Big, nasty central defenders can be a nightmare for attacking players, and Whitecaps FC are hoping new signing Martín Bonjour is just that.

Last Friday, the club signed the hulking Argentine, who stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 190 pounds, to bolster a backline which conceded the third-most goals in Major League Soccer last season.

“It’s no secret that one of the areas we needed to shore up was central defence,” Whitecaps FC president Bob Lenarduzzi said. “What we needed there was someone with real bite, with size who can operate from both offensive and defensive set plays, and give us a chance of negating goals, and at the other end, scoring them.”

Head coach Martin Rennie mentioned the possibility of a partnership between Bonjour and captain Jay DeMerit during an video interview on whitecapsfc.com shortly after the signing was announced, and all signs point to the 26-year-old being given a real chance as a starter.

“We see him as someone as being a bit of a linchpin in the middle of the defence for us,” Lenarduzzi said. “He’s someone who’s going to make forwards well aware of the fact that he’s on the field, and he’s going to make it as difficult for them to perform as well as possible.”

The road less travelled

MLS released its schedule last week, and there are a few interesting notes pertinent to Whitecaps FC.

In 2012, Whitecaps FC will play their Cascadian cousins three times each. Vancouver host Seattle Sounders FC twice (May 19 and September 29) and Portland Timbers once (October 20) in three matches sure to highlight the fixture list this coming season. The home match against the Timbers could be of particular importance, as its Vancouver’s second-last regular season match.

Whitecaps FC fans should also have their first opportunity to see legendary French striker Thierry Henry in action when New York Red Bulls visit on June 20. Henry is currently on loan at English Premier League club Arsenal - where he is a club legend - but presuming he's healthy, he should be in Vancouver come June.

The unbalanced schedule means the league’s most-traveled club in league play last season will cut its travel from around 53,000 miles to around 29,000 miles.

“It will benefit Whitecaps FC the most because of where we’re situated on the MLS map, but it’s going to help every club,” Lenarduzzi said. “There’ll be less travel for everyone for the most part. That is a huge benefit, but when you look at the schedule, it’s balanced in terms of the home games we play.

“It’s a better schedule than I would have expected, quite frankly.”

Martin MacMahon covers Vancouver Whitecaps FC for MLSsoccer.com.