Colorado were the performances of Uruguayans Nicho

When we look back on it from the sobering eyes of October, this winless, goal-less, and mostly lifeless week may have actually come at a good time for the Whitecaps. The good news; it took until the end of June to have really poor back to back games. But those pre-World Cup break thrills and spills, with seven goals in two away games feels like much more than two-and-a-half weeks ago. What this past week did was expose a glaring weakness; Vancouvers inability to break through clubs who dont give them space. One dimension the club has been missing since year one in MLS is an aerial threat from a corner, free kick or a Pedro Morales diagonal ball. Whether that attribute is on the resume of a future Centre Back, or they go after a traditional target striker come July 9...the Whitecaps must get more production from the dead ball. With arch rivals Seattle providing the last opposition before an opening transfer window, one wonders how proactive the Whitecaps will be to strengthen. This weekends opponents are runaway league leaders built almost exclusively with well-travelled MLS veterans. Is that an ingredient the club is missing, especially in these dog days of the MLS schedule? Media and supporters alike salivated over the prospects of youngsters Mattocks Manneh and Hurtado all starting together against the leagues worst team in Montreal; especially without three key components in Marco DiVaio, Justin Mapp and Felipe. Its very easy to say now, but what else was Frank Klopas going to do against the Whitecaps, but sit deep? That first hour on Wednesday was like watching three Ferraris trying to race around downtown Vancouver traffic. Lots of revving, but never the space to really get going, and eventually, stuck at a red light on a one way street. The one outfield bright spot against the Impact was the evasive and adventurous Gershon Koffie, who for his efforts, was given a spot on the bench at Colorado. His holding midfield colleague Mattias Laba, was by his standards anonymous Wednesday, and downright leg-less at Philadelphia. But Laba kept his place, and in Koffies absence, Russell Tiebert, a player who many observers find hard to clearly define. One neednt extol the young Canadians virtues - we all know what they are, and he still has enough years to evolve into that ideal position. But the buzzing and supporting and possessing all seemed rather superfluous when the Whitecaps were down two and needing some forward thrust. Koffie did come on at half-time, but even then it felt too late. Most worrisome in Colorado were the performances of Uruguayans Nicholas Mezquida and Sebastien Fernandez. Their country had been dispatched from the World Cup by Colombia earlier that day, and it almost seemed like the two were still in mourning. Neither player could complete a pass, and both looked like featherweights in possession getting brushed aside by stronger opponents. As eight unbeaten suddenly became winless in three, it will be really interesting to watch how Carl Robinson goes about building his team up in advance of the Sounders visit. Does he show patience with his young players to get back to their previous form, or with four games in two weeks looming - does he consider making changes. There must also be a voice in the back of his head telling him about the components his squad doesnt have. We know the man they call Robbo never backs down from a challenge. Hes also not backing down from any incoming phone calls either. Rudy Gobert Jersey . He still wanted out. "It just seemed like the direction they were going didnt fit what I thought my career was going to be," Kesler said. "At the end of the day I want to win a championship and I want to win it now, and four years is a little too long for me. John Stockton Jersey . -- The Oakland Raiders expect to have starting right tackle Tony Pashos back for Sundays game against the Houston Texans. http://www.cheapjazzjerseys.info/Authentic-Alec-Burks-Jazz-Jersey/ . You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 3pm et/Noon pt. The Thunder reclaimed the home-court advantage LA took with a Game 1 win on Friday night with a 118-112 road win in Game 3. Derrick Favors Jersey . Expensive. The NFL fined Tomlin $100,000 on Wednesday for interfering with Baltimores Jacoby Jones on a kickoff return in the third quarter of a 22-20 loss to the Ravens on Thanksgiving night. Grayson Allen Jersey . The Laval Rouge et Or defensive back/kick-returner gained the invitation following his showing Sunday at an NFL regional combine in Baltimore.EVERETT, Wash. -- Dominic Turgeon and Derrick Pouliot both scored in the shootout as the Portland Winterhawks extended their win streak to 20 games by defeating the Everett Silvertips 2-1 Sunday in Western Hockey League action. Oliver Bjorkstrand scored in regulation for the Winterhawks (46-12-5), who havent lost since a 3-2 shootout defeat to the Victoria Royals on Jan. 10. Portland goaltender Corbin Boes made 23 saves to improve to 11-0-1 since being acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Ivan Nikolishin scored for the Silvertips (30-23-9) while Austin Lotz turned away 37-of-38 shots in defeat. The Winterhawks are three points behind the Kelowna Rockets for top spot in the WHL standings and sit second in the Western Conference. Both clubs went 0 for 2 on tthe power play.dddddddddddd --- CHIEFS 9 BLAZERS 4 SPOKANE, Wash. -- Mitch Holmberg and Dominic Zwerger each had three goals and an assist as the Chiefs crushed Kamloops. Holmbergs four-point effort gives him 57 goals and 107 points in 63 games, which moves him into sole possession of the lead in the WHL scoring race. Adam Helewka scored once and set up two more for Spokane (36-21-6), which used a six-goal first period to set the tone, while Carter Proft and Reid Gow added a goal and an assist apiece. Matt Bellerive scored twice for the Blazers (13-44-5), who are 2-8-0 in their last 10 contests, and Collin Shirley and Josh Connolly added the others. Garrett Hughson made 33 saves for the Chiefs as Cole Kehler stopped 32-of-41 shots in defeat. ' ' '