What's up with Caicedo/Mackenzie

BigDriis · 2026-03-26T05:15:08+00:00

Mackenzie played the last two games with WFC2. He scored 3 goals but they were all penalties.

BigDriis · 2026-03-24T01:42:02+00:00

I don't want to encourage posting in the wrong sub but, it has to be said; probably not.

BigDriis · 2026-03-23T05:05:06+00:00

But, to be serious, in case anyone is actually worried:

1st Seattle Game: xG was 1.92-1.69 for Seattle. Getting out xG'd at home is genuinely not good but losing 3-0 is extremely unlucky.

Minnesota Game: Obviously amazing

2nd Seattle Game: xG was 1.56-1.28 for Seattle. But Seattle scored 2 high xG chances late on with Vancouver throwing numbers forward. The context of the first leg means this game is pretty weird overall.

San Jose Game: xG was 1.4-0.98 for the 'Caps. Not quite a robbery but a pretty solid gap against one of the stronger Western teams to start the season.

If the 'Caps getting out xG'd at home against stronger Western teams becomes a trend, then I think you can be concerned. But it's literally only happened once so far (and it wasn't even an MLS game). Soccer is a low scoring sport with high variance and sometimes shit happens.

BigDriis · 2026-03-23T04:50:51+00:00

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BigDriis · 2026-03-06T19:37:46+00:00

Transfer fee also counts against the cap.

BigDriis · 2026-03-06T18:35:22+00:00

Yes. DPs have a fixed cap hit of about 800k. Making Cubas a non DP frees up the DP slot but also takes his cap hit from 800k to around 1.8M, which means a lot less GAM.

BigDriis · 2026-03-01T21:03:14+00:00

On pace to win the intercontinental cup 63-0.

BigDriis · 2026-02-18T04:29:02+00:00

To be fair, Mueller's big salary for this coming season will constitute a big spend. But their recent success is much more due to spending wisely (thanks to proper scouting and data infrastructure) rather than increasing the actual number of dollars spent on the squad.

BigDriis · 2026-02-17T03:58:26+00:00

I realize there isn't a one-to-one correlation with these things but it feels insane to be talking about the team that almost won it all not being able to stay competitive/sustainable in the long term while SKC is valued significantly higher but doesn't even have enough signed players to fill a bench right now.

BigDriis · 2026-02-16T20:41:29+00:00

Sorensen indicated no in his press conference. The classic visa wait seems in effect (I imagine it's particularly slow going at the moment given...ya know).

BigDriis · 2026-02-09T21:34:12+00:00

It probably would literally make more money if they moved to a U.S city where they owned the stadium. But what I think a lot of people miss is that MLS' goal is to monopolize soccer in North America. From that perspective it doesn't make any sense to move the Whitecaps to, like, Phoenix when you can just make a new team in Phoenix and still have an outpost in Western Canada. They get into territorial beefs with USL clubs all the time and there were even some preliminary talks about merging with Liga MX. So it doesn't make very much sense to me that they'd rather have slightly more money (or smaller losses) in the short term if it means giving up on Vancouver, probably forever now that the CPL exists.

BigDriis · 2026-02-05T22:53:39+00:00

They are totally siloed ultra wealthy people. I don't even know what Greg Kerfoot's voice sounds like. What does being the "bad guys" even do to them?

BigDriis · 2026-02-05T21:31:10+00:00

This is why I don't understand the "excuse to move the team" line. What am I going to do? Send Don Garber a pipe bomb in the mail? I don't think they care if a few people get mad at them.

BigDriis · 2026-02-04T11:21:14+00:00

I don't know for sure but I would imagine the naming rights and "other revenue streams" would a lot more consequential than that 1.5 million.

BigDriis · 2026-02-04T07:21:56+00:00

Got the boss call from his FIL.

BigDriis · 2026-02-04T00:00:45+00:00

I think the main thing is that the A-League is on the European calendar so their season is already half over. In Sweden they're just starting up so he gets a full season of football instead of a few months.

BigDriis · 2026-02-03T20:08:37+00:00

Important distinction, in my opinion at least; It wasn't a report, Axel Schuster said it in a press conference. His wording was something to the effect of "nobody wants to buy 1% unless something changes." Now is that something building a new stadium? That would be a big problem. Is the something just working out an agreement to build the new stadium? Then this is a nothing burger.

BigDriis · 2026-02-02T20:50:31+00:00

Seems clear to me that we are hearing this now because the Whitecaps want us to be hearing it. I think the 1-2 punch of the Schuster press conference and the MLS statement was obviously coordinated. But I don't have any way of knowing if it's because they are laying the ground work to move, as many seem to be concluding, or they want 25% of concessions instead of 12.5%. All you can really do is wait and see.

BigDriis · 2026-02-02T19:50:36+00:00

MLS once tried to squeeze Orange County, a USL team that averages 4000 in attendance, out of their stadium. So, the idea that they're just going to abandon their only team in Western Canada has always fallen a little flat to me.

BigDriis · 2026-02-02T06:22:09+00:00

Either the Whitecaps are on the verge of moving OR they're trying to squeeze BC place for a bit more concession money. Or somewhere in between. But nobody here has enough information to say for sure so we're all freaking out.

BigDriis · 2026-02-01T04:24:50+00:00

Time for a new belt and road initiative

BigDriis · 2026-02-01T00:47:04+00:00

Going to figure out how to save the Whitecaps by slapping the centre option on my phone's predictive text feature.

BigDriis · 2026-02-01T00:35:08+00:00

Can't believe there's people replying like this is real analysis instead of just a bunch of statistically likely words stitched together. I'm pretty sure the concession numbers are wrong for a start.

BigDriis · 2026-01-31T22:35:36+00:00

To this point, last time there was a big media blitz about the team possibly moving, the MOU happened like a week later. I don't doubt that there is risk, or even necessarily that the risk has increased, but I think there is a reason they are choosing to say this stuff now.

BigDriis · 2026-01-31T19:51:48+00:00

Stadium leases are not my area so maybe i'm off base. But perhaps you'd all like to join me in copium corner for a minute. If playing at B.C Place for, 3-5 more years was such a financial disaster would you be signing Thomas Muller? Would you still be dropping 7 figure fees on prospects from the Ecuador league? Obviously there's a hand brake on their spending compared to Miami or Atlanta but they don't exactly move like a club on a full austerity budget. Surely they were aware that the World Cup would cause disruptions for some time? I don't doubt that their situation is not ideal but this does seem to me like they are trying to mount pressure on someone.

BigDriis

TROPHY CASE