SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC v. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

 SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC v. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

by Charles Therrell (DISK DOKTOR)

Greetings to my brothers and sisters in Green. Vancouver cross the border to visit The Evergreen and face our beloved Sounders FC in a Cascadia Cup showdown for the ages.

What: MLS league match and Cascadia Cup tie, Seattle Sounders FC v. Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Where: Royal Brougham Park, Occidental Avenue, Seattle, Washington.

When: 7:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, Saturday 20 April 2024 CE.

At Stake: If we win Saturday night, we could rise as high as 20th place, goal difference permitting. To get to 20th, the following teams have to be defeated: Portland (@CLB), Austin (@HOU), and Chicago (v.RSL) — and this lot can do no better than draw: Nashville (@MIA), Orlando (@MTL), and NYCFC (v.DC).

If we are defeated by Whitecaps, We can sink as low as 28th place should Dallas (@COL) and New England (@TOR) both win.

Where to Watch: MLS Season Pass via Apple TV. Remember that, for home matches, alternate audio is available from KJR simulcast. To access this, use the control layer to select alternate audio.

Where to Listen: 99.3 KJR FM and El Rey 1360 AM.

Time to build that bonfire. I mean…a metaphorical bonfire. Unless there’s actually going to be a bonfire to go to…which there sometimes is. You get the idea.

That’s right my Brothers and Sisters in Green, it’s Cascadia Cup football. We won George three consecutive times from 2018-21, being mindful of 2020 when the trophy was not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I mean, I think I might actually care about a Cascadia title over an MLS Cup…but not an MLS league championship, that would be awe-inspiring as being top of the league after 34 matches is incredibly difficult. We have not won George (the actual Cascadia Cup trophy, for those not in the know) since 2021, and the balance of those outrages must be addressed.

In the spirit of actually making victory in Cascadia possible, this is where our lot come in. Support is vital. Should you have the means, round up your mates and get ye to the ground. Failing this its pubs and dwellings for stories and tellings, houses and flats for pints and cats, and sometimes even boats and ships for pie and chips.

We turn up. We get loud. We show that, no bones about it, we’re going to beat Vancouver like a dusty old rug on the clothesline. That’s right. You heard me correctly. It’s Cascadia Cup football under the lights at Royal Brougham Park on a Saturday night. It’s gonna be a wooly one. Fasten that seat-belt Granna! GO ON YOU SOUNDERS!!! GET IN!!!

Before kick-off, please join me in the auld toast: “TO THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS FOOTBALL CLUB…AND VICTORY!!!”

We’re fixin’ tae bring ye hame, Georgie!

The Good News

We’ve kept two clean sheets in a row against decent opposition (Dallas and Montreal). This means our extra-stingy defence is back to its old ways. This is good.

It seems like we’ve gone back to basics, tactics-wise, by returning to the 4-2-3-1 and deploying Jordo on the left side. Short-term this is good, although I believe that Morris’ potential as a true centre-forward has not yet been fully tapped. That said, it was important to stabilise the team, and a back-to-one reset has steadied the ship.

All but three squad players are fit and available for selection. Plenty of quality to select from.

Sounders are unbeaten this season at Royal Brougham Park, with a record of 1-2-0.

Picault is out with back trouble, and won’t be in the team for the ‘Caps. As he scores and sets up goals, this is one less threat to worry about.

The Bad News

Zero to 100 and back to zero. We scored five goals in one match, and then zero the next. We need consistency with our finishing in front of goal. This is commonly known, the staff is aware, and hopefully we’re working on it.

De la Vega has re-injured his hamstring. We don’t know when he’ll be back, and he’s meant to be an important part of the squad going forward. Baker-Whiting apparently was suffering from pneumonia, and is working his way back to full fitness. Rodrigues is out as well with a hamstring issue. We’re going to need the entire squad for the upcoming fixture clutter created by the cynical cash grab known as Leagues Cup.

In the same space of time, Vancouver has earned nine points in the league, whilst we have only managed four. Granted, the Philadelphia match was postponed, so that was one less chance for Sounders to earn points during this time. The edge in form goes to Vancouver, propelling them to 4th place in the league.

Vancouver is averaging over two goals a match (2.14) and conceding an average of 1.29/match.

Vancouver is unbeaten in away matches this season with a record of 2-0-0.

Vancouver has done better than we have against both San Jose and Dallas this season, beating them both by a combined score of 5:1, whereas we lost on a late winner at Coleman Avenue and could only manage a draw at Hunt Way.

The ‘Caps added sneaky good talent in the off-season, getting the likes of Kreilach, Picault, and Berhalter on free transfers. They also signed up-and-coming Canadian youth international Ralph Priso for €137,000.

Overall, the ‘Caps haven’t changed their team that much from last season but are getting much better results. Patience is a virtue, I guess.

White and Gauld are the danger men for Vancouver with three and two goals, respectively. Also, Ryan Raposo has two goals. These three players also have two assists apiece, so they have the ability to both score and create goals.

The Side I Would Select

Sure, there were no goals at Dallas, but two clean sheets in a row makes it pretty hard to change the team. If we get blanked again, maybe changes are needed.

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

LCH    Ragen

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Alex

LDM    Atencio

RDM   Joao Paulo

LF     Morris

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Cristian

CF     Ruidiaz

The Side I Think The Gaffer Will Select

Same as what I would choose, I would imagine, although I think the Gaffer prefers Vargas to Atencio.

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

LCH    Ragen

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Alex

LDM    Vargas

RDM   Joao Paulo

LF     Morris

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Cristian

CF     Ruidiaz

Intangibles

Brougham Faithful. How much noise do we make, and will it be the difference in the match, despite Vancouvers statistical superiority, better record, and form?

The referee for Saturday night’s match will be Ramy Touchan. In matches refereed by Touchan, the Sounders FC have a record of 1-0-4, with Vancouver having a record of 5-2-4.

General notes on personnel

Vancouver transfers IN:

Berhalter re-signed

Kreilach (Real Salt Lake) free

Picault (Nashville SC) free

Utvik (Sarpsborg 08) free

Halbouni (1.FC Magdeburg) undisclosed fee

Bendik (Philadelphia Union) free

Priso (Colorado Rapids) €137,000

Vancouver transfers OUT:
Campagna (Vancouver FC*) free *Canadian Premier League club

Habibulla (Sporting Kansas City Reserves) free

Hasal - released

Becher (AC Horsens) €400,000

Alexandre (Fortaleza) undisclosed fee

Comparison against common opponents

SJ 3:2 SEA

SJ 0:2 VAN

(against SJ: SEA 0-0-1 -1, VAN 1-0-0 +2) edge VAN

DAL 0:0 SEA

DAL 1:3 VAN

(against DAL: SEA 0-1-0 0, VAN 1-0-0 +2) edge VAN

LAG 1:0 SEA

VAN 1:3 LAG

(against LAG: SEA 0-0-1 -1, VAN 0-0-1 -2) edge SEA

Know Thine Enemy

Whitecaps as they lined up in their 1:3 defeat to LA Galaxy at BC Place on 13 April. It’s unusual enough to mention that their formation was a 3-4-3 with a diamond-shaped midfield that day.

GOALKEEPER

Yohei Takaoka, 28

Japan

Notable Clubs: Yokohama FC (41/0), Sagan Tosu (40/0), Yokohama F. Marinos (71/0), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (40/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Developed by Yokohama FC. Won a J-League title with Yokohama F. Marinos. Named to J-League Best XI 2022. Won a Canadian Championship with Vancouver in 2023.

DEFENCE

Tristan Blackmon, 27

United States

Notable Clubs: Los Angeles FC (64/2), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (65/3)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Played his university football for Pacific (70/16). Won a league championship with LAFC. Won two Canadian Championships with Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Ranko Veselinovic, 25

Serbia (2/0)

Notable Clubs: Vojvodina (59/1), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (115/5)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.8M

Notes: Developed by Vojvodina. Originally on loan to Vancouver, the Whitecaps exercised their option to make the move permanent on 18 October 2020. Won a Serbian Cup with Vojvodina. Won two Canadian Championships with Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Mathias Laborda, 24

Uruguay

Notable Clubs: Club Nacional Montevideo (83/6), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (29/2)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1M

Notes: Developed by Club Nacional Montevideo. Won three Uruguayan league titles and a Uruguayan Supercopa with Club Nacional Montevideo. Played at youth levels for Ururguay (19/0). Won a Canadian Championship with Vancouver in 2023.

MIDFIELD

Andres Cubas, 27

Paraguay (17/0)

Notable Clubs: Boca Juniors (28/0), Defensa y Justicia (21/0), Tallares (38/1), Nimes (48/2), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (52/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €4.5M

Notes: Developed by Boca Juniors. Won a league title and a Copa Argentina with Boca Juniors. Won two Canadian Championships with Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Ali Ahmed, 23

Canada (4/0)

Notable Clubs: Vancouver Whitecaps FC (31/3)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Developed by Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Won a Canadian Championship with Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Named Best Young Canadian Player of the 2023 Canadian Championship.

Alessandro Schopf, 30

Austria (32/6)

Notable Clubs: 1. FC Nurnberg (51/11), Schalke 04 (112/10), Arminia Bielefeld (33/1), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (42/2)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.2M

Notes: Developed by SV Langenfeld, AKA Tirol, and Bayern Munich. Won a Canadian Championship with Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2023.

Ryan Gauld, 28

Scotland

Notable Clubs: Dundee United (42/7), Sporting Lisbon (2/0), Vitoria Setubal (5/0), Aves (18/1), Farense (66/20), Hibernian (5/0), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (85/25)

Estimated Transfer Value: €7M

Notes: Developed by Brechin City Boys Club and Dundee United. Won Taca de Portugal with Aves. Won two Canadian Championships with Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Won the George Gross Memorial Trophy as the MVP of the 2022 Canadian Championship.

FORWARD

Fabrice-Jean “Fafa” Picault, 33

United States (2/0) and Haiti (6/0)

Notable Clubs: Tampa Bay Rowdies (18/0), Fort Lauderdale Strikers (22/12), FC St. Pauli (22/4), Philadelphia Union (89/21), FC Dallas (18/3), Houston Dynamo (61/18), Nashville SC (27/5), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (6/3)

Estimated Transfer Value: €800,000

Notes: Developed by Cagliari. Won an NASL Cup with Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2012.

Brian White, 28

United States (1/0)

Notable Clubs: New York RB (47/15), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (91/34)

Estimated Transfer Value: €3M

Notes: Developed by PDA. Played his university football for Duke (73/23). Won MLS League Championship in 2018 with New York RB. Won two Canadian Championships with Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Ryan Raposo, 25

Canada

Notable Clubs: Vancouver Whitecaps FC (99/4)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.5M

Notes: Developed by Mount Hamilton SC, Toronto FC, Burlington Youth SC, and Vaughan SC. Played his university football for Syracuse (38/19). Won two Canadian Championships with Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Was named Best Young Canadian Player of the 2022 Canadian Championship.

Familiar Faces

None.

Squads

Sounders FC from:

Frei, Thomas, Arreaga, Baker, Bell, Gomez Andrade, Hawkins, Nathan, Nouhou, Ragen, Alex, Atencio, Joao Paulo, Kitahara, Leyva, Rusnak, Vargas, Chu, Morris, Musovski, Cristian, Rothrock, Ruidiaz, Teves.

Vancouver from:

Takaoka, Boehmer, Bendik, Anchor, Laborda, Adekugbe, Veselinovic, Blackmon, Raposo, Halbouni, Martins, Utvik, Brown, Schopf, Priso, Berhalter, Cubas, Ahmed, Gauld, Ngando, Vite, Caicedo, Kreilach, White, Johnson.

Injury List

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

Sounders FC -

OUT: Baker-Whiting (hamstring), de la Vega (hamstring), Rodrigues (hamstring).

MATCHDAY DECISION: none.

Vancouver -

OUT: Picault (back).

MATCHDAY DECISION: Martins (hamstring).

Discipline

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

Sounders FC: No players suspended.

Vancouver: No players suspended. Cubas out next match if booked.

Fun Fact

Sounders FC Reserves have signed forward Osaze De Rosario (York United FC), midfielder Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, defenders Antonio Lopez, Brian Aguilar (Lanus) on loan, Owen O’Malley (St. Louis City Reserves), and goalkeeper Lars Helleren (Ballard FC). Welcome to The Evergreen, lads. Make us proud.