By Benjamin Harrison (@NimajnebKH)

On September 19th, 2015 the Vancouver Whitecaps led the race for the MLS Supporters’ Shield. From then, the team fell victim to an almost-comical trend of league leaders performing like cellar dwellers, collecting five points from their last six games and backing into the playoffs (inasmuch as a second seed can back into anything). Vancouver bowed out of the playoffs on their own turf, losing 2-0 against Portland to follow up on a scoreless draw down south, landing only 5 of 22 shots on target over the two-leg series. At their best, the Whitecaps are a dangerous counterattacking team that overwhelms opposing defenses with an athletic attacking midfield and aggressive passing (note the high total shot ratio of 0.532). At their worst, the team looks much the same… but wastes the ball with poor shot selection and lost possession (note the possession ratio at 0.469, third worst in the league).

2015 in Review

Drew’s 2015 ASA preview called attention to a young and promising attack, but raised questions concerning Vancouver’s defensive strength with a new pair of centerbacks. Ultimately, the Whitecaps defense significantly improved from 2014, ranking second in goals allowed and first in xGA, on the strength of Matias Laba, Kendall Waston, and an outstanding year from goalkeeper David Ousted. Waston and Laba together account for roughly 34-35% of the team’s defensive actions (excluding recoveries and fouls), reflecting the former’s physical dominance (particularly in the air) and the latter’s exceptional activity rate in the defensive midfield. No individual attacker stepped up as a consistent scoring threat across the full season, with streaky production from forward Octavio Rivero and midfielders Kekuta Manneh, Pedro Morales, and Christian Techera.

Goalkeeper and Defense

Young Canadian Fraser Aird appears to have won the starting right-back job to replace the departing Steven Beitashour. Aird is described as offensively-minded, which should fit as a like-for-like replacement for Beiashour, but this is likely to be a positional downgrade in the short term. Tim Parker takes the full-time centerback role alongside Waston after collecting 16 respectable starts in his rookie season. Jordan Harvey at left-back improved in duel wins and chance creation over his 2014 performance, and looks to feature regularly on the flank for the sixth straight year. Overall, the adjustment of Aird and Parker will determine whether Vancouver can maintain or even improve upon its strong defensive numbers from last year. The return of Ousted, Waston, and Laba likely ensures a solid performance.

Midfield