Whitecaps 2016 position-by-position preview

The Whitecaps’ core remains the same, but they’ve made some interesting additions for the 2016 MLS season.

Here’s a look at all the players.

GOALKEEPERS

What’s to like
David Ousted is the best goalkeeper in MLS. At least, that’s what his teammates, coaches and fans believe. Lots of folks around the league, too, even though Ousted lost out to Luis Robles in a narrow vote for MLS goalkeeper of the year in 2015. But let’s please retire the “Great Dane” line. We’re better than that, aren’t we?

What’s to fear
An injury to Ousted, obviously. Are the Caps ready to let teenager Marco Carducci play a run of MLS games? Not likely. Paolo Tornaghi was let go at the end of the 2015 season but return training with the team a couple weeks ago and has now signed for the 2016 season. There’s also Spencer Richey, who is 23 and the Caps’ 61st overall pick from 2015. He’s signed to a USL deal and has done well at that level.

Go figure
4: The number of times Ousted won MLS save of the week in 2015. Andrew Wenger is still shaking his head.

Quotable
“I’m never going to be satisfied by just being the No. 1. I want to be the best goalkeeper there is, so that motivation I always have.”
— Ousted on … Ousted.

CENTREBACKS

What’s to like
Kendall Waston is one of the best centre-backs in MLS (second in voting for MLS defender of the year in 2015) and he’s still improving. He should score more given the looks he gets off corners, but he’s a mean piece of business to play against. Tim Parker enjoyed a terrific rookie season and has the work ethic and temperament to build on that, rather than let it go to his head. There’s decent depth, too, with veteran Pa-Modou Kah (a pleasant surprise last season) and Christian Dean, who has to make a breakthrough in his final season as a Generation adidas player (his salary will count towards the cap in 2017).

What’s to fear
Waston gets hurt. Waston gets suspended five times. Parker has a sophomore slump. Father time catches up to Kah. Dean doesn’t take another step when Parker goes away with the U.S. Olympic team. Some combination of all those things occurring at the same time.

Go figure
121: Aerials won by Waston in 2015, second-best in MLS. He was also second in headed clearances (133) and first in meals eaten (best guess).

Quotable
“I want people to hold me to a higher standard. I don’t want to be looked at as a rookie, or as being younger in my career. I want to develop as quickly as I can.”
— Parker on … Parker.

FULLBACKS

What’s to like
There’s more youth and pace and crossing ability, just what Carl Robinson wants out of his fullbacks. He wants them to be more involved in the attack. Portland thrived on that last season, en route to the MLS Cup title. And then there’s veteran Jordan Harvey, who is among the most consistent performers — and hardest workers — at the club.

What’s to fear
That the loss of veteran Steven Beitashour in a trade to Toronto throws the back four out of whack. That whatever added attacking flair Sam Adekugbe, Fraser Aird and Jordan Smith bring is negated by more frailty in their own end.

Go figure
116: MLS starts for Harvey in a Caps shirt, soon to pass MLS franchise leader Gershon Koffie (119), who was traded to New England.

Quotable
“You’d be crazy not to improve under Robbo (Carl Robinson), Perty (assistant coach Martyn Pert) and Gordon (Forrest). That’s a big thing for Fraser, who is still a young lad. He’ll listen and he’ll improve. He’ll do very well. He’s a great lad. Great attitude.”
— Ex-Cap Kenny Miller on new Cap Fraser Aird, his former teammate at Rangers.

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS

What’s to like
Matías Laba is really good at his job. Like, much better than you and me. He led the league in RIT last year — that’s recoveries, interceptions and tackles per 90 minutes. He’s got destroying down pat. That allows his teammates to do what they do best. Laba’s so good in that role that Carl Robinson traded Gershon Koffie and is trying all sorts of ways to get another attacking player on the park, although Russell Teibert should also get more opportunities with Koffie gone.

What’s to fear
At the risk of sounding repetitive, the Caps need Laba to stay healthy, just like Ousted and Waston and Pedro Morales. Everything else is negotiable.

Go figure
152: Tackles for Laba, which led the league. Again. And he wasn’t an all-star. Again. There’s no respect for the dirty work.

Quotable
“I think now I have one objective — to be more strong and to do hard work, but think about the baby. Everything will be for the baby.”
— Proud papa Mati Laba, who welcomed Bautista into the world a week ago.

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

What’s to like
The addition of two-time World Cup winger Christian Bolaños gives the Caps a goal-scoring midfielder and a class of player on par with Pedro Morales. If those two can develop some chemistry, look out. Morales has returned in great shape and looks ready to remind people of the player they fell for in 2014. There’s pace and trickery on the wings with Kekuta Manneh and Cristian Techera, and the Canadian kids look ready to make much more of an impact.

What’s to fear
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but if Morales gets hurt — or tries to play hurt — this team can only go so far. Last year proved that. They did pretty well without him but it caught up to them when it counted. Bolaños gives them some added protection, but no one in MLS can pass the ball like an in-form Morales.

Go figure
20-11-12: Caps record the last two seasons when Morales starts. They are 8-10-7 when he doesn’t.

Quotable
“Every footballer wants to play in a World Cup, in Champions League. It’s a great feeling to play against the best players in the world. Everything is perfect to enjoy the game.”
— Bolaños on a career that’s included a World Cup quarterfinals run in Brazil and Champions League games against Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus and Chelsea.

FORWARDS

What’s to like
The Caps made moves to address a lack of goals. They brought in Masato Kudo, who scored 92 goals in 260 games for Reysol in Japan, and Blas Pérez, who scored 36 goals in 97 MLS games over four seasons in Dallas. Octavio Rivero has much more help, so perhaps that takes some pressure off him and he thrives like the opening weeks of 2015. Pérez also adds a nasty element and a cleverness that should help them win big games.

What’s to fear
Kudo’s talent doesn’t translate from Japan to MLS. Rivero turns out to be the guy we saw struggle for goals in the second half of last season. And Pérez, who turns 35 this month, can only do so much. It turns out the Caps still lack that lethal finisher they’ve been searching for since Camilo left.

Go figure
172: Shots on goal for the Caps last year, which was third in the league. They were 11th in scoring with 45 goals. Creating chances wasn’t their problem; well, a bit down the stretch, perhaps. A lack of finish was what cost them.

Quotable
“Blas is a fighter. He’s going to get us going. (He) wants to win by any means necessary and that’s something you need to become champions, not just the technical aspect and the physical aspect, but the desire and the fight to win games.”
— Left-back Sam Adekugbe on Pérez

ROSTER KEY
G.A. (Generation adidas): Young players signed to more lucrative deals in order to encourage early entry into MLS through the SuperDraft. GA players don’t count against the salary cap.
Homegrown: Spent at least a year in the Caps’ academy system. Automatically protected in future expansion drafts (unless they’ve graduated to the senior roster, like Russell Teibert).
D.P. (Designated Player): Only a portion of their salary counts against the budget and team owners pay the rest. Teams are allowed three DPs.

Whitecaps Off-Season

Losses

Additions