AGR's HIGH PRESS: Pacific's identity fuelling strong start | Wanderers facing early-season adversity
The Canadian Premier League’s second matchday is now in the books after a marathon run of four games in four days this past weekend.
With that, the table continued to take shape, as a couple of teams sit undefeated near the top, while others remained without a victory at the bottom.
Of course, it’s far too early to be looking at the league table, but it’s worth noting that hot starts can be crucial toward a team’s ability to make the playoffs - every point you bank early on tends to pay off down the road.
Because of that, while it may be far too early to be reading into the form of some quite yet, there are a lot of encouraging signs for the four teams who remain undefeated, which are Vancouver FC (2 wins), Pacific FC (2 wins), Forge FC (2 wins) and Atlético Ottawa (1 win, 1 draw).
Conversely, this is a good reminder that there’s still plenty of time for the other teams to find their feet, as it’s far too early to hit the panic button if they haven’t won. Last year’s regular season champions, Cavalry, ended up having one of the best seasons in league history despite not winning until week six, so even if their slow start was buoyed by the fact that they weren’t losing (they drew five games in a row to start the year), it shows that a slow start isn’t fatal.
With that in mind, however, here’s a look at what stood out from week two of CPL action, as the 2024 campaign starts to take hold here.
Pacific’s identity key to strong start:
It’s flown under the radar, but Pacific’s off to a pretty solid start to the season, winning their first two games while sitting as the lone CPL team not to concede a goal.
For a side that had big question marks surrounding them to start the year, having lost some key pieces this offseason, they’ve done well to answer them, not skipping a beat.
On one hand, that shouldn’t be that surprising - this is a team that has lost key pieces before and not been bothered by it, such as when they lost Lukas MacNaughton, Kadin Chung, Terran Campbell, Alessandro Hojabrpour and Ollie Bassett the offseason after they won the North Star Cup in 2021, which they responded to by making the playoffs for a third straight year.
Despite that, there was some true concern that they’d struggle to replace what they’d lost this offseason in Amer Didić and Manny Aparicio, who were among the best in their respective positions in the CPL. It’s never easy to replace two pieces of that calibre, especially given how key they’ve been to this Pacific side over the last few years.
Yet, if there’s one strength of this Pacific team, which has remained true to start the year, it’s that they remained committed and bought into their identity as a team. At the end of the day, Pacific’s success usually comes as a group, such as with their 2021 triumph, thanks to their clear identity as a team that wants to play a certain way, develop players and win.
And there, that’s where they’ve thrived to start the year - as a collective. There have been standouts, no doubt - Emil Gazdov has been excellent in goal, preventing a league-high 1.16 goals (nobody else has prevented more than 0.05), Aly Ndom has been a revelation at the back along with Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, while Reon Moore has looked promising up front, but a lot of Pacific’s success has come from how they’ve looked as a team. 
Just look at their two wins, which have come off the back of three different goalscorers, further showing the strength of their collective.
That’s started defensively, where they’ve hardly given up any good looks, giving up just one big chance despite giving up 2.35 Expected Goals (xG), as most of what they faced has been quantity instead of quality, making Gazdov’s life easier.
Defending in a 4-4-2, they don’t mind giving up some of the ball, so far averaging 46% possession, knowing that they can defend as a unit, led by the press of Moore and then supported by those underneath him.
Doing well to suffocate their pitch, which is among the smallest in the lead, it can be tough to attack, as you have to be quick and ruthless to create opportunities, which will otherwise quickly dissipate.
Offensively, they have some more questions to answer, as they haven’t been able to click as much as they’d like. Ideally, they’d aim to hold more possession and want to start getting more fluidity in the attack, which they struggled with in the first half of their clash against Valour.
They showed what they can do in the second half of that game, such as on their first goal, which was a work of art that flowed from back to front with ease, but they’ll need to put moves like that together with more consistency.
GOAL 🔱@PacificFCCPL open the scoring early in the 2nd half vs. @ValourFootball as Josh Heard rounds out a quick counter-attack spurred on by smart passing from the backline out 😎
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) April 20, 2024
🔴 Watch #CanPL on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/nDyS9nmV4C
And they’ve certainly got the pieces to make that happen. In particular, Moore has been a big bright light up front, and he’s yet to tap into the goalscoring prowess that made his signing so intriguing, as his ability to generate chances for his teammates has impressed, sitting with three big chances created, one penalty won and an assist.
Currently averaging just 1.7 shots per game, if they can start getting him some shooting opportunities, he’ll be the perfect offensive dual threat, one that already causes all sorts of problems for defences with his work rate and physicality on both sides of the ball, along with his chance creation.
That’ll come from the support of those around him, however - Ayman Sellouf was a quiet figure in this Valour game and was withdrawn at half time, while Josh Heard is yet to start a game but should likely get that honour this weekend after scoring the winner. Along with Sean Young, who celebrated his 100th Pacific appearance with a goal, Dario Zanatta, who has shown good glimpses with his ability to find space in attacking areas, and other names such as new signing Andrei Tîrcoveanu and returnees Adonijah Reid and Kunle Dada-Luke, there are options for head coach James Merriman to look at offensively.
So that’ll be the next big step to watch for Pacific as they head out to play their first road match - their attack. Based on what they’ve shown at the other end, their defensive play should be pretty sustainable, although it’ll be intriguing to see how they do on wider pitches, but their offence will be the big difference maker.
But with their defence doing its job, they’ve got time to figure things out in the attack, something they didn’t always have last year, as there was always a lot of pressure on their offence to win them games.
Because of that, keep an eye on their backline, which could prove to be the difference between a hot start and them coming down to earth as they continue to try and find their feet up front.
Wanderers dealing with early bouts of adversity to start 2024:
Heading into the year, the consensus was pretty clear on the Halifax Wanderers - this is projected to be a playoff team.
Armed with a strong cast of returnees, some intriguing new signings and coach of the year candidate Patrice Gheisar, they had all the ingredients to build on a season where they finished tied for second in just Gheisar’s first year in charge.
Because of that, it’s been a big surprise to see them start the year slowly, sitting with two losses and a goal difference of -3, having been shut out in both games.
For context, they never lost or got shutout in back-to-back games last year, giving an idea of how rare this is, and why it was so frustrating to them.
Yet, it’s an important reminder - things are never easy if you’re to become a top team. Atlético Ottawa learned that the hard way last year, going from 1st place in 2022 to missing out on the playoffs altogether in 2023, and the Wanderers will now embark on a similar reality - it’s tough to become the hunted from the hunters.
At the same time, there’s plenty of reason for optimism.
First, there’s the fact that they lost both games on the road, which is nothing new, as they had a league-low three road wins last year. Naturally, they’d like to be better away from home, but they’ll see this weekend, where they’ve got their home opener against Ottawa, as a chance to reset.
Then, there’s the reality that they’ve been pretty unlucky in their games, especially offensively. Sitting second in xG for with 3.41, that they haven’t been able to turn that or their three big chances into a single goal is a surprise, given some of their firepower. Defensively, they’ve been less unlucky, as they’ve allowed three goals on 3.72 xG against, indicating that they’ve been a bit lucky statistically, but at the same time, the three goals they’ve conceded have all come off avoidable errors they don’t typically make.
Lastly, they’ve dealt with some injuries, as 2023 standout Massimo Ferrin hasn’t been fully healthy, while attackers such as Christian Volesky, Ryan Telfer and Tiago Coimbra have all dealt with preseason injuries that impacted their ability to be ready for the new campaign.
So for the Wanderers, their big goal will be to not get dragged down by this start, and focus on what they’ve done right, and what they can fix.
For example, defensively, they’ve been pretty good, errors aside, as they were unlucky not to get a clean sheet against Pacific, for example, catching them by surprise with a new-look 3-4-3 formation off the ball modelled after Vanni Sartini’s set-up with the Whitecaps. Ditto against Vancouver, where the two goals they allowed came off a set-piece and then a catastrophic turnover in a dangerous area, as they’ve otherwise been solid.
GOAL🦅🦅@vanfootballclub makes it 2-0 over Halifax, as Alejandro Díaz slots home from close range after Moses Dyer hit the post, doubling his team's lead on the night
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) April 19, 2024
🔴Watch #CanPL on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/YqHCpo5VC2
Then, offensively, they’ll just need to keep experimenting with combinations. For example, Aidan Daniels and Giorgio Probo could be a pairing worth exploring, as they’ve looked to be the two most dangerous pieces in attack, with Probo looking to be a revelation of a signing with his ability to find space between lines. If they can combine that with Ferrin’s return to full health, there should be a mix in that group that can work, especially when considering some of the other options that can also be considered to start.
So overall, as long as they find that offensive mix, their defence should continue to stabilize as it adjusts to a new set-up, allowing them to return to where they were expected to be.
One note, however - keep an eye out for teams who might try and impersonate Vancouver FC’s approach against them, given that Vancouver has a record of 3W-1D-1L against Gheisar now. There, they employ the risky approach of trying to man-mark Lorenzo Callegari, the Wanderers' heartbeat in possession, while pressing Cale Loughrey aggressively in the build-up.
Given that pressing high is something that the Wanderers typically encourage teams to do, Vancouver’s approach continues to surprise, yet it’s proven to be effective, as they do well to starve Halifax’s key midfielder, both in terms of how they mark him and his options around him.
Along with their vertical play offensively, which has also caused the Wanderers problems, look for some teams to try and mimic that, seeing if the Wanderers can adjust. There’s no doubt that on their day, when the Wanderers can play their way, not many can stop them, but that could lead to teams trying to find a way to push them out of their comfort zone as Vancouver has done so far. 
Set piece importance on full display to start season:
In a sport where what happens in open play can sometimes be hard to control with its fluidity, set pieces remain a key way to score goals, making it important to be drilled on those aspects of play.
Especially in the CPL, where there is so much familiarity between the teams, given that they play each other four to seven times a year, dead-ball situations can be a way to overcome that familiarity.
So far, a few teams have done well to capitalize on those opportunities early on.
In week one, a few teams were able to score on different phases of set-plays, as Atlético Ottawa found Manny Aparicio on the second phase of a corner, Cavalry surprised Forge with a unique corner routine that saw Sergio Camargo score a near-post header, and then Vancouver’s David Norman Jr scored off a scramble in the box.
That continued in week two, as Vancouver made it two set-piece goals in two games on another scramble that this time led to Rocco Romeo opening his Vancouver account, before Ottawa created a nice header for noted set-piece weapon Amer Didić to score his first Atlético goal.
GOAL 🏠
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) April 20, 2024
Amer Didic gets his first goal for @atletiOttawa as his side takes the lead against @CPLCavalryFC ⚽️
🔴 Watch #CanPL on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/JmgTWRYitc
Otherwise, there were a few intriguing routines that caught the eye across the other games. For example, York United and Forge’s clash saw both teams constantly drop inswinging crosses right on top of the goalkeeper, as they tried to test the hands of their opposite number on multiple occasions, while Cavalry has seemed to find joy in trying to use that Camargo near-post flick in different ways to try and open up space for targets such as Daan Klomp, Eryk Kobza and Callum Montgomery.
Then, teams like Ottawa and Pacific seem content just trying to find some of the various targets they can employ with direct service, with Ottawa having Didić and Luke Singh to aim for, while Pacific seeks the likes of Sean Young, Aly Ndom and Thomas Meilleur-Giguère with their deliveries.
And it feels like the Wanderers and Valour could easily grow in that area in weeks to come, as they’ve certainly got options, with Dan Nimick, Cale Loughrey, Julian Dunn and Andre Rampersad all big targets on the Wanderers, while Abdou Samaké, Tass Mourdoukoutas, Gianfranco Facchineri and Charalampos Chantzopoulos all stand out as good targets for Valour.
Across the first five years of CPL, there has been room for set-piece specialists to shine, as Didić, Klomp, Meilleur-Giguère, Lukas MacNaughton, Dan Krutzen and many more have shown, and this year should be no exception, so look for teams to keep growing that side of their games.
Who caught my eye: Alessandro Hojabrpour
There were a lot of top performances across the CPL this weekend, but one that stood out to me was in Forge’s 3-0 win over York, where Alessandro Hojabrpour was excellent in midfield for Forge in that win.
In a game where Tristan Borges, Béni Badibanga and David Choinière all rightfully stole a lot of the headlines, Hojabrpour was excellent underneath them, helping control the tempo of the game with his passing.
Just look at his counting numbers from this game: 51/56 passing (91%), one chance created, two shots, four successful dribbles, four passes into the final third, three out of four long balls completed, two tackles, two clearances, one interception, 10 recoveries and seven out of nine duels won.
For a defensive midfielder, that’s the exact sort of showing you want on both sides of the ball, and Forge were able to benefit from that in their win, one where Hojabrpour flew under the radar despite his performance.
Game to watch: Cavalry vs Pacific
This is a big game between two teams who have a lot of history, which should make for a good clash.
For Cavalry, they’re looking for their first CPL win after losing and drawing their first two games, but will feel confident that they can do so back at home, especially after beating Vancouver FC at home in the Canadian Championship in midweek.
As for Pacific, they’ll feel this can be a measuring stick game after winning their first two matches at home, given that this is their first road game of the season. Especially given that it’s coming against a Cavalry side that knocked them out of the 2023 CPL playoffs, that’ll be added motivation for them to win, having never won in Calgary in regular season play, only doing so twice otherwise (once in the 2021 CPL playoffs and once in the 2021 Canadian Championship).
