The Vancouver Whitecaps will look to bounce back this season from the disappointment of missing the 2013 MLS Cup playoffs - and they will do so under new leadership. Former assistant coach, Carl Robinson, is the clubs new head coach, replacing Martin Rennie, who was removed from the post back in October. The appointment of Robinson has been received with widespread approval, despite the fact that he wasnt the clubs first choice. Former U.S. mens national team coach, Bob Bradley, was the man the Whitecaps were courting. But when that move failed to come to fruition, the club chose to appoint from within. It is an appointment that I believe will work very well for the club. Robinson has a very bright football mind and is well-respected within the league. He has an excellent rapport with young players - of whom the Whitecaps have many - and it will be his ability to get the most out of those young players that will determine how far the ‘Caps will go in 2014. While Robinson wont be afraid to utilize whatever tactical formation is best suited for each opponent, I expect he will begin the season lining up in a 1-4-2-3-1 formation, with the following players being first choice: Goalkeeper - David Ousted When David Ousted joined the club last season, many fans questioned the wisdom of adding a player in a position at which the club appeared to be reasonably solid; both Brad Knighton and Joe Cannon had played well over the course of their time in Vancouver. But Martin Rennie felt the need for an upgrade, and it is fair to say that Ousted will be expected to perform as such this season. He has had a few moments to forget in a Whitecaps jersey, but by and large, Ousted is an upgrade over the previous incumbents. His distribution is excellent, he is a good shot-stopper and is comfortable claiming crosses. Ousted is also not afraid to be vocal - something that all teams need from their ‘keeper. If Ousted performs up to his potential, expect him to play ahead of Paolo Tornaghi. Right Fullback - Steven Beitashour If you ask Carl Robinson, the Vancouver Whitecaps signed the best right fullback in Major League Soccer in the offseason - and he might just be right. Beitashour was an MLS All-Star in 2012, and he has shown that he is willing and able to get forward to provide scoring chances for his teammates. His 16 assists over the last three seasons are ample evidence. If Beitashour can carry on performing at this level for the Whitecaps, the problem of replacing the retired Lee Young-Pyo wont be much of a problem at all. Left Fullback - Jordan Harvey When the Whitecaps traded Alain Rochat to DC United last season - for an undisclosed amount of allocation money - the fans were up in arms. Rochat was a popular player, and fans felt that Harvey would be unable to fill his shoes. Harvey responded by putting in the best season of his career. His four goals over the course of the season tripled his career production to date, and went some way to alleviating the fans concerns over the solidity of the left fullback position. Academy graduate, Sam Adekugbe, is one to watch for the future, but to start the season, the left back position is Harveys to lose. Central Defender - Jay DeMerit The Vancouver Whitecaps first-ever signing, Jay DeMerit has, in many ways, become the face of the club. In fact, one could argue that he and his wife, Olympic gold-medallist Ashleigh McIvor, are the poster couple of Vancouver sports. Publicity aside, it will be DeMerits play on the field that is most important. He showed tremendous attitude and work rate to come back from a torn Achilles tendon last season, and put in some solid defensive performances towards the end of the year. He set the standard with those performances, and if he is to stay in the team, he will need to match that standard. Dont expect DeMerit to dribble the ball into midfield or play 60-yard cross-field passes - that isnt what he does best. What he does do is lead by example; he puts his body on the line week in, week out, and what he lacks in technical savvy he makes up for in tenacity. Central Defender - Andy OBrien Some fans were surprised that the Whitecaps re-signed Andy OBrien last season - but I wasnt. OBrien is quiet and soft-spoken off the field, but once he crosses the white line, he adopts a much different demeanor. He organizes and commands the back four, and along with DeMerit, leads by example. His experience playing at the highest level in England is evident, as he reads the game well and sees dangerous situations before they develop. The only concern with OBrien - and the same concern applies to DeMerit - is that he can remain healthy, given that he is on the wrong side of 30. If either DeMerit of OBrien go down with injury, expect Jonny Leveron and Carlisle Mitchell to be able deputies. Defensive Midfielder - Nigel Reo-Coker When he joined the Whitecaps last season, Nigel Reo-Coker put in some outstanding performances. It was to be expected, given the level at which he has played throughout his career in England. Reo-Coker is outspoken and demands the very highest of himself and of his teammates. When those standards are not met, he can become frustrated. If Robinson is to get the best out of Reo-Coker, he will need to keep his midfield general in a good frame of mind - focused on the job at hand, not concerned with distractions in other areas of the team. Reo-Coker can be the driving force in the middle of the park for Vancouver. If he has a strong campaign, the Whitecaps will be successful. Defensive Midfielder - Matias Laba As soon as Michael Bradley became available, it was inevitable that Toronto FC would have to move Matias Laba. Its a real shame for TFC, because I rate Laba very highly. At times last year, he was a man playing alongside boys in Toronto. He has a very bright football brain, and he reads the game really well. Alongside Reo-Coker, the Whitecaps could very well have the strongest pair of central midfielders in MLS - the box-to-box power of Reo-Coker complimenting the positional discipline and tenacity of Laba. Because he doesnt play a glamorous position, Laba will not get the credit he deserves for his play. But those in the know will see the value in the little things that Laba does so well. Right Midfield - Russell Teibert This is a very important year for Russell Teibert. He is currently out of favour with the Canadian mens national team, and the only way for him to work his way back into Benito Floros plans is to play so well for his club team that leaving him out is not an option. To do that, Teibert needs to produce - goals and assists, to be precise. He isnt going to supplant either Reo-Coker or Laba as a defensive midfielder, a position he played during pre-season. He isnt going to supplant newly signed designated player, Pedro Morales, as an attacking midfielder, either. So if Teibert is going to stay in the team, he needs to make the right midfield position his own. He has plenty of good qualities; he is technically sound, has a great left foot and is the fittest member of the Whitecaps squad. But his biggest asset is that he wants to learn. He latched onto Nigel Reo-Coker when the Englishman joined the club last season, and has tried to soak up as much football knowledge as he could. If Teibert doesnt perform, expect Kekuta Manneh to be given a run in the team. You will see plenty of Manneh this season, but I think Robinson is smart enough to know that the youngster needs time to continue his development, and cannot be rushed into a starting role. Left Midfield - Sebastian Fernandez One of two Uruguayans to join the club in the offseason, Fernandez looks to be a very exciting option for the Whitecaps, in either of the wide midfield positions. Fernandez is comfortable with a ball at his feet, has strong technical qualities and has provided a creative influence for the team down the left flank during preseason. If he can develop an understanding with Pedro Morales, the Whitecaps will have the attacking midfield threat that has been lacking for the last three seasons. There will be a period of adaptation for Fernandez - and this applies to Nicolas Mezquida and Pedro Morales as well - to the rigours of MLS. The travel and varying playing conditions, not to mention the physicality of the league, will require that he be adaptable. If he can do this, his technical ability will have a chance to shine. Attacking Midfield - Pedro Morales The Whitecaps have been in desperate need of a genuine attacking midfielder since they joined Major League Soccer. Not since Davide Chiumiento have the club had a player that could even remotely be called a ‘number 10. Pedro Morales will be that player. Morales has spent the last year playing for Malaga in Spains La Liga, and he has two goals in 11 international appearances for Chile. His touch is exquisite, his passing range and vision is superb, and he is not afraid to shoot from distance. He will be expected to slot into the Whitecaps midfield almost immediately, and will be relied upon to dictate play when Vancouver is in possession of the ball, to create scoring chances and to score goals himself. Forward - Darren Mattocks Carl Robinson has a big challenge on his hands - to turn Darren Mattocks into the player that Darren Mattocks thinks he is. The young Jamaican has a very high opinion of himself as a player - he said so himself in an off-season interview on Jamaican television. Mattocks has so much to learn about the game tactically, though, and Robinson and his coaching staff will have their hands full trying to develop that aspect of Mattocks game. It will be doubly difficult if they cannot get Mattocks head out of the clouds. It is a real test of the new head coachs man-management abilities. Succeed, and the Whitecaps will have a fearsome striker on their hands. Fail, and Darren Mattocks will be just another player who failed to live up to his potential. If Mattocks struggles, the Whitecaps have options. The experienced Kenny Miller will be desperate to impress and earn an extension to his contract, and Kekuta Manneh is always a threat up front or out wide coming off the bench. The Vancouver Whitecaps are a young, dynamic team who have added some South American quality in Laba, Morales, Fernandez and Mezquida. Their squad is deeper and more talented than the one that began the 2013 MLS season, and if Carl Robinson can get the young players to be consistent, the Whitecaps will surprise many people this season. Jake Bischoff Jersey .C. -- Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith has been ruled out for Sundays game against the Atlanta Falcons. Malcolm Subban Jersey . The Oilers will try to get back in the win column on Monday when they continue a four-game road trip with a battle against the Buffalo Sabres. Edmonton won its third straight game last Wednesday against visiting San Jose, beating the Sharks 3-0 as Scrivens stopped 59 shots to set an NHL record for saves in a regular-season shutout. http://www.goldenknightssale.com/authent...knights-jersey/. -- Top-seed Shahar Peer and Canadian Eugenie Bouchard advanced to the second round of the inaugural WTA Citi Open. Alex Tuch Jersey . Murray, the defending champion and No. 3 seed, claimed his first match win at Queens in 2005 and went on to win the Wimbledon warmup three times. But he failed to take advantage of eight set points after leading the first-set tiebreaker 6-2, and Stepanek survived to convert with his second set point. Griffin Reinhart Jersey . The D-Backs came into being in 1998 and appear destined to finish second in the AL West after the Tsunami that is the Los Angeles Dodgers swept over them. I thought it might be interesting to see what the D-backs have done over their 16 years compared to what the Blue Jays have done over their past 16 campaigns.PITTSBURGH -- New York Rangers forward Martin St. Louis spent Thursday night with his family in Montreal, grieving the loss of mother France after she died suddenly. When Rangers coach Alain Vigneault told St. Louis perhaps the veteran forward should remain at home rather than help the Rangers try to fend off elimination against the Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis and his father held a lengthy heart to heart. Hours later, St. Louis was in Pittsburgh. By the end of the night he was near tears after an impassioned team effort in a 5-1 victory that forced Game 6 in New York on Sunday -- Mothers Day. "Im glad were able to get this win and stay alive," St. Louis said. "She was a great lady, the best human being Ive ever known in my life. I owed it to her to do it. I know she would have wanted me to play." Buoyed by the return of their teammate, one who has fit in quickly after being acquired from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline, the Rangers shook off a lethargic loss in Game 4 by blitzing the Penguins early. Derick Brassard scored twice and Chris Kreider, Ryan McDonagh and Kevin Klein added their first goals of the post-season for New York while Henrik Lundqvist stopped 31 shots. St. Louis had one shot in 16:19 of ice time, all of it with his mother in his thoughts. "She was with me the whole way but this is probably the most comfortable place you can be as a hockey player," he said. The Rangers certainly looked at ease while the Penguins failed to win a close-out game for the sixth time in their last seven chances on home ice. Evgeni Malkin had his third goal of the series for Pittsburgh and Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves but lacked the crispness that allowed the Penguins to sweep Games 3 and 4 in New York. While Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma stressed the importance of not letting the Rangers back in the series, the fire he was looking for came from the other bench. Pittsburgh committed a pair of sloppy penalties the Rangers finally turned to goals and couldnt convert a lengthy 5-on-3 power play late in the second period as they tried to climb out of a three-goal deficit. "At the start I think we played like a team that looked like we had an automatic bid to the next round," Pittsburgh defenceman Rob Scuderi said. "When its 2-0 right off the bat and youre playing from behind its not easy." TThe Penguins held the Rangers to a 15 shots in Game 4, a franchise record for fewest shots allowed in a playoff game.dddddddddddd New York had 17 in the first period Friday night. Having its beleaguered power play finally look competent helped. The Rangers hadnt scored with the man advantage since Game 2 of the first round, an 0-for-36 stretch that often featured disinterested or disorganized play by New York whenever an opposing player skated to the penalty box. Kreider ended the miserable run 9:36 into the first period after Pittsburgh defenceman Robert Bortuzzo was called for delay of game for lazily flipping a puck over the boards in the Penguins zone despite having no pressure on him. Playing in his second game after missing more than a month with a hand injury, Kreider threaded a rebound from the bottom of the left circle in a small hole between Fleurys right pad and his blocker to give the Rangers their first lead in more than 180 minutes of play. Brassard made it 2-0 just over 5 minutes later, diving across the Pittsburgh crease to bang home Mats Zuccarellos rebound. The Penguins seemed to regain their swagger in the second period and Malkin cut the lead in half at the end of a thrilling burst in which he beat two Rangers to the net and did a 360- degree spin before slipping his own rebound by Lundqvist. The momentum didnt last. Brassard roofed a shot through a scrum in front of Fleury to make it 3-1 and McDonagh scored his first goal of the post-season with a shot through traffic from the point after Pittsburgh was whistled for too many man on the ice, the kind of untidy mistake the Penguins had avoided while winning three straight to take command of the series. Now its back to Madison Square for a series that suddenly looks competitive. "I dont think theres much good to take from it to be honest with you," Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby said. "So I think we have to make sure we come with the right mindset going to New York. Whatever mindset we were tonight it wasnt enough." NOTES: The line of Brassard, Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot combined for seven points (two goals, five assists). ... Pittsburgh forward Jussi Jokinens points streak ended at eight games. ... Pittsburgh scratched D Brooks Orpik, who appeared to suffer a lower-body injury in Game 4. ... The Rangers are 5 for 47 with the man advantage in the playoffs. 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