Whitecaps Continue Playoff Push vs. Seattle

Down the Stretch

The Vancouver Whitecaps still remain two points ahead of FC Dallas for the fifth and final playoff spot in the west, but their grasp on a playoff berth is slipping. The Whitecaps head into Saturday’s crucial home game riding a six-game winless streak that included five consecutive losses before last weekend’s draw. Vancouver is 0-1-1 in two games against Seattle this season and is pegged at +185 against the Sounders (+125) this time around. The draw is priced at +205.

Close to the Vest

Vancouver coach Martin Rennie told reporters earlier this week that he has a “pretty good idea” about what his starting lineup and strategy would look like for the match. That doesn’t mean he has any notion of sharing those thoughts with the media. His biggest decision is likely in goal. Brad Knighton has relegated 37-year-old veteran Joe Cannon to the bench for the last three games. Knighton has played well, despite allowing five goals, but hasn’t put the Whitecaps in the win column yet.

Pushing the Issue

The Whitecaps used strikers Kenny Miller and Darren Mattocks together last week and finally saw a little life from the offence. Vancouver scored twice in a five-minute span – including another from Miller – during the 2-2 draw with Colorado. Those two goals were double the club’s output over its previous five matches. “I think they’ve got attributes that definitely help each other,” Rennie told reporters of his two strikers. I think with Darren’s pace and movement, if he makes a run that’s maybe not quite the right run at that time, Kenny’s got the experience and knowhow to complement that and he talks to him and communicates well with him. I think we’ve got a good opportunity if we decide to go that way.”

Put it to a Vote

The Seattle Sounders are making history off the pitch. They are believed to be the first North American professional sports team to allow fans to vote on the fate of a team’s general manager. Beginning Oct. 7, season ticket holders and members of the team`s fan club will have the opportunity to vote to keep Adrian Hanauer or to explore other options. The idea was pushed forward by comedian Drew Carey, a minority owner of the club, and the Sounders do intend to let Hanauer go if “lack of confidence” prevails in this vote. The Sounders plan to have a similar vote over the GM`s fate every four years.

“I had one person say, ‘You let the fans vote? What do the fans know?’,” Carey told reporters. “That was exactly the phrase. And I go, ‘Well, the fans know as much as the sports reporters know. The fans know if somebody isn’t doing a good job. Everybody knows.’”

Prediction

The Whitecaps finally showed some life moving forward last week against Columbus, so look for Rennie to go with two strikers again Saturday. At this point you have to think it’s going to be the 27-year-old Knighton minding the goal and he might just get his first win of the season here. Final score: Vancouver 1, Seattle 0.