Ahead of #SKCvVAN, SportingKC.com caught up with Province sports reporter Marc Weber to preview tonight's match at Children's Mercy Park. Live coverage of the match starts at at 8:30 p.m. CT on KMCI-TV (38 the Spot), SKCTV, 99.3 FM (English) and La Grande 1340 AM (Spanish).
What’s Vancouver’s form heading into Saturday’s match?
Well, poor, as anyone can see, I think. Winless in five. Two wins since mid-May. One goal in their last four. Can’t keep the ball out of their net. They had a few signs of life in the loss to San Jose, I thought. Pedro Morales played one of his better games in a while. Christian Bolaños was doing his best to generate chances. There just doesn’t seem to be much cohesion these days. Lots of chopping and changing the lineup and way too many guys performing below their levels. Matias Laba and Kendall Waston would be the first to say they haven’t been able to hit their top form this season.
What changes could we see to the starting lineup with the CCL match between the two sides on Tuesday?
I really don’t think anyone will think about Tuesday’s game until after Saturday. They’re viewing this as must win. Now, ask 10 people these days to write out the Caps best starting lineup and you’ll probably get 10 different answers, which tells you a lot. I think we’ll see changes for Saturday’s game but not because of the CCL game on Tuesday. Simply because Carl Robinson has said he’s going to play the guys who are playing the best, and not play guys hoping they’re going to snap out whatever rut they are in. He didn’t name names but I think we could see a rare night with Matias Laba out of the XI. Andrew Jacobson has been one of their best players this season and he didn’t face San Jose. Laba didn’t look good on the opening goal, ducking out of a defensive header. Robinson has hinted that 15-year-old Alphonso Davies could be ready for his first MLS start and, frankly, why not? He’s brought a spark off the bench and Cristian Techera has been missing in action this season. Right-back has been a major talking point in Vancouver all season. It’s been a revolving door and no one has grabbed their chance consistently enough. I know the Caps fans would vote for Fraser Aird at this point because even if he struggles defensively at times (and all their right-backs have) at least he makes the opponent worry about him too.
Who are some key players for Vancouver for Saturday’s match?
Cheesy as it sounds, I’m going to just say “everyone”. Honestly, this whole team needs to step up, play for each other and collectively show they’re not ready for their playoff hopes to die. The easy guy to pick on this season is Pedro Morales because he’s the DP and main playmaker and he’s not had the season fans had hoped for. But it’s not about one guy to me. They need 7-8 guys per game winning their individual match-ups and this season it’s been more like 2 or 3 on most nights. I guess you have to mention the Kendall Waston-Dom Dwyer matchup too because it’s just always so much fun to watch, and a key one.
What are your thoughts on the first two meetings between the two sides and any takeaways you have ahead of this third match?
Well, for starters, the Caps should try to keep 11 men on the field. Always a big help! Deybi Flores and Jordan Smith had a rough night in K.C. in week two but I wouldn’t read too much into that. It was early in the season and neither will feature in this one (Flores has gone back to Honduras on loan). It also took a world-class goal from Dwyer to punish Flores for that turnover so maybe it was just one of those nights. That’s been far too common a theme for the Caps this season — conceding first, and/or shooting themselves in the foot with poor turnovers. The second game, the 1-1 draw at BC Place in April, was also this season in a nutshell. Defending wasn’t good enough on Rubio’s goal (Waston in particular), and they shot themselves in the foot with a foolish back pass from Tim Parker that got Waston sent off. They’d also probably say they didn’t get much luck (the initial lofted ball in on the Rubio goal was offside, in my opinion, and Waston’s first yellow was soft, a reputation call for me). But that’s been their story. They haven’t played well enough, and they probably think they’re owed a break or two.
What were the expectations for Vancouver heading into this season and how would you assess where they are at this point in the season?
They were expected to make the playoffs, host a playoff game and, I’d say, reach the conference finals. Anything more would have been gravy. Another semifinals appearance, if they went down in a blaze of glory or were somehow hugely unlucky, might have been palatable. But, look, expectations were high. They were third overall last year (although it was incredibly tight) and the feeling was that their off-season additions, particularly Bolańos, were going to help their offence. Right now, they’re nowhere near those expectations and, I’d say, we’re headed for an off-season full of changes. Of course a lot can change in nine games and perhaps they can now rally around the fact that many people are counting them out. They’ll need a very good run to make it — I’d say 18 points or so in nine games. Not easy, especially with four of the next five MLS games on the road, and the fact they are behind everyone on the second tie-breaker (goal-difference) with no chance to make that up. Here’s what you can say: it’s become very apparent what they’re lacking and what they need to do in January. They need a No. 9. They need a No. 10. They need a right-back. That’s a good start. Even if they make the playoffs, I don’t see that shopping list changing.
