VANCOUVER, B.C. - When you're not scoring many goals, a tight and stingy back line is a necessity. That’s exactly what the Vancouver Whitecaps have right now in their playoff push, conceding just one goal and posting two straight shutouts during their current three-match winning streak.
Center back Kendall Waston has played a key role in that defensive success, but as Vancouver get set to face San Jose on Saturday (10:30 pm ET; TSN in Canada, MLS LIVE in US) in a crucial clash, they will be missing the Costa Rican through suspension for yellow-card accumulation.
"He'll be a big loss, as he's been excellent for us since he's come in," Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson admitted to reporters. "The way Kendall plays, we're probably going to lose him at some stage. We obviously lose him on this Saturday rather than next Saturday. He will be a big loss, but it's for someone to step in."
The center back's physical style of play has already seen success in both penalty areas but has also kept referees busy, with Waston picking up five yellow cards in only nine MLS appearances.
It was that aggressive aspect of Waston's game that attracted Robinson to the 6-foot-5 defender in the first place, and losing him to suspension at times throughout the season is a price the Vancouver coach is willing to pay, as he has no intention of telling his player to reel it in.
"Well I don't want to take the aggression out of him, because part of the reason that I brought him here is that he's a very physical player," Robinson said. "He brings an intensity to the game that I think we've been missing at certain stages since Jay DeMerit retired, so I don't want him to change that.
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"He's going to pick up cautions, no doubt, because of the way he plays, but people pick up cautions for any numbers of reasons," Robinson continued. "Kendall does it from being aggressive, but he's trying to defend the right way, so that's something I don't want him to lose. I will talk to him about being careful for certain instances, but I never want to take that away from him."
Waston's absence is definitely a big blow for the Whitecaps, as his central defensive partner Andy O'Brien is well aware, but one which the veteran feels can actually benefit the squad in the long run, with other players needing to come in, step up and stake their own claim for a starting spot.
"He's going to be a miss," O'Brien told reporters. "He's done really well, both his personality on the pitch and off the pitch, with the penalties that he's won and the goal that he's scored and his defensive responsibilities. But it's a great opportunity for other players to come in, and that's the beauty of any team that wants to be successful is the squad. Other teams have demonstrated that throughout the season. We're demonstrating it now and hopefully to continue as well."
