The Vancouver Whitecaps Best Eighteen on December 1, 2011
by Benjamin Massey on Dec 1, 2011 5:30 AM PST
in Diversions
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Brian Sylvestre
Alain Rochat - Carlyle Mitchell - Jay DeMerit - Young-pyo Lee
Russell Teibert - Philippe Davies - Gershon Koffie - Davide Chiumiento
Camilo Sanvezzo
Eric Hassli
| Bench | |||||
| Goalkeepers | Fullbacks | Central Defenders | Central Midfielders | Wingers | Forwards |
| Irving | Harvey | Boxall | Jarju Alderson |
Nanchoff | Tan |
What's this?
With all of the Vancouver Whitecaps roster moves early this off-season, I thought it might be useful to keep things in perspective. So, after every couple of major changes, I'll provide an update of what I view as Vancouver's best eighteen at this precise moment in time, counting only players either under contract to the Whitecaps organization or seemingly certain to become so.
Martin Rennie, Tom Soehn, if you're reading this, I'm hoping you'll do something about that central midfield spot. And the depth on the wing isn't exactly inspiring confidence.
Notes:
- Not listed are Joe Cannon, Jay Nolly, Greg Janicki, Jonathan Leathers, John Thorrington, or Peter Vagenas, all of whom are not technically under contract with the Whitecaps.
- Yes, Young-pyo Lee is listed despite also not being under contract to the Whitecaps. I'm taking the word of the press that he's all-but signed, sealed, and delivered, since without Lee the guy in that right back spot would be Declan Rodriguez.
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Not too bad, but it does need improvement. I like Carlyle at the back, but wonder if he can be a starter yet. I probably would have taken Alkoul in there, if we still had him. Can see starting Mitchell and seeing how he gels with DeMerit. And assuming Jay is healthy, that could be a robust partnership this season. If he gets rushed, Boxall is a fine sub, but I wouldn’t say no to a solid anchor in the back four at CB. If we can start the spine there, we’re good.
Koffie of course, and Davies is cool, but another solid CM, playmaker would be great there, especially in this formation. If we play a diamond, Chiumiento can play that forward CM role With Nanchoff on the right (I think, he’s a RM???). I’m going soft on Jarju. He’s not even effective in FIFA12, and I have to sub him out all the time!
Funny you don’t have Salgado on the bench. I might give him Alderson’s spot.
It’s a good enough line up to start the season with, although I’m craving Cannon or Nolly back, and with a few additions, we’re good to get started.
What will make it or break it for us this year is consistency. Keep the team together, keep the coach’s system together and keep the partnerships in the spine together. Injuries, fickle formation tinkering and a front office meltdown all hurt our chances.
Funny you don’t have Salgado on the bench. I might give him Alderson’s spot.
In my Football Manager fantasy I prefer to have Jarju and Alderson as midfield options: Jarju can go on when we need offense, Alderson if we need to hold onto the ball. (I debated starting Jarju over Davies, incidentally, but Salgado never really had a chance of getting ahead of Tan.)
Manager at Vancouver Whitecaps and western Canadian soccer website Eighty Six Forever and infrequently-posting flunky at Edmonton Oilers blog The Copper & Blue.
by Benjamin Massey on Dec 1, 2011 10:11 AM PST up reply actions
Nanchoff
I am pretty sure he plays on the left.
by Lyang Heun-Ho on Dec 1, 2011 12:44 PM PST up reply actions
Atiba Harris
Everyone seems to have forgot about him…
Not forgotten; deliberately omitted. I preferred Tan and Nanchoff.
Manager at Vancouver Whitecaps and western Canadian soccer website Eighty Six Forever and infrequently-posting flunky at Edmonton Oilers blog The Copper & Blue.
by Benjamin Massey on Dec 1, 2011 10:10 AM PST up reply actions
I also like Tan and Nanchoff, but if I were Rennie, I would probably replace Davies and Jarju with Harris and Salgado, at least for the start of the season; my choice for the best 18 is below.
by Lyang Heun-Ho on Dec 1, 2011 12:41 PM PST up reply actions
Nanchoff
Remind me again how many minutes he’s played in MLS.
Come over to the Whitecaps Offside page:
http://vancouver.theoffside.com/
by Brenton Offside on Dec 1, 2011 12:47 PM PST up reply actions
He was also injured for part of this season.
by Lyang Heun-Ho on Dec 1, 2011 12:49 PM PST up reply actions
137 minutes MLS, 300 PDL. As Lyang Heun-Ho mentions he’s had injury problems, though, and boy I sure like the look of the kid from what I’ve seen. Taking Nanchoff’s potential over Harris’s reality.
Manager at Vancouver Whitecaps and western Canadian soccer website Eighty Six Forever and infrequently-posting flunky at Edmonton Oilers blog The Copper & Blue.
by Benjamin Massey on Dec 1, 2011 1:28 PM PST up reply actions
My best 18 (4-4-2 diamond)
Sylvestre
Lee – DeMerit – Mitchell – Rochat
Harris – Koffie – Chiumiento – Harvey
Hassli – Sanvezzo
Bench:
Goalkeeper – Irving
Fullbacks –
Central defenders – Boxall
Central midfielders – Alderson
Wingers – Nanchoff, Teibert
Forwards – Tan, Salgado
In this scenario, Harvey would be the third fullback, and Teibert would take over on the left wing if either Rochat or Lee is unavailable.
So mainly, the differences between our best 18 is that I think (1) Davies is not ready to be on our 18-man roster at the start of the season; (2) Harvey is a better option over Teibert, although I have to admit that this was a really difficult choice but his chemistry with Rochat really impressed me; (3) Harris deserving a spot in our starting eleven, with Chiumiento moving into central midfield to replace Davies; and (4) me giving my last bench spot to Salgado over Jarju.
your right side
Harris has started on the left for most of his career. Maybe he can play on the right, but I haven’t seen it yet.
Come over to the Whitecaps Offside page:
http://vancouver.theoffside.com/
by Brenton Offside on Dec 1, 2011 12:46 PM PST reply actions
oops
That was meant for the above post from Lyang.
Come over to the Whitecaps Offside page:
http://vancouver.theoffside.com/
by Brenton Offside on Dec 1, 2011 12:47 PM PST up reply actions
I knew Harris could play in the midfield but I wasn’t sure which side he is more experienced at. However, from the video I saw of him playing in the midfield, all I saw was him from the right…
by Lyang Heun-Ho on Dec 1, 2011 12:48 PM PST up reply actions
His right foot is his strong foot, and more importantly he has experience playing right back, most recently with Al-Hilal
by Lyang Heun-Ho on Dec 1, 2011 6:45 PM PST up reply actions
Winter Cleaning
Its nice to see Rennie Taking action to weed out a large portion of the lineup we had at year end.
Salinas,Morfaw,Brovsky,Kalfan,Duckett.Leathers,Vagenas,Nolly,Janicki,Cannon,Thoringgton. (11)
11 out of 28 on the roster at seasons end …off the team. Most were no suprise. The whitecaps website shows 18 people (if you take away the 6 whose options were not picked up). We have 12 openings (1dp). Something to get excited about. I would not mind seeing that at 14 openings with Jarju and Harvey gone (he was poor at LB and we can find better wingers). Regards
by RHM on Dec 1, 2011 7:27 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Just because the last six are eligible for the REP does not mean they will not be Whitecaps next year. Cannon, and to a lesser extent Thorrington, will probably be back next season, albeit at a much lower salary.
by Lyang Heun-Ho on Dec 2, 2011 12:38 AM PST up reply actions
Yes but as of now they are not signed….i am still hopeful that they go.
by RHM on Dec 2, 2011 9:04 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Cannon
I’d be happy to have him back if he is willing to play for around $50k next season.
by Lyang Heun-Ho on Dec 2, 2011 9:56 AM PST up reply actions
Scuttlebutt is that a deal is close.
Manager at Vancouver Whitecaps and western Canadian soccer website Eighty Six Forever and infrequently-posting flunky at Edmonton Oilers blog The Copper & Blue.
by Benjamin Massey on Dec 2, 2011 10:06 AM PST up reply actions
Evan Bush
I heard a rumor somewhere that with Montreal’s acquisition of Donovan Ricketts, that Evan Bush could be available. Any chance that this is true? I think he would be a great addition to our team as the primary backup.
by Lyang Heun-Ho on Dec 2, 2011 11:20 AM PST up reply actions
Very good chance. Frankly, if it’s a matter of backing up Cannon and tutoring Sylvestre, I’d rather have Bill Gaudette: he’s older and coming off a serious injury, but he’s also exceptional and I’d like to have a chance to cheer for that big bald bastard sometime.
But Bush is a good keeper and I wouldn’t say no to a Cannon/Bush/Sylvestre combination in 2012.
Manager at Vancouver Whitecaps and western Canadian soccer website Eighty Six Forever and infrequently-posting flunky at Edmonton Oilers blog The Copper & Blue.
by Benjamin Massey on Dec 2, 2011 12:04 PM PST up reply actions
Interesting that Gaudette is not on the Impact’s online roster… did he not sign a MLS contract yet?
by Lyang Heun-Ho on Dec 2, 2011 2:22 PM PST up reply actions
The Impact haven’t made an official release regarding his status. He definitely hasn’t got an MLS contract and I’m not sure he’s even in camp.
Manager at Vancouver Whitecaps and western Canadian soccer website Eighty Six Forever and infrequently-posting flunky at Edmonton Oilers blog The Copper & Blue.
by Benjamin Massey on Dec 2, 2011 2:46 PM PST up reply actions
I would too. He is also a physio and still remember him statring to stretch out the hamstring on a whitecaps player in his box (marlon james?) and calling over our coach who was asleep on the sidelines.
by RHM on Dec 3, 2011 9:22 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
If it was in the 2010 playoffs I believe you’re thinking of Gaudette stretching out Kyle Porter’s hamstring but yes, I do remember that.
Manager at Vancouver Whitecaps and western Canadian soccer website Eighty Six Forever and infrequently-posting flunky at Edmonton Oilers blog The Copper & Blue.
by Benjamin Massey on Dec 3, 2011 9:33 AM PST up reply actions
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