It was another disappointing result for the Vancouver Whitecaps last weekend against a highly experienced Houston Dynamo side. As a result, the Whitecaps have now lost their first three games of the season, for the first time since joining Major League Soccer back in 2011.
Individual mistakes make the difference
In some ways, the slow start by the Vancouver Whitecaps was expected. After all, the Whitecaps signed a new head coach in Marc Dos Santos and brought in 16 new players.
Looking at the three games individually, there are definite signs of improvement from this newly-put-together Caps side. Dos Santos pointed out that all three results — 2-3 at home against Minnesota; 1-0 on the road against Real Salt Lake; and then last week’s 3-2 defeat in Houston — were all tight results.
And all three results came after decisive individual mistakes.
“As a team, if we want to get results on the road and grow, we can’t give up the type of goals we gave, because then you’re always chasing. And that’s what happened today,” Dos Santos said.
This time, the individual mistakes came from Derek Cornelius. Used as a left back in the first game against Minnesota, Cornelius struggled. He then was rested in the Caps’ 1-0 defeat against Real Salt Lake and started as part of a three-man defense against Houston. In that formation, Cornelius once again struggled. The defender gave away the ball ahead of Houston’s first goal and then was forced into a late challenge that led to a penalty ahead of Houston’s second goal.
This was the call that led to the PK 🤔#HOUvVAN | #VWFC pic.twitter.com/ILHjYYUAgq
— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) March 16, 2019
“But overall, that’s the story of not only this game but the first three games, where it’s all played by one goal,” Dos Santos lamented after the game. “And it’s all situations that [we] as a team, we need to be better.”
Formation change
The Whitecaps moved away from 4-3-3 toward a 3-4-3 formation against the Dynamo. It was the latest set of experiments when it came to Vancouver’s lineup — experiments forced on Dos Santos by the very nature of this rebuild.
Most of the side was not together during the preseason camp, and the Whitecaps continued to add pieces even after the season kicked off. Hence, the formation change was due to the results in the first games and because the Caps are still missing key pieces. Newly-signed left back Ali Adnan, for example, is still not available. Furthermore, centerback Jasser Khmiri and left back Brett Levis remain on the injury list.
The formation, however, did not provide the sort of defensive stability that Dos Santos was looking for and he was forced to make changes midgame.
“We went back to a 4-3-3 again to have more speed and more weapons wide,” Dos Santos said.
The international break
In theory, the upcoming international break comes at a perfect time for the Whitecaps.
“No, no, it doesn’t come at a good time because after you lose and when you’re in a moment like that, you want to play right away,” Dos Santos said. “So the international break comes in a bad time.”
Canada will play at BC Place against French Guinea in a Sunday game that will see the return of lost son Alphonso Davies. Much of the media attention in Vancouver will be away from the Whitecaps, which are facing some scrutiny at the moment.
After all, the Whitecaps fan base can be restless even during the best of times. Three defeats in three games will throw up the first set of question marks regarding this rebuild. And it could draw further scrutiny given the next two home games will see Vancouver host Western Conference leaders the Seattle Sounders and the LA Galaxy.