2019 Whitecaps

[mtkb]

Venuto has been released.
One less mini to choose from up top.
Average height just went up to 5’8” and a half!

spent $400k on him in January, let him go for free today... #assetmanagement

 

[dezza]

Venuto replacement...

 

[Dude]

Another project. Fits the profile for Caps signings. Whatever, looks like some of the pitches I saw in Bolivia last year, and the football was average. Left thinking most of the guys in local premier leagues would do well down there.

 

[machel]

Venuto replacement...

Is this confirmed?

Looks like a shifty forward with great acceleration. I like how how he sets up his right footed shot with his left boot in a few of those goals, subtle but significant.

He made those defenders look bad. MLS defenders will be more athletic and strong.

I'm optimistic about this. Camillo-esque.

 

[dezza]

@machel not confirmed by Whitecaps yet, but there's a lot of reports from Honduras about it.

 

[Regs]

LOL.

Blondell 2.0

 

[LION]

Geez. Sorry to get caught up in the guys stature. But the guy is 5’5”. How many of these tiny latinos do we have to burn through until one sticks?
They all get man handled in the MLS. Is it just me? Or are we so freaking tiny in up top?
I don’t believe this helps us in any way. Unless he is super speedy or something. But come on now.

 

[Dude]

Remember Eric Hassili? He was awesome. Too bad he broke down.

This guy is not Blondell 2.0. Ardaiz is Blondell 2.0. This guy would be Blondell 3.0.

 

[dezza]

@LION tiny latinos are some of the best players in MLS

Maxi Moralez
Lucho Acosta
Michael Barrios
Darwin Quintero

All are 5'5" or less.

Hell even Josef Martinez is only listed at 5'6"

I think it has more to do with how guys play than how big they are.

 

[Dude]

Ummmm...I think we all know exactly why Lion has a bias towards big hold-up style strikers. LOL.

 

[Dude]

I'm just tired of more of the same approach.

 

[LION]

@LION tiny latinos are some of the best players in MLS

Maxi Moralez
Lucho Acosta
Michael Barrios
Darwin Quintero

All are 5'5" or less.

Hell even Josef Martinez is only listed at 5'6"

I think it has more to do with how guys play than how big they are.

Oh I agree. I totally get that. But are they being fielded all at the same time?
Are these players teams strike force (front 3) all 5’6” and under?

I am not saying small guys suck. At all. Some of my favourite players are smaller dudes. But we can’t field a whole front 4-5 Like that!
Unless your Barca I guess. But even their central striker has some “bite” to his game. (Slash they are world class)

I feel this is more of the same as dude said. Throwing pasta against the wall and seeing if it will stick. Haven’t we done this for the last many years? How many worked out?
Camillo maybe. That’s it. That’s all.

Go get a hungry/big mean pitbull that can bully some guys on the pitch which will create space for the smaller skillful folk. No?

I can’t believe after how this team has played and looked, they went and got another fcuking unproven mini mite! My god.

 

[dezza]

Whitecaps have Bair + Ardaiz in the 6'+ striker category. It's up to MDS to decide if/when to utilize them.

Keep in mind Rivero + Blondell both had plenty of size and long barren spells as Whitecaps strikers. The problems go a lot deeper than just throwing a big man up top.

 

[LION]

Whitecaps have Bair + Ardaiz in the 6'+ striker category. It's up to MDS to decide if/when to utilize them.

Keep in mind Rivero + Blondell both had plenty of size and long barren spells as Whitecaps strikers. The problems go a lot deeper than just throwing a big man up top.

I don’t think we have the big mans to fix this teams attacking issues. But at least will give us some more balance no?

Blondell was always behind Kamara for that roll and never got a real proper look. Never got fielded together really. Not that I remember. I thought Rivero did many good things. Just lacked that final finish. But those were entertaining times from what I remember. he did lots of dirty work and hold up play, which created tons for guys around him. Wasn’t Camilo scoring bags back then?

I don’t feel Ardaiz has had a true look as our 9. And Bair just graduated from the academy, and is 19 years old I believe. He isn’t going to be some massive piece/the answer for us up top.

So maybe it’s on the coach, to start fielding these guys in the right spots. Or putting some balanced attacking looks out there.

In saying that... Looks like MDS read your post and will utilize the big men, Both are up top tonight! With Montero playing off them. I think it’s our best look yet! .... on paper... and with what he has at his disposal on this shoe string budget.

Ardaiz to score tonight! Heard it here first.

 

[Regs]

Or Felipe

 

[mtkb]

it's not about putting a big man up top, it's about allowing a big man and a not big man to play off each other and compliment what each one does and doesn't bring.

God that was awful football. Bayern Dortmund in a quasi-friendly was 100 times better just before... although, watching Mattocks miss sitters from 5 feet (or less) will never stop being entertaining...

 

[mtkb]

Kei Kamara hat-trick tonight...

 

[dezza]

And it's official now...

 

[dezza]

Also, Bye Felipe.

 

[Dude]

Glad they are moving on from Felipe. He and Tiebert are the same, I just worry that this is going to mean more time in the middle for Andy Rose. Think Michael Baldisimo will ever get a crack at it? Or Dave Norman Jr.? I suppose Baldi would be your swap in for Inboem, if he ever gets a match off, and assuming Reyna is roaming around in the 10 slot. If Erice is riding pine, I'd like to see Norman get that shot...because, why not at this point but get these kids some minutes that are meaningful for them.