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Geplaatst: 26-12-2018 02:50:56 Onderwerp: When Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson last week |
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When Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson last week compared his new playmaker Pedro Morales to Major League Soccer standouts Diego Valeri and Federico Higuain, he was setting a very high standard for the clubs new Designated Player. Cheap Air Max Shoes Online . On Saturday, in just 25 minutes of action as a second half substitute, the Chilean midfielder showed exactly why his new manager has such high hopes. On a day when almost everything went right for Vancouver, Morales short but extremely influential performance capped a wonderful afternoon for the Whitecaps as they opened the 2014 season with a 4-1 win against the New York Red Bulls at BC Place. Robinson was quick to dampen expectations for his new look team following the victory, but the rookie head coach couldnt have asked for a better start to his managerial career as his side showed the attacking qualities he wants to be the trademark of his club. "Well be free-spirited and exciting," Robinson said in the buildup to the season opener. "I want players who can lift me to my feet." On Saturday, he certainly got that, as the Whitecaps turned on the style in the second half. Of course its far too early to draw any conclusion about how Vancouver will fare this season based on one result against a New York side that looked poor, but the initial signs are extremely encouraging. Morales started the match on the bench after a hectic travel schedule and only a couple of training sessions with his new team, but it didnt take long for the Whitecaps fans to get a glimpse of the fantastic technical ability their new signing possesses. There were a few fancy touches as well as a superb through ball for Kenny Millers second goal of the game, and then Morales scored himself in the closing stages to complete the rout. It was an impressive debut. It wasnt just Morales. There were quality performances throughout the team. Young Uruguayan Sebastian Fernandez played on the left side of the three attacking midfielders in the Whitecaps 4-2-3-1 formation and was influential throughout. He took his goal beautifully and was a creative spark, but he also worked very hard defensively. Darren Mattocks had one of his best games as a Whitecap. He didnt score, but the Jamaican international finally showed he is capable of playing the lone striker role. He has a point to prove after a disappointing 2013 season, but if his attitude is right, he has all the qualities needed to be a success. Veteran forward Kenny Miller scored twice, the second a lovely chip over the goalkeeper. Like Mattocks, Miller is playing for his future in Vancouver. The Scottish striker wants to stay with the club when his current contract expires this summer. While he wont grab the headlines for his goal-scoring performances, one of the biggest off-season upgrades for the Whitecaps has been the signing of Designated Player Matias Laba from Toronto FC. Described by Robinson as "a destroyer," the young Argentine was superb in breaking up play, protecting the back four and starting moves with excellent vision and distribution. Hes a player who will make the jobs of those around him much easier. Central defenders Jay DeMerit and Andy OBrien will benefit greatly from Labas presence, as will his midfield partner Nigel Reo-Coker who will now be able to get forward more. We saw near the end of the game what Reo-Coker is capable of when he has license to attack, assisting on the goal scored by Morales. Another big strength for the Whitecaps this season will be the depth within the squad. Along with Morales, Saturdays substitutes included attacking options Kekuta Manneh, Erik Hurtado and Nicolas Mezquida, midfielder Gershon Koffie and Honduran international defender Johnny Leveron. "Its important to start off on the right foot," said Robinson. "Its important that I keep pushing them to those standards. We did well, but there are still 33 more games to go." Now as the Whitecaps begin preparing for their first road game of the new season at Chivas USA in California next weekend, Robinson has some interesting decisions ahead. He will want to get Morales into the starting lineup as soon as possible, but after Saturdays performance, it will be difficult to leave anyone out. Vancouver Whitecaps at Chivas USA on Sunday, March 16 is live on CTV BC 2. Kickoff is 4pm PT. Cheap Air Max Shoes China . The $145.7-million Tim Hortons Field was slated to open this month, a year before it was to host all 32 mens and womens soccer competitions. The delay has forced the Hamilton Tiger-Cats football team to use a smaller facility for the first two home games of the season. Cheap Nike Air Max Wholesale . The team announced the moves before Sundays game against Houston. Shaw was 1-4 with a 4.26 ERA in 43 games for the Diamondbacks. Bergesen was claimed off waivers from Baltimore on Friday. http://www.cheapchinaairmax.com/ . Got Jacks? Pulling off a comeback for the ages, feisty Stephen F. Austin became the latest No. 12 seed to pull off an upset, tying the game on Desmond Haymons did-that-just-happen four-point play with 3. TORONTO -- When the Toronto Marlies and Grand Rapids Griffins open the AHL season next week, the rosters should look similar to the ones the Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings put on the ice Saturday night at Air Canada Centre. This was an NHL pre-season game, the finale for both teams, but it wasnt much of a dress rehearsal for the regular season. Two dozen players expected to start in the minor leagues helped decide the Leafs 3-1 win. One of those players was Toronto defenceman John-Michael Liles, who scored on the power play in the second period and picked up a primary assist in the third. Waivers could await the 32-year-old, whos likely on the outside of the Leafs picture on the blue line. "Weve got a lot of depth on the blue line, a lot of really good players -- good, young players, as well," Liles said. "Its never easy. There hasnt been a camp in my NHL career where its your position set in stone. It just makes it even tougher when youve got kids pushing you. Youve got some great, young blue-liners in this organization, and they should be proud of the camp they had." Liles has a $3.875-million salary-cap hit, and his contract has two years left on it after this one. The Leafs have Dion Phaneuf, Carl Gunnarsson, Jake Gardiner, Mark Fraser, Paul Ranger and the recently signed Cody Franson ahead of him, and thats not even counting prospect Morgan Rielly. Riellys status remains in question, and the Leafs must decide whether to keep the 19-year-old around for at least a nine-game cameo or send him back to Moose Jaw of the WHL. He was satisfied at how he acquitted himself during the pre-season, but coach Randy Carlyle wasnt revealing much when asked about Riellys chances of playing in the NHL right now. "I think Morgan Riellys very close," Carlyle said. "To say that, unequivocally, hes ready to play in the NHL is a tough question to ask and a tougher question to answer at this point. We know hes played very well for our hockey club, hes a talented young man and hes only going to get better. Those are the tough decisions that youre faced with." Carlyle also mentioned the idea of tough decisions when asked Saturday to review Liles play in his previous two pre-season games. Liles was largely a nonfactor with a plus-2 rating in those games. Toronto is over the cap ceiling and the roster the team submits Monday at 5 p.m. is expected to have fewer than 23 players. Right-winger David Clarksons 10-game suspension complicates the situation in general, but its likely nott something that factors in with Liles. Cheap Air Max For Sale. . Instead, he very well could be on the bad end of a numbers game. If nothing else, Liles may have used an afterthought of a pre-season game to show another team why he deserves a chance to stick around in the NHL. "I think every time you step on the ice youre trying to build toward something," Liles said. "For me, this is my third pre-season game, youre trying to build toward the regular season. I dont necessarily think it was a conscious thing to say, I need to go out there and assert myself. I think youre trying to build and prepare for the regular season, and thats all you can do as a player. Im no different than any other guy." Liles performance probably wont make enough of a difference within the Leafs organization, but in the long term forward Josh Leivo made a nice impression. The 2011 third-round pick who is about to embark on his first professional season scored twice Saturday and was the first star of the game on national television. "I slid under the radar my whole life, so I think today was a pretty big game for me, and hopefully I can keep it going," Leivo said. Leivos first goal, a deflection that was "a little bit of luck and a little bit of skill," was made possible by Fransons shot from the point. Unlike Liles, Franson knows he will be around Tuesday when the season opens at Montreal. But that was a late-camp development after the 26-year-old signed a one-year, $2-million deal Thursday. Goaltender James Reimers spot in the opening-night lineup isnt so secure even after a strong pre-season that wrapped up with 24 saves on 25 shots against a Red Wings team that dressed one over the minimum amount of veterans required for pre-season games. Competing with Jonathan Bernier for playing time, Reimer finished the exhibition season with a .923 save percentage. "I tried to prove myself every day in practice and preparing myself and taking care of myself off the ice," Reimer said. "I feel like Ive done the best that I can, and now its up to Randy." Carlyle already said Reimer and Bernier would split the regular seasons first two games. Who starts the season opener "probablys going to be the toughest decision," the Leafs coach said. "Those are good decisions," he said. "Its tough on coaches and tough on management to pick one guy when both have played well. But the underlying fact is its a great decision because we have 1A and 1B quality goaltenders. Both guys can start." 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