub role in midfield and maybe even as a starter this weekend
Giovani dos Santos made quite the MLS debut last weekend for the LA Galaxy. How do you think he’ll do in MLS going forward?
He will be fantastic I’m sure as he’s a bright young player surrounded by incredible talent and an enjoyable playing environment.The Galaxy really have a great mix right now with the only real question mark in goal in my opinion as I think Donavan Ricketts’ best days are behind him and the loss of Jaime Pinedo is greater than most believe. LA will look to outscore their ways out of that though through the guile and experience of Robbie Keane complemented so well by the energy, skill and poise of Giovani dos Santos.