Hello!

If there is one thing you know this newsletter will be consistent about, it's how inconsistent it's published these days. I kid you not when I say not only did the week get away from me, but I also forgot that today is match day!

So let’s dive in.

The View

Seeing as it’s been close to a week, I don’t think it’s letting the cat out of the bag when I share the Whitecaps FC got themselves a 2-nil victory over NYCFC last week. Nor should it be a surprise that this result left Vancouver at the top of the MLS standings and with their best start since joining the MLS.

Or maybe it does. Because it surprised me when I heard about it post-match.

This season start doesn’t feel as dominant as last season, yet it truly is. Vancouver has lost only one MLS match so far - the 1-nil defeat at home to San Jose in a match where Vancouver carried much of the play. And this might be surprise you, but only one other team has scored goals against Vancouver in MLS action - the Portland Timbers FC.

Can you believe the Timbers FC got three past Yohei Takoka over two matches?! 🤯

Speaking of goaltenders, lets also chat bout the effort of Matt Freese in the NYCFC match. While Yohei acquired another clean sheet like I pick up injuries - with a solid effort - Freese arguably was the better ‘keeper on Saturday night.

Freese was called upon early and often. The Whitecaps FC did what they’ve done most matches this season and harried the opposition defence into making rash decisions, requiring Freese to be on point. Heck, he was even called on to make a tough save against Jeevan Badwal who found himself in all alone (I do think Jeevan could’ve made more of this chance) and a point-blank save on a Brian White header shortly after.

Vancouver should’ve been up by two well into the first half, yet sat level. And with Vancouver being the consummate hosts in the past couple matches, I genuinely worried they’d be down one late with how loose they were in the back line.

On that note, I get that people worry when they see Yohei do Yohei things back there. It can be unsettling. But he’s one of the more active keepers in the MLS and his ability to act as an extra sweeper is one of the reasons the ‘Caps can be aggressive up front and on the counter.

But his aggressiveness can be punished when his defenders choose chaos when trying to put the ball back to him. Whether it’s Édier Ocampo forgetting that he just received a ball from Yohei well out of net only to kick it past him and towards the empty goal mouth, or Mathías Laborda making the softest of touches to see how fast Tak can get to a ball being chased by an even faster attacker…

Chaos.

Thankfully it only lasted a few minutes… like 20 or so. 😆

And thankfully Laborda got his foot to a Sebastian Berhalter set piece at the 45’ mark to settle into halftime with 1-nil lead.

For much of the second half, the script didn’t change. The Whitecaps FC got opportunity after opportunity. NYCFC’s Matt Freese met every challenge.

It took until late in the half for a newly subbed on Bruno Caicedo (we really should talk about Bruno) put a stellar cross in front of the New York net and a flying Brian White put it in off his head.

Two-nil final.

The Good

• Brian White. It took a spell and a bit for Brian to find his game, but he’s look really good these past few matches. In fact, I’d argue he should have more to show for his efforts and has run into goaltenders making spectacular stops to keep him off the score sheet.

• Bruno Caicedo. I really like this kid. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again - despite doing the same thing over & over on the pitch, defenders can’t seem to figure him out. I know that may change once there’s more tape, but one would have to think his style of play is already being discussed in training considering what he’s be doing off the bench.

The Not So Good

• Defensive lapses. I’ll feel much better when the best CB we know we have Ralph Priso returns to the the pitch. Or Ranko Veselinović. I much prefer Laborda out wide and would like to see Ocampo set free further up the pitch.

If you haven’t been paying close attention to the schedule (like me), it may surprise you that Vancouver only has two more home matches left before World Cup preparations evict them from the dome - tonight and next Saturday.

It will be interesting to see if Vancouver can maintain this level of domination on an eight match road trip (albeit with a month-long break in between). I’m also curious how the Canadian Championship matches will be scheduled - we still have no word on where the Whitecaps FC will play their home match (or matches) during that spell of play.

Does any of that bother you? Or just me?