After the recent 4-0 debacle in Seattle I wrote the following about the Vancouver Whitecaps
“This game should be a reminder that they need to work hard every day at everything for the rest of the season. But recent history suggests they will just work hard for a few games and then revert to type once a good result or two is achieved.”
And so, after two wins, the Whitecaps did indeed revert to type. As it was written then so it came to pass.
Fortunately the New England Revolution aren’t as clinical a team as Seattle, but a 0-0 home tie against a mediocre Eastern Conference team is exactly the kind of result that prevents Vancouver from reaching any height other than “still within a chance of the playoffs”.
To be fair the Whitecaps started brightly and for (let’s say) fifteen and a half minutes that played with a degree of urgency.
They they stopped.
Players receiving the ball with acres of space to run into would pause, take a look around and ultimately decide to play the ball backwards or (if they were feeling adventurous) sideways to a teammate who followed suit.
The late arrival of Brian White gave them some impetus in attack but they still proceeded to make more bad decisions than a Junior Accounts Manager at his first Vegas conference.
Simple passes were overhit, shots were taken when a pass was the better option and crosses were floated into the box in a way that would make the goalkeeping coach of an under twelve’s team bemoan that this was all a bit too easy for his charges.
Next up is LAFC and no doubt the Whitecaps will be energized by the return of Crepeau and the absence of Bale.
But this desultory performance against the Revolution continues to define them more than the inevitable post game talk of being better and working harder.
Time for th Soccer Shorts player ratings!
Cropper-6*, Godinho-4, Raposo-2, Brown-5, Veselinovic-5, Blackmon-4, Cubas-5.5, Owusu-4, Caicedo-4, Gauld-4, Cavallini-4 (Dajome-4)
Soccer Shorts (The Director's Cut) 