Issue #14 - All Good Things Must End
Despite recent struggles, the Whitecaps FC are poised for recovery before their next match.
Hello!
While some might suggest the beat down from Cruz Azul was the end of the "good thing," in MLS play the Whitecaps FC were still holding on to a pretty solid unbeaten run.
Until this past weekend that is.
Guess it's just time to start anew.
The View
Last week I danced around the fact I didn’t think the Whitecaps FC had it in them to beat the Seattle Sounders.
And if you are being honest with yourself, you probably felt the same way.
The squad was depleted due to international play, dealing with Montezuma’s Revenge (or what turned out to be gastrointestinal issues related to E. coli.), and Ryan Gauld remained out with injury (remember when he was just a couple weeks away? 😢).
Things were dire.
Yet the ‘Caps found a way to hold on when need be, score the first goal to put the Sounders on the back foot, and then benefit from two Muppets getting sent off.
A win is a win is a win.
So as we fast-forward to the match against the Columbus Crew this past Saturday, I think it’s fair to say that whatever “sauce” the training staff put together had run its natural course - Vancouver looked completely spent.
Prior to the opening whistle, there was some cautious optimism with the return of Pedro Vite and Andres Cubas from international duty. Yet it was clear from the get go both of these players had little left in the tank.
Tristan Blackmon, the guy who was questionable until the opening kickoff the match prior, was but a shell of his normal self.
Surely Jeevan Badwal would have more to give? Nope. He started on the bench, which makes sense considering what he disclosed during his post-match interview Sunday past.
While the final score against Columbus was a respectable 2-1, had it not been for the Crew’s penchant for losing track of the second-last defender throughout the second half, the score line could’ve rivaled the result from Mexico.
Thankfully Vancouver now has an actual break to rest, recover, and recuperate - the next match isn’t until next week, which means you’ll see another issue of From 231 before the ‘Caps kickoff.
Oh joy, oh bliss.
The Good
Daniel Rios. I’ve been hard on the guy, but he’s now got two goals over two matches and deserves credit.
The Not So Good
Tristan Blackmon. There are some who might think this harsh, but the winning goal was the result of a poor back pass from Tristan. Sure the initial setup from Yohei Takaoka put him in a tough spot, but he’s better than the pass he attempted.
The Curse upon Sam Adekugbe. When Sam is healthy, he’s top-tier. So whatever curse has been cast I hope is broken come 2026.
Around the Pitch
Do you know much about Jayden Nelson’s journey? In complete honesty, I knew nothing about him before he joined the Whitecaps FC earlier this season.
And even then, I knew nothing.
If you haven’t watched the story TSN put together on his journey from experiencing childhood cancer to his current role on the Whitecaps and Canadian Men’s National Team, I highly recommend you give it a watch!
Not entirely sure what I’ll be writing about next week, considering the ‘Caps won’t be in action.
Anyone have any suggestions? 😆
From my seat to your browser!
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-Chris (@lyteforce.ca)