VANCOUVER, B.C. – You can pinpoint a number of reasons behind the Vancouver Whitecaps’ rise to the top of the Supporters' Shield standings. Octavio Rivero's four goals and Pedro Morales' three assists have played major roles, but a key, and perhaps underrated, part of Carl Robinson's team has been their solid defensive core.
The Whitecaps have looked to shut down their opponents, giving them no room to get shots off. It’s worked, with Vancouver holding two of its last three opponents to only one shot on target and registering three shutouts in their first five matches.
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Behind the success is the key defensive quartet that sits on the edge of Vancouver's penalty box, comprising of their two center backs and their two-man defensive midfield shield. The personnel may change from game to game, but the four have consistently put up an almost impenetrable wall both on the ground and in the air.
Midfielders Russell Teibert and Matias Laba teamed with center backs Kendall Waston and Pa Modou Kah in Vancouver’s latest match, a dominant 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy that vaulted the ‘Caps to first-place in MLS.
"You can't give good players space," Robinson told reporters. "Robbie [Keane] can destroy teams on his own and we had to make sure that didn't happen, so we did a lot of work with Mati [Laba] and Russell [Teibert] and I thought both of them were absolutely fantastic in their work rate and their tactical understanding of what we wanted from them as well.
"If you limit their best players’ space and time, and don't allow them to get shots, then you've got a good chance of winning the game if you can put the ball in the back of the net the other way."
Vancouver's defensive midfield shield has been strong, and if teams do find a way through, they’ve had their progress blocked by the center backs. That pairing is currently Waston and Kah, with offseason signing Diego Rodriguez, 2014 third-overall SuperDraft pick Christian Dean and 2015 first-rounder Tim Parker filling out the numbers.
Robinson is very bullish about his center back group, and anticipates using all five players this year as the 'Caps look to continue their early season success.
"People talk about goalscorers and finding goalscorers, but the center back position is the hardest one to find on any team," Robinson said. "When you find a good one, or good ones, it’s important you get them in to your team and get them on to your squad, and develop them.
"We’ve been very fortunate, obviously with bringing in Kendall midway through last year, and Kah coming in at the beginning of this year, and bringing in Diego as well. I still have Timmy Parker and Christian Dean, who will play parts this year. I’m happy with all five center backs I have, and I’ll carry all five center backs. You need five center backs all season. They’ve started off very well."
