VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Whitecaps may have been buoyed by their performance in a goal-less draw away to the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend, but the teams coaches werent leaving anything to chance. Fred Biletnikoff Jersey . Head coach Martin Rennie and his assistants were not impressed with what they saw at a practice on Wednesday, and they laid down the law before Vancouver departed for yet another must-win clash on the road to the Montreal Impact. With six games remaining, the playoff hopes of the seventh-placed Whitecaps (10-10-8) are hanging by a thread at the moment, as the club sits five points behind fifth-placed Portland, who are scheduled to face Colorado on Friday. "Rennie is just making sure we stay on top of our game," said Whitecaps captain Jay DeMerit. "It wasnt the best performance weve had all year but its something we can build on and we need to make sure on the training field that it continues to stem from that. "So I think for us its about being hard on each other, being critical in the right ways and making sure we all stay on the same page." Rennie felt he had to read his players the Riot Act after noticing a drop in intensity and focus from Saturday. "I think in the last game all the players were making themselves available to get on the ball and we kept good possession because of that and everybody was lively and hungry," he said. "And today in training it wasnt as good as wed have liked so I was just pointing that out and reminding people what we need to get to for the weekend." Rennie and midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker believed last weekends match in California was their best road performance of the season but the Impact (13-8-6) will no doubt present a tougher challenge. Montreal, second in the Eastern Conference, have had no trouble finding the back of the net at Stade Saputo this season, amassing a league-high 29 goals on home turf. Marco Schallibaums outfit had recorded three wins (two of them emphatic 5-0 and 4-2 wins over Houston and New England respectively) and a draw before falling 2-1 to lowly Columbus last weekend. The Impact then lost 3-0 away to San Jose in the CONCACAF Champions League on Tuesday night. Italian striker Marco Di Vaio was deadly in that five-game MLS span, scoring seven goals to lift his season tally to a league-best 18. Luckily for the Whitecaps, Rennie -- perhaps for the first time since the beginning of a season -- finally has a range of options in central defence to choose from now that DeMerit has returned to game action and Andy OBrien (back) and Johnny Leveron (calf) are both available. DeMerit was forced into last weekends game after 31 minutes when Brad Rusin went down with an ankle injury and he partnered up with Carlyle Mitchell. It was DeMerits first appearance since suffering an Achilles injury early in the opening game of the season against Toronto FC on March 2. Although Rennie said it would take a "team effort" to stop Di Vaio, he was nonetheless excited about having more resources at his disposal. "Maybe we can play all four of them in centre back," he joked. "This season weve really had a hard time with our centre-backs getting hurt so the fact that we have a little bit of competition in a position is nice and I think it can be important because if you keep struggling through that, then its a hard thing. "A lot of people probably dont realize how much of a foundation the centre-backs are to any team and we have not had a consistent partnership there but I think in the last game Jay and Carlyle Mitchell did very well." Rennie has had no injury issues up front in recent times, but the lack of goals from Kenny Miller and Camilo is starting to hurt the teams playoff hopes. The pair have not scored since the 2-0 win over San Jose at BC Place on August 10, which was Vancouvers last win. Miller says he isnt fazed by the dry spell engulfing him and his Brazilian teammate, but hinted a little help from the rest of the team would be welcome. "Sometimes with strike partnerships they kind of dovetail and maybe one guy might not be scoring but the other guy does," said Miller. "And when the other guy dries up the other guy can pick the baton up, but unfortunately for us its not quite working that way. "But its a team game, we defend as a team, we attack as a team and if the strikers arent getting goals, its up to other lads to come in and chip in with a few." Khalil Mack Raiders Jersey . "I just want to help, just want to have fun, just want to play," Yakupov told reporters on Tuesday. The first overall pick from 2012 added that head coach Dallas Eakins doesnt trust him and something needs to be done. C.J. Wilson Jersey . He leaves as a potential first overall pick, and one of the most dynamic, breath-taking players in college football history.BEREA, Ohio -- The two wooden lockers Trent Richardson used daily were barren, nothing left behind from his short stay with the Browns. Face of the franchise one day. Gone the next. Still somewhat shaken by the new front offices decision to trade Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round draft pick, the few Browns who ventured into the locker room on Thursday expressed shock at the deal, its timing and they vowed to move forward in a season not yet three weeks old. "It was a shock to everybody," receiver Josh Gordon said. "Everyone was in disbelief." With an eye toward the future, the Browns shipped Richardson, the No. 3 overall pick in 2012 and one of their few players with star magnitude, to the Colts for a selection in next years draft. But the alarming move to trade the powerful running back raised a flag for Clevelands long-suffering fans, who view the hasty transaction as a sign that Browns management is throwing away this season to better align itself for 2014 and beyond. "Thats not even realistic," linebacker DQwell Jackson said. "In this business, there is too much pressure on everyone to win. I cant even fathom that." To offset the loss of Richardson and add depth at running back, the Browns signed free agent Willis McGahee. He spent last season with Denver, leading the Broncos with 731 yards. The nine-year veteran passed his physical as the Browns were practicing, worked out for Clevelands coaches and signed his contract. Like everyone, Jackson was caught off guard by Richardsons trade. Jackson had left the teams facility and was at home getting a massage Wednesday when he heard. Once the initial shock wore off, Jackson chalked it up to life with the Browns. "Ive been around here for a long time and Ive seen a lot happen and thats one of those deals where its out of your hands and out of your control," he said. "Im not saying that hes not a good player. Hes just going to be a good player for another organization, and the powers that be felt like that was the best thing for the team and weve got to move forward." Jackson said theres no time to dwell on the trade, which came within hours of the Browns naming third-string quarterback Brian Hoyer their starter Sunday inn Minnesota, and wide receiver Greg Little losing his starting job. Andre Holmes Raiders Jersey. Hoyer got the nod over backup Jason Campbell to fill in for Brandon Weeden, sidelined with a sprained right thumb. As a captain, Jacksons duty is to keep his teammates focused. "I think in the locker room, guys will talk about it for today and then weve got work to do," he said. "Weve got a lot of studying to do, a lot of film to watch, were trying to get the first win. So, yeah, its going to be in the back of our minds. We wish Trent the best of luck. But weve still got a job to do. "We have to put our hard hats on." That was the same message delivered by Browns coach Rob Chudzinski, who reminded his players to lock in on the Vikings. "We still have to go out and do what we do," safety T.J. Ward said. "Nothing changed for us. Its the same road. Weve just got to go out there, hold it down for the defensive side of the ball." Defensive lineman Desmond Bryant, who signed as a free agent in March, doesnt think the trade is a sign of surrender. "Definitely not," he said. "Were out there and we put in work every day to win. This doesnt change that, so right now were working to beat Minnesota and were going to continue to do that. I respect the decision they made." Jackson appreciates why some Cleveland fans are in an uproar over Richardsons departure. Once considered a building block, he wasnt around long enough to make a major impact. "Trent was going to be the face of this organization, a high draft pick, much was expected out of him," Jackson said. "Now that hes gone, I can see the frustration of the fans. The die-hard fans thought we had something in Trent. "Thats the ugly side of the business we cant control." ---- NOTES: Weeden visited a hand specialist, but the team provided no update. ... DE Ahtyba Rubin practiced again and could make his debut after missing two games with a calf injury. ... Offensive co-ordinator Norv Turner believes Richardson will thrive in Indy. "A lot of times players success depends on the situation theyre in and the people around them," he said. "I think hes going to have an opportunity to be real successful." cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '
