Season preview: Whitecaps hope roster overhaul will return team to playoffs for 2nd straight season
Matthew Black | CBC News | Posted: March 4, 2018 5:00 PM | Last Updated: March 4, 2018
Forwards Kei Kamara, Anthony Blondell among off-season additions brought in to boost club's slumping scoring
When asked how the Vancouver Whitecaps need to improve this year, team president Bob Lenarduzzi keeps it simple.
"We need to score a few more goals and we need to concede less."
It won't be easy improving a 2017 season that saw the team finish third in the conference, lose back-to-back matches just once, and win its first MLS playoff game a year after missing the post-season entirely.
But the team also disappointed in the Canadian Championship and Cascadia Cup. And a fizzling 2-0 playoff loss to rival Seattle soured the season's end and ushered in a roster overhaul.
"We feel again like we've addressed some positions we needed to," said Lenarduzzi of the team's off-season.
"We achieved some things [last year], in particular the playoff win, we hadn't done before, so that's a good place to build from."
The club is counting on that series of new recruits to supersede the departure of several of last year's big names, and return the team to the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
When the season opens at home Sunday against Montreal, the team will have at least seven new starters in the lineup compared to opening day last season.
"We feel like we've made some changes that will make us a better team," Lenarduzzi said.
Off-season overhaul
Longtime Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted, midfielder Matia Laba and defenders Jordan Harvey and Tim Parker were among those to leave a roster that also lost leading scorer Fredy Montero.
Also gone are defenders Cole Seiler and Sheanon Williams; midfielders Christian Bolanos, Nosa Igiebor, Matias Laba, Ben McKendry, Mauro Rosales, Tony Tchani; and striker Kyle Greig.
Coming in are 11 new players, most notably MLS veteran forward Kei Kamara and Venezuelan striker Anthony Blondell, signed to help a squad that finished middle-of-the-table in goals scored.
"The squad has got stronger," said manager Carl Robinson. "I think we have different characteristics of players."
The team also added Brazilian midfielder Felipe, English Premier League veteran Jordon Mutch, utilityman Efrain Juarez and former Canadian national team defender Doneil Henry.
"It gives us a little flexibility. The competition is very strong in all areas of the field," Robinson said.
Fan expectations
Fans are cautiously optimistic that the new season will bring with it a more exciting brand of soccer.
"We weren't playing engrossing eye-catching football," Vancouver Southsiders president Aaryn Vivian said of last season.
Vivian is worried about a backline that's led by captain Kendall Waston, but that has also seen three key members Ousted, Harvey and Parker depart last year.
"Waston is going to be a huge contributor this season, but he's only one guy. There's only so much we can expect."
Fans have had to endure seeing arguably the team's four closest rivals win the MLS Cup the last four seasons.
Vivian is hopeful the new faces will bring with them a new attitude.
"They've definitely added this leadership on the pitch we've been lacking for a while," she said
"You want to see electric goals, you want to see those highlight reel scoring chances — and with these additions I think we will."
The team expects to both sell-out Sunday's game and set a club record for a home opener with more than 27,000 fans anticipated to fill the lower bowl of BC Place.
The Whitecaps kick-off their 2018 season against Montreal at BC Place just after 3 p.m. PT.
With files from the Canadian Press