This is one in a series of team previews preparing fans for the 2023 MLS season. Check out the full list; teams will be revealed in predicted order of finish from Feb. 10-24.
What Vancouver Whitecaps FC did last year
Despite many more people learning that my daughter calls them the “Whitecap Cougars,” and getting buy-in from a delightful ‘Caps employee, they did not have a year worthy of that awesome nickname. They started incredibly slow, going 1-7-1 in their first nine matches, and after integrating d-mid Andrés Cubas into the lineup, they looked a lot better than they did initially. Still, they were only able to muster a ninth-place finish in the West after getting into the fringes of the playoff race toward season’s end.
Key additions
Defender Karifa Yao (selected through Re-Entry Draft), midfielder J.C. Ngando (Generation Adidas), defender Mathías Laborda (free)
Key departures
Midfielder Caio Alexandre (loaned to Fortaleza EC), forward Lucas Cavallini (option declined), defender Derek Cornelius (transfered to Malmö FF), goalkeeper Cody Cropper (option declined), defender Florian Jungwirth (out of contract, retired and joined Whitecaps coaching staff), defender Jake Nerwinski (option declined, moved to St. Louis City)
Making the case for Vancouver Whitecaps FC
There’s quite a bit to like about this Whitecaps team, starting with head coach Vanni Sartini, one of the brightest and most fun leaders in MLS. And though Lucas Cavallini seems like a big loss on paper, his exit might work out to be a classic case of addition by subtraction. There are also two big moves in the work that will make the “key additions” part of this look much more impressive than it currently does. If the ‘Caps do land Yokohama F. Marinos goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka and current RSL striker Sergio Cordova, this offseason just got a whole lot better. And this is a team that got to the playoffs in 2021, after all, with Ryan Gauld at the heart of what they are.
Players to watch
Get ready for a Pedro Vite breakout year! The young Ecuadorian will get a chance to shine in what’s effectively a dual No. 10 system, with Vite and Gauld sharing playmaking duties. Speaking of breakouts, Gauld could use one as well, because he’s much better than his numbers show, and if the ‘Caps have any chance at the playoffs this year, it would sure help to have the Scottish Messi produce to his capabilities.
A nerdy tidbit
To give you a sense of how frustrating 2022 was for the Whitecaps, they were dead last in possession according to FBref, only keeping the ball 41.9 percent of the time, and only led D.C. United in xG, coming in at a league near-low of 38.3 (plus part of a three-way tie for last in xAG, or expected assisted goals).
A fun tidbit
If you’re not following Coach Ultras, what are you waiting for? This teen-run fan account is essentially a Whitecaps fan creating simple tifos in his basement and documenting confetti throws following wins for either the ‘Caps or the Canadian national teams. It’s glorious in its simplicity and earnest joy.
Couch Zone x World Cup #canmnt @thevoyageurs #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/N7LhgJD56C
— Couch Ultras 🛋 (@CouchUltras) December 1, 2022
*cries in World Cup*
Projected finish
11th in the West
While we’re not as split as we were in the 2022 panel – where predictions ran the gamut from 4th to 13th — we’re not collectively predicting great things for Vancouver this time around. Which is a shame, because nice coach, nice collection of talent, nice city. But even a top J-League goalkeeper and a legit goalscorer might not be enough to keep up in a Western Conference arms race they’re clearly losing.
