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    Vancouver Whitecaps U18s are back in the Texas heat this week for the United States Soccer Development Academy’s (USSDA) 'Finals Week', which gets underway today.
    The Caps are one of eight teams in Houston at their age level competing for a spot in next Sunday’s Championship final and the glory of being named the best Under 18 side in North America.
    Whatever the outcome, the team have done themselves, the fans and the Club proud this season.
    The young Caps fully deserve their place in the final eight after a fantastic season which saw them win the Northwest Division of the USSDA Western Conference and top their playoff group in Houston last month.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Craig Dalrymple’s side fought back from losing their first group game, and battled crazy temperatures, to go through to the Finals on goal difference (you can read a full recap of the U18 and U16 playoffs week <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?3406-Residency-Week-Whitecaps-U18s-clinch-USSDA-Finals-Week-berth-but-U16s-lose-out-on-goal-difference" target="_blank">HERE</a>).
    They’re not going to find it any easier down in Houston, either in opposition or temperature, although we're looking at maximums of around 31 degrees and not the high 30's and hotter.
    This time though Head Coach Dalrymple at least knows that his young side are ready for what they will face off the field.
    Just how bad was it playing in 40 degree plus temperatures in Dallas?
    <i>"Tell you what, it took some adjusting for sure.
    I mean most of the teams, even the teams from southern California and some of the hot, hot states, they struggled with it.
    All of our games in the Finals are at 8 o'clock or later. We have two at 8 and one at 9, so it will be better.
    This past week has helped with being hot, so it helps us adjust to it a little bit better.</i>
    On the field, the Caps have a tough draw, but there was never going to be anything else at this stage in the competition.
    Drawn in Group 1, Vancouver will play three round robin matches against Colorado Rapids, De Anza Force and North Carolina Fusion for the chance to advance into Sunday’s final at the Dynamo’s newly built BBVA Compass Stadium.
    If they get there they will face the winners of Group 2, which comprises of Chivas USA, FC Dallas and Solar Chelsea.
    It would certainly be an occasion to remember for all the young Caps and one which they have a great shot of achieving if they play the way we know they are capable of.
    Their first test is today against North Carolina Fusion, in a game kicking off at 6pm Pacific Time.
    The Fusion compete in the Atlantic Division of the Southern Conference. They reached the playoffs as one of the top wildcards, but they made the most of their opportunity in getting there by drawing with FC Delco and then beating Shattuck-Saint Mary’s Soccer Academy and Washington Crossfire Premier to top their group.
    They will be a tough opening game for the Caps, as they are now unbeaten in their last eight matches and scored the most goals in their Division during the regular season, despite finishing fourth.
    The games are nicely spread out this time, with a day’s break inbetween matches this time, and the Caps will play an old foe on Wednesday – divisional rivals De Anza Force.
    The Caps edged out the Force for the top spot in the West during the regular season, so the Californian side will be out for a little revenge. The teams also played out two very closely fought encounters, with the Caps running out narrow 3-2 winners in both.
    De Anza won their playoff group with wins over the LA Galaxy and Vardar SC Freiburg, and an opening day draw against CASL Chelsea.
    The game kicks off at 7pm PT and could be the match that decides the Whitecaps’ fate. The Force have a history of scoring late into games, so the young Caps need to better at holding on to their leads than their MLS counterparts.
    The academy team of a MLS side are the final group opposition on Friday, as the Caps face off against Colorado Rapids at 6pm PT.
    The Rapids made the playoffs by finishing in second spot in the Frontier Division of the Central Conference, but were the highest scorers in the Division.
    They head into ‘Finals Week’ unbeaten in seven games, having won their playoff group with a win over South Carolina United Battery and a draw against Empire United, before a 90th minute winner in their last group match against Dallas Texans gave them a 2-1 victory and top spot.
    Vancouver’s big advantage is their goalscoring threat. Compare their 88 regular season goals to North Carolina’s 61, De Anza’s 54 and Colorado’s 47. Huge game changer there. Caleb Clarke and Yassin Essa had 42 goals between them.
    The Caps chances are bolstered by the inclusion on the trip of MLS squad members Bryce Alderson and Caleb Clarke, who have played with the U18s all season.
    With Yassin Essa, Ben Fisk, Callum Irving, Ben McKendry and Daniel Stanese having just returned from a Canadian U20 team training camp in Mexico, along with Alderson, a lot of the team have already had a chance to adjust to the heat and humidity they will face in Houston.
    Clarke, meanwhile, returned from a two week trial in Germany with Rot-Weiss Essen with a slight knock, but Dalrymple says he should be good to go for this week.
    The Whitecaps are allowed to add some of the U16 guys into the mix and Sam Adekugbe, Jackson Farmer, Carlos Patino, Sadi Jalali and goalkeeper Marco Carducci will be making the trip down to Houston with their older team-mates.
    Jalali was already bumped up to the U18 side for the playoffs with Clarke missing, and scored the deciding goal in their last group win to send them to the Finals.
    It’s going to be a tough week, but when we spoke with Head Coach Craig Dalrymple on Wednesday (after the last PDL game of the season), he told us that the guys are ready and looking forward to the challenge:
    <i>"We're excited. We've had a good week of training and the squad's come together.
    Caleb's come back from Germany and Bryce has come back from the Under 20s with a few other players and they came together today for the first time this week.
    We've two more days of training and I think we're ready and prime."</i>
    Great to hear.
    AFTN will be bringing you coverage from Houston over the week.
    It’s going to be a week that all the players will long remember and if they can lift some silverware at the end of it, it’s going to be even more special.
    Good luck guys and make sure you enjoy the whole experience to the full.
    We already know you’re the best U18 team in North America. Let’s just make it official.
    <p>
    Guest
    The Whitecaps five game road trip ended in Chicago last night as it had begun in LA back on June 23rd - with a loss.
    At least this one wasn't a hammering. In many ways it was worse. It was a game there for the taking, or at least getting a point out of. As was Toronto on Wednesday and the draw in Chivas last weekend.
    Five games, four points, three losses, two countries travelled and one tired bunch of players.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The Caps would have liked six points at least. I was hoping for nine. We have to settle for four, but at least three of those came in the crunch game against 6th placed Colorado.
    When we went in to face the Rapids last month, we had a seven point advantage over them and they had a game in hand.
    One long road trip later, we have an eight point advantage and they still have a game in hand.
    That's actually pretty good considering we've just got the toughest stretch of our season out of the way and we played like crap at times.
    Our travels are at least over for a little while at least.
    By the time Wednesday comes round, it will have been 28 days since the Whitecaps have played a game at BC Place.
    The weird and wacky MLS schedule now has the Caps at home in four of the next five games, before heading off on another four game road trip during the end of August and the start of September.
    At least all of those games are now in the west.
    Fourteen games to go, eight home and six away, and each one will now be huge with regards to not just whether the Whitecaps make the playoffs or not, but exactly where they finish in the West and how tough their playoff campaign will be.
    Does only playing Western Conference opposition give us an advantage or does the pressure of every game counting more just add to the pressure?
    Of the nine teams in the West, only Vancouver, Dallas and Seattle have no more Eastern opposition to face. Chivas, Portland and Salt Lake have three such games and all six teams have to travel east for at least one match.
    The Caps will have less travel, less hassle with timezones and more time at home. They have no Champions League games to worry about, like LA, RSL and Seattle and no stupid friendlies draining their energies.
    There will be more pressure, but I think this is a squad that can thrive on that and that is one of the reason that Rennie is looking to bring in experienced heads that have done it at the top level.
    We may have had a squad that could get us to the playoffs, but Rennie is trying to build one now that will be able to do some damage once they get there.
    That's why our home games are now crucial. We're averaging two points a game at home and we have to continue to be at least there for the remainder of the season, starting Wednesday.
    Just to have a quick look back at the Chicago game, it was disappointing that a slow start and the inability to fully utilise the man advantage for the last twenty minutes is what ultimately cost us in the end.
    As soon as we saw the line-up, you knew we were in for a defensive performance.
    That's all well and good, and it has had results on the road. The problem then comes when you lose an early goal and don't have the personnel on the pitch that can do much about it.
    At least Rennie went for the early substitutions this time and I felt that both Dane Richards and Camilo really changed the game when they came on and impressed.
    Richards looked good on his Caps debut. His pace is electric. That one ball he chased down from a Darren Mattocks pass was just breathtaking. It's the speedy winger I've yearned to see for ages and once he settles you have to feel that him and Mattocks will be electric together and a nightmare for defences all over.
    Camilo must know that he is playing to stay with the team. We saw glimpses of the player from last season and he really added a spark.
    I'm getting fed up using the work 'spark', or rather bemoaning the lack of it. There isn't enough of it in the middle or up front to get points at the moment, at least not in away formation mode.
    Barry Robson had a good second half, but he is still holding on to the ball too long, giving possession away and looks uninterested for challenging for the ball sometimes.
    As we said a couple of days ago, I don't expect to see the Robson I know until next month. The danger he poses from set pieces and long range strikes is already there to see though. Just need to work on his sharpness.
    Gershon Koffie has disappeared a little these last few games. If we had the necessary manpower, I'd rest him for a few matches. It was good to see Jun Marques Davidson back though, allowing Y-P Lee to go upfield more without wondering about the consequences.
    A few of the guys could do with a rest by the looks of them. They looked pretty gassed by the final whistle yesterday.
    I'd still like to see us bring in a creative midfielder, who can also put himself about a bit. I'm going to chuck Adam Moffat's name back in here again, since he was mysteriously left out of Houston's gameday eighteen today and has previous with Rennie.
    Two huge home games now coming up.
    We have to avoid defeat in both ideally, which may be hard the form that LA and San Jose are in. I'll take whatever we can get from them.
    With players going, rumours circulating about those coming in and only one win in five, the confident feeling surrounding the team has eroded a little.
    If we can now use our home fortress to get this back over the next week, then I think we'll be just fine.
    Do we currently have the personnel to do this? Well we'll soon find out.
    It's not going to get any easier from here on in.
    'Mon the Caps.
    <center>********************</center>
    <b>AFTN 3-2-1:</b>
    3 points - JOE CANNON (Kept us in the game once again when his backline let him down)
    2 points - CAMILO SANVEZZO (Really felt we looked like going nowhere till he came on)
    1 point - BARRY ROBSON (Had a good second half and not afraid to shoot)
    <p>
    Guest
    Let’s start with the half full.
    They won. For the second game in a row. The purpose of things is to score more than your opponent and Toronto did just that. As it was at the start of the year when people talked about bad luck contributing to the 0-9 start, the bottom line is the bottom line.
    So, let’s not get too bogged down on the second half bunkering. If you want to dismiss this game as being meaningless because TFC was “lucky” then you have to also acknowledge that they were unlucky earlier in the year at times. Things even out over the year and the table is the ultimate measure.
    That table shows Toronto still having a tough time, but also with 13 points in the last five weeks. Under Mariner, TFC has now averaged 1.44 points per game (as opposed to Aron Winter’s (0.3 ppg pace). Extracted over a whole season that would work out to be 49 points, which would be in the playoffs. If they finish the season on the same pace the Reds will end up with 38 points. Using last year’s table, that still puts them well out of a playoff spot (46 points would be needed), but respectably bad, if that makes sense.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]The truly bitter will never be able to see positives in the numbers, but, as said, the bottom line is the bottom line and under Mariner TFC’s bottom line is promising.
    Now, for the half empty.
    Danny Koevermans’ season might be over. After catching his cleats on the garbage surface -- on a play that illustrated why he’s so important to Toronto (finding space behind the defenders and stretching the opposition out) -- the big Dutchman went down hard. He clutched his knee. He was in a lot of pain. Toronto fans do not likely want to hear the acronym the medical staff utters today. It will likely involve “CL.” Hopefully only once.
    The loss of Koevermans meant that Toronto’s somewhat effective counter game turned into a bunker and hope game in the second half. Without a skilled threat up front, the Revs could push forward harder without fear of being caught. And, they did. God, did they ever. If it wasn’t for Milos Kocic having the game of his life and for Richard Eckersley saving Doneil Henry’s butt a couple times…
    Well, those things did happen so woulda, coulda, shoulda for the Revs.
    Still, get well real soon Danny. In the meantime, Mariner has even more work to do to find a replacement for one of the most effective strikers in MLS history.
    Such is life at TFC where half empty is always a moment away.
    Guest
    When Davide Chiumiento and Sebastien Le Toux left Vancouver Whitecaps this week, speculation was rife and expectations high that the Caps would be making a significant player announcement pretty soon.
    With the rumour mill in full flow, lots of names were getting thrown around, but the one which has seemed to stick, backed up by articles in the UK from <a href="http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/sport/football/football-news-in-brief-miller-poised-for-vancouver-move-1-2413187" target="_blank">The Scotsman</a> newspaper and <a href="http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2012/07/14/vancouver-whitecaps-move-to-sign-cardiff-city-striker-kenny-miller-91466-31396331/" target="_blank">Wales Online</a>, is that of Scottish international striker Kenny Miller.
    Now we're usually loathe to write about rumours here at AFTN. As others have found out, too much speculation on what you think is a done deal can leave you looking rather foolish with much egg on your face.
    Having personally spoken to a couple of sources in the UK though, we're going to make an exception to this, after being told that Miller's transfer to Vancouver is "90-95% a done deal" and is just waiting on some important final discussions on personal terms and fees.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Get those eggs ready.
    Kenny Miller is a striker with a good pedigree, having played and scored at the top level for club and country.
    At 32, many will perhaps see his best days behind him, but he still has a lot to offer, especially in a league like MLS.
    Miller started his career at his hometown club Hibernian (which also included a loan spell with Stenhousemuir in the Scottish Third Division) before securing a move to Rangers in the summer of 2000.
    His first spell at Ibrox was mixed, but did see him score five goals in one game against St Mirren, before falling down the pecking order a little and being first loaned out to Wolves and then permanently transferred there.
    He then made the almost unprecedented decision to make the move back to Scotland to play for Rangers' Old Firm rivals Celtic. He was only the third player to have done this. One of the others was Mo Johnston and we all saw how his MLS career fared!
    Miller struggled at Parkhead though, and was never fully accepted by the Celtic fans, and he was soon back in England with Derby County for a season before Rangers came in to bring him back to Ibrox for a second time.
    He spent two and a half seasons back in Glasgow, scoring 55 goals in 108 appearances in all competitions, and won the 'Golden Boot' as the SPL's top scorer for the 2010/2011 season. Despite leaving in January, he had notched 21 goals in just 18 League games.
    Turkish side Bursaspor came in to sign Miller during the January 2011 transfer window, but he never settled in Turkey and made the move back to the UK that summer to Cardiff City, where he is currently under contract.
    And therein lies one potential stumbling block to the move.
    Unless Cardiff City free him (which is unlikely as they paid £900,000 for him just a year ago), the Caps will have to pay a transfer fee for him.
    It may not be too much though, as Cardiff look to be quite keen to offload him to free up his wages and allow them to bring back local hero Craig Bellamy.
    The Cardiff fans also seem to have differing opinions on Miller, with many not rating him and glad he is leaving and others disappointed that he may soon be away. Not unusual for football fans!
    So why MLS? Why not another Championship side?
    Like many footballers once they reach their thirties, Miller is a family man and the prospect of starting a new life for himself and his family will play a big part in his decision as to where to go next in his career. Barry Robson has already indicated to us that was one of the big things that swayed him to come to Vancouver.
    Miller married his wife Laura in 2010 and they have a daughter together called Sloane. Miller also has a son from a previous relationship.
    As mentioned, it wouldn't be the first time that he has looked to ply his career abroad, having joined Bursaspor of Turkey on what was meant to be a two and a half year contract.
    Despite scoring 5 goals in his first 15 games for the Green Crocodiles, he failed to settle and found himself away from his family a lot, so he looked for a move back to the UK and ended up at Cardiff under Scottish manager Malky Mackay.
    Now Canada is obviously a lot easier to settle in for a Scot than Turkey, but there do have to be some alarm bells ringing about whether he will be able to settle well over here.
    He will be helped of course by having a Scottish management team and his good friend Robson to help him get used to Canadian life.
    Miller has also had experience of MLS teams and stadia, having played here during Celtic's 2006 North American tour and most recently for Scotland against the US in a friendly in Florida.
    The initial reaction to Miller's proposed move has been mixed and I do have some concerns myself.
    Many have wrongly dismissed him as being no better than Sebastien Le Toux. With all respect to the Frenchman, Miller's resume is a lot more stellar and so is his proven track record. He has played and captained his country, and played in the Champions League and the Premier Leagues in England, Scotland and Turkey, scoring goals everywhere he has gone.
    Others are just dismissing him because he is Scottish and think Martin Rennie is just bringing him in for that reason. I won't even dignify that train of thought with a comment.
    One of my concerns is his age. He is 32 just now (33 in December) and will just add a further increase to the average age of the current Whitecaps side.
    In saying that, this also means experience and this is something which Martin Rennie has already told AFTN that he puts a lot of stock in.
    How many good years does he still have left in his tank and has he already lost a little of his goalscoring touch?
    He struggled at times with Cardiff City last season, scoring 11 goals in 50 games during the Bluebirds disappointing Championship campaign, including one on his debut .
    He has still been finding the net for Scotland and made his most recent appearance for the national side in the 5-1 drubbing by the US in Jacksonville in May, where he played the full ninety minutes.
    Miller plans to still be a part of the Scotland set up as the next World Cup qualification campaign gets under way, so the Caps would lose his services for some games.
    My other big concern would be is he worth the money that the Caps will have to shell out to bring him over? I'm not sure he is.
    Apart from having to pay the Bluebirds a transfer fee, Miller is on a good salary at Cardiff and would likely need to be a Designated Player in MLS for the Caps to be able to entice him here.
    That would mean the Whitecaps featuring three DP's and having to pay the League $250,000 for that privilege alone.
    His salary would hit Vancouver's salary cap by $350,000 next year and $175,000 for the remainder of this year, if he were to come as a DP right away. $300,000 was freed up with the Chiumiento transfer.
    There is certainly a way to bring him to Vancouver now and not make him a DP until next season. That would avoid the "luxury tax" if we were then to ship out or downgrade Eric Hassli once he comes to the end of his two year contract.
    This addresses my concerns a little as to how it affects the Whitecaps budget, but it still doesn't get over the fact that I'm not sure that Miller is Designated Player material in the first place.
    But how do we measure if he is? Hassli is loved and was on a guaranteed $900,000 last year and $790,000 this. Does his 12 goals in 44 MLS games justify that? If the answer is yes, then Miller will get those goals too, of that I have no doubt.
    If we're going down the DP route again, I would prefer it to be for someone younger and also perhaps in a different area of the field (unless Hassli is to go).
    The biggest question we have to ask is can he cut it Major League Soccer? And I have to think that the answer is yes.
    A proven goalscorer will always get goals and he has so far managed 187 career goals in 547 club appearances. That's an average of a goal every three games. he is just under that mark for Scotland with 16 goals in 60 matches, including strikes against Germany, Italy, Croatia and the Czech Republic.
    If he comes to Vancouver and grabs 10 or 11 goals a season, I'd be very happy. Anything less and I'll think it a failure.
    The best comparison we can have and make for Kenny Miller is his fellow Scot Kris Boyd at Portland.
    Both players are very similar in style and get goals wherever they go. One big difference between the pair is that Miller didn't turn his back on his country over a petty personality clash and a better than he thinks he is attitude. He'll always be held in high esteem in my book for that.
    The biggest difference between the two though is workrate.
    Boyd is younger and has always been that little bit more prolific, averaging a goal every two games in his career, thanks to his early scoring exploits with Kilmarnock and Rangers. He can also be a lazy and frustrating player at times, often wanting the ball played to his feet and doing little work tracking back.
    Miller on the other hand works his ass of all over the pitch. He does have a tendency to drift in and out of matches, but more than makes up for it in the others.
    He will bring Le Toux's busy engine to the team, whilst also giving our attack something it has been badly missing, a deadly aerial presence. He scores a lot of goals with his head.
    I don't think that Kris Boyd has really set the heather alight down in Portland this season, but 7 goals from 18 appearances ain't too shabby really so far. It's more than any of our guys have got.
    With Kenny Miller being a very similar style, if he were to have a similar return then I think even the current doubters in the Whitecaps support will be happy.
    By the sounds of it, it's not going to be too long until we get a chance to find out.
    Watch this space.
    <p>
    Guest
    Vancouver Whitecaps rounded off a long five game road trip with a 1-0 defeat to a ten man Chicago Fire side at Toyota Park this evening.
    With the Caps shipping out Davide Chiumiento and Sebastien Le Toux in the last few days, Martin Rennie went with a very defence minded line-up.
    Jun Marques Davidson came back into a holding midfielder role alongside Alain Rochat, and Camilo Sanvezzo dropped back to the bench after an ineffectual outing in Toronto midweek, with Michael Nanchoff coming in for his first start of the season.
    Joining Camilo on the bench was Eric Hassli, who many expected to get the nod after serving his latest one match suspension, and new signing Dane Richards, who had flown from New York to Chicago to join the team yesterday.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The home side had the first chance five minutes in when Gonzalo Segares whipped in a cross from the left which fell to Chris Rolfe in the six yard box. The Fire striker could only direct his shot wide under good pressure from Jordan Harvey.
    Chicago were looking the more lively by far in the opening stages and they got their reward in the 10th minute after Davidson conceded a free kick on the edge of the box.
    Pavel Pardo beautifully curled the ball into the top left corner of the net, giving Joe Cannon no chance in the Caps goal.
    Vancouver were offering no real attacking threat, as Chicago dictated the pace, and the Fire nearly doubled their lead in the 23rd minute.
    Dominic Oduro dispossessed Martin Bonjour just inside the Caps half and played a neat one two with Alex, but Cannon was quick to come out and block the Ghanaian before he could get a shot off.
    It was just another in a long line of huge stops from the Caps keeper this season.
    Vancouver finally got their first shot on target 28 minutes in, but it was just a weak trickler from the edge of the box, that caused Sean Johnson no problems at all.
    Alex hit a long range shot wide left in the 34th minute for Chicago, as the game started to open up a little.
    Barry Robson gave warning of his danger from free kicks in the 42nd minute, firing a 35 yard rocket just over.
    Chicago responded with a chance of their own and Harvey came to the rescue for Vancouver when he headed an Alex cross away from under the crossbar, with Patrick Nyarko set to pounce for the Fire's second.
    That was the last real action of the half, and Vancouver went in to the break needing to find some way to kick start some attack and find some way of breaking down the Caps defence.
    Vancouver made a change for the second half with Alain Rochat being replaced by new addition Dane Richards, as the team moved to a 4-1-4-1 formation.
    It was Chicago though who nearly had the first breakthrough of the half three minutes in, when Oduro somehow managed to miss an open goal from three yards out and crashed the ball off the left hand post.
    Luckily for him, his blushes were shared when he was ruled offside in a close decision.
    Mattocks quickly forced Johnson into a save at the other end, as the second half threatened to be a lot more open.
    Oduro was left wondering if his luck had deserted him for the night when he turned a Chris Rolfe pass into the net from close range in the 53rd minute, but this time there was no mistaking that he was offside and the goal was ruled out.
    The Fire were turning up the heat and Alex was next to threaten the Whitecaps goal, with Cannon getting down low to save his 20 yard effort.
    Camilo had come on as a Whitecaps sub, as the visitors looked to try and find some life and the Brazilian played a neat through ball for Mattocks in the 68th minute.
    Mattocks found himself sandwiched out between Fire defenders Andy Friedrich and Austin Berry as he bore down on goal and the referee was immediately over to give Friedrich his second yellow in as many minutes and sent the German off.
    He can perhaps think himself unlucky, as if anyone should have picked up a booking from the challenge it should have been Berry.
    Robson stepped up to take the free kick and curled it just over.
    The Whitecaps now had the man advantage and a great chance to take something from this match, and set out their intentions by taking off Martin Bonjour for Eric Hassli.
    Camilo fired a long range effort just past the right hand post with 15 minutes remaining, as Vancouver begun to dominate possession.
    Hassli came the closest yet to getting the Caps back on level terms, when Johnson brilliantly tipped his flashing header from a Y-P Lee cross over for a corner.
    The Frenchman landed awkwardly on his ankle and was unable to continue for a few minutes, leaving both sides down to ten men for some of the closing minutes.
    Despite Vancouver's pressure, they couldn't find the breakthrough for the equaliser and will be disappointed at coming out of this game empty handed after really turning up the pressure for the last half hour and being unable to make the extra man advantage count for the last twenty.
    The Caps long road trip is now thankfully at an end, and they will be disappointed to be heading back to Vancouver with just four points at the end of it all.
    With two huge games coming up against Western opposition next week, they need to regroup quickly, use the home field advantage and get their push for the playoffs back in full flow.
    FINAL SCORE: Chicago Fire 1 - 0 Vancouver Whitecaps
    ATT: 16,820
    CHICAGO: Sean Johnson; Jalil Anibaba, Austin Berry, Arne Friedrich, Gonzalo Segares; Logan Pause, Pavel Pardo; Chris Rolfe, Alex (Dan Gargan 71), Patrick Nyarko (Rafael Robayo 78); Dominic Oduro (Corben Bone 65) [subs Not Used: Jay Nolly, Daniel Paladini, Marco Pappa, Federico Puppo]
    VANCOUVER: Joe Cannon; Young-Pyo Lee, Martin Bonjour (Eric Hassli 75), Jay DeMerit, Jordan Harvey; Jun Marques Davidson, Alain Rochat (Dane Richards 46); Barry Robson, Gershon Koffie, Michael Nanchoff (Camilo Sanvezzo 59); Darren Mattocks [subs Not Used: Brad Knighton, Greg Klazura, Carlyle Mitchell, Russell Teibert]
    <p>
    Guest

    Sebastien Le Toux: A farewell gallery

    By Guest, in AFTN,

    Another day, another big name Whitecap moves off to pastures new.
    Unlike Davide Chiumiento's transfer to FC Zurich, Sebastien Le Toux's swap deal with New York Red Bulls for Dane Richards caught us all by surprise.
    Maybe we should start to get used to this.
    As with <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?3462-Davide-Chiumiento-A-farewell-gallery" target="_blank"><b>Davide's farewell gallery</b></a> the other day, we wanted to send Sebastien off with a little tribute here at AFTN so have looked through the archives of our photographer Christopher Vose and have selected some photos that capture Seba's brief time at the Caps this season (you can read our report on his transfer <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?3473-Le-Toux-winging-it-to-New-York-as-Whitecaps-trade-for-Richards" target="_blank">HERE</a>).
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    All the best in New York Sebastien. We'll maybe see you again in the MLS Cup final.
    <center>********************</center>
    <center>
    (The Southsiders welcome Seba to Vancouver in March)

    (What the hell? I just got here)

    (Seba scores against Sporting Kansas City)

    (And again against Edmonton)

    (And let's not forget the Colorado game)

    (Sebastien was a marked man)

    (Houston had a Seba problem)

    (The failed French Connection)

    (Sebastien always liked to play 'spot the ball' in training)

    (Sebastien vows to get Nano back for that superglue prank)

    (How will the Caps' short shorts craze go down in New York?)
    </center>
    You can view all of Christopher's Whitecaps photographs at <a href="http://www.consulphotography.com" target="_blank"><b>ConsulPhotography.com</b></a>.
    Be sure to check his photos daily, as he is will have regular shots up from training, as well at Caps matches at all levels.
    All of his photos are copyrighted and cannot be used without his permission.
    <p>
    Guest

    The final finger

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Toronto FC got out from under Mo Johnston's thumb a couple of years ago. Today, they’re finally free of his finger.
    In many ways, today’s dumping of Canadian international Julian de Guzman to FC Dallas erases the final lingering piece of the management mess left behind by TFC's original GM.
    It’s the last time the Scotsman’s memory will wave the middle finger at Toronto FC and its fans.
    This all goes back to the 2009 MLS season, and Toronto’s doubled-barreled signings de Guzman and fellow Canadian international hometown hero Dwayne de Rosario.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    DeRo came first, right at the end of 2008. A trade with the Houston Dynamo, and the Scarborough Superstar signed on to lead TFC to ultimate playoff glory.
    Except …
    The guy was never happy with his contract. Toronto FC had never had a Designated Player, and Mo wasn’t about to start with DeRo. The lad got essentially max money for MLS, a bit over $300,000 per year. It wasn’t perfect, but it looked like all concerned were working together to make things work.
    All that summer, there was talk of Julian de Guzman. He’d been named MVP at Deportivo la Coruna of the Spanish La Liga, but now things had gone very, very sour. Sick of not being paid, de Guzman sued the club. Dep la C benched him, and no other club in Europe gave him a glance.
    Mo was slinging bait off the boat, but de Guzman wasn’t biting. We were well into the fall when Julian appeared on It’s Called Football, and assured us all he’d love to play for Toronto “some day,” but all his efforts were aimed at keeping his European soccer dream alive.
    And then, very suddenly, the media were summoned to BMO Field, and Julian de Guzman signed on.
    He was under a lot of pressure. Mo had apparently lured him with DP status and a million bucks a year. But it was hard to miss that, throughout the press conference, Mo was grinning – and Julian wasn’t.
    It should have been a masterful bit of team building, but the disparity between DeRo’s and de Guzman’s contracts ended up being hugely damaging to Toronto FC.
    See, Mo wasn’t wrong about DeRo. No other team in the league saw him as a DP either. Even now, as MLS MVP and Golden Boot holder, leading a once-desperate D.C. United back into serious contention, he’s still not a DP. At his age, it is desperately unlikely he ever will be.
    Julian’s contract ate at DeRo, but that wasn’t all he was annoyed about. There were occasional terse wisecracks about “promises” that had been made, and then broken. We may never know what those promises were, but there’s no doubt in the universe that Mo Johnston made them.
    And that’s where we were when DeRo scored against San Jose, and made his infamous cheque-signing gesture to management, right in the faces of TFC supporters who’d just been made to gargle a significant hike in their season-ticket prices. Instead of a cheque, de Rosario was actually signing his one-way ticket out of town.
    Even with Mo and DeRo both gone, the de Guzman contract continued to weigh awkwardly on Toronto FC in 2011. The new regime was forced to pay seven figures to a struggling defensive midfielder.
    It’s true that many fans misunderstood Julian’s role, expecting him to score goals for that kind of money. It also didn’t help that, on the rare occasions Julian did score, they were highlight-reel scream jobs.
    When I watched Julian in TFC red, I was generally happy with the frequent and varied ways he came up with the ball – and utterly frustrated at how rarely he was able to get that ball to a teammate downfield. I’m not talking about gorgeous crosses to wide-open strikers. Howzabout just a good ten-yard pass to the next man down the line? Didn’t happen nearly enough for my liking.
    When Torsten Frings arrived, he landed on Julian’s role. Mo’s giant contract could not be easily dislodged, even though de Guzman was having a dreadful time playing up to it.
    No problem, as it turned out. TFC’s defence was so bad, Frings was forced back into a sweeper role. Frings can get the ball to de Guzman, de Guzman can forward it to … oh, yeah … right.
    What Toronto really needed was an open DP slot, where they could finally land a real centre back, and send Frings back to boss the midfield. And the only way to do that was to deal away Julian de Guzman for a lukewarm prospect who doesn’t count against the salary cap.
    To review:
    Arguably the two best players on the Canadian national team, both from Toronto, playing together on TFC, and Trader Mo’s devious, dubious glad-handing turned a beautiful dream into a soggy, whining disaster.
    And the ultimate implications – the loss of both players for little or nothing in return – took almost two full years to work their way through the system.
    As stated above, de Rosario – post-TFC – has won the MVP and the Golden Boot. I fully expect de Guzman to be a noticeably more effective player in Dallas.
    The only good news today, really, is that Johnston’s nightmare contracts and shady dealings are finally in the past.
    The finger has fallen.
    Onward!
    Guest
    Get ready MLS fans, silly season is about to get absolutely wild! SoccerPlus has learned on Saturday that the Juve legend has just sent a representative to Quebec to prepare a possible jump to Major League Soccer with the Montreal Impact.
    MLSSoccer.com Spanish-language writer David Ruiz cited Spanish daily Marca on Friday that new Impact member Alessandro Nesta has recently been lobbying his former Squadra Azzura team mate to join him in Montreal after a lucrative deal with a Thai side fell through earlier this week.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    A few months ago, SoccerPlus reported Del Piero had reached an agreement in principle to join MLS with the Los Angeles Galaxy, with a private sponsor enabling the club to hire the Italian without having to make him a designated player.
    Since that never worked out, the New York Red Bulls and Seattle Sounders were also in the picture, but here too, there was either a lack of interest (NYRB) or the parties never agreed on terms (Seattle). EPL’s Arsenal, Spanish Liga’s Malaga and Argentinian giant River Plate have also been reported as interested clubs, but without success.
    The Impact confirmed a few months ago they had discussions with the player’s brother and agent, but that the door was closed since Del Piero clearly indicated he prefered to join LA or NY, if he was to come in MLS.
    No doubt, the Impact would reopen the talks if Del Piero was tempted by Nesta’s invitation.
    No doubt, the club’s management will listen to Nesta if he comes to them with the news he has convinced his pal to come.
    If the situation evolves to a point that Montreal announces Il Fenomeno Vero’s coming to La Belle Province, up to a third of the club’s lineup could be made up of players acquired through the Italian connexion.
    The news would be great for ticket sales, great for shirt sales, but what about the sporting orientation this club is taking?
    One thing’s certain, Del Piero or not, the Montreal Impact has already become the Little Italy of MLS.
    Guest
    <b>KEY PLAYERS :</b>
    ATTACKING
    After starting in three games since his arrival, and with the departure of Davide Chiumiento, the Whitecaps are counting on <b>Barry Robson</b> to be more of a creator in the midfield. There have been flashes, including when he sent in Darren Mattocks for the opening goal against TFC, but there will need to be more consistency for the full 90 minutes.
    With his previous club, Houston Dynamo, <b>Dominic Oduro</b> was all pace and no finish, but since he has arrived in Chicago the Ghanaian striker has added some touch when in dangerous positions. Last season he more than doubled his previous high with a total of twelve goals and has started with five this season.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    DEFENCE
    The Whitecaps have put <b>Alain Rochat</b> in the midfield for the last three matches, with solid results, but it may be time for him to return to his natural left back position. The defender will put some more bite in Vancouver’s attack from the left side and allow Jun Marques Davidson to return to the holding midfielder position.
    A top ten pick in the 2011 SuperDraft, <b>Jalil Anibaba</b> has become a regular on the backline for the Fire, whether he plays right back or his normal position as a central defender. The sophomore has a very good combination of physicality and athleticism and might be the best option for the Fire to keep Mattocks off the scoresheet.
    <b>WHO'S ON FORM :</b>
    It didn’t take long for <b>Darren Mattocks</b> to become a known name in the mainstream sports media and his header against TFC made the rounds in the highlight reels. The striker has already taken over the lead in goals for the Caps and is second only to Alan Gordon, who normally scores as a sub, in goals per ninety minutes.
    While he allowed only one goal in the 2012 qualifying tourney for the States, it was the one that knocked them out and <b>Sean Johnson</b> took the majority of the blame. It seemed to affect his confidence when he returned to Chicago, but he has bounced back including a recent performance against SKC where he made eight stops, some of them spectacular.
    <b>2012 RECORD :</b>
    Vancouver:
    8W-6D-5L
    4th in Western Conference
    Last Match: 3-2 Loss at Toronto FC
    Chicago:
    8W-4D-6L
    4th in Eastern Conference
    Last Match: 2-0 Loss vs LA Galaxy
    <b>PROJECTED LINE-UPS :</b>

    <b>INJURIES/MISSING :</b>
    Vancouver:
    Out: FW Atiba Harris (knee), FW Omar Salgado (foot)
    Doubtful: MF John Thorrington (quad), MF Matt Watson (ankle)
    Chicago::
    Out: DF Cory Gibbs (knee), MF Steven Kinney (achilles)
    Questionable: MF Marco Pappa (upper respiratory infection)
    <b>GAME ANALYSIS :</b>
    The Whitecaps have a chance to prove to how mentally strong they are as they face Chicago Fire at Toyota Park on Saturday. They must prove they can bounce back after their most heartbreaking loss in the MLS this season, losing at the death to TFC. A victory against the Fire would also split their five game road trip even, with two wins, two losses and a draw.
    There are some expected changes to the lineup, especially after the late trade of Sebastien Le Toux to the Red Bulls for Dane Richards. Joe Cannon is still expected to start in goal for the Whitecaps while DeMerit, Bonjour and Lee will be part of the backline in front of him. After playing three games in the central midfield Alain Rochat will most likely return to the left side of the defence.
    His DM spot will be retaken by Jun Marques Davidson, who returns after three games away, and he will partner with Gershon Koffie and Barry Robson.
    Up top, Darren Mattocks will try to duplicate his performance from the last match and will be flanked by the newly acquired Dane Richards and possibly Michael Nanchoff, who could take over from the ineffective Camilo.
    With the addition of Richards, the Whitecaps now have two of the fastest attacking players in MLS and the Jamaican is more of a pure winger than Le Toux. Look for him to break down the opposing left back and either attack the net or cross the ball into Mattocks for a finish.
    The Whitecaps need Barry Robson to step up his play to another level and become the engine that runs the attack. The connection between him and Gershon Koffie will be vital in order for the Caps to control the tempo and make the most of their opportunities.
    The Fire, who are going through some controversy in the last few weeks, will be without their leading playmaker in Sebastian Grazzini, who is on a family leave, and co-leading goalscorer Marco Pappa, who could miss the match due to injury but also is rumoured to have requested a transfer. The club still has dangerous attackers in Dominic Oduro, Patrick Nyarko and veteran Chris Wolfe, all of whom are capable of giving the Whitecaps trouble.
    After playing the match against Chicago the Caps will no longer host or visit an Eastern Conference team and will solely play against Western Conference teams for the remainder of the season. The Whitecaps will try to end their last extended road trip of the season with three points but will need to play mistake free football in order to make this happen. They will not be able to revert back to their play in TFC game, where missed assignments and communication issues cost the club points. If they do fall back into bad patterns then it could be a long hot evening in Chicago for the Whitecaps before they return home.
    <b>AFTN Editor's Prediction: Chicago Fire 1 Vancouver Whitecaps 1</b>
    <p>
    Guest
    With head coach John Herdman looking to his team's long-serving stalwarts for inspiration ahead of the London Olympics, it was fitting that Christine Sinclair and Diana Matheson would be the ones to find the net in Saturday's warmup victory over New Zealand.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    After a not-especially-eventful opening half hour, Matheson ignited her team with a marvelous goal, sliding between two defenders -- adding a nutmeg along the way -- and coolly chipping the Kiwi 'keeper.
    The goal, as you'd expect, gave Canada a big confidence boost and led to plenty of forward momentum, nearly rewarded on the stroke of halftime as a shot rang off the New Zealand crossbar following a scramble in the penalty area.
    Shortly after the break, captain Sinclair did what she does. Taking a well-played through ball from Sophie Schmidt, she accelerated, took a look at the hillside scenery in Switzerland, sent a few BBMs to her friends and read half of this month's edition of The Economist before ho-hummingly slotting it home with her left foot. Number 16 on the year, 136 on the international career. She do what she do.
    The starting eleven appeared to be a first-choice lineup, with Karina LeBlanc in goal, Lauren Sesselmann, Candace Chapman, Carmelina Moscato and Rhian Wilkinson at the back, Matheson, Schmidt, Kaylyn Kyle and Desiree Scott in the midfield and Sinclair pairing with Melissa Tancredi up top.
    But earlier this week, Herdman said that his team has "tried to dispel the myth that the most important thing in football is the starting 11," indicating how important squad depth -- and the contributions of substitutes -- can be. True to his word, he also gave playing time on the day to Robyn Gayle, Kelly Parker, Chelsea Stewart, Jonelle Filigno, Brittany Timko and Christina Julien (who was left off the Olympic roster, but remains on the "taxi squad").
    The game got understandably disjointed with so many Canadians coming and going, but Big Red remained organized enough to hold off the occasional attack from New Zealand -- and even threw in some good ol' crunchy tackles along the way -- and cruise to the final whistle.
    While the win for Canada (#7 in the world) over New Zealand (#23) was mostly comfortable, their final Olympic preparation match will provide a sterner test: The ladies in red take on the #5-ranked Brazilians on Tuesday. It'll be Herdman's last chance to see what his squad has, ahead of the big show.
    Canada opens Olympic group-stage play against Japan (#3 in the world) on July 25.
    .
    Guest
    By Mike Crampton
    Toronto FC’s 2013 preseason continues Saturday night with a road game in Foxborough, Massachusetts versus the New England Revolution. It will be the second meeting of the sides in the past three weeks as the pair played to a 2-2 draw back on June 23rd at BMO Field in Paul Mariner’s first home game in charge of TFC. Since then, New England’s general improvement and solidification of their position as Eastern Conference playoff contenders has continued with a draw against Seattle and a win over the New York Red Bulls. In fact, since being knocked out of the US Open Cup via penalties in a bizarre game versus the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Pro and aided by late game heroics against Toronto and Seattle, New England have quietly gone on a five game unbeaten run during a healthy stretch of predominately home matches.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The Rev’s schedule leading into this game stands in marked comparison to Toronto’s. Since they met in late June, in the same time that New England has played a mere two home games, TFC has played away games in Montreal, Dallas, and Philadelphia along with a couple home games of their own. Reds’ supporters might not be in the mood to hear excuses but the reality is that Toronto has faced the toughest schedule in the league since Paul Mariner took over. Two wins, four draws, and two losses might not seem like an electric pace over a not insignificant stretch of the season but, in another year, it’s the sort of return that would keep a decent MLS team in the playoff discussion during a difficult stretch of their schedule before targeting maximum points during a home stand like New England are enjoying.
    Of course, it practically goes without saying that, for Reds’ fans, the major storyline of the evening will be seeing how the team responds in the first game of the post-Julian De Guzman era. Trading the team’s much embattled original Designated Player to Dallas has launched a wave of hopeful speculation over what the club will do with that now open DP spot this summer but, for the evening, it simply leaves Mariner short a more than serviceable midfield option. De Guzman’s participation during Mariner’s time in charge had been more occasional than consistent – it’s quite possible Mariner had already decided to prepare the team for his departure – but with him now absent permanently it seems unlikely Mariner will opt for the 4-3-1-2 or diamond 4-4-2 with three defensive midfielders he occasionally switched to. A flat 4-4-2 was torn to shreds by Philadelphia in TFC’s last road game and in the opening exchanges of the team’s previous road loss in Kansas City but, with the limited tactical options Mariner currently enjoys, seems almost certain to be seen again in New England.
    Another point worth noting about Saturday’s game is that it will also represent Paul Mariner’s first return to New England on the sidelines for a different MLS club. Mariner’s reputation as a coach in North America was made during his time with the Revolution as then head coach Steve Nicol’s right hand man. The Revs were one of the most consistently successful MLS teams of the period and, while too often the focus is on their four MLS Cup final defeats, a record of six consecutive runs to the Eastern Conference Final between 2002 and 2007 tells the story of just how regular their participation in the later stages of those MLS seasons really was.
    It’s sometimes easy for Toronto supporters, mired in the angst of six losing seasons, to lose sight of the massive changes that have occurred in MLS since the club first began play in 2007. In some sense, a visit to Foxborough should serve as a reminder of where the league was then compared to where it is now. During TFC’s first season a match played in a cavernous NFL stadium in front of rows of empty seats and apathetic fans was a regular occurrence; now, it’s an anomaly. The rapid pace of MLS’s growth and maturation is easy to miss if you’re narrowly focused on the soap opera in Toronto and it’s not unfair to suggest that the league many fans wanted (or demanded!) in 2007 is increasingly here today. That’s a positive and, independent of the struggles of Toronto FC, something that should be appreciated by fans of the game in North America.
    Guest
    Montreal is holding on to its slim hopes of playoff and could push Philly off track with a road win at PPL Park Saturday night.
    Hear comments gathered at the final practice session on Friday from former Union player Justin Mapp, captain Dayy Arnaud & Canadian international Patrice Bernier.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Our American correspondent Jonathan Tannenwald caught up with Pennsylvania native Zarek Valentin and Impact coach Jesse Marsch upon their arrival in the City of Brotherly Love ahead of the match.
    We also discuss the important trades of the week in MLS with Jonathan along with the weekend's program in MLS.
    All this and more in our +40 minutes show.
    Click here to listen.
    Guest
    Eleven days.
    That's all that's left between now and the women's national team beginning their Olympic quest, against reigning World Cup champions Japan. In their final prep for the biggest event of the year, Big Red is set to play two more friendlies, starting with head coach John Herdman's former team, New Zealand, on Saturday morning (10:00 a.m. ET, 7:00 a.m. PT on EuroWorld Sport).
    And Herdman -- who has put a lot of emphasis on the psychological side of the game ever since joining the team in the aftermath of their World Cup washout last year -- believes his side is ready for what's coming.
    "The girls are in a really good space," Herdman said this week from Switzerland, where the team is in training and has already earned a 1-0 warmup victory over Colombia.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    "We've created some tactical blueprints around these games," Herdman said of the team's Olympic round-robin games against Japan, South Africa and Sweden. "Our preparations have been very focused."
    The preparations have included an extended residency program in Vancouver during the spring and early summer, which allowed players to train and play games together while also being near family and friends. The team is training in Switzerland for three weeks prior to the tournament, which captain Christine Sinclair described as "the perfect amount of time".
    The country's all-time leading goal scorer echoed her coach on the psychological front, saying the team is in a "completely different space" than in the run-up to Germany 2011, when Canada finished with three losses and only a single goal scorer (by Sinclair herself, naturally).
    The Olympics are, indeed, a different animal, with Sinclair noting that they "can be overwhelming." But Sinclair and some of her veteran teammates led Canada into the quarterfinals of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing (narrowly losing out to the U.S. in that round), and are looking to use that experience to help themselves, and their teammates.
    "It's hard to explain how big (the Olympics are)," Sinclair said earlier this week, though she's hoping the team's core group of veterans can "give (younger players) the guidance that we didn't have four years ago."
    To that end, Herdman has established a formalized "leadership structure" within the team, wherein a select group of veteran players are tasked with running their own programs and "(taking) responsibility for their performance." While Herdman declined to identify the leadership group by name, it would be safe to assume that it includes the likes of Sinclair, Diana Matheson and Karina LeBlanc.
    But whatever structure may be in place among the players, Herdman has stressed that depth in the squad, and a sense of cohesion, are what could help see Canada through their Olympic group.
    "What we've looked at is building a culture internally around connection," said Herdman. "We've been rehearsing this stuff for three months."
    Herdman noted that the last time Canada grabbed victory from a Tier 1 team in a major tournament came in 2003, in their upset win over China at the World Cup. Could a similar upset happen at this tournament? Herdman seems to think so, saying his team has united around "one uncompromising goal, which is the podium at the Olympics."
    And as for the captain, the team's on- and off-field leader? She's looking at it the same way.
    "I have no doubt that we can beat any team, any day," said Sinclair. "Can we do it consistently, in a big tournament? We'll see."
    Indeed we will. Eleven days till Japan. But first, New Zealand.
    .
    Guest

    An early look at TFC under Mariner

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    There is little doubt that Toronto FC's season needs to be looked at in two parts. The Aron Winter 1-9 part and Paul Mariner's contribution.
    It's still early in the latter, but Toronto has been far more competitive under the former Revs' assistant. How competitive? Let's look.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Caveat: I'm in NO WAY trying to make an argument with these numbers. It's too small of a sample size at this point. However, it is entertaining to look at and it does illustrate one thing – how competitive TFC has been during the period looked at. You can speculate what that means moving forward, but we won't do that here.
    The MLS standings since Mariner's appointment.
    East
    Chicago – 10 points
    Toronto – 10
    New England – 9
    Montreal – 9
    Philly – 9
    Kansas City – 9
    Houston – 8
    DC United – 6
    New York – 4
    West
    Vancouver – 11
    Galaxy – 9
    San Jose – 9
    Salt Lake – 8
    Portland – 6
    Seattle – 6
    Chivas – 5
    Colorado – 4
    Dallas – 2
    Poor Julian.
    Guest
    Friday the 13th. Unlucky for some. Especially unlucky if you've just forked out for a brand new Whitecaps Sebastien Le Toux strip.
    The Whitecaps shocked MLS this afternoon when they announced that they had traded striker Le Toux to New York Red Bulls for Jamaican international midfielder Dane Richards and some allocation money.
    Davide Chiumiento's transfer to FC Zurich on Wednesday had been rumoured for a couple of weeks, so didn't come as that much of a surprise. Le Toux's trade to New York though was a complete bolt out of the blue.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Le Toux only came to Vancouver at the end of January following another surprise trade with Philadelphia Union, but he made an immediate impact, scoring against Montreal on his debut after just 181 seconds.
    He went to score four goals, and record one assist, in 19 MLS appearances for the Caps this season, and scored two goals in three Voyageurs Cup games.
    The Frenchman had been a regular fixture in Vancouver's starting eleven and it was only up until recently that he had played every minute of every MLS game for his new club.
    In recent weeks though his form had dipped and he struggled to play in the style and system that Martin Rennie was adopting. At times, he looked a little lost out there.
    He never really gelled with either Camilo or Eric Hassli on the pitch. The 'French Connection' we had all been excited about seeing pre-season never got past the design stage.
    After looking so good at the start of the season. Le Toux's scoring touch had deserted him, as did his passing ability. There were too many passes going astray and he was more of a liability defending at times than an asset.
    With his contract expiring at the end of the season, and the likelihood of the Caps needing to offer him a pay rise to keep him in Vancouver, this is an excellent move by the Club.
    His workrate will be missed and so will his presence. We wish him all the best in the next stage of his career.
    So what about our newest Whitecap?
    In Dane Richards, the Caps are bringing in a hard-working midfielder, with pace, flair, experience and a love for attacking, especially up the right wing.
    He is another player with a little bit of a reputation for giving the ball away, and his decision making can be a bit suspect. He is not a straight replacement for Chiumiento in terms of what skills he can bring to the table.
    What he is though is someone who knows what MLS is about and has performed well in it for the past five and a half years.
    The great Dane will bring dogged determination to the pitch and chase down balls all day long. Will Rennie have him on a tight leash? Or will he be free to tear up the wing?
    We might find out immediately as Richards is flying to join the team in Chicago and will be available to play against the Fire tomorrow evening.
    147 appearances for the Red Bulls have brought 21 goals and 26 assists. We were bemoaning the loss of one of the Caps few exciting players yesterday. Richards may bring a little of that and on a more consistent basis.
    Although he is a Jamaican international (8 goals in 37 appearances), he does not take up an international spot as he has his green card and will count as a domestic.
    That's the good news. The bad news is that we risk losing both him and Darren Mattocks to international duty when the next round of World Cup qualifiers come around.
    Welcome aboard Dane. We hope you're excited about lifting the MLS Cup in December.
    So what is next for the Caps?
    Any more trades likely with Eastern teams? We're certainly not going to give up any of our players to Western Conference rivals.
    They have cleared three roster spots (Boxall, Chiumiento and Tan), freed up an international place, taken some dollars off their annual wage bill, and got a wad of allocation money. Something is clearly afoot and hopefully it's in the creativity department.
    With two regular starters now gone, you have to think that the Caps are going to act fast and you have to think and that's it going to be an impact signing. Maybe even one with some esteem.
    With two huge Western Conference clashes coming up next week against LA and San Jose, getting their chosen player(s) in place before then, is almost a must.
    We'll just have to sit back now and see what the next few days bring.
    For those of you unfamiliar with Dane Richards, here's a short highlight reel of him in action:
    <center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BZxSSgrbzuQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center>
    <p>
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