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With those five out of the mix (or four, if you don’t count Adekugbe, who’s not made an appearance since returning from his loan to English club Brighton and Hove Albion), the Whitecaps’ lineup mostly writes itself.

David Ousted is always going to be the keeper, and Jordan Harvey at left back plus Tim Parker at centre back are easy picks. The other centre back on Wednesday could be Christian Dean, who’s back from injury, or Andrew Jacobson, who made a pair of appearances there when Waston was out with an injury suffered in June while playing for his country. At right back, again, it’s either impressive rookie Jake Nerwinski or Sheanon Williams, who had been a solid contributor before the team suspended him in the wake of a court appearance.

Waston stirs the backline drink, but that’s still a solid foursome.

In midfield, Matias Laba will assuredly be there as the heat-seeking defensive missile, plus Christian Techera wide on the right, and, you presume, Bolaños wide left. Tony Tchani has proved to be a midfield mainstay and if Jacobson is deployed as a defender, you could see him partnered by Laba and Yordy Reyna handed his first start as a attacking playmaker, sitting behind Fredy Montero.

The other option is to play Bolaños centrally, with Tchani, and Brek Shea out wide, pushing Reyna to the bench.

If the veteran playmaker weren’t in the mix, the lineup would write itself — at least for the Galaxy game. With the handful of Gold Cuppers possibly returning in time for next Sunday’s home match against Portland, Robinson’s dilemma will be lessened, but he’s also dealing with a fuller stable than a motn ago, with Bernie Ibini, Nico Mezquida and Erik Hurtado all returning to health.