Four Things We Learned From the Whitecaps Loss to the Crew

I'll admit it, I haven't been updating as much as I should be. But it's crunch time right now for me, as everything seems to be culminating at once. Anyways, I was able to watch the Whitecaps lose to the Columbus Crew yesterday. While there were plenty of negatives, there were also a few positives. And so instead of offering up another bland match report, I've decided to list the five things we've learned from the Whitecaps loss to the Columbus Crew.

1. There's something special about Omar

I've been a big advocate for playing Omar Salgado as much as possible. Up until this match, Salgado only got a few minutes of time at the end of two or three matches, not enough time to perform or score a goal. Teitur was basically forced into playing Omar Salgado because of Hassli's suspension and Harris's knee injury. While Omar's first half was not memorable at all, he began to play a little better in the second. Right when people were probably thinking that maybe Salgado wasn't much of a player, the youngster popped up with a brilliant header to score the only Whitecaps goal of the match. 

Of course, we shouldn't look too much into this one goal, but Salgado got a chance, and he scored it. From there it seemed like his confidence recovered from a poor first half beating, and he went on to create and almost score another goal. Omar showed a lot of promise in the second half, and hopefully we'll get to see more of him as the season goes on.

2. Alain Rochat needs a more central role

In these past few weeks we've seen Alain Rochat be a true beast in a myriad of different positions. While left back is his native position, his stints at center-back were excellent at worst. He was assertive, good on the ball, fearless going forward, and he scored a goal. Against the Columbus Crew Rochat was played at left back with Janicki and Akoul in the center of defense. While Akloul is a beast, and Janicki is nothing short of awesome, they're both very similar defenders. Thinking about it, neither of the two are ball playing, slalom dribbling, and goalscoring center backs like Rochat was.

I'm not saying that Rochat needs to be put in center back in the place of Akloul or Janicki, but maybe he should have a more central role. His performance at left back was quiet, strong but fairly quiet. As one of the best players in the team, I'd like to see him on the ball more, making more of a difference.

Dunfield scored against the Montreal Impact in the first leg

3. We need to be a first half team


As a Whitecaps fan, I sit down and watch every game from start to finish. I'm thinking of skipping the first half and just watching the second from now on. I'm joking, but the point I'm trying to make is that the Whitecaps have been pitiful in first halves. Against Montreal in the midweek and against Columbus, watching the first half made me want to simply tear my eyes out of my sockets, and boil them. While in the second half the Whitecaps picked things up, it has never been enough to win matches.

To finish off this point: remember the opening day win over Toronto FC? Guess who scored twice in the first half? Guess who hasn't scored twice in a game after that? The Whitecaps. We need to come out strong and goalscoring in the first half of games.


4. Magical comebacks happen once... maybe twice


Some teams are comeback teams. The United States of America, Manchester United, Inter Milan, they're all teams which can go two goals down and come back to win 3-2. While the Whitecaps had a memorable comeback against Sporting Kansas City, coming from 3-0 down to draw 3-3, I don't think it will happen again.

I say this because every time the Whitecaps go a goal down, I always think "They can come back". It hasn't happened again yet, and I'm not sure it will again this season. This point matches the one above about being a first half team, the Whitecaps can't count on last minute comebacks to get all the points needed this season, because it won't be enough. Let's be awake in the first half and not go a goal or two down, it's a lot easier to win that way.

Hopefully we'll see the Whitecaps win this wednesday when they face the Montreal Impact at
Empire Field for the return leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship semi-final. The first leg in Montreal was a well-fought 1-0 away victory for the Caps, and hopefully TT will set the side out to go for another win and progress to the final!