The Vancouver Whitecaps are top of the Western Conference. What’s more, they are starting to look like a serious title contender.

 

For a team whose form has been inconsistent for much of the year, after starting the season with a rash of injuries to key players, the Whitecaps have made an almost stealthy climb to the summit.

 

Wednesday night’s comfortable 3-0 home win against Minnesota United saw the ‘Caps move into first place in the Western Conference for the first time this season, extending their unbeaten run to five games in the process.

 

It’s been quite the turnaround for the Whitecaps, who missed the playoffs last season for the first time in three years. But just what is it about this season’s squad that makes them different to previous ones? What is it this Vancouver team has that others haven’t?

“Quality,” head coach Carl Robinson stated on Wednesday. “Unfortunately you can’t turn around a team in one year. You’d like to but you just can’t”.”

Continue reading “ITS TIME TO TAKE THE WHITECAPS SERIOUSLY”

Seattle Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said that he is proud of his players so far this season.

 

He said that they had made a poor start to the season but they have recovered magnificently in recent weeks and they are performing well on the pitch.

 

He said that the players are responding well to their training and that they are performing better on the pitch. He admitted that there is still some improvement to be made at the back, but he feels that they are on the right patch.

 

He wants his players to believe in themselves as they have a great chance of winning a trophy this season. The only downside is that their opponents seem to be playing more aggressively towards them and may have found a way to slow their playing tempo.

He agrees that football is a contact sport and there are times that foul are inevitable, but he feels that his players are being targeted. He said that they need to find a way around this and he has asked his players to be quicker on the ball.

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Brian Schmetzer said that his players are all ready for the challenge and that they want to continue their performance on the pitch. He said that there is a great atmosphere in the team and that they want to win the title.

 

He believes they have the potential to achieve that, but they need to become more consistent. He said that they need to perform against the smaller teams as they do against the big sides. He said they need to become more determined and fight for every ball.

Brian Schmetzer said that the team would become stronger when the players that are currently injured get time to full training.

Players join the top flight of American club soccer the Major League Soccer (MLS) every season.

 

There is even a rave now Josef Martinez. The Venezuela international had a terrible time in Turin but has scored five goals in his first three games upon moving to the MLS.

 

Player regularly move from South America and Europe to form the bulk of the team in the MLS; happens every time! This year more players moved up domestically from the lower leagues to the MLS, according to reports.

 

NASL domestic star Christian Ramirez had scored 51 goals from 2014 to 2016 – the most for an American striker in the second division yet he was snubbed by scouts until expansion side Minnesota United signed him alongside Brent Kallman. In his 12 games in the top flight, he has scored seven times. Continue reading “MLS UNDERVALUING PLAYERS FROM LOWER DIVISIONS”