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“We are always looking to add something”, Carl Robinson told Pro Soccer USA following the match after being asked about the lack of depth at striker. Forwards Kei Kamara (groin injury) and Anthony Blondell (post-concussion symptoms) were out of the squad Friday night.
In their stead, Carl Robinson nominated Erik Hurtado to spearhead the Vancouver attack. Drafted in 2013, Hurtado never developed into the sort of forward the Whitecaps need to be effective in front of goal. Hurtado struggles to hold on to the ball and is not much of an aerial threat. As a result, the Whitecaps were easily shut down 2-0 by expansion side LAFC on Friday night. With the immediate future of both Kamara and Blondell in doubt, could the Whitecaps add depth up front?
Has Carl Robinson been found out?
Some would call it increased tactical flexibility; others would say unnecessary tinkering. But Carl Robinson has never been more adventurous when it comes to his tactics this season. While in previous years Robinson would almost religiously stick to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, this year the Caps have rotated their formation every game.
The problem, however, is the Caps have not changed fundamentally. Although the formation may change frequently, the Whitecaps remain a counterattacking team, which means they struggle when the opposition gives them the ball. This was the case during the closing stages of the game against LAFC, who happily sat deep in their half allowing Vancouver to build up — something the Whitecaps struggle with. As more and more teams figure out that giving Vancouver the ball means problems for the Caps, the question has to be asked: has Robinson been found out?
Lack of star power
The Whitecaps lack a star. LAFC and the Los Angeles Galaxy have signed big names and other teams in the Western Conference are also looking to increase their spending, but the Whitecaps remain a small-budget team.
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One of the questions during the postgame press conference was how the Whitecaps could remain competitive in Major League Soccer.
“We have to play at our very best every game,” Carl Robinson responded.
But the impact a star player can have was evident against LAFC as Carlos Vela, time and time again, sliced through Vancouver’s backline. The Mexican was magnificent, scoring a quality goal to highlight that he is the type of player the Whitecaps lack at the moment.