Smash and Grab Job Gives Whitecaps A Point At Chivas USA

Darren Mattocks heads a ball against Chivas USA (sporttopix.com)

I was really impressed with the way the Vancouver Whitecaps took apart the defending Supporter's Shield winners, the New York Red Bulls, last week up at BC Place.  Kekuta Manneh and new signing Sebastian Fernandez has Caps fans, and me, asking "Camilo who?"  Well, after last night's outing against Chivas USA, one has to wonder if that first match was a bit of a fluke since Red Bulls were missing Thierry Henry and Jamison Olave, among others.

The match began rather sluggishly at Stub Hub Center, with neither side looking as though they wanted to put out much effort or creativity in what was an unseasonably warm day in SoCal.  I know this because the announcers mentioned it probably twenty thousand times in the first 10 minutes.

The first event of note came in the 13th minute, and it seemingly spelled disaster for the Goats.  Augustin Pelletieri went in for a hard challenge on Vancouver's Pedro Morales.  As he continued through the challenge, he came down on Morales's ankle, and the referee showed the Chivas midfielder a straight red card.  I suppose by the letter of the law it was a good call, but it seemed rather harsh to me at the time.  At any rate it was dumb challenge for Pelletieri to make so early in the match with absolutely nothing going on offensively for either side.

So now that the Caps had a man advantage I got excited and thought that now I was going to see that same awesome football that I saw last week in Vancouver.  I was disappointed, though hey, Chivas played pretty well.  You couldn't tell that they were down a man as Vancouver just refused to press the issue.

Still even the Goats couldn't manage anything but blocked shots, and Vancouver couldn't manage a shot at all in the entire first half.  Then in the 45th minute, the scales tipped in favor of the Goats.  Mauro Rosales threaded a ball into the area where Chivas forward Erik Torres was waiting.  Torres fired off a shot, and it took a tricky deflection off of 'Caps defender Jay DeMerit and into the goal to make it 1-0 to Chivas heading into the break.  DeMerit joked afterward, via Twitter, that at least his ass scored it's first goal of the season.

Things didn't look any better for the Whitecaps at the start of the second half either.  The adjustments that were needed seemed clear, but didn't seem like they were taking place.  Chivas stayed organized on defense and continued to outwork the listless Whitecaps on offense.  In the 52nd minute Leandro Barrera shot forward on a counter and looked to have a sure fire second goal for the Goats.  However, 'keeper Pat Ousted made a nice save, getting a hand to it and knocking it wide for a corner.

Finally the 'Caps made some good hay starting at the hour mark with the insertion of Manneh into the match.  He immediately brought the energy that the Caps had been lacking, and started opening up the match for others as well.  In the 61st minute Morales sprayed a shot just wide of goal and then in the 66th Darren Mattocks knocked the ball past Dan Kennedy, who had come out to the top of the area to claim it, and sent it rolling toward the goal line.  However, he couldn't get much power on it and a Chivas defender came and poked the ball out of harm's way.

But the 'Caps kept up the pressure and finally came good in the 81st minute.  Mattocks had the ball on the left side of the box, and dropped a nice centering pass to Manneh near the penalty spot.  The Gambian promptly slotted the ball past Kennedy in goal to tie the match at 1-1, which was the score at the full time whistle.

You have to feel a bit for Chivas in this one.  I thought they really deserved all three points.  They played with a grit and spirit that hasn't always been there for a franchise that has been considered the doormat of the west.  I'm not sure that's gonna happen this year, especially if they can hang onto Torres all season.  They really played a solid match.

On the other hand, it's hard for me to say that the 'Caps really deserved the point that they got.  Their performance was woeful for the first 60 minutes, 47 of which were played with a man advantage.  The bright spot for Vancouver was definitely Manneh.  He showed some real chemistry with Mattocks in the 2nd half, and that's really good news for 'Caps fans.  Now they just have to pray that their club can gain some consistency to keep pace in a loaded Western Conference.

Next week the 'Caps travel to New England to take on a Revs squad that has looked miserable to open the season.  Chivas USA will travel to Frisco, Texas, to take on FC Dallas.

MLS Murky Offseason....The Story So Far.

While MLS trumpeted high profile new signings, it's Golden Boot winner went South

You could say that the last couple of weeks of this MLS offseason have been.....eventful.  Personally I would describe it as a soap opera almost juicy enough to pass that English soccer soap opera, you know the one, "Dream Team."  Love MLS or hate it, you've been able to look around the last couple of weeks and find plenty of ammunition to support your point of view.

The rumblings began before the playoffs were even totally underway.  After the Colorado Rapids lost to the Seattle Sounders in the first round, a rumor spread through MLS like wildfire that Rapids manager, and my pick for Manager of the Year, Oscar Pareja would be packing his bags and heading for the open job at FC Dallas.  That rumor was laughed at and even went away for awhile, until a couple of weeks ago when reports hit that Pareja had resigned from the Rapids.  This was eventually followed up with an announcement that Colorado and Dallas had reached a deal for Pareja to coach in Dallas.   But that wasn't all for the Rapids either.  On January 9 Chivas USA announced that Rapids assistant Wilmer Cabrera was now the head coach of the Goats.  This left Colorado without a head coach on draft day, and Colorado legend Pablo Mastroeni was named as "Assistant to the Technical Director."  The Rapids website suggests that they will take their time looking for a new coach, and that they may hire an interim coach for the short term.  That's rattling a few sabers as the beginning of preseason training is nearly upon us.

Now as rough as that might sound for our friends in Colorado who still have an outstanding young squad, it's nothing to what supporters of the Vancouver Whitecaps have endured so far.  The Caps, despite just missing the playoffs last year, had some things to be positive about.  They won the Cascadia Cup and ended up with the MLS Golden Boot winner, Camilo Sanvezzo.  Camilo looked to be a dynamic player that their new coach could build around in the offseason.

Then Mexican side Queretaro posted a picture of Camilo wearing their kit on twitter and introducing him to their fans as a new signing.

This seemed to take both the league and Vancouver completely by surprise.  After all, the 'Caps had exercised a club option for Camilo at the end of the season.  Chaos reigned.  The 'Caps said they still had Camilo's International Transfer Certificate, and that Camilo would be expected to report for preseason training.  New pictures soon emerged of Camilo training with his new side south of the border.  There was much snarling and gnashing of teeth, and nearly every MLS pundit on twitter turned into a Lawyer that specialized in International Contract and Commerce Law.  The 'Caps had a strong case.  The 'Caps had no case.  Rulings of the International Court of Arbitration for Sport were cited.  FIFA precedents were mentioned.  In the end all the poor folks in Vancouver got was a half hearted apology from Queretaro, a transfer fee that might have been put to use earlier, and a statement from Don Garber saying he was "disappointed" in the situation.

Really Mr. Garber?  You should be outraged.  Your league's top scorer just went to a rival league.  Not just a rival league, THE RIVAL LEAGUE.  Now, nobody's saying that Camilo was the next Pele or anything, but he was clearly a dynamic player that leaves a huge hole in Vancouver's lineup right before the start of preseason training.  I'm glad that Mr. Garber is disappointed, but I'd like to see him be as outraged as the Vancouver supporters that I follow on Twitter are.

But why should he be outraged?  While the league's leading scorer was sneaking out the back door, MLS was too busy pointing to a brand new shiny object for us all to love.  Ok, actually two brand new shiny objects, Jermaine Defoe and US International Michael Bradley, who signed with Toronto FC.  Now I'm not here to bag on these great signings.  I'm thrilled for TFC Supporters, who now actually have something to be excited about.  TFC's season tickets looked to sell out in a manner of days and depending on who you were, you were either putting MLS Cup in their hands or at least putting them on par with Sporting Kansas City and New York Red Bulls, which they are clearly not.  But hey, new signings generate excitement which is great for the league, and I look forward to seeing them play when TFC visits Rio Tinto.

The question I have is this: more league money was used to sign up Defoe and Bradley, one way or another, just like it was for Dempsey.  On the surface I don't have an issue with this, these players are extremely talented guys who will help raise the profile of MLS.  On the other hand, the league couldn't spare a little cash to throw at Camilo so the 'Caps could keep the Golden Boot winner around?  That's followed up by reports that the league is having issues with the Philadelphia Union's pursuit of Maurice Edu, even after the Union traded up to the top allocation spot to get him, of course neither Dempsey or Bradley were put through allocation, the reasoning being that they are DPs.  The Union want to pay Edu, but the league doesn't believe that he is worth that money.

Now the league is probably right in that regard.  Edu is no Dempsey or Bradley.  Coaching moves aside though, this all underscores the need for more transparency in the way MLS handles these things.  Garber flat out said in the State if the League that they were kind of "making it up as they go along."  Really?  The game itself has rules, supposedly MLS has player acquisition rules and procedures as well.  However these rules, which were already murky in the first place, seem to have gone right out the window in some very high profile matters while they are more strictly applied in other cases.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a set of rules that applied to everybody in this "single entity structure?"

On top of that, Garber announced during the draft that MLS is still bleeding money to the tune of  7-10 million dollars per year.  Of course, if you've read "Soccernomics" you don't REALLY expect soccer organizations to turn a profit, but I know my job would be in trouble if my company was losing 7 mil per year.  My employers wouldn't be out dropping extravagant money on new employees either.  Of course all of this hits as negotiations are set to be going forward for a new CBA between the league and it's players, and you couldn't begrudge the rank and file MLS player for wondering where his piece of the pie is in all this.   I'm hoping for a salary cap bump and a salary bump.  We could also do away with this stupid allocation process which the league only uses when it suits them anyway.  Let the players play where they want within the confines of the salary cap structure.

In the end, it probably seems like I'm really ripping on MLS here.  It's true, I do have concerns.  Bradley and Defoe aren't Beckham.  I think the future of the league will be cemented by bringing up academy talent  and perhaps more players from Latin America to help raise the total standard of play in the league.  Bradley, Defoe, and Dempsey aren't going to do that by themselves.  Ticket sales and jersey sales are great, and help the league's bottom line.  However if the league really wants to raise it's profile, we need to keep raising the standard of soccer on the pitch by providing a set of rules for all clubs to follow, raising salaries and the cap to make the league a more attractive destination, and be a little bit more careful throwing huge chunks of league money at players while we're still bleeding money.

But that's all just my two cents.  I can't wait until the season starts so we can actually talk about the product on the pitch instead of "MLS: As the Brazuca Turns."

The MLS Coaching Carousel is in Full Swing

Frank Klopas is one of the MLS coaches now looking for a new position.

It's a certainty, kind of like death and taxes.  Every year in sports, across the USA especially, the end of the regular season sounds a death knell for the jobs of a few coaches who didn't quite meet expectations.  This coaching carousel is already at full speed in Major League Soccer, before the playoff schedule is even finished.

The first domino to fall was in Vancouver, where Whitecaps manager Martin Rennie is now moving on.  His contract was up at the end of the 2013 season, and the 'Caps decided against renewing him.  This actually surprised me a little bit.  Vancouver had five more points than they finished with last year when they made the playoffs.  They also captured the Cascadia Cup.  I really thought they would give him another one year deal at least, but as it turns out, the playoffs really did seem to be the bottom line.  It was another year when the 'Caps just couldn't quite hold it together down the stretch, including a horrible loss to RSL's "reserve squad" on their own pitch at BC Place.

Failing to make the playoffs cost at least one Eastern Conference manager his job as well.  Yesterday the Chicago Fire announced that they were parting ways with head man Frank Klopas.  Well, if you read the pressers, Klopas "stepped down."  Whatever helps you sleep at night I guess.  This one does not surprise me at all.  The only reason the Fire were anywhere near the playoff spots was because of Mike Magee.  One might argue that the Fire and Klopas failed to really bring in enough of a supporting cast to supplement Magic Mike, and that cost them the playoffs.  Still, when Klopas took over the Fire were an absolute wreck, and he did take them to the playoffs last year.  I think he had a pretty good run, and it will be interesting to see who the Fire pick to replace him.

However, the end of the season wasn't bad news for all of the managers who were sitting outside the playoffs.  San Jose interim manager Mark Watson saw his position upgraded to a multi-year contract as manager.  He totally deserved it as well.  He brought the Quakes back from near the foot of the table to just missing out on the playoffs, as they finished tied with Colorado on 51 points.  The Rapids held the tiebreaker, however.  The Quakes recaptured the Goonie swagger under Watson and finished the season on a 7 match unbeaten run.  Watson also steered them into the knockout rounds of the CONCACAF Champions League.

So there are the first comings and goings.  We'll see if a few more dominoes fall in the next few days and weeks.

MLS Western Conference at the Halfway Point: Does This Make Sense?

Real Salt Lake celebrate salvaging a point vs the Philadelphia Union. (Deseret News)

So now we're basically at the halfway mark of the 2013 Major League Soccer season.  To me, it really seems like it's flying by.  No matter how you slice it, the 1st half has been full of drama and surprises.  Here is how the Western Conference shakes out, with some of my thoughts on the individual clubs.

1. Real Salt Lake, 34 Points.
Let's cut to the chase here, very few people expected RSL to be on top of the table at this or any point of the MLS season.  I didn't either.  Expectations were tempered with the off season losses of RSL mainstays like Will Johnson, Fabian Espindola, and Jamison Olave.  However, despite the flat out RAGE from some fans, RSL quietly maintained that they were reloading, not rebuilding.  So many guys have stepped up for the Claret and Cobalt this year.  Josh Saunders making a great game saving play against the Union is just the latest in the long line of fine performances in many different positions.  Still, you don't get anything for being first on the 4th of July.  RSL will have to avoid their usual "summer swoon" to stay on top.
RSL Halfway MVP: Javier Morales--Javi has shrugged off the early season injury to come back and play some of his best football in recent memory, setting guys up for goals and scoring a few himself.

2. FC Dallas, 31 Points.
There was a time earlier this season when it looked like Dallas was going to run away with the Western Conference, and maybe even the Supporter's Shield.  They've come back to earth in recent weeks, dropping road results at Portland and LA, and scraping by a little bit at home.  Still, I think Dallas is the real deal and I don't think they're going away.  To me the biggest difference has been in team discipline, which means they've been putting themselves in fewer deep holes in matches.  Blas Perez continues to be a force to be reckoned with and David Ferreira is still one of the best in the league.  The Hoops have also improved on defense and in net.
FCD Halfway MVP--Raul Fernandez. The Peruvian International 'keeper has just earned a spot in the MLS fan XI for the All Star game and has proven to be a great pickup in Frisco.  He's saved a few points for Dallas this year and should continue to do so in the second half.

3. L.A. Galaxy, 30 Points.
There's always a storyline going on with the Galaxy, but hey, it's Hollywood, right?  Earlier this year it was Landon Donovan's "sabbatical." Then it was the fact that they traded Mike Magee for Robbie Rogers while Magee was right there leading the league in goals.  Now it's the fact that Rogers has basically done squat since coming on board.  You know what though?  Despite the unrest and the "wtf" storylines that swirl around this club, they continue to be right there in the thick of it.  You just can't bet against a team with Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, and Omar Gonzalez.  However the glaring weakness for this team is in goal.  Carlo Cudicini is NOT cutting it, and one wonders if this issue will bite LA in the rear before the season is over.  Matt Pickens anyone?
LAG Halway MVP--Landon Donovan.  Beckham who?  Since returning from his "Holiday in Cambodia" Landon has proven that he is still the beating heart of this club.  Now, he hasn't always been at his best, but he is the force that drives this team and there's no reason why he can't drive them to another MLS Cup right now.  You have been warned.

4. Portland Timbers, 30 Points.
You have to give the Timbers a ton of credit.  I basically gave them no chance in my preseason preview, and they've certainly proven me wrong.  This team has WAY more heart than the previous editions have had, and the Timbers Army seems to finally have a group that cares as much as they do.  Still, while MLS has seemed to want to crown Portland as the new Kings of Cascadia and maybe even the league, I'm not sold yet.  That big unbeaten streak?  Yeah, there were a lot of draws in there, a lot of points left on the table.  Last year they were losing a lot of the matches they've drawn this year.  Now they have to start converting some of those situations into wins if they really want to stay in the Shield hunt going forward.
PDX Halfway MVP--Will Johnson.  RSL's loss was Portland's gain, BIG TIME.  Will finally had the chance to be the man up in Portland, and he's come through big time.  You can really see the team reflecting his Never Say Die, 90+ minute attitude.  He'll need some help going forward though, especially on the back line.

5. Vancouver Whitecaps, 29 Points.
Just when you want to count the Whitecaps out, BANG, they come out and slap Seattle.  This club is a bit of an enigma, on one hand, you look at their roster now as opposed to a year ago and think that they have to be worse off now, but they might not be.  Camilo has been in high gear recently, and Kenny Miller finally looks like he's settling into MLS.  The problem for the 'Caps is going to continue to be on defense, where injuries have hit them hard, including losing Captain Jay DeMerit to an ACL injury in the 7th minute of the season.  I don't see the 'Caps challenging for the top of the table, but if they can get into the playoffs and stay healthy, they could make some noise.
VAN Halfway MVP--Camilo.  There is no question for me here.  He is one of the most dynamic players in the conference, and he's starting to finally form a nice partnership with Kenny Miller.  The Caps' fortunes will follow his own.

6. Colorado Rapids, 27 Points.
The Rapids have been the most Jekyll and Hyde like team for me out west this year.  The last week at home is a case in point.   They beat the NY Red Bulls 2-0 in one of their better performances on the year, then they come out and look totally uninspired against a DC squad that they should beat in their sleep at the Dick, only earning a scoreless draw.  Their main problem seems to be inconsistency, and their spotty defense has had a lot to do with it.  Finishing also seems to come in fits and starts for them, it seems like they're going to either put up 2 or 3 goals, or none at all.  However, they are a fairly young team, and young teams can be prone to these inconsistencies.  I will say this though, if they get into the playoffs, this is the one team I DO NOT want to face in the first round.  They'll be hungry and have the players to do the damage.
COL Halfway MVP--Clint Irwin.  Irwin has come up huge for the Rapids since the early season injury to Matt Pickens.  He has started to show his youth a little bit of late, but a lot of the goals against him have been goal of the week type strikes.  Make no mistake, Irwin keeps Colorado in matches.

7. Seattle Sounders, 24 Points.
The Sounders are easily the biggest disappointment in the conference so far.  The season has been fairly disjointed as much of their early schedule was disrupted due to CCL play.  They've played three less games than most of the conference, so they have time to improve, but improve they must.  Osvaldo Alonso can't be back soon enough, and the defense has been down right atrocious lately.  They seem to just be going through the motions a good portion of the time, and it's not cutting it.  They have the weapons up front, but it seems like they have little else, except a frustrated fanbase.
SEA Halfway MVP--Obafemi Martins.  He's been streaky, but when he's been on, he's provided most of the good moments for the Sounders.

 8. San Jose Earthquakes, 21 Points.
My, my, what a difference a year makes.  All those things that were going right for the Quakes last year?  Yeah those breaks have turned against them.  The suspensions and fines have piled up as their, shall we say provocative, style of play has caught up with them.  Injuries have also been a big issue. Plus Chris Wondolowski has gone from MVP to down right invisible in many matches.  The Quakes have fired their Shield winning coach and sit eight points back of a playoff spot.  They're going to need a huge dose of that "Goonie" crap to turn it around now.
SJE Halfway MVP--Jon Busch.  He drives me nuts sometimes, but he's one of the most underrated netminders in the league.  Without him, the Quakes might be in Chivas USA territory.

Speaking of.....

9. Chivas USA, 14 Points.
What else is there to say about the doormat of the conference and perhaps the worst managed organization in the league?  El Chelis was a joke.  It was a gimmick, and I'm sure even he knew that.  Since the Chelis spotlight has drifted away, the Goats have made just a TINY bit of improvement, picking up 2 road points at Dallas and at Montreal. Still, the Goats have light years to go before they can be looked at as respectable.
CHV Halfway MVP--Dan Kennedy.  He's the only one really worth mentioning.  When I mention him, I like to mention that he should be playing for the OTHER team that calls that stadium home.

So there you have it.  Does it make sense?  Maybe not so much, but the second half promises to be just as exciting as the first.  What you can positively say is that at least ONE really good team is probably going to miss the playoffs.

Match Thoughts and Three Stars: RSL vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

Joao Plata was instrumental in RSL's attack on Saturday (Salt Lake Tribune)

I think I speak for a lot of Claret and Cobalt fans when I say "That's more like it!"  Even without talisman Alvaro Saborio, Real Salt Lake was able to step up and get great performances from a couple of different guys to pull out a 2-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps (or as section 35 put it the Flopcouver Divecaps) last Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium.

It's always a great feeling to walk away from Rio Tinto after three points have been earned, but this last week's match was critical, coach Jason Kreis said so himself.  I missed the team's lackluster match against L.A. home with strep throat, but after watching the match on replay, it was easy to see that RSL really needed to bounce back from that, especially in the first 15 minutes of the match.  Also on RSL's mind was the result from Vancouver a couple of weeks back when a questionable handball call on Nat Borchers cost them a potential three points on the road.

Of course Saturday night was not the all inclusive total 90 minute performance that coach Kreis has been looking for either.  While they did manage to keep Vancouver off the scoreboard, the first half was less than spectacular.  Few players in the Claret and Cobalt exhibited any decent touch on the ball, as even the midfielders seemed to come down with a case of the stone feet.  The passes were also uncharacteristically off.  The link up between the midfield and the forwards seemed to be especially off kilter.  A lot of the balls failed to connect, and when they did, neither Joao Plata nor Devon Sandoval seemed to be able to hold on to them.  This is somewhat understandable though.  Plata and Sandoval can't have spent a lot of time playing together or connecting with the starting guys in the midfield.  For Devon, it was also set to be his first 90 minute performance of his pro career.  As good as he's been this year, sometimes we forget that he is a rookie.

RSL cranked it up a notch during the second half though, and it was some of the best play I've seen from the team this year, especially on the counter attack.  Vancouver had shown their intention to come into Rio Tinto and play all night, and RSL took advantage right away in the second half.  In the 47th minute Nick Rimando triggered a counter with a goal kick, hitting Plata way up in the Vancouver half of the pitch.  Plata played a ball into the Vancouver box from the RSL right, where Luis Gil met it with his head to slot home and give RSL the 1-0 lead.  The goal is up for MLS goal of the week.

RSL caught Vancouver sleeping again in the 71st minute when sub Sebastian Velasquez used some of his nifty footwork to free himself from the defense.  He dropped of the ball to Plata. who again played the ball in from the right, this time to an onrushing Javier Morales, who dropped the ball into the near post corner to make it 2-0.  It was very impressive.  Somewhat less impressive was Vancouver's Gershon Koffie, who was supposedly marking Morales on the play.  He simply jogged back after the RSL man without a care in the world and rendered himself totally helpless once Morales had the pass at his feet.

Vancouver tried to make it interesting late on, but the RSL defense held firm, which brings us to our first ratings.  I thought the defense was pretty solid all the way around.  Beltran was active, and Borchers and Schuler always seemed to be where they needed to be to fend off a Vancouver attack.  Borchers' goal line clearance of a Vancouver shot was one of the plays of the night.  I spent a lot of time watching Schuler in the second half, as he was stationed right in front of me in section 30.  I thought his positioning was impeccable, and he rarely, if ever, looked flustered.  He also did a great job of hanging onto Vancouver's speedy Darren Mattocks when he came into the match in the second half.  Plus, how awesome was it to see Chris Wingert back in the side?  He really firmed up the defense on the left side.  My one mark down was that there were too many dangerous balls coming in from the Vancouver flanks.  I give the defense a B+.

The midfield really stepped up.  I thought Beckerman looked more involved than he has been of late, and Nedinho his just Nedinho, steady.  I know a lot of the fans would like to see the more flashy Velasquez start, but Ned brings that veteran presence and leadership that I think we need right now.  Of course, Gil and Morales stepped up to score the goals, which was huge with Sabo out.  The touch and link up play could have been better, so I'll give the midfield an A-.

Finally, the forwards.  In truth, it wasn't the best display, but both Plata and Sandoval improved over the course of the match.  Plata was the assist man, and he's been so instrumental in so many of our goals this year.  Sandoval really did well in the second half.  His touch improved light years from the first, and his holdup play was outstanding late on, giving RSL more of a shot at possession and chances.  Solid effort from both of those guys, so I'll say the forwards get a B.

So now I present to you the 3 stars for the Claret and Cobalt for Saturday, May 4 vs Vancouver.

3rd Star--Javier Morales.  Still the dynamo driving the RSL engine.
2nd Star--Nat Borchers.  His clearance off the line prevented a potentially game changing goal.
1st Star--Joao Plata.  His runs gave the 'Caps fits all night.  He assisted on both goals, making him the MLS assist leader going into Sunday morning.

Reo-Coker Criticizes Teammate, Draws Coach's Ire

Nigel Reo Coker and Darren Mattocks celebrate a goal on Saturday. (Vancouver Sun)

Vancouver forward Darren Mattocks had an......interesting weekend.  He put his side up 1-0 with a great goal in Houston last Saturday, but failed convert on a second half chance when he possibly should have passed instead of taking a shot.  Had he scored, the 'Caps would have gone up 2-0, as it was, Houston came back to win the game 2-1.

Former Premier League man Nigel Reo-Coker, who was wearing the captain's armband for Vancouver, spoke out after the game, saying that he had informed the youngster that he should have passed...

“I said to Darren after the game, ‘With the level we’re at now, those are the small margins that we can’t let pass us by.  We take our second chance, the game’s 2-0. It would have been very difficult for them to come back.

“That’s the difference between playing a higher level of football and a lower level of football. You take your chances. You might only get once chance away from home and you must learn to take that one chance that you may get.”

That's all well and good, and even Mattocks said that he welcomed the comments from his veteran teammate.  However, Vancouver head coach Martin Rennie was not as impressed.  He didn't mind that Reo-Coker made his feelings known to Mattocks, but he was not pleased that he aired his comments to the media.  When asked about Reo-Coker's comments he said,

“That’s not something we’ll be doing too much of.  In terms of communicating directly within the team, yes, that has to be clear what we expect. But publicly, no."

Rennie went on to say that generally it's not something he gets into immediately after a game.  He said that dealing with these kind of issues is better after a couple of days so that emotions aren't running as high and everyone has a clear head.

What do you guys think?  Should Reo-Coker have made his comments public?  Personally, I think that speaking in public about something like that is probably the coach's job.  As for the play itself, I saw it live and thought Mattocks should have passed.  It should be noticed that Mattocks didn't actually miss, he just forced a rather easy save out of Tally Hall.  At any rate, sound like the 'Caps might be on their way back down to earth a little bit.

MLS 2013: Western Conference Predictions and Questions

If the Eastern conference isn't your thing, why not try the Western Conference?  No big intros here, lets just get right to it, my predicted table plus three big questions to answer at the end of it all.  Here we go...


9. Chivas USA--Do I REALLY have to explain this one?  Oh, right, I'm supposed to go gaga over Chelis.  Not buying it, sorry, especially since he basically said he only expects to spend one year at the club.  What's the point?  The Goats dumped most of their players who weren't of Hispanic origin, though gee, I see they didn't dare part ways with Dan Kennedy.  This team is a joke to me, sorry.  They need to get out of LA and down into San Diego where there's not a two time defending MLS Cup champ in town.  The other thing is, if another MLS club tried to build a foundation on a specific ethnic identity, no way it would fly, and it shouldn't fly here either.

8. Vancouver Whitecaps--Yawn.  Last year they nearly fell out of the playoffs after making some deals that really could have propelled them into the upper echelon of the Western Conference.  The Kenny Miller thing didn't work out, or at least hasn't yet, and I don't see Paulo Jr doing anything up there that he didn't at RSL.  Darren Mattocks could eventually be a golden boot type player, but to me he needs to do some more growing up before he can lead this time past the teams in front of them.

7. Portland Timbers--Let's dispense with this question now.  Is this the year Portland finally capitalizes on their "atmosphere" and pushes into the playoffs?  Nope.  They made some nice pickups, sure, but why anyone would put Caleb Porter in charge of pro club after the U-23 debacle is beyond me.  Sorry, Frederic Piquionne doesn't impress me anymore than Kris Boyd did before last season started.  Will the league continue to shove Portland down our collective throats?  Yes.  Will they make the playoffs?  No.

6. FC Dallas--To me, this team goes as far as David Ferreira takes them. That could be an awfully long way.  If the New York version of Kenny Cooper shows up, that should help a lot.  If the Portland version shows up, well then he'll just play well against RSL.  The defense will be decent but I think dumping Kevin Hartman was a mistake.  That guy kept Dallas in a lot of games over the last couple of years.  We'll make sure to keep an eye on Blas Perez's diving scores as well.

5. Colorado Rapids--The Rapids are going to be better this year.  I'll also tag them to get back to the playoffs.  Last year Oscar Pareja had a system, but not the players for it.  This year, he'll have both.  It might take some time to gel, but I think they'll make it.  If they can play solid, stylish, football at 5280, they'll wear some teams out and there could be some woodshed type beatings.

4. Real Salt Lake--This is probably where I get flamed.  First off, yes, RSL lost some key parts, but  I thought the front office did a great job holding things together.  There's no reason to think that they won't still be a playoff team, especially when you look at the clubs behind them.  However, I'm not sure the preseason was overly comforting.  The loss to a largely reserve Seattle squad in the DDC final mirrored every big loss RSL has had the couple of years, going back to the Champion's League Final vs Monterrey.  If the team can put the ball in the net on a regular basis, they could top the conference.  However, without seeing it, this is as high as I can put them at the moment.  Injuries will be key as well, though there won't be as many matches to contend with this year.

3. San Jose Earthquakes--I'll address these guys a bit more in the questions segment, but I don't think it's going to be as golden a year for the "Goonies" this time around.  That classic flick has already been ruined for me though.  It's gonna be Wondo, Wondo, Wondo.  Keep in mind that the Quakes WILL have CCL matches to contend with this year as well.  We'll see how Wondo fairs in that tourney as the Quakes get a taste of their own flopping, knee-you-in-the-stomach, stop the game at every chance style.

2. L.A. Galaxy--To the relief of their fans, Landon "Holiday in Cambodia" Donovan will be returning, but not just yet.  Also, of course, Beckham is gone, as MLS was so keen to point out at the end of last season.  *Gag* However Robbie Keane stayed home this offseason, not going out on loan.  This should help him shoulder the load until Donovan returns and is up to form.  Also, if you think the Galaxy aren't going to sign another big name DP, you're probably nuts.  It might not be Lampard, but it will be significant.

1. Seattle Sounders--My Seattle friends will love this, but as I try to take an unbiased look, I really think this could be their year.  Michael Gspurning is in my mind the best 'keeper in MLS, which is an even bigger compliment because he doesn't have the best defense in MLS in front of him.  Yes, Montero is gone, but they have some guy who likes to go by the name of Eddie Johnson who should continue his beast mode form.  Did we mention Rosales and Alonso yet?  Tiffert has been pretty much as advertised and Shalrie Joseph is a really nice pickup as well, at the expense of whatever Chivas USA is trying to do.

Three Big Questions--Western Conference

1. Will the Quakes continue the magic form from last season?

My Answer--NO.  First off, the Galaxy managed to dispense with the Quakes quite easily in the playoffs, and they did drop a few points down the stretch, though not often losing.  Plus you can't think that the Quakes are going to get ALL the calls and the breaks going their way like they did last year.  Losing Simon Dawkins will be significant as well.  Also, the Quakes will have more matches to contend with, just like RSL and Seattle did down the stretch last year, and as I mentioned earlier, they're bound to run into their own "frustrating" play style in CCL.  They'll still be a playoff team though.

2. Can Real Salt Lake avoid a big slide after offseason cap trouble?

My Answer--YES. Now, lets remember that "can they" and "will they" are two very different questions.  The new look RSL squad has a TON of potential.  If things work out as Jason and Garth want them to, they could top the league.  However, as we saw displayed so many times last year, things don't always go as planned (think US Open Cup and CCL crash and burn).  They have the players to contend for the Cup and the Shield, and even that wannabe FA Cup thing we try out every year.  Bottom line though, the ball HAS TO GO IN THE BACK OF THE NET.  Especially at home.  We shall see.

3. Can the Galaxy hold on until Donovan gets back and they sign another DP?

My Answer--YES.  Sure they can, they're still a solid club,  However, who cares?  Look what happened last year.  Would you bet against them as long as they scraped into the playoffs?  I sure don't think I would.

So there you have it, my Western Conference thoughts.  Many of my fellow RSL fans will disagree, and I hope they finish higher than I pegged them. Until then, just callin' em like I see em.  Let the matches begin!

MLS Notes: NYRB Coach, Rapids New Boy, and 'Caps Cutting Losses

The Red Bulls have finally settled on a new head coach (MLS)

It's time for a quick hit around the league this Friday, going into a the first real weekend of training for most of the MLS clubs.  First up, the New York Red Bulls have finally concluded their international search for a head coach.  Turns out they went all the way to......their own backyard to find a new man.  Former Red Bulls player Mike Petke has had the interim tag removed, and will now take up full time duties as the Red Bulls head man.  Petke takes the reigns after two international coaches reportedly turned down the job: Aston Villa assistant Gary McAllister and former Portuguese international Paulo Sousa.    Petke has been on the staff since 2011 and has been interim coach since Hans Backe was canned after last season.

Next we stop at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Colorado, where the Rapids have added a new player to their growing squad.   Colorado today won a weighted lottery for 18 year old Cameroon International attacker Charles Eloundou, beating out Real Salt Lake and DC United.  Eloundou had signed a contract with MLS prior to the draft, but did not obtain his visa in time for the combine, thus the lottery process.  Rapids technical director Paul Bravo describes him as a winger who might also be able to play underneath a lone striker.  Eloundou is in MLS for a one year loan from Cameroon side AS Fortuna de Mfou, with the Rapids/MLS having an option to buy at the end of the season.  After winning this lottery, the Rapids will be ineligible to participate in further lotteries for 2013 season.

Meanwhile, the axe is falling on more heads in Vancouver after their disappointing end to the 2012 campaign.  Ives Galarcep is reporting that the Whitecaps have waived center-back Martin Bonjour, who they have been quite keen to part ways with.  Earlier this week the 'Caps had dumped disappointing DP Barry Robson.  The former Celtic and Dundee United man lasted less than a full season in MLS and will seek a return to a club in his native Scotland.  There have also been rumors that Kenny Miller's time in Vancouver maybe coming to an end, but on Jan. 21 the former Rangers man said that he was looking forward to a full preseason in Vancouver that might help him contribute more during the regular season campaign.

Of course there are many other rumors flying around various MLS clubs right now as well.  The player movement and on pitch action will ramp up in the next couple of weeks as training camps get underway in earnest.

Costly Mistakes Haunt RSL in Vancouver Loss.

RSL's Ned Grabavoy takes flying leap. (Reuters Pictures)

What started out as a promising night for Real Salt Lake in Vancouver ended on a pretty sour note.  The two sides largely displayed the same type of entertaining, and sometimes physical match play that took place a couple of weeks back in Salt Lake.  The only difference was the last laugh went to Vanoucver tonight at BC Place.

RSL started the match rather sharply, looking in good form through much of the first half.  The Caps fired the opening salvo of the match though, with Camilo forcing an outstanding save from Nick Rimando in minute 14.    Nick stood firm and it looked to fire up the club.

The Claret and Cobalt finally looked to go to the lead in the 25th minute.  Alvaro Saborio rose and met a header inside the six on a Javier Morales cross.  The shot beat the Vancouver 'keeper but bounced off the post and dribbled away, eventually cleared by the 'Caps defense.

It was in the second half that the Whitecaps did their damage, and the first goal was practically gifted by RSL, who did not have lady luck on their side in this one.  Will Johnson attempted a low clearance, but it was a bit too low, and smacked into Chris Wingert's back.  The ball fell kindly to Camilo, who smashed the game's first goal into the low corner to make it 1-0 to the Whitecaps.

It wasn't long before the 'Caps seemingly put the game to bed either.  Camilo was again the catalyst in minute 64, as he picked out Dane Richards who was sitting just outside the box.  Richards smacked a gorgeous shot into the top corner of the goal to make it 2-0 to Vancouver with 25 minutes to go.

RSL did manage to get one back, but ended up being way too little, way too late.  In the second minute of stoppage time Nat Borchers got his head to a cross from Paulo Jr. and put it in the back of the net to make it 2-1.  However it would be the last chance of the night and the Whitecaps hung on for a crucial three points at home.

Notes:  Vancouver captain Jay DeMerit had a collision of heads in the first half with 'keeper Brad Knighton.  He was subbed off, suffering an apparent concussion on the play.  I know that we all wish him the best, he's a great player and a class guy.  For RSL Jamison Olave missed his second straight match after his injury during CCL play.  My man of the match for RSL goes to Kwame Watson-Siriboe, who had a great game at the back filling in for the aforementioned Olave.  True man of the match honors have to go to Camilo though, as he gave RSL fits all night.

RSL vs. Vancouver Preview: July 27

RSL hosts the Vancouver Whitecaps tonight at Rio Tinto Stadium!

I'm telling you, fellow RSL fans, forget about the Galaxy, San Jose, and Seattle at least for the rest of this matchweek.  In my mind, the two upcoming RSL matches against the Vancouver Whitecaps are two of the biggest matches of the season.  These teams don't have a history together, and unless you subscribe to MLS Live or Direct Kick, you probably haven't seen much of the Whitecaps, but you should check them out.  The 'Caps are right behind the Claret and Cobalt in the Western Conference table, and losing these two matches could drop RSL into third place.

Is that a real worry?  Well I think it's a possibility.  Vancouver has quietly amassed a pretty decent array of attacking talent to go with an already stout defense.  A couple of weeks back they acquired Scottish National Team captain Kenny Miller, and for my money, he can have more impact than most of the other recent DP signings.  He's only 32, healthy, and still making a difference in the upper levels of European football.

It's not just Kenny Miller though.  In the wake of that deal the 'Caps sent Le Toux to RBNY in exchange for speedy Jamaican International Dane Richards.  I think he's one of the better winger type players in the league and almost always causes defenses some issues.  Add to these guys another Scottish DP, Barry Robson, who has been coming into form in recent weeks.  I wasn't sold on him at first, but he's starting to convert me.  Finally, Camilo has been rounding into form as well, and all of these individuals will test RSL's defense.

Luckily for RSL the back line has been playing a lot better recently, especially at home.  They've posted 3 consecutive clean sheets at Rio Tinto Stadium, winning 2 of the 3 matches.  That streak has spanned 276 minutes.  Coach Kreis is cautiously opitmistic, but had this to say as well:

“I think that it’s a step in the right direction, but honestly we had a very good result two weeks ago didn’t we? And we came out and got our butts handed to us so I think it’s going to be very important for the guys to remember that we need to stay humble about remember what it takes to get results and if we don’t do that we won’t get results and when we do that, we will get results.”

Certainly the discipline has been better as well, as Will Johnson alluded to earlier this week discussing the team's new attitude toward refereeing decisions:

"We have a new strategy to deal with refs. It ... comes down to what we can control. We've chosen to focus all our energy on (that)." 

Of course, no preview of a Vancouver match would be complete without mentioning lightning quick rookie Darren Mattocks.  After missing the first part of the season with injury, he's been on fire of late.  RSL's attack will be brimming with confidence too.  Alvaro Saborio had scored 4 straight goals for the Claret and Cobalt before Will Johnson's second half strike vs Colorado, and Fabian Espindola has been providing assists as well threatening the goal himself.

The injury situation is not overly critical for either side.  Vancouver lists Omar Salgado as out and John Thorrington as questionable.  The big deal for RSL is Jamison Olave, who is listed as questionable.  Kwame Watson-Siriboe may have to step up big time to help Nat Borchers deal with the Vancouver threat, and I think he will.  Grabavoy, Borchers, and Espindola are listed as probable.

As for suspensions, Jonny Steele is out for RSL after picking up his 5th yellow against the Rapids last weekend.  Olave and Saborio are suspended on their next yellow, and Espindola, Johnson, Morales, and Wingert are two yellows away from suspension.  For Vancouver,  Gershon Koffie and Martin Bonjour are suspended on their next yellow while Darren Mattocks is two yellows away.

Experienced MLS ref Kevin Stott will officiate the match.  In 226 MLS matches his stats are: 25.6 Fouls per game, 3.4 yellows per game, 58 red cards and 47 pks.  RSL fans will be less than excited to see Allen Chapman on the bench again as the 4th official.

I don't expect the Caps to sit back and try to counter, at least at first.  They beat San Jose last weekend and will be out to claim another Western Conference scalp.  This will be tougher to deal with if RSL doesn't have Olave's services.  However, Vancouver may have a problem on defense as Jay DeMerit played all 90 minutes at the All Star Game and then had major issues getting a flight into SLC.  I'll take RSL 2-1 in an offensive display from both sides.  Both Nick Rimando and Joe Cannon are quality keepers and both will be tested.

(Kreis quote from MLSSoccer.com.  Johnson quote from Under the Crossbar, @TheCrossBarRSL on twitter.)

Match Thoughts: Vancouver Whitecaps vs LA Galaxy

David Beckham celebrates his goal vs. Vancouver. (Reuters)

For the Vancouver Whitecaps, this is the one that got away, big time.  As LA manager Bruce Arena was quoted as saying "we stole a point," and that's the exact truth.  The Whitecaps pretty much dominated the match for 70 some minutes, but in the end, a combination of bad finishing and lax defense let the Galaxy back in to secure a vital road point.

The Galaxy had the first two shots of the match.  Landon Donovan had an effort blocked in the 8th minute, and David Beckham missed with a free kick in the 11th, but both of these efforts were pretty much against the run of play.  For the most part the Whitecaps were able to control possession and move the ball around quite easily.  It was unquestionably new DP Barry Robson's best game yet in a 'Caps uniform, and Camilo put forth his best effort of the year.

The Whitecaps patient play first paid off for them in the 18th minute.  David Beckham uncharacteristically turned the ball over in his own half, and Camilo took it toward goal.  He managed to find Gershon Koffie in the penalty area, and the midfielder then slammed the ball past Josh Saunders into the bottom corner of the goal to make it 1-0 to Vancouver.

The Caps weren't finished with their first half assault either.   In the 27th minute Y.P. Lee found Robson streaking in toward the top of the area.  He put the ball right on Robson's head, and the Scot easily headed into the net to make it 2-0 Vancouver.  It was Robson's first MLS goal, and it would be the last solid offense before halftime.

The Galaxy didn't really look like they were game to get back into it early in the second half, save one half chance.  In the 58th minute Jay DeMerit got torched by Landon Donovan, and just managed to drag the Galaxy captain down before he got into the area.  DeMerit was issued a yellow card on the play, but LA couldn't make anything out of the tough angle free kick.

Business really picked up for both sides in the final ten minutes of the match.  In the 80th minute Koffie took another crack at goal, but his effort bounded off the crossbar and out of danger, he had Saunders beaten too.  Beckham would make the Whitecaps regret that miss just a minute later, as he had a shot deflect into the goal off of a Whitecaps defender to make it 2-1 on 81 minutes.

The Whitecaps would still got another chance to ice the three points, but again couldn't find the back of the net. In the 84th minute Robson set up for a rather deep free kick, and confidently drilled the shot toward the target.  The Whitecaps didn't get the bounce this time either, as it slammed off the post and away from Josh Saunders.

The Champions then took advantage of their most recent reprieve.  In the 87th minute, Galaxy home-grown product Jose Villarreal got his first taste of MLS glory.  Beckham delivered a spot on ball to Juninho, who laid it off to the youngster.  Villarreal then put a gorgeous left footed strike into the top corner of the Vancouver goal to equalize the match at 2-2.

That score would hold until full time, but Robson got one more good look.  In the fourth and final minute of stoppage time he sent a blazing shot in toward the top of the goal.  However, Josh Saunders was up to the task and tipped it away to preserve the 2-2 draw.

It's obvious that the Galaxy still have many defensive issues.  They gave up two goals and a host of other quality chances to the Caps.  However, it's just as obvious to see that they have the players to keep them in a match.  If Beckham, Donovan, and Keane can stay healthy, (and not move to Europe) the chances of the Galaxy getting a playoff spot are pretty good.  Will they get the defense right before then?  If they don't will it hurt their chances at the cup?  Only time will tell.

Whitecaps Add Kenny Miller as Third DP

Scottish National side Captain Kenny Miller has signed with Vancouver

Big news in MLS this morning as the Vancouver Whitecaps announced that they have added Scottish National Team captain Kenny Miller as their third designated player.  This is the second half of the deal that sent Sebastian Le Toux to NY last week and left many MLS watchers scratching their heads a little bit.

Miller is 32 years old, and has scored 16 goals while winning 60 caps for Scotland.  He also has a distinguished club career in Scotland and England.  He's one of only 5 players in the post World War II era to play for both Celtic and Rangers in the Old Firm Derby.  While playing in Scotland he won the Scottish Premier League, the Scottish FA Cup, and the Scottish League Cup.  He's scored 187 goals in 547 matches during his club career.

Last season Miller played for Cardiff City in the English second division.  He scored 11 goals in 50 matches.  Cardiff lost to Liverpool in the Carling Cup final, and barely missed out on promotion to the Barclay's Premier League, losing to West Ham United in a playoff at Wembley.

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, per MLS policy.  The deal is still pending the completion of Miller's International Transfer certificate.  However, Miller arrived in Vancouver yesterday and has begun training with the Whitecaps.

Miller is quoted as saying:

“I’m delighted to be making this move to Major League Soccer and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. I have heard many great things about the club and the city of Vancouver, and have been impressed by the standard of MLS. To have the chance to continue my career in North America with Whitecaps FC is a fantastic opportunity for me and my family."

 

This is one European signing that I really do think could end up making a splash in MLS.  While Miller may not still have his best years in front of him at 32, he's still a proven goal scorer in top European divisions.  This could really be a big deal.

 

MLS Transactions; RSL Acquire Local Boy, Vancouver Sells Chiumiento

RSL have acquired former Chivas and Montreal striker Justin Braun (right)

There were a couple of big time moves that went down in MLS yesterday, one will be of particular interest to Real Salt Lake Fans.  RSL have acquired striker Justin Braun from the Montreal Impact for a conditional 2014 SuperDraft pick.  So basically RSL acquired the 2nd leading scorer in Chivas USA history for practically nothing.

Braun is also the only native of Salt Lake City currently playing in MLS, so it will be a homecoming for him.  It gives the Claret and Cobalt a nice local tie in.  Braun adds immediate depth to the RSL front line, and he is expected to compete with Paulo Jr and Emiliano Bonfigli for the the 3rd striker roll behind Alvaro Saborio and Fabian Espindola.  This will be crucial going into CONCACAF Champions League play.

Braun had 24 goals in all for Chivas USA.  He went to the Impact in a deal during the off season, but never caught on north of the border.  He's played in 12 games for the Impact this year, but has yet to score in 2012.

In other MLS player news, the Vancouver Whitecaps sold Davide Chiumiento to Swiss Super League side FC Zurich.  This is somewhat puzzling as he's been a key cog in the Whitecaps lineup this year, leading the club with five assists.  His role is expected to be filled by Scotsman Barry Robson, who has yet to impress after outings against Colorado and TFC.

Chiumiento has played in the Swiss League before.  He spent three years with FC Luzern in his native country.  In 2009-2010 he scored 11 goals for the club.

Match Thoughts: Colorado Rapids vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

Colorado's Omar Cummings and Vancouver's Alain Rochat (AP Photo)

Last time the Rapids took the field at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, they had one of their best outings of the year against the Portland Timbers.  However, they found the sledding a little tougher against the Vancouver  Whitecaps for their annual 4th of July match.  For their part, Vancouver was debuting their latest signing, former SPL man Barry Robson. 

The Scot tried out the mile high air in the 4th minute, banging a shot towards the Rapids' goal from distance that sailed well over the bar.  It would be one of only two first half shots for Vancouver as the Rapids largely dominated possession on their home field.

The men in Burgundy carved out their first significant chance of the match on 14 minutes.  Striker Conor Casey, who has been doing well working his way back to total match fitness, had a nice look from the left side of the penalty area but dragged his shot just wide of the far post.  Casey stayed active after that though, forcing a near post save out of Joe Cannon on 31 minutes.  The Rapids got one of their best chances of the night in the 39th as Luis Zapata sent a cross into the far post to Jaime Castrillon.  He nodded the ball down toward the goal, but at the last second it deflected off of Casey and out of trouble.

Then in the 43rd minute the opportunistic Whitecaps made the Rapids pay for missing their chances.  Jordan Harvey sent an early ball into the top of the 18 from just inside the attacking half, looking for the run of Darren Mattocks.  Rapids defender Drew Moor got to it, but it bounced off of him and right to Mattocks, who easily slotted the ball past Matt Pickens to give the Whitecaps a 0-1 lead at halftime.

The Rapids never seemed to get going in the second half, despite having a majority of their top attacking options on the pitch.  Vancouver was more than ready to protect their one goal lead at altitude, pulling nearly all their players in behind the ball in a well designed game of bunker ball.  Colorado just could not break them down, and for the most part seemed to lack the energy to maker a serious go at it.

In the end, the best they could do was a half chance in stoppage time.  Conor Casey got a look from a corner kick, but saw his header go way off the mark and the Whitecaps easily held on to the 0-1 win.  It was a really hard loss to swallow for the Rapids, especially after they looked so good against Portland.  In the end, the well organized Vancouver defense neutralized any decent offensive threat the former MLS Cup champs could muster.

Match Thoughts: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. New York Red Bulls

Dane Richards and Gershon Koffie make small talk. (AP Photo)

Consider yourself warned, MLS fans.  The Vancouver Whitecaps are making noise in the western conference and they'll make more noise in the league as a whole before all the hardware is handed out.  So often when fans think about the Cascadia teams, the thoughts are of Seattle and Portland.  Don't look now, but the 'Caps are ahead of both of them.  In this particular match both Vancouver and New York played to a scrappy draw, but Vancouver was obviously the better side for much of the match.

Despite the fact that the Whitecaps opened the match with the better possession and ball control, it was the Red Bulls that would earn the first good chance on goal.  In the 8th minute Joel Lindpere sent a cross in on a free kick that found the head of Dax McCarty.  Joe Cannon was up to the task and saved the close range header to keep the match scoreless early.

After that the Whitecaps began to come into some attacking form of their own.  In the 9th minute Martin Bonjour missed a shot after a free kick, and Davide Chumiento had a great look on a 'Caps counter attack, but his shot missed the target.  It wasn't until the 32nd minute that either team would get a good look again, and the chance fell to Camilo for Vancouver.  He found himself alone near the top of the 18 after a perfect setup ball, but somehow drug his shot wide of the goal as Ryan Meara closed him down.  The first half ended 0-0.

The second half didn't see much action until about the last 20 minutes, and it was the Red Bulls who started the party.  New York went on a break of their own and Dane Richards looked to have a 1v1 chance on the Vancouver goal.  Joe Cannon rushed off of his line and hit the deck, taking the ball off of the speedy Jamaican's foot to preserve the tie.

In the 75th minute, the Whitecaps were finally the first side to get on the board.  The ball ended up sliding into the New York penalty area after a corner kick from Alain Rochat.  The ball actually drifted by 4 'Caps players before falling to the feet of Bonjour.  The defender calmly lined up his touch and smashed the ball into the far corner of the Red Bulls' goal to make it 1-0.

However, if the Whitecaps thought they were going to cruise to the 1-0 win with the late goal, they were going to get surprised.  The Red Bulls had a last chance corner kick in the 86th minute.  The Whitecaps defense went to sleep for just a minute, but it was all Heath Pearce needed to get his head to the ball and equalize the match at 1-1, which was the full time result, ending in disappointment for Vancouver.

NOTES:  New York's Dane Richards picked up his 5th yellow card of the season, and will miss the Red Bulls match vs. DC United this weekend.

Match Thoughts: Vancouver Whitecaps vs Colorado Rapids

Vancouver's Joe Cannon makes a save vs. Colorado's Conor Casey (Reuters)

On Saturday the Vancouver Whitecaps hosted the Colorado Rapids in a classic six point match.  Both clubs were sitting around the middle of the Western Conference table and were hoping a win would help them fire up a midseason run at the top.

The Rapids actually played pretty well, and enjoyed an edge in possession for most of the evening.  Their first chance of the match came on 4 minutes as Edu tried to seize a back pass to the Vancouver goal, but Joe Cannon was able to pounce on it.  Martin Rivero also had two pretty good looks for Colorado.  In the 28th minute he sent a drive in from the top of the 18 that just sailed wide of the target.  Then in minute 34 Cannon was once again called into action, deflecting another Rivero shot wide for a corner.

The best chance for the Whitecaps in the first half came in the 43rd minute when Sebastian Le Toux got 1v1 with Rapids 'keeper Matt Pickens, but Pickens played it expertly, snuffing out the chance and sending the teams into the half still scoreless.

Things appeared to take a turn for the worse for Vancouver around the hour mark.  In the 59th minute Whitecaps rookie Darren Mattocks was hit with a yellow card for diving in the 18.  Then just a minute later he picked up another yellow for a bad tackle on Drew Moor in his own attacking third.  Mattocks hit the showers early, and Colorado had a chance to take it to the Whitecaps with a man advantage.

Unfortunately for the men in Burgundy, it didn't quite work out like they planned.  In the 80th minute Vancouver would score the match's only goal.  The 'Caps attacked on the counter and Davide Chiumiento hit Le Toux with a gorgeous cross and the former Union man easily put it past Pickens to make it 1-0.

The Rapids didn't give up though, and they had a flurry of chances late on.  In the 82nd minute Rivero hit the post, then in the 88th the woodwork denied the Rapids again.  Hunter Freeman saw his curling effort hit the frame and bound away, as Vancouver held on to the 1-0 win at full time.

Match Thoughts: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Montreal Impact

Montreal's Joshua Gardner and Vancouver's Y.P. Lee. (AP Images)

So this was the first of the MLS games from last weekend that I wanted to check out for a couple of reasons. One, I wanted to see how the Montreal Impact would do in their debut. Two, Vancouver has done a little retooling that should help them challenge for a playoff spot. Unfortunately, the end product wasn't all that great from either side, but it was the first game of the season.

Montreal took the possession in the early going, but really seemed to me to be lacking in some confidence. While it's true that the lineup they put out has lot of MLS experience, most of them haven't played together much. Even the early attempts at goal were week, with Sanna Nyassi rolling a shot right at Joe Cannon in the first minute and Joshua Gardner missing well wide in the the third.

Once Vancouver got a hold of the ball they wasted little time. In the fourth minute they countered and Eric Hassli headed a ball over to Sebastian Le Toux, who took the ball and poked it by Donovan Ricketts to give the 'Caps a 1-0 lead early on. The rest of the first half continued in much the same fashion, with Montreal looking slightly lost and Vancouver posing a more realistic threat, but there were to be no more goals, and the first half ended 1-0.

Vancouver pretty much iced the match early on in the second half. In the 54th minute they put together what to me was the best build up play in the game that resulted in Camilo putting a goal inside the far post to make it 2-0 to the Whitecaps.

Montreal looked a little better in the second half. Their best chance of the match came in the 61st minute when Davy Arnaud put a header on target following a corner kick. He beat Cannon but Y.P. Lee was there to clear it off of the line and preserve the clean sheet. The 'Caps would ultimately go on to win by the 2-0 score.

Vancouver didn't look like world beaters by any stretch, but it really seems like they've improved. I really love the addition of Le Toux up front and Y.P. Lee and Bonjour on the back. If DeMerit can stay healthy, they should go a long way on solidifying the Whitecaps' defense.

For Montreal, it was the first game of their first MLS season. I'm not sure anybody expected all that much, reasonably. Davy Arnaud was the best for them, and Ricketts will be solid in goal. They're gonna need work on the back though, and the service out of the midfield will need to be better to help create goals. However, this should all improve the more these guys play together.

Match Thoughts: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Real Salt Lake

Well, is it time to go back to the drawing board for RSL? One thing I know: they have to get it together and stop putting themsleves in these horrible positions with red cards and early conceded goals. It's pretty frustrating to watch, I can't imagine how frustrating it is for the players and coaches.

RSL had a number of factors going against them for this match. First, it was a match that was taking place during an international break, so they were missing a number of key players, including Kyle Beckerman, Will Johnson, and Alvaro Saborio. We have the stupid Vancouver vs. Man City friendly to thank for that. Plus, Fabian Espindola was out with yellow cards. Finally, Coach Kreis had to watch from the press box after dealing with illness from food poisoning.

I'm sure Coach K would say no excuses though. The first half was pretty even-stevens until the 43rd minute when Collen Warner was hit with a red card for handball in the box. I'm not going to recite handball rules or bitch about the ref. I thought it was pretty harsh to give a red, but that's just my opinion. Anyway, Camilo smacked home the PK to give Vancouver the 1-0 lead at the half.

The second half wasn't much better for 10 man RSL. In the 53rd minute, Vancouver earned another PK for a tackle that we'll just say was on the edge of the area. I have seen these calls go both ways. No complaining about the ref. RSL just put themselves in a bad position again. So Camilo notched his second PK of the night to make it 2-0. The Whitecaps added a third and final goal in the 88th by Khalfan to make the final score to make it 3-0.

Ouch

Two more MLS squads learn their playoff fates

Coming into this weekend, LA, RSL, and Seattle had clinched playoff births and Vancouver had been eliminated from playoff contention.

Tonight, LA pretty much clinched up the Supporter's Shield with a 2-1 win at home over RSL. Toronto FC was officially knocked out of the playoffs by virtue of a 1-1 draw against NY. The New England Revolution were also knocked out after their loss to Seattle. San Jose is barely alive after a draw with Sporting KC.

If you're scoring at home--

IN THE PLAYOFFS--
LA Galaxy
Seattle Sounders FC
Real Salt Lake


OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS--
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Toronto FC
New England Revolution

Match Thoughts: San Jose Earthquakes vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

So in my last entry I talked about former Quake Ryan Johnson making his debut for Toronto. Later that same night in San Jose one of the players that went the other way, Jacob Peterson, made his debut for the Quakes against Vancouver. He made his presence felt throughout the match, which was one of the better matches I've seen in MLS this year. I'm so glad I didn't watch the crap fest that was Seattle getting destroyed by United.

Chris Wondolowski got the match started off right in the 3rd minute. I feel bad for any fans who stopped on the way to their seats to get a soda or use the bathroom. Simon Dawkins put a long range chip into the 18 that Wondo deftly got on the end of and slotted past former San Jose keeper Joe Cannon to make it 1-0. Pretty good start, and the Quakes kept up the pressure for the first 10 minutes or so, but weren't sble to put any distance between themselves and the Caps.

A little later, Simon Dawkins went out with what is rumored to be a hamstring strain. The Whitecaps took advantage of the lull for San Jose and slipped a ball into the box for Eric Hassli, who absolutely drilled the ball past John Busch to tie the game at 1-1. Busch actually got a hand to the shot, but it would have severed his hand before being knocked off target. We went to the half tied at 1-1.

Wondo put the Quakes back in front in the second half. Peterson set himself up over a corner and put a rather routine looking ball into the area. Brovsky slipped for the Caps, which allowed Wondo to get free. He rose and headed the ball into the net to make it 2-1 Quakes in the 54th minute.

However, the lead only lasted about 7 minutes. In the 61st, Shea Salinas blew by the San Jose line and centered a low pass. Busch came to play it but missed. The pass found an unmarked Hassli, who tapped it into the empty net to equalize at 2-2. Both teams had chances late, and both keepers were called into action, but the match ended at 2-2.

One must think the Whitecaps will be happier with the point, but they've got to get their defense put together. Jarju was unimpressive. For the Quakes, another chance for 3 points at home slips away, which could come back to bite them come playoff time.