The Vancouver Whitecaps weren’t supposed to be here, perched on top of the Western Conference.
They lost Stuart Armstrong, a key Designated Player, over the offseason. Star attacker Ryan Gauld has missed the last month with a knee injury. They’re still alive in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarter-finals, and Concacaf success and regular season success don’t tend to mix well for MLS teams. And yet, here they are. On top of the West. The Vancouver Whitecaps.
Fresh off a dominant 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, the ‘Caps are playing at an eye-catching 2.3 points per game pace, not least because new manager Jesper Sørensen has overhauled their tactical setup.
Gone are the days of Vanni Sartini’s…