Centers of attention: Back-line quartet have been a steadying influence for the Whitecaps to start the season


The Vancouver Whitecaps haven’t won a game yet, but there’s still positives to be had — like the play of their centreback group, including Tristan Blackmon, whose early returns have eclipsed the clever manoeuvring the Caps did to acquire him.

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The Vancouver Whitecaps have been without Erik Godoy through the first two games of the season, and will miss him in their third, this weekend due to an ongoing calf issue.

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Yet, without the stability of veteran presence and his cyclonic defensive abilities, the centerbacks — sorry, ‘middle fullbacks,’ as per coach Vanni Sartini — have still been the most impressive position group for the Caps this year.

Incongruent as it seems with the 4-0 score line, Sartini lauded the performances of the CB trio of Tristan Blackmon, Ranko Veselinovic and — for 57 minutes, anyways — Jake Nerwinski against Columbus. The next week, Flo Jungwirth rotated in for a suspended Nerwinski, but the group didn’t miss a beat, holding defending champs NYCFC scoreless despite being on the downslope of possession the entire game.

“We understand each other. We practiced a lot… we did a good pre-season, and all of our center backs understand each other,” said Veselinovic. “Whoever we play, we know the principles and we just do it. It doesn’t matter who plays.”

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Blackmon is the only true newcomer to the group, with Jungwirth joining the club in the August transfer window from San Jose and establishing himself as a regular in the starting XI down the stretch and into the playoffs. It took some time in pre-season for Blackmon to adjust to the Whitecaps system, even though he was a regular starter at both center and right back for the Black and Gold.

“He had some trouble at the beginning adopting the new ideas,” said Sartini. “In LA, they were playing a completely different way of defending much more man related than zonal related. So at the beginning it was a little bit hard. In the first couple of weeks he was OK, trying to adapt, but now he’s much more in the system and he’s putting his quality for the team.”

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NEXT GAME

saturday

Vancouver Whitecaps (0-1-1, 13th West) vs. Houston Dynamo (0-1-1, 11th West)

3:30 pm, PNC Stadium. TV: TSN1/4. Radio: AM730


Axel Schuster had inquired about Blackmon in the off-season, but backed off after doing the mental math about who LAFC could protect in the expansion draft. So instead of paying a transfer fee to their division rivals, he dipped into his stock of GarberBucks — US$350,000 in 2022 GAM and US$125,000 from 2023’s quota — and sent it to Charlotte, who happily plucked him off LA’s roster in the expansion draft and traded him to Vancouver.

The Caps’ sagacious horse trading looks even shrewder after the second game, when Blackmon was a stalwart breakwater the waves of NYCFC attacks broke upon. The 6-foot-1, 25-year-old had a game-best 11 clearances, was a perfect nine-for-nine in duels — he remains the only player on the roster to win every aerial he’s been tested in this season — all while granting exactly zero fouls.

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Blackmon’s speed and ability to cover ground, while also being technical and capable of driving the ball forward, is a seamless fit for Sartini’s three-man system and he’s been the main conduit in the buildup since the back this season.

Of Whitecaps players, he has the most overall touches, most in the defensive third, attempted and completed more passes, and only wingback Cristian Dajome has connected on more passes into the final third.

“I think it’s a good group of guys. We want to work, we want to help the team whatever way we can, and I think the guys have stepped up in that position,” he said. “Obviously, results haven’t gone our way yet, but it’s a process and buying into the process is a very big part of establishing a good team.

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“I’ve played right back, I’ve played centerback, I’ve even played forward some points in my career. I have a little bit of flair in there sometimes,” he grinned, describing how he fits in.

“I think Flo is a very strong defender, he has been in leagues for a long time. So he’s very well versed as a veteran. And then, Ranko, even as a young guy, very courageous, loves to win balls. So I think we definitely help each other a lot.”

Saturday’s game with the Houston Dynamo will be a different test than their first two games this season. The Texas club is a well-organized counterpunching team that doesn’t press as aggressively as Columbus or New York. But their speed on the flanks is something the Caps will have to watch for, especially after the Crew exposed some flaws in their wide defensive organization in Week 1.

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“We need goals and that’s our main focus, but still we will continue to practice our block and our defence,” said Veselinovic. “They’re really good in transition. They have fast players … and then understand it’s a big field; they love that field. And it’s a big advantage for them. So we need to be focused on the game. We need to be careful when we attack.”

“They play a very elegant 4-3-3 and different than the first two teams that we played,” added Sartini. “They look a little less intense, they are less aggressive in the pressure. … They wait for the (other) team, and then they try to counter and when they have the ball, try to expose you behind (your back line).

“So we expect that but we need to have our minds open because like us, they come from two games that they didn’t score any goals. So maybe they have that urgency to try to put some points in the score.

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“We feel a little bit (of urgency) but it’s not that we are with the water on our throat and we are we are drowning, but I would love to win on Saturday.”

FRESH FACES

There was a new face between the sticks for the Whitecaps in training on Thursday: former US youth international and MLS veteran Cody Cropper.

The former New England Revolution, Houston Dynamo and FC Cincinnati keeper was with Memphis 901 on loan from Cincy last year, but was waived after the season. He also has European experience, suiting up Premier League side Southampton, but injuries cut short his time overseas.

The 29-year-old arrived in Vancouver on Wednesday for a trial, and had his first training session with Thomas Hasal and Isaac Boehmer under Youseff Dahha on Thursday.

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“He’s a guy that has experience in MLS, a guy that played games,” said Sartini. “He’s a guy that I really liked the first day here and he was immediately a good fit in the group. So he’s training with us now for a few days, and if we keep seeing the things that we are seeing from the first day, I think he’s gonna stay with us.”

WHITE WATCH

Brian White joined the team for training on Thursday, but his status for Saturday’s game wasn’t finalized. He had missed practice with an injury to his lower right leg this week, but took part in the light training and set piece work on Thursday.

“The official call will be done tomorrow,” said Sartini. “Normally, the game-minus-two (days) is the lightest strain of the week, so we didn’t put him under stress with a lot of contact and a lot of change of direction, striking the ball. So tomorrow he will do the full training with us, and if he responds well, he will be traveling with us and be an option for the game.”

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