For years we’ve been told that the Whitecaps are disadvantaged by being based in Vancouver because the travel is so arduous.
For years we’ve been told that visiting Salt Lake is so tough because the home team have the advantage of training and playing at high altitude.
If nothing else good comes from this sinkhole of a season can we at least put an end to these kinds of excuses and get out clauses?
If the Whitecaps are not very good it’s because they’re not very good.
Those of us who hoped the win against the Galaxy would kickstart the team (and the coach) into playing with more determination and brio were left to sigh discontentedly as Vancouver approached the game against a very poor Houston team with the air of a side who thought that winning would be nice but not really all that important.
A moderately decent first half gave way to a listless second and any chance to give the season momentum was cast aside in favour of just letting the game drift away as though it were a pre-season friendly.
It’s not that the players didn’t try.
It’s just that they seem to be the equivalent of chess pieces being governed by a player who understands the rules of the game but doesn’t have a concept of how to make moves that disrupt an opponent.
Move the little horsey thing forward, then move the little horsey thing back again.
I don’t believe there’s an atom of meaning in it.
Time for the Soccer Shorts player ratings!
Hassal-5, Nerwinski-4.5, Gutierrez-5.5, Veselinovic-5.5, Rose-5, Teibert-4, Bikel-5.5, Baldisimo-4, Dajome-6*, Caicedo-5, White-3
Soccer Shorts (The Director's Cut) 