As the Vancouver Whitecaps prepare to take on the Chicago Fire at Empire Field today, it’s difficult to find a truly meaningful storyline in terms of either team as a whole.
Whitecaps head coach Tom Soehn is up against his hometown club, and he does have a very good record against them to uphold (W5 L1 T3), but with both clubs sitting in the bottom of their respective conferences, a victory will likely centre around vaguely defined “feel good” factors.
The remaining games, including this one, are not about whether these teams make the playoffs, but more about determining who will be around to compete in next year’s season. Yes, the much used “we’re playing for jobs” line comes out.
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After a very competitive week in training that saw a number of bust ups, slide tackles and the usual handbags, it’s clear to see that it’s a tryout environment out there.
Some veteran players may get the sense that this could be their last contract. Being a player on the wrong side of 30 and on a team that could potentially fall to the worst point total in Major League Soccer history could literally end a few professional soccer careers.
As desperation sets in, this match could become more competitive than you’d think, as both teams will be smelling blood and looking for a rare win. And this desperation isn’t reserved to just the players. Soehn’s formation against the Galaxy was applauded by some as a show of attacking bravery, while others described his decision to play with only one holding midfielder as tactically naïve.
While the first half displayed the potential of throwing caution to the wind, the second half demonstrated just what can happen when a team playing a fluid system encounters a disciplined veteran group with a sturdy spine.
In some ways the call up of Mustapha Jarju takes some of the decision making out of Soehn’s hands. He doesn’t have the option of playing with that formation again today with the Gambian absent, so Davide Chiumiento will likely slot in behind Eric Hassli while Peter Vagenas should step into his midfield spot alongside Gershon Koffie.
John Thorrington and Jay DeMerit look very close to returning though, and the official MLS injury report lists both players as “probable” for this match, despite DeMerit telling reporters on Friday that it “wasn’t likely” he’d play this weekend.
But, if these two players are thrown into the starting lineup and are indeed ready to play a significant part of the game, their experience and ability could provide a major upgrade and give this team a chance at claiming its third victory of the season, and for the players and coaching staff involved, perhaps a glimmer of hope that their time with the Whitecaps isn’t nearing its conclusion.
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Martin MacMahon is a broadcast journalism student at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. He covers Vancouver Whitecaps FC for a number of soccer websites.
Follow him on Twitter: @martinmacmahon