Changes loom for Whitecaps after strong finish

Giles Barnes did what he was supposed to do – several weeks too late.

Barnes scored two goals, including the winner, as the Vancouver Whitecaps concluded their disappointing 2016 Major League Soccer season on Sunday with a resounding 4-1 victory over the surprisingly inept Portland Timbers.

The goals, which came before more than 24,000 fans at B.C. Place Stadium, were Barnes’ first for the Whitecaps.

“It’s important to stay away from the goals but (focus on) how well the team performed in general,” said Barnes. “It’s great to end the season with the Caps fans (having) something to shout about. It’s been a very up-and-down season. But it gives them a bit of excitement for next year and something to really look forward to.”

As Barnes suggested, the Whitecaps offered fans some hope for 2017 after missing the playoffs this season. The striker’s goals offered a taste of what could have been if Vancouver had a dangerous scorer throughout the season – and clearly showed what they need.

A dependable striker.

It remains to be seen whether Barnes can provide the offensive consistency that the Caps need. The 28-year-old London native arrived in a trade from Houston with impressive credentials, but he failed to make up for the departure of former designated player Octavio Rivero, who was transferred to Chile’s Colo-Colo.

Barnes’ showing was not what Caps management or fans expected of someone who had scored 31 goals and added 14 assists in 113 MLS regular-season appearances and had also produced in the English Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, and CONCACAF Champions League. In addition, Barnes helped two English Championship clubs earn promotion to the EPL and saw extensive action with the Jamaican national team after debuting in March 2015.

Barnes said it took him a while to adjust to playing in Vancouver.

“Obviously, I knew that I was being (crossed) out of Houston,” he said. “I hadn’t played for a while. I was in a (Vancouver) hotel for weeks. It was pretty unsettling, and then flying away to Jamaica and trying to find my rhythm. And then when you don’t score a goal after a few games, the confidence is a little bit low, but I know what I’m capable of, and the coach (Carl Robinson) and everyone can see what I’m capable of. I’ve produced the last five years I’ve been here (in MLS).

“It’s one of those things: Once I knew I’d got one (goal), I could add to it from there.”

Barnes scored Vancouver’s first two goals, in the 13th and 32nd minutes, following Portland giveaways. First, he fired home a Fraser Aird cross from the right flank that deflected off a Timbers defender. Then Barnes took the ball from a Portland player on the left wing, coasted into the Timbers’ box and beat goalkeeper Tim Gleeson with a low shot to the far post.

Barnes helped the Whitecaps claim the Cascadia Cup, a fan-created trophy based on in-season games between Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. He also helped the Caps deny Portland a playoff berth after the Timbers ousted the Caps from the 2015 post-season en route to winning the MLS Cup.

But Barnes and the rest of Vancouver’s effort must be viewed realistically. As Portland coach Caleb Porter indicated, the Timbers were terrible. A defender passed the ball right to Pedro Morales for Vancouver's third goal in the 54th minute and Nicolas Mezquida easily steered the ball around a Portland player before scoring Vancouver’s final goal a minute later.
While Portland’s showing was stunningly bad, the Timbers struggled on the road all season. In fact, they never won a game away from Providence Park, finishing 0-11-6 outside of their confines.

And, for a rare occasion, the Whitecaps made the most of their chances, leaving one reporter to ask: Where was that performance all year?

“Good question,” replied Robinson. “If you could give me an answer, then please do.”
Robinson later added: "This performance absolutely drives me mad, because I know we've got the players to do it, but we haven't done it on a consistent basis." 

The reality is that the Whitecaps will make some key changes in the off-season. Morales, the club’s captain, is not expected to stay after a sub-par season in which he still led the team with nine goals. Some other older veteran members of the team’s core also appear likely to depart.

Robinson did not want to contemplate changes just yet. Instead, he and players pointed to successes. The Caps finished first in their CONCACAF Champions League pool, advancing beyond the group stage for the first time. They also came within seconds of winning the Canadian championship before losing on the away-goals rule to Toronto.

But defender Jordan Harvey put Sunday’s win in the proper perspective.

“This was our best performance of the year,” he said. “Unfortunately, it happened at the end of the season and not at the beginning.”

The Whitecaps can use the showing to build on next year. But it remains to be seen who will still be around to do the building.