As is routine for every match, we have our regular Guess the Starting XI and Final Score contest. Let’s see how good you are at getting into the manager’s head and predicting how the game will turn out. In addition, we will have monthly, fun, bonus prediction categories, such as yellow cards, substitutions, goal scorers, etc.

How Scoring is Determined

• Predictions will be ‘valid’ if posted HERE half-an-hour prior to the lineup being officially announced, which means 1.5 hours before kickoff.
• You receive 1 point for every player you correctly guess to be in the Starting XI. Receive 1 bonus point for correctly predicting 10 starters. Receive 3 bonus points for correctly predicting 11 starters.
• You get 5 points for correctly guessing Win/Lose/Draw.
• You receive 1 point for correctly guessing each team’s final score. Receive 1 bonus point for correctly guessing both teams final score (for a total of 3).
• That means, if you correctly predict the Starting XI, Final Score, and Winner, you can earn 22 points!
• After each match, I will tally the scores and update the standings, which will be posted with the following match’s prediction article. I will typically post three sets of standings. First, the results from the previous match. Second, the monthly standings. Third, the first/second half standings (with your worst two match predictions removed).

Match Review (Montreal Impact) and Preview (Toronto FC)

A lot to get through today, most of it not positive. With the exception of a six-minute stretch against Chicago Fire, the Vancouver Whitecaps have not scored in six matches! Yikes! Maybe some home cooking will fix that? They have to score eventually right? I guess we will see.

Looking back to the previous match, against Montreal, Reyna’s last minute benching, as well as no Nerwinski and the introduction of Baldisimo wreaked havoc with lineup predictions. Interestingly, a lot of people had Metcalfe in the lineup. Nicely done. No one got above 8. On the positive side, no one got below 7. Despite the poor showing of late, there was, somehow, STILL optimism among fans, with only five people predicting a Caps loss. That lead to Westsider13 leading the way with 19 points, followed by AtlantisB, GreyHouseEffect, and Isabelt at 17.

In the Canadian ‘Championship’, we have three matches so far. GreyHouseEffect is leading that one with 51 points, scoring 17 in each match. Interesting. Isabelt is second with 48, with Westsider13 in third with 47 points.

Finally, we have the Overall Standings. Quick question to all of you. Should we include the MLS is Back Tournament in this one? Without that tournament we have Westsider13 leading the way with 50 points (note, I have removed each players worst two performances). AtlantisB is second at 43, with a four-way tie for third. Lots of time left to jump up in the standings.

Will Vancouver score? They have to right? I was tempted to change the ‘bonus’ category for this one, but actually determining whether the Whitecaps will score and especially what interval, seems fitting right now. So, as with the past few matches, the bonus category is interval of first Whitecaps goal: 0-<15, 15-<30, 30-45+, 45-<60, 60-<75, 75-90+.

Now we have the lineup to predict. Baldisimo looked good in his first opportunity. Maybe we see him again? Is Bikel and/or Godoy back? What is happening with that midfield? Does Rose, for some reason, continue to see the starting lineup. At some point, do we see the most skilled players the Caps have available starting or do we continue to see middling players start out of some sense of....I dunno....from MDS?

Time to get your predictions in!