Vancouver Whitecaps FC have officially begun their nearly one-month long break in MLS action, after the team’s 2-1 loss this past Saturday against Houston Dynamo FC.
The ‘Caps head into the break having played seven games, amounting to a 2W-4L-1D record. With seven points, the team is currently sitting 10th in the Western Conference, and two points below the playoff line. Several clubs will be in action this coming weekend before the pause in play.
While the ‘Caps had hoped to enter the break with a few more points to their name, head coach Marc Dos Santos highlighted how quickly things could potentially turn around.
“We’re going into the break where, in our division, everything is very close to each other. If you look at the standings, the points from the last one to maybe the fourth or the third, everything is very close.”
With the MLS Cup Playoffs still months away, the club still has time to get back in the hunt.
However, Dos Santos isn’t making excuses for his team – he wants more out of his players.
“We need to step everything up even more. We need more. We need more if we want to make it, we need more if we want to do better, we need much more because mentally it’s not going to be an easy run. It will be hard so we need to push it even more.”
The ‘Caps will not play again until June 18. Their first game back will be as the road side against Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium.
When asked about how the ‘Caps plan to prepare for their next match, Dos Santos explained their primary focus during the break will be on the overall work that needs to be done.
“The match against Real Salt Lake is in a few weeks so we’ll attack that game in the right moment. But right now, what’s important is really to be clear on what’s the best way [forward] for the team and our structure,” he said.
“We have to make sure that the next three weeks we could really assess our best way of playing, review the system, to make sure that we go into [the match] against Real Salt Lake as ready as possible.”
The coach also emphasized the club is concentrating on the roster they currently have.
“It’s very important that we focus on the guys that we have here and not on possible guys that could come in after. If a new player comes in, we’ll assess that, but right now we have to focus on the guys that are here.”
They train through the end of this week before playing the first of two exhibition matches against USL League Two side Ogden City SC, then take five days off before resuming sessions on June 4. The international break provides the ‘Caps with plenty of time to reset, regroup, and decide what changes, if any, need to be made.
The Canadian men’s national team will also be in action next month, which means players could be called up for international duty during that time.
What Dos Santos made clear in his post-match interview is his team hopes to utilize their time off to come back stronger, and ready for the season to be back in full swing by mid-June.
“There is an assessment to be made, work to be done, and it’s important this break to assess everything,” he said.
