Another away game. Another away defeat. You sort of start to expect it really.
And another Whitecaps performance which could have had a whole different complexion on the post game analysis if one or two key moments had played out differently.
Of course, you can say that about most matches.
What is it with winning on the road in MLS for some teams? And especially for Vancouver?
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There were 76 away wins from last season's 323 regular season matches. That's 24.4%, so basically one in four games ended with the away team winning. The 2011 season had 67 away wins for 20.7%.
This season so far, those stats have remained pretty steady from last year, with ten away wins from the first 42 games - 23.8%.
The Whitecaps have managed just three in their first 36 away games in their MLS era. That's 8.33%, and we're at zero for 2011 and 2013!
Obviously it's still very early days this season, but I was wanting to highlight those stats for the simple reason that unless the Whitecaps can manage to unlock some kind of winning formula for road games, it's going to be tough to make the playoffs this year.
Now the team could do a Houston, go unbeaten at home for the season and maybe make it in that way. That's a lot to rely on. Winning every home game would help!
Do the current tactics on the road cut it? Is it a case of persevere and wait for it all to click into place, of which there have been signs? Is Martin Rennie playing the right tactics but being let down by the players on the field failing to execute them?
We have been a lot more adventurous in the two away games so far this season, which has at least been pleasing to watch. Part of that seems to come from playing a more attack minded team, but having some real game changers on the bench this season also helps.
If it hadn't have been for defensive blunders in both games, and a raft of missed chances, we would probably be looking at some points from our travels.
We're not though and if you look at the fixtures, it's really hard to see where the next away win will come from.
We have San Jose, Dallas, Real Salt Lake, New York, Seattle, DC, KC and LA again up to the end of July. That's some pretty strong home teams there. Portland got their first, and only, away win in Vancouver last season. Maybe we'll reverse that and grab ours in August.
Looking at those fixtures, we may grab a point or two along the way, but it's hard to see much more, so it makes our performances at home all the more key.
The loss in Chivas wasn't horrible, but it was bad in parts.
After the Houston game, we looked at some key things which the Whitecaps really needed to work and it's sad to see that things just didn't improve, awareness and marking up being two of them.
The fact that Eric Avila was allowed to ghost into the box unmarked to hit home what proved to be the deciding goal was shocking stuff.
Once again the Caps were undone by some shoddy defending. That said, I thought that Andy O'Brien and Alain Rochat had stellar games, but Rochat has to shoulder a lot of the blame for Avila's goal.
Brad Rusin has looked a little shaky the last couple of games and it would have been interesting to see what Johnny Leveron could bring to that backline if he was ready to go. He's had mixed performances in the recent reserve matches so far, but has a bit more mobility than Rusin, but less aerial threat.
Jun Marques Davidson had a shocker. As regular readers will know I've been a champion of the guy this season, and last, but he was the worst man on the park for the Caps and I really wouldn't be surprised to see him sit out the San Jose game, possibly for Matt Watson or with Nigel Reo-Coker dropping back.
The Caps midfield seemed to be posted missing and that is starting to be a concern. Reo-Coker and Gershon Koffie were both poor again. Might be worth giving Koffie a rest and seeing what Russell Teibert can bring to the CM role. For all the hype around Koffie, he has shown for the last two seasons that he does tend to go off the boil for a few games at a time.
There's been far too many cheap giveaways in the middle of the park these last two games. It surprising we haven't been punished more.
Up front, we peppered Chivas with an impressive 22 shots. Only six managed to find their way on target and the opportunities have been getting both created and squandered.
We really need a poacher in there in the six yard box to at least hit the target with shots. Would you want Corey Hertzog on the pitch instead of Darren Mattocks? Overall, no. Would I want him to be the one getting the chances in the area instead of Mattocks? Yes. From what he's shown pre-season and in reserve games, he'll take them more than Mattocks seems to.
I think Mattocks needs to sit out a week or so, and see what Camilo and Kenny Miller can do together up there.
What Mattocks can bring to the team is something different and he can stretch the opposition. There was a moment in the first half when he broke upfield (the 35.57 mark of the game) and it wasn't a particularly fast break. In fact it was slow for him. He was left in a 1 on 3 situation, with no Whitecap anywhere near him to support until Reo-Coker casually arrived on the scene. What's he meant to do?
It goes back to the awareness factor I raised last week. Where were the rest of the team?
Keeping on awareness, Miller has it in abundance. It obviously comes with experience and it's not something you can magically transfer to team-mates unfortunately. The quick corner he took was a fantastic opportunity, and superb awareness of Chivas being low in numbers at the back, but ultimately wasted.
The biggest concern I have about all our strikers is their first touch. Erik Hurtado and Kekuta Manneh have shown that sometimes their speed can be their downfall, with some horrible first touches so far this season. It may have been different against the lower opposition they are used to when such touches weren't punished and their speed could save the day.
Manneh's touch was just inches away on that one on one with Kennedy that could have snatched a point (fantastic through ball by Miller to set him up). He'll learn, but hopefully it something the Caps work on a LOT in training these next few weeks with these guys. It could be the deciding factor between wins and losses.
It may only be four games in to the season, but the team already looks like it needs to be freshened up a little. The players should not feel that their positions are safe.
There's no easy answer or quick fix to get wins on the road in this league. The good thing is that we're creating and when we're doing that and not getting the end results, you do have to think that the tactics are right and the personnel isn't.
We keep hearing about competition for places in the squad. After two defeats, the correct message to give the fringe guys that have been performing well in the reserve games and in training is to let them have a chance to see if they can do better.
I don't see us getting anything from San Jose, even though they have been a bit up and down this season so far, so it's worth giving a couple of them a shot and see what they can do. They may just surprise everyone.
'Mon the Caps.
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<b>AFTN 3-2-1:</b>
3 points - ANDY O'BRIEN (Solid, but is needing a bit more help in the middle of the defence)
2 points - KENNY MILLER (Gave the team the attacking boost and spur they needed when he came on. Some great awareness shown)
1 point - ALAIN ROCHAT (Would probably have got the two points, but have to take into account his role on the second goal. Some good attacking play made up for defensive mistake)
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