Posted by

Michele Tossani ,

August 24, 2014 Twitter:

@MicheleTossani

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Flexibility and options for Vancouver's attack found with Rosales trade

For Vancouver Whitecaps supporters, this week was highlighted by the recent trade made by the club, sending former Premier League star Nigel Reo-Coker to Chivas USA for Argentine Mauro Rosales.

Although this swap didn’t produce immediate results, as the Withecaps lost 2-0 to Los Angeles Galaxy at StubHub Center, Vancouver’s hopes are that the former Seattle Sounder and Chivas USA player will make an impact as soon as possible with his new team. The 33-year old attacking midfielder has recorded the second most assists in MLS since 2001 with 42. He started 16 games this season for Chivas USA, recording 8 assists. In Rosales, Carl Robinson has brought on a different kind of player compared to Reo-Coker. In fact, while Reo-Coker is more of a holding midfielder, a defensive-minded player suited to receive the ball in the middle of the pitch, Rosales is a creative, offensive playmaker, able to provide some nice through balls, as his stats and performances have clearly shown. A man with great passing skills, Rosales is a difference maker -- as Robinson called him -- that can do everything with the ball on his feet. He produced 31.5 average touches per game with Chivas USA, with a 77.5 per cent of successful passes. Furthermore, the Argentine midfielder is now very comfortable in the league, as he also played three seasons for Seattle and should take little time getting himself acclimated to his new teammates in a new tactical system. As Steve Bottjer pointed out the Argentine is also a tactical weapon at the disposal of Robinson. In fact, Vancouver’s head coach could line up Rosales alongside Whitecaps playmaker Pedro Morales, creating a kind of Christmas tree or 4-3-2-1 formation. But Robison can also field Rosales out wide in a 4-2-3-1 formation, as he’s suited to play as flanker as it was the case in many Chivas USA’s games he played this season, when his then-head coach Wilmer Cabrera was asking him to break on and provide quick balls to Erick ‘Cubo’ Torres. Whatever the solution is, this move could be pivotal for the Whitecaps’ final run to the playoff as it would force their opponents to deal with no just one but two playmakers fielded together at the same time. In fact, right now, when opposition has been able to shut down Morales, they were also able to nullify Vancouver’s offensive flair. This usually happens when your offense is dependent on one player pulling all the strings. Adding the small sized Rosales to Morales should also increase opportunities for centre-forward Darren Mattocks, either via through balls or crosses although it might be obvious that 'two creative players don’t necessarily mean twice as much creativity’, as Vancouver Sun’s soccer beat writer Russell Berrisford correctly warned. The key, as usual, will be the balance and the way in which Carl Robinson installs Rosales and Morales into Whitecaps’ shape. Surely, Vancouver will have to play a bit more proactive, as things haven't been very positive offensively during the latest road games, as experienced against Chivas USA and LA Galaxy. Obviously, at 33-years old, Rosales hardly could be seen as a long term solution for the Whitecaps. But he was brought in to solve the immediate concerns - in that this is a trade made to have a short-term impact in the post-season race. With this idea in mind, despite the fact that many Whitecaps fans thought their team was looking for a finisher and not for another attacking midfielder, the arrival of Rosales surely represents an upgrade for Vancouver roster and chances at scoring goals. Michele Tossani is a football tactician with a Ph.D. in History. Michele resides in Florence, Italy and is a tactical analyst for Futbol-Tactico.com