Preview: Dynamo return to Vancouver without Coyle, Whitecaps look to get back on win column

Things have definitely changed since Vancouver Whitecaps FC last hosted the Houston Dynamo in Week 4 of the 2016 Major League Soccer season. A lone goal from the penalty spot proved to be the difference for a 1-0 Vancouver win on March 26.

Houston now returns without the head coach that managed them in that encounter (Coyle left the Dynamo on Wednesday), without their captain Giles Barnes (called up to international duty with Jamaica) and still winless on the road this season. The upside is Erick Torres and Boniek Garcia will be available for this encounter after missing the one on March 26 as international absences.

Vancouver, on the other hand, is looking to get back to their winning ways after a loss to rival Portland halted a three-game winning streak. The Whitecaps not only look to do that against a Houston team in disarray but also one that has never won at BC Place.

Here are the three things I’m looking for heading into #VANvHOU on Saturday:

1)  Let’s see what this Houston Dynamo is made of.

In my match preview to last week’s Dynamo encounter at Chicago, I mentioned I was eager to see what the character of the Fire would be. This week, I want to see what the Dynamo’s is. What are these players made of? Is this a team or a group of individuals? How will they react to the departure of Owen Coyle.

Like last week for the Fire, there is zero reasons why the Dynamo should win this:

• They have an abysmal 0-6-0 [W-L-T] record on the road this season and have not won on the road since July 10, 2015 in MLS play.
• They have never won in Vancouver: 0-5-0 record at BC Place with a -8 goal differential.
• They lost their head coach and one of his assistants on Wednesday night, three days before this match.
• Team captain Giles Barnes will miss this match due to international duty.
• Designated Player Erick Torres is returning from a lackluster Mexico U-23 performance at the Toulon Tournament.
• Designated Player DaMarcus Beasley is listed as probable and left last week’s match at Chicago in the 13th minute after aggravating a previous injury.

The excuses are endless for the Houston Dynamo. They have every reason to give up the three points and, although fans will be disappointed and more so frustrated, no one would be surprised with another loss on the road.

That’s just it with the Dynamo though. They have to quit with the excuses.

No, it’s not the ideal situation for them to be in chasing their initial season goal of reaching the playoffs (yes, I’m talking playoffs) but a win could take them out of the dreaded last place (the first step towards recovery). A win would also see them deny a Western Conference foe three valuable points in the super competitive conference.

Most of all, drop the fear and forget the formalities. The Houston Dynamo have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

With the departure of Coyle, the gloves are off for the Houston Dynamo. Let’s see how hard they punch.

2)  Vancouver is missing five players, maybe six.

Blas Perez (Panama), Christian Bolaños and Kendall Waston (both Costa Rica) are international absences for this match. Christian Dean and Masato Kudo are listed as OUT. Fraser Aird is listed as questionable.

Fraser Aird has summed up the fourth-most minutes in a Whitecaps jersey this season with 1014 in 12 matches (11 as a starter). Kendall Watson is next on that list with 950 minutes in 11 matches (all as a starter).

Aird may still see the field but if he doesn’t that makes two key pieces of the ‘Caps defense out of the starting lineup. Add that to a defense that have allowed 24 goals in their 14 games this season (tied for the most in MLS).

On the offensive end, Bolaños has summed up four goals and two assists — tied for 2nd with Kekuta Manneh. Perez has been a solid contributor off the bench, notching two goals this season (fourth on ‘Caps list).

Vancouver will definitely miss these guys, especially if they underestimate Houston. Not that they don’t have enough to walk away with a win.

3)  The coaching debut of Wade Barrett.

Wade Barrett has been the acting head coach of the Houston Dynamo before, taking over a home match in the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs after Dominic Kinnear was suspended by the MLS Disciplinary Committee. Of course, it’s hard to judge him by that 2-2 draw since he was following the Kinnear playbook.

This is going to be the first, and maybe only, audition Barrett will have to show his brand of coaching. The former, and original, Dynamo team captain is one of the candidates for the interim and permanent job alongside Rio Grande Valley FC head coach Wilmer Cabrera.

Full disclosure: If you’re asking me, I think Cabrera should be the Dynamo’s next coach unless you have an undisputed better candidate. Barrett, if he is ok with moving, could take over RGV and gain more experience. Otherwise you’re setting his coaching career up for failure (i.e. John Spencer).

You can disregard the “Barrett, Rogers and Caffrey are in charge” speech. This is Barrett’s team (at least for this match). What brand of football will the Dynamo play? Is he a tactician? A motivator?

Very few times does it work out where a former player returns to coach his team to great success, like Zinedine Zidane has done with Real Madrid (and even then, Zidane has the background of serving other roles for the club like coach of Real Madrid B and previously as the Sporting Director).

This match will serve as a litmus test of where Barrett stands in his coaching abilities and the amount of confidence he brings to the position. Is he competitive enough to take a stranglehold on the job? We’ll find out Saturday.

Victor Araiza is a beat writer covering the Houston Dynamo for Prost Amerika.
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