While we had resident household Whitecaps expert Emmeline West on the most recent Emergency Podcast, sometimes we want a source a little closer to the source.
That's why we reached out to Sam Rowan of The Third Sub, providing a pretty solid preview of what's to come on Saturday night as well as some answers to our specific questions about the matchup. (Our preview for the 6:30 pm contest is here.)
Despite some key injuries to players and switching out a head coach in the offseason, Vancouver's first in the West after seven weeks ... is this a surprise to you? If so, what do you attribute this surprise success to, and if not, why aren't you surprised?
I think the fact that Vancouver is first has certainly been a surprise. The fact that they are a good team is not though. This was a side that was competing near the top of the West for most of last season, but they had a terrible run of form to end the year, paired with being limited by the international breaks, and that dropped them all the way down to 8th. Even after that, they went toe-to-toe with LAFC in the first round after dominating Portland in the play-in match.
There hasn't been much in the way of roster turnover, so this is a group that knows one another and has proven they can be highly competitive. That being said, I do think the coaching change has been a huge boost. Jesper Sørensen’s system has favored more possession, and he has allowed individuals to be more creative and play to their strengths. Vancouver has been getting goals from everyone on the roster, and the possession has led to less pressure on the defensive unit. I don’t think anyone in Vancouver knew that Sørensen’s system would work as well as it has, especially with some key players out.
Speaking of injury, what's the prognosis on Ryan Gauld, Jayden Nelson, and Sam Adekugbe? (Those of us in Austin are certainly less eager to see them back than you are.)
In terms of those injuries, Sam Adekugbe is the only player who has returned to full training as of right now. I could see Sam potentially coming off the bench against Austin, but the others are still at least a week away.
We've been talking a lot over the past week about the Weird Turf of BC Place. Do Whitecaps players find it weird? If so, how do they use it to their advantage, and if not, what do they know about it that the rest of the league doesn't?
Yes, the turf is weird, and yes, the Whitecaps definitely use it to their advantage. I think it really comes down to the bounces and the way the balls skips off the turf. While the ball lands relatively dead on the surface, it will also glide across it. So sometimes players are caught out by those low and fast balls coming at them.
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. You can comment here if you’re a subscriber, or reach out via Bluesky.
While we had resident household Whitecaps expert Emmeline West on the most recent Emergency Podcast, sometimes we want a source a little closer to the source.
That's why we reached out to Sam Rowan of The Third Sub, providing a pretty solid preview of what's to come on Saturday night as well as some answers to our specific questions about the matchup. (Our preview for the 6:30 pm contest is here.)
Despite some key injuries to players and switching out a head coach in the offseason, Vancouver's first in the West after seven weeks ... is this a surprise to you? If so, what do you attribute this surprise success to, and if not, why aren't you surprised?
I think the fact that Vancouver is first has certainly been a surprise. The fact that they are a good team is not though. This was a side that was competing near the top of the West for most of last season, but they had a terrible run of form to end the year, paired with being limited by the international breaks, and that dropped them all the way down to 8th. Even after that, they went toe-to-toe with LAFC in the first round after dominating Portland in the play-in match.
There hasn't been much in the way of roster turnover, so this is a group that knows one another and has proven they can be highly competitive. That being said, I do think the coaching change has been a huge boost. Jesper Sørensen’s system has favored more possession, and he has allowed individuals to be more creative and play to their strengths. Vancouver has been getting goals from everyone on the roster, and the possession has led to less pressure on the defensive unit. I don’t think anyone in Vancouver knew that Sørensen’s system would work as well as it has, especially with some key players out.
Speaking of injury, what's the prognosis on Ryan Gauld, Jayden Nelson, and Sam Adekugbe? (Those of us in Austin are certainly less eager to see them back than you are.)
In terms of those injuries, Sam Adekugbe is the only player who has returned to full training as of right now. I could see Sam potentially coming off the bench against Austin, but the others are still at least a week away.
We've been talking a lot over the past week about the Weird Turf of BC Place. Do Whitecaps players find it weird? If so, how do they use it to their advantage, and if not, what do they know about it that the rest of the league doesn't?
Yes, the turf is weird, and yes, the Whitecaps definitely use it to their advantage. I think it really comes down to the bounces and the way the balls skips off the turf. While the ball lands relatively dead on the surface, it will also glide across it. So sometimes players are caught out by those low and fast balls coming at them.
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. You can comment here if you’re a subscriber, or reach out via Bluesky.
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