VANOCUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps may have been missing several key players in their last match, a brutal performance that saw them felled by a winless team.
But coach Carl Robinson isn’t one for excuses or sugar coating: his team simply didn’t perform in that 4–0 loss to D.C. United.
“We didn’t deserve to get anything from the game [last weekend],” he said this week after a training session at UBC. “But that’s long gone.”
The focus now turns to a new challenge on Saturday: the Whitecaps will be going up against an even tougher opponent in Real Salt Lake, the lone unbeaten team in Major League Soccer. It’s a huge road test for a Vancouver side that’s had an uneven campaign so far. How quickly can the Whitecaps rebound from their rough outing last week?
“We knew going to D.C. would be hard. They hadn’t won, but I said all along that they’re a dangerous team. Same with RSL,” Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted said. “They’re a very, very good team—especially at home—so it’s going to be a tough task, but in this league anybody can win at a given time.”
The loss in Washington, said Ousted, was a huge blow to the Whitecaps’ collective pride, but they’re ready for this next challenge.
“It’s time to step up, get back to the basics of what we do well: defending,” added Ousted. “And then hopefully get up the field as well and get some goals.”
If Vancouver has been inconsistent this season, some of that may be chalked up to the variety of injuries and suspensions that have fallen on the club, even if Robinson won’t use those as excuses.
“We haven’t been able to put the same team out twice,” he allowed.
Last week especially, the lack of continuity between players taking the field seemed to sting: midfielder Matias Laba was serving a one-game suspension for a red card he received in the previous match versus the L.A. Galaxy, while Pedro Morales, Christian Bolanos, Nicolas Mezquida and Octavio Rivero were all out with injuries. Simply put, the team seemed to lack chemistry, and their previously sharp defensive form looked sloppy.
There’s some good news on the missing-players front, at least: Laba will be available this week. Bolanos, Mezquida and Rivero could also return to play. Captain Pedro Morales, meanwhile, remains sidelined with a hip strain.
“We missed Mati on the weekend, as it was obvious to see,” Robinson offered. “It’s nice to have him back, but any injury updates, additions will be helpful at this moment.”
The Whitecaps will need to regroup on defence if they’re going to have a shot at a result against Real Salt Lake, the league-leaders in points-per-game. Robinson acknowledged what a fierce opponent RSL will be, calling them “the best team in the league.”
“Salt Lake has been one of the toughest places to play for the past some odd years, and we’re going to expect a tough game over there” said Vancouver midfielder Russell Teibert, who made his first appearance of the season last week after being sidelined with a calf injury. “There are a lot of different factors that weigh on a game, like travel. All of them can be reasons, or excuses. But you don’t want them to be excuses.”
One player in particular who’s been making a huge impact for RSL is five-foot-two forward Joao Plata, who has four goals and three assists through five games this season. The Whitecaps have their own diminutive player in Cristian Techera—he likewise stands just five-foot-two—and they’ll be hoping the 23-year-old winger finally delivers the kind of energy and creativity he showed in spurts last season.
“It’s not just Cristian,” said Robinson of the criticisms directed at Techera, whose performance has underwhelmed so far this year. “It’s a number of players that need to be better.”
Goal scoring has been a big concern for the Whitecaps, with the team netting just six goals through six games, and none of them coming from open play. Saturday’s contest should be an opportunity for players to come through for their team at an opportune moment—players such as forward Kekuta Manneh, who came on as a substitute last week and provided a welcome burst of energy on attack.
If RSL has a spot of weakness, it could be in their midfield, which put forth a messy performance in the first half of last week’s matchup with Colorado, as Javier Morales once again did not did not start. The 36-year-old is recovering from a broken rib, and his team has yet to figure out a suitable replacement for his playmaking prowess. He’ll likely be available off the bench on Saturday.
As the Whitecaps take the field at Rio Tinto Stadium, they’ll be looking not just to bounce back from their worst loss in recent memory but also to find the kind of spark the team as a whole hasn’t quite found yet this season.
“We haven’t hit our groove,” Robinson remarked, adding: “We’ve done okay, but okay’s not gonna win you enough games”
An okay performance certainly won’t be good enough for a result versus a formidable team such as Real Salt Lake. But Ousted, for one, expressed confidence in his team.
“I think it’s gonna be positive,” he said. “I know what kind of team we have; I know what we can do. Now it’s time to step up.”
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