Every week, sportsnet.ca will talk to a member of Sportsnet’s soccer broadcast team (Craig Forrest, Paul Dolan or Gerry Dobson) specifically about one of Major League Soccer’s three Canadian clubs.
This week, sportsnet.ca chats with Paul Dolan about the Vancouver Whitecaps, and the injury to veteran defender Andy O’Brien.
It seemed like when Andy O’Brien went down injured that the landscape of the game changed against Seattle last weekend, spurring the Sounders’ 3-2 comeback win. What did you make of the Whitecaps’ performance after they lost O’Brien?
Paul Dolan: It was a frazzled performance after O’Brien left and it seemed the tying and winning goals were inevitable from that point on. But it must be said there were signs of faltering before that as once again the Whitecaps were unable to finish off an opponent when they had the chance. There seems to be a lack of belief late in games, and when O’Brien went out their biggest defensive leader left a huge hole for the Whitecaps, both positionally and mentally.
With O’Brien now joining Jay DeMerit and Brad Rusin on the injury list, how will the Whitecaps cope defensively?
Dolan: It’s going to be very tough unless they have plans to bring in another defender with the dollars freed up from the recent Alain Rochat trade. They will get Carlyle Mitchell back from his loan at FC Edmonton for the weekend, but he is just coming off of injury as well. And with Brad Rusin still a couple of weeks away, I think they need to add depth in the defence through a trade or a new signing, as the Rochat move has left a hole there as we saw in Seattle. I don’t think Greg Klazura is ready to step in at this level just yet and the balance of defensive depth is still quite young.
Why did the Whitecaps trade Alain Rochat to D.C. United? Was this strictly a salary dump?
Dolan: I think that was part of it with a view toward another move to strengthen the team, but there were signs they weren’t happy with Rochat’s dip in performance this season. Martin Rennie spoke about the team’s weakness at fullback, particularly on the road this year, and I think they felt they could get more for $190,000, and the opportunity presented itself when D.C. United showed an interest in taking Rochat.
Saturday programming alert: Watch the Vancouver Whitecaps v New England Revolution live on Sportsnet Pacific. Coverage begins at 7pm PT/10pm ET. You can also watch the game live on Sportsnet World Online | TV schedule
After losing the Amway Final and stumbling in MLS (the Whitecaps are seventh in the West), should coach Martin Rennie be worried about his job security?
Dolan: There will be some who are impatient and want to see a change made, but I think you need to give Martin Rennie the time to both build the squad he wants and then solidify it. I really do believe this is a team that is very close to getting wins on a regular basis. But there have been some fair questions asked about player personnel and in-game management, particularly the timing of his subs and the players used in those situations.
What have you made of Daigo Kobayashi? He had a hot start to the season but seems to have cooled down lately?
Dolan: He’s been disappointing after a promising start and the injury has not allowed him to show what he can do in recent games as he slowly makes his way back into shape. I get a sense he is not that versatile and can only really thrive in a more central midfield position as he’s been almost invisible when he’s played in a wider midfield role. He definitely has the technical ability but does he have the bite required for MLS and can he become more flexible and help the team in different circumstances? That remains to be seen.
NEXT WEEK: sportsnet.ca talks to Gerry Dobson about the Montreal Impact. Do you have a question you want to ask Gerry? Send your queries to John Molinaro via Twitter and he’ll use the best one in next week’s Q&A.
