Continuing our end of season Whitecaps review, we take a look at what we’d like to see added to the Caps squad over the offseason.
We looked at <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?3905-Vancouver-Whitecaps-Who-should-stay-and-who-should-go" target="_blank">which Caps we’d like to stay and who we’d like to go</a> on Tuesday.
From the 28 players that ended the season on the Whitecaps squad, Steve and myself both wanted to keep 13 – although not the same ones! I was undecided on five and Steve four, and I wanted shot of nine and Steve ten.
Since then, the purge has begun, with the first three players – Etienne Barbara, Bryan Sylvestre, Tiago Ulisses - released yesterday. More releases to waivers are expected to be announced next week.
TFC fan Michael Przybylowski did some number crunching for us on the players that I wanted moved on or was undecided about and you can see the results below:
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Now obviously not all of the players I want to go, or am undecided about, are going to go.
Jay DeMerit, for example, is unlikely to be let go unless a tremendous trade offer hits the table. The newly engaged Captain is likely to want to be with his fiancé here and may just take a pay cut to enable him to do that.
Then there’s the whole GA situation to be sorted out. There are no hard and fast rules for when a player graduates. The League looks at playing time, production, years of service, position etc. If any of our current crop like Nanchoff or Mattocks are deemed to have graduated, that will then impact salaries and possibly futures.
Looking at the salaries and impact of those players in the top 20 of the Caps wage bill, if all the farewells did do just that then we’re looking at freeing up $1,622,941.67 (based on their guaranteed compensation). The undecideds would add in another $1,092,540, freeing up a staggering total of $2,715,481.67. We'd just have no players!
Look at how many Kenny Miller style players we could get for that!
So who fills the gaps of those moving on? What types of players and with what attributes? Steve and myself outline our wish lists of what we’d like to see added to the 2013 Whitecaps, but we’re keen to hear yours too:
<b>Goalkeepers:</b>
Michael – Joe Cannon said on Team 1040 last night that the chance of him returning was around 30%. With Sylvestre now gone, that would leave the Caps with just one keeper on the books. Rennie is bound to be keen to try and bring in an experienced keeper to challenge Knighton for the starting spot. A good experienced keeper, at a reasonable price for possibly sitting on the bench, is going to be a toughie but a must.
The third spot may go to a young Canadian, with our money being on former Cap Simon Thomas. Thomas has been training, and impressing, with Vancouver since returning from a spell with Huddersfield Town in England. With Callum Irving concentrating on his studies for another couple of years, this would be the sensible choice. It’s also possible that the Caps take a goalie from one of their draft picks, to at least evaluate him if nothing else.
Steve – Do the Whitecaps feel comfortable with Knighton as the clear number one if Cannon moves on or retires as many expect? They could either bring in a clear number one, which would cost cap space, a keeper who could compete with Knighton or a cheap young one, who would be a backup they could develop for the future.
<b>Defence:</b>
Steve - The return of YP Lee would be huge, but even if he comes back they will need to add a capable backup who can give the vet a break once in a while. This season it seemed like Rennie had no faith in the young Klazura so it may be time to find someone else so Lee can be more rested and effective in the latter part of the season.
If the Whitecaps are going to go into next season with Andy O’Brien and Jay DeMerit they will need a young CB to groom and eventually take over in a year or two. They currently have a couple of residency products under 20 but they are not MLS ready and Bonjour may be too pricy for the Whitecaps to keep as a backup.
Michael – The main attribute for Klazura is that he can cover both left and right back positions, but we just don’t know just how capable he is as he didn’t get the minutes he should have got this year to try and develop. Although I want to keep him around, we definitely need to add an experienced right back and ideally a player that can cover possibly that position and centrehalf. We definitely need to bring in a capable back-up or two in the middle of the defence, or if DeMerit was to go, a starter alongside O'Brien.
I’d like to see us make a play for Andre Hainault from Houston. We may have trade bait to interest them and with them being Eastern Conference, at least a chance of things happening. At the start of the year I’d have thought we had no chance of landing the Canadian but now I think we could have a shot. He’s only on a guaranteed $163,125 and would be a steal, even with the dangle of an increase for him.
<b>Midfield:</b>
Michael – We just need to be way more creative. Davide Chiumiento had his faults but after he left there wasn’t a player who could really add that spark and crosses on anywhere near that level or regularity. Richards did it a bit, but not enough. We have to bring in some midfielders than can be game changers (or get both Robson and Koffie to step up their assists and creative play big time).
With Tiago going, the DM role is likely to see an addition. I just hope Rochat returns to left back where he can benefit us best. Davidson is fine, I'm a fan, but is let down with his lack of offensive moves. Lensky is in contract talks and should be signed if they can reach an agreement on salary. Not really sure where he will fit best, but he'll be cover.
And of course I still want Adam Moffat - and now in a Dynamo double deal!
Steve - Bob Lenarduzzi stated earlier in the week on the radio that the left side of the midfield would be manned by Omar Salgado and Russell Teibert. That leaves the right side open due to the departure of Dane Richards, who is off to England to play for Burnley. They may not be able to match the pace of Richards but if they could come close and add some crossing and scoring ability, the right side would be solidified.
<b>Attack:</b>
Michael - I want to see some height and some prolificness added, even though that's not even a word. A guy to score headers and lay knockdowns and flick-ons into the path of Mattocks. Our tallest striker is Salgado at 6'4", but he'll be out wide. Next comes Atiba Harris one inch shorter, but not only is he poor, he should also be away. We need a proven dangerman. Ideally someone who has done it before in MLS and not just abroad.
We need a guy that can get us ten goals a season at least and if we really want to be playoff contenders, we need two of them. Mattocks should be one. His team leading seven goals ranked him 28th in MLS, although he did only play in 61% of the Caps' games. If only it was as easy as splashing the cash and grabbing Chris Wondolowski like you could do in other leagues. Not that many other clubs wouldn't have the same idea.
Steve - The Whitecaps rarely score on headers, especially when it comes from the wide areas of the midfield in open play. Working the ball down the wing and then whip the ball into the box hoping a striker like Mattocks can convert with a header. In order to make this possible an addition of a striker with size who has the capability of climbing the ladder and can handle the physicality of the opposition’s best defender, would be great and would also give Mattocks more space.
We badly need a striker who can not only finish but also can create his own shot, especially when in tight areas in the box. Too many times we built up through the field, but as soon as the ball was in the danger area, the opposition would win it back too easily and clear it away. A calm and cool striker who takes his time when in a scoring position and finishes the play instead of spraying the ball is my ideal man.
<b>Add A Latin Flavour:</b>
Steve - The Caps could do more with some additional Latin flavour on the roster, especially in the creative positions like attacking mid and wing. The Whitecaps currently have two players on their team of South American descent but the players are a centerback (Bonjour) and a striker (Camilo), who is not considered an unselfish player. A true number "10" from down south would definitely help in creating and scoring goals for the Caps.
Michael - You've Central America too to tap, like so many others have successfully done, leaving us behind. Will be interesting to see if Carl Robinson's Honduran trip will reap any rewards. The Caps were close to adding a Honduran player before the summer transfer window closed but the deal just couldn't get done. For any Central or South American players added, let's just make sure that unlike Tiago, they can actually speak English this time.
<b>Increased Pace and Athleticism:</b>
Steve - Increase the pace and athleticism throughout the team but especially in the midfield. On multiple occasions this year when the Whitecaps would counter after causing a turnover, there would be no support coming from the midfield because of a combination of a lack of pace, athleticism and instinct.
During the season when Mattocks was unavailable for selection, the other team’s players seemed to play the Caps tight as they did not respect the ability of them to mount a breakaway on goal. These additions don’t have to be starters but could be depth players who would give a change of pace off the bench.
Michael - You do worry though that the more pace we add, the more likely we are to just lump the ball up the field and play kick and chase. Increasing the athleticism of the whole team though would also be key to preventing losing goals in players not tracking back, as we've seen from the likes of Robson this season. Too many players look goosed too early.
<b>Improved Set Pieces:</b>
Michael - Our set pieces have been dreadful for our two MLS seasons so far. Camilo and Robson are both very capable of drumming up some magic from nothing from free kicks, but we have to work on corners and indirect free-kicks. They should try out every single player to find some decent variety in the team, or bring in a sweet kicker from outside.
One thing I would dearly love to see is bringing in a long throw expert. if we were to add a big striker and have Mattocks and O'Brien in the box as well, imagine the damage we could do with a string of those. Stoke, and others, have more than shown us over the years how effective that can be. Who cares about pretty?
Steve - The Caps also need to send the ball into the box more often in open play in order to pick up those ‘garbage goals’ like the Earthquakes have scored this season. This season they have gone on the attack via the deck and through the centre of the midfield only to give it away to the opposition.
Sending better balls in from set pieces would at least be a start and practice.
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So that's our thoughts. Always great to play armchair expert at the best of times, but even more so in the offseason. And we've released some cash to help make this happen, as our spreadsheet nicely illustrates.
So what say you? What would you like to see added to the 2013 Caps and any players in particular from MLS (or elsewhere) that you'd realistically like to see Vancouver make a play for?
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