Issue #35 - In It To Win It
Chatting about the upcoming Whitecaps FC match, daughter's encounter with Ryan Gauld, MLS schedule updates, and more!
Hello!
The wait is almost over - the Whitecaps FC take on LAFC Saturday for a chance at all the Western Conference marbles.
That’s right. We’ve only waited this long for the Western Conference semi! Argh!
Before I get into a few thoughts on the leadup to this weekend’s match, I have to share how jealous I am of my daughter.
Not only did she score her first goal of the season (which is a big deal because my daughter is more a vibes soccer player than a score goals soccer player), she followed that up with an opportunity to meet Ryan Gauld.
I’m so jealous.
And I’d also like to a take a moment to congratulate the Vancouver Rise on winning the inaugural Northern Super League Championship!
Despite going down early to AFC Toronto, and losing an integral part of the team in Quinn, the really settled into the match after the weather stoppage and demonstrated how potent they were in a match always within reach.
They got the job done.
Only three matches to go for the Whitecaps FC to do the same.
The View
It’s a big match Saturday.
While maybe not the “biggest” in Whitecaps FC history, definitely the “biggest” here at home in a good, long while.
BC Place is sold out.
The Whitecaps FC might start as close to their best Starting XI since the first few matches of the season.
And with Thomas Müller and Son Heung-min both on the pitch, plenty of star power.
A big match. And I won’t be there. 😭
While the organization didn’t think to approach me for advice, or the potential of a pre-match speech, I thought I’d provide a few loose thoughts here in case someone who does needs a little help.
Chris’ Four Steps to Success
Before the whistle soak it in. Then shut it down.
Keep it simple. Keep it bright. Keep it in front of you.
It’s a game and games are meant to be fun. Remember that.
Profit.
Maybe that fourth step is a little rough around the edges, but I imagine you get gist of what I’m getting at.
The Good
The potential return of Ryan Gauld, Brian White & Tristan Blackmon to the starting lineup. They make the squad better & more resilient, presuming they are all in 100% match shape. Crazy to think this could be the first time Gauld, White & Müller play together, eh?
The Not So Good
Leaving passports in your pants and tossing those pants in the wash. I won’t get into it here, but Andrés Cubas learned a tough lesson during the international break.
Around the Pitch
If you happened to miss it, the MLS schedule is going to go through some big changes into the 2027 season or seasons (more on that in a moment).
While the adjustment is significant in many aspects, it helps the league align with both the international calendar and European transfer windows - a huge shift for the league to become more “mainstream” (I use that loosely as I believe it already is).
What’s not included in this calendar is what will take place in the first-half of 2027.
If you consider the current MLS competition calendar runs between January and December, a shift to an updated version that starts in the Summer introduces a significant break in play for a league that would hate to lose fans who forget they still exist.
So to combat that, we’re going to get ourselves a short 14 match mini season from February to May which will include playoffs and a MLS Cup Final. Oh, and the mini season will also determine who gets in on the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Canadian Championship, Leagues Cup, and Concacaf Champions Cup.
On the surface of it all, I like the adjustment. While I appreciate weather has often dictated the thought process on why the MLS chose they path they did, it introduced far more challenges with both transfer window considerations and international breaks - this should remedy those problems.
I am still curious how they plan on sorting out issues with the frozen tundra-like pitches some of the teams will be playing on before and after the Winter break (just look at the CPL Final if you don’t believe me), but I don’t see that issue as insurmountable.
More details are going to come out on how the schedule will be structured, and rumours are abound of a single table with an unbalanced schedule heavy on regional play, so I will reserve my final thoughts until everything comes out in the wash.
I’m nervous.
I know I shouldn’t be as the Whitecaps have performed well in the face of adversity all season, and going into the match against LAFC should be considered the favourite, but I am.
Fingers crossed when we get back together next week, we’ll be looking to celebrate a big win!
Andiamo!
From my seat to your browser!
If you enjoyed this, please consider sharing on social media or forwarding it to someone that you think would love it just as much! ❤️
-Chris (@lyteforce.ca)