Three questions with Eighty Six Forever of Whitecaps FC

RSL Soapbox) Are the Whitecaps the best team in MLS and what is their Achilles heal?

86 Forever) Simply put, no. At least, not in my opinion. The Vancouver Whitecaps have the pieces to become the best team in the league, but right now they're plagued by inconsistency. The backline, though better in recent weeks, has been disjointed all season long. Kendall Waston has been usual stellar self at Center Back, but Pa Modou Kah has been inconsistent, Diego Rodriguez hasn't played well enough, and Tim Parker and Christian Dean are very young, so they haven't found a concrete partner for him. The team has decent depth at left and right back, and perhaps the best defensive midfield in the league. However, the attacking midfield hasn't scored regularly enough, and same goes for the strikers. If the 'Caps can remedy all those problems, they will be the best team in MLS, and I believe the personnel on hand is capable of getting there. ,That being said, they need to take that next step.

RSL Soapbox) Darren Mattocks has played comparatively few minutes this season in MLS play. Why is that?

86 Forever) Darren has always had maturity issues, but a recent chat with Bob Lenarduzzi revealed how happy the club is with his progress in that regard this season. He's been more accepting of the concept of a team game, and is working hard when he is getting minutes. That being said, it's a crowded roster, and the 'Caps generally play with one striker up top. That is almost always Octavio Rivero, meaning Mattocks is fighting for playing time in a position he's not totally comfortable in, on the wings. Guys like Kekuta Manneh, and Cristian Techera are just some of the names that are ahead of him on the depth chart.

RSL Soapbox) How many RSL players does the average Vancouver Whitecaps fan know by name?

86 Forever) I would say the average Whitecaps fan has a pretty good general knowledge of MLS, and RSL has plenty of star power on their roster. Kyle Beckermann, Javier Morales, and Nick Rimando would probably generate the most name recognition among our faithful.

For RSL Soapbox's answers to Three Questions, visit Eighty Six Forever