2017 Whitecaps

[Rangerforever]

hes a Valley player.

I thought Dean struggled a little bit out there too last night.
And, going three at the back seemed to be a risky and dodgy decision from the get-go which I do put down to Robbo.

It was snowing, blah, blah, blah, which can fcuk with your game, tactics and such.
But, both teams had to play in it.

Disappointed.

 

[PV]

Does Robbo actually make the picks? Or is it upper management that says, here's the new guys, make it work. Kinda like linden and Canucks, I doubt Willie picks who they do and don't sign on his own.

Although our hocket andf soccer teams have bad records, soccer is not like hockey when it comes to coaches choosing players. Are you going to tell me that Mourinho has no say in transfers to Man U?
Hockey clubs have GM's who are very heavily invested in picking players at draft times as well as trades, and hockey coaches say they have some involvement. Soccer coaches/managers are different because its their call. Robbo has told the media about the player scouting he has done and how pleased he has been with every trade or off season acquisition.

 

[Dude]

The problem is the manager, not the roster.

This game was a throwaway, they went all in on Wednesday, as they should have. BUT, there is a huge BUT…

Why not rest more of the starters? Leave Laba at home, bring up Ben. It was an opportunity to do both. Robo has the depth to do it. Go 4-5-1, play a defensive system, and play your 2nd string. DeJong out at LB, Nerwinski RB, yes Dean at CB, and either Waston or Parker beside him.

Through the middle, a bevy of hungry players from WFC2 looking for time out wide. We have Bustos still on the MLS roster, what better opportunity to plunk him in at #10? Nico (still wondering about that back) or Tiebert at 8, Ben holding. Up top you put Kyle Greig, and leave Freddy on the bench to use if it looks like you are in the game late and can poach 3 points.

Hell, you also have Mauro Rosales available. Why is he even here if not starting this match? Seriously.

If it was truly a throw-away, then fully commit to that idea, and get these other guys some time, and sell them on their opportunity. The only position where I'd have gone w/ the same starters as Wednesday would have been one of the CBs, and at that, a coin toss. Maybe I'd go Parker because w/ Waston going away on more international duty, his time needs to be managed more than Parker's.

Keeper: I'd have left Ousted at home. Take your pick as starter from the other two.

I just don't understand WHY he'd pick this match to go to a 3-5-2. If Dean is out there, he needs to be in the middle of a 4 back system. And, what was the point of that 3-5-2? Seriously? The point of that system is to be attack minded. You then need to ensure you have interchangeable wingback type players out on the wide positions so that they can literally interchange on attack. One goes in, the other holds, then tracks back, then the other goes in, retreats, so on. It's meant to be fluid. Parker and Dean are not those guys. DeJong and Nerwinski? Sure, I can get behind that (and I also think that DeJong is simply holding a spot until Sam or Brett can grab it and challenge Harvey), but why choose Saturday to experiment, without the right personnel, place, or conditions? Nobody figured snow, but everyone knew about elevation, and the fact he had several players going on their 3rd game in 7 days.

So, although I'm not judging the gaffer on the result, I certainly am on his selections. He totally missed opportunity to play his depth, "reward" them, and maybe even see what he has. As it is, he wasn't able to accomplish anything productive w/ this trip, and that is disappointing. He needs to go, he’s clueless.

 

[Dude]

Coaching change coming soon. 3 years and no results. Each year Robbo makes a number of roster changes and the team still keeps losing. You can either say that he does not know how to evaluate talent and he ends up with bad signings or you can say that he doesn't know how to use the talent he has.

Bingo. Bad man-management. Simple as that.

Oh, and Manneh conditioning issues? Shocker. No shite, Sherlock. Again, this falls on the manager, IMO. Too many of his players come into the season unfit. That's too many to be a coincidence, they are too relaxed, too much Robo country club.

 

[dezza]

I just don't understand WHY he'd pick this match to go to a 3-5-2. If Dean is out there, he needs to be in the middle of a 4 back system. And, what was the point of that 3-5-2? Seriously? The point of that system is to be attack minded. You then need to ensure you have interchangeable wingback type players out on the wide positions so that they can literally interchange on attack. One goes in, the other holds, then tracks back, then the other goes in, retreats, so on. It's meant to be fluid. Parker and Dean are not those guys. DeJong and Nerwinski? Sure, I can get behind that (and I also think that DeJong is simply holding a spot until Sam or Brett can grab it and challenge Harvey), but why choose Saturday to experiment, without the right personnel, place, or conditions? Nobody figured snow, but everyone knew about elevation, and the fact he had several players going on their 3rd game in 7 days.

Choosing to play a 3-5-2 is not an issue.

What is an issue is playing it with little or no practice doing it at training. General reports from the few media who actually still attend Whitecaps practice is that they've never seen it worked on in training

 

[Dude]

Yes! Exactly! If Dean had shown at any time he could play a wide position, maybe I'd get on board. FFS, let the guy settle in at CB. He's the wrong guy for a 3-5-2, full stop.

And...did not know that but not surprised to hear it has not been implemented in training. If so, yet another strike against.

 

[Regs]

I don't get using 3 centerbacks in that formation... you need 1 guy who is comfortable on the ball and is basically FREE the whole time with the other 2 man-marking / challenging... Waston good on the ball? No. Parker good on the ball? No. Dean good on the ball? No.

Am I missing something here and don't understand "the modern" game/player?

 

[Dude]

Parker far better than Dean or Waston, but yes.

We have a minuscule midfield (exception being Tchani). Tiny. It was so evident vs. Tigres. Having the 3 back as you describe...well...we simply don't have the personnel. We need some height in the back, no? Andy O'Brien in his time here strikes me as a player that would be good in that role. Maybe Rum N' Coker as well. Current crop? Possibly Tchani...but back to Dezza's point it's an entirely new system requiring different styles of players, so to not practice it first? WTF? It's the type of system that totally changes the way you play, and the type of personnel.

I don't get it. I'm hoping that someone can please explain the reasoning behind this, because I. Don't. get. It.

 

[STD]

Jacobson would be the guy who could play there and be comfortable on the ball. Has anyone watched any recent Costa Rica games to see how Waston plays for them? They have a pretty good team and he is getting a lot of minutes so he must be doing alright but I don't know how they use him.

 

[Dude]

Totally forgot about AJ. Shows what I think of him.

 

[cascadesoccer]

If the time comes that the club sacks Carl, who would be a quality replacement?

 

[akslop]

Siggy

 

[akslop]

If we hire Siggy for the caps and Hitchcock for the Canucks it will give us ALOT of experience behind the benches. That is if they will fit behind them.

 

[cascadesoccer]

Perhaps soccer coach leaving Campo is the beginning of new relations with vwfc.

 

[Sniffer]

Seriously how does Teibert get the start!? I just don't get it what is going on we trade for Tchani and he cant get the start at home?

I seriously have no idea what the Caps and Robinson are trying to achieve unless its mediocrity.

 

[dutch13]

Seem to like the Tiebert Duece match up. We do it often. We were lucky to get the win, but good to get the W with 2 goals from Montero. F*ck Dempsey. I don't think Tiebert was bad today, but would be nice to have a more offensive player paired with Laba.

Not sure where Techera is coming from, but a couple great games. Him and Bolanos work well together, didn't think he had it in him.

This game is the difference between Hurtado and Montero. Would have been a 1-0 loss, instead of 2-1 win.

Still need to upgrade our outside backs. Is this really that difficult? Can we bring Adekugbe back after the Brighton season ends?

 

[Dude]

Williams has been pretty good, I'd say. Harvey....he's past it (some may say never on it, but he grew on me). Time for Sam, or Brett Levi, to step into that spot. What's Levi's prognosis?

 

[bandcamp]

This game is the difference between Hurtado and Montero. Would have been a 1-0 loss, instead of 2-1 win.

Exactly! It is quality players that tilt games.

 

[mtkb]

If we hire Siggy for the caps and Hitchcock for the Canucks it will give us ALOT of experience behind the benches. That is if they will fit behind them.

those would be a couple of weighty signings...

 

[mtkb]

For the record, Harvey trying to step on a ball and losing it while up 2-0 led directly to 2-1 and almost a thrown away win... he needs a sub at 75 minutes whenever they are up - which fortunately isn't often - because he has no clue how to defend in any situation...

It was refreshing to finally see RT kick the ball forward... of course, he was standing in his own goal at the time, but still...

Anyone else notice that the late calamities in the box were again aided by the inability of Ousted and Waston to get on the same page with respect to balls in the air around the penalty spot? For me, that's really the bigger issue with Robbo - there are technical issues with this team so obvious even a Sunday league wanker coach like myself can identify, yet he hasn't fixed them... for years.... fat Sigi please....