May 28 Friendly - Canada vs. Sweden [R]

[The Ref]

I guess sitting the older players didn't help in a stunning loss to Sweden by 3 goals to 1. If we could start games halfway through the first half, we may have a chance as we seem to give up all kind of goals in the first few minutes all the time. Pellerud needs to come with some magic and a quick fix for our defensive strategy.

[bmac]

"Stunning Loss"?...how so?

Did you expect them to beat Sweden?

[Richard]

Part of the object of exhibition games is to provide the younger players international playing experience. Sometimes that comes at the price of not winning these essentially meaningless games. If Pellerud only ever played his mature, experienced players and kept the young ones on the bench we may win more exhibition games but there would quickly be complaints, probably in this very forum, that the coach is not giving the younger players enough development playing time.

[The Ref]

quote:Originally posted by bmac

"Stunning Loss"?...how so?

Did you expect them to beat Sweden?

I did not expect Canada to give up three goals in a few minutes after kickoff the same as in the previous game.

[Elaine]

quote:Originally posted by The Ref

I did not expect Canada to give up three goals in a few minutes after kickoff the same as in the previous game.

Just to be picky, Canada gave up two goals in the first few minutes after kickoff -- the third Swedish goal was scored in the 2nd half. So it wasn't exactly the same as the Danish game per say ...

[The Ref]

quote:Originally posted by Elaine

Just to be picky, Canada gave up two goals in the first few minutes after kickoff -- the third Swedish goal was scored in the 2nd half. So it wasn't exactly the same as the Danish game per say ...

Two goals or three goals that still does not make it right, we still lost didn't we? Maybe you think that it is ok to allow goals as long as they are in the second half.

[Richard]

Was winning the sole objective of this game?

[sj]

the result should be secondary

the most important question is did we play as a unit and understanding or did we play to limit the damage

bunker defense seems to be the tatics of choice when we play quality teams

if we did approach the game that way then this trip is a waste.

was creativity the norm of the day or was it stay back and soak up the pressureand let run down the 90 mins on the clock by booting the ball forward or in the stands

does the mental strenght seems to be lacking with our various national teams

choking seems to be something that has been associated with Canadian soccer in crucial qualifying games.

as for exhibition games as long as the team is allowed to express themselves amd attempt are being made to play a creative style regardless of the opposition and take that degres of creativety and improvement on it the next time out then it ok for the result to be secondary

but if the team come back from this trip and then adopt the same lethargic and distructive style of soccer we are so accustom to with one exception or two exceptions.

then all the exhibition games in world will do nothing to improve if we are going to see more of the same kind of display that will keep peoples away from the Canadian soccer scene, we can change all the players we want if the training staff keep teaching them the same boring low skill and creativity thump the ball aimlessly that caracterise canadians national soccer teams time for a complete revamp of the CSA and various national training centres.

Pelerud should refrain from using Kara Lang as a defender a quality coach would avoid that option she is a wrrld class striker a luxury that Pelerud seems to waste

as a defender she is just average there must over a hundred that can defend like her in the world but very few that can score like her.

tired of seeing potential world class talent wasted due to shortcoming of the programs and training staff.

[bmac]

quote:Originally posted by sj

Pelerud should refrain from using Kara Lang as a defender a quality coach would avoid that option she is a wrrld class striker a luxury that Pelerud seems to waste

as a defender she is just average there must over a hundred that can defend like her in the world but very few that can score like her.

tired of seeing potential world class talent wasted due to shortcoming of the programs and training staff.

sj:

Do you really rate Kara Lang that high as a striker?

I often have thought that apart from being a wonderful striker of the ball she has not displayed other attributes required to be world class. No question she is a talent but I think her lack of quickness and a suspect first touch hamper her effectiveness at higher levels whereas her physical presense overshadowed those deficiencies as a youth.

She appears to me to play that "bull in a china shop" style that can be effective against unskilled teams. However, I concede that even when I am at the verge of frustration with the bad passes and poor crosses she'll uncork an outstanding long range shot that leaves you in awe.

I will be interested in seeing how the coaches in the US College system use her and how she develops under their system as contrasted with Pellurud.

[sj]

you are absolute right about her talents and shortcomings

they are the same as when she first played for the national side

she has not progres at the rate she was suppose too because of what is being taught in the program is more of a defensive style of play

her talents is still as raw and was never polished under Pellerud and probably will never be.

she was given a scolarship base on her attacking ability

to me Pellerud assemble players but dont teach much as far as skill and creativity.

80 thousands showed in a match in Mexico and the reason was because Domiguez was on the field in an attacking role not in a defensive one.

why did we never market Kara Lang that way.

under any other system she would have developed into a super star already.

wasting talents and opportunities to progres seems to be what the CSA and CO are experts at,

[The Ref]

BMAC and SJ you are both right and I join you in your opinions. I like Kara as well, she is an extraordinary person with an iron will. Her kick is something to behold. She is a tough and physical baby. I would like to add a couple of things. Kara has developed her physical play which is essential for players to hold their team in the top 10 or so. That is great and I wish more of our players would be as tough and hard to knock down as Kara is. However, tough and force is not all that is needed. You need speed, reaction and control. I think Kara is a little behind in those three. As far as Pellerud teachings, from what I have seen from his practices, he spends a lot of time in strategy and shapeing. The ball skills seems to be the responsibility of the players themselves. Presently we have problems in defending and Pellerud recognizes that. One thing that bothers me somewhat is that we seem to use too many strikers in defense instead of net defenders.

[Chet]

By my reckoning, Sinclair's goal in this game brings her total for the Canadian Women's team to 53. She's now only 10 goals behind all-time-scoring-leader Hooper. And she's still only 21!

Hooper better pick up her game, or her record is toast

[CAFAN]

1. The defense needs a lot of work, averaged almost 2.5 goals against in the last 6 games. That's way too high!

2. Kara is not Dominguez, but she's a phenom in her own way. Watch the first half of the USA/Canada WWC Bronze medal match. Kara was the dominant forward on the field and gave the US defense fits. Lots of controversy over her use as a defender. I'm not as bothered by it as many posters. Kara's versatility might come in handy next WWC.

3. The national program is the wrong place to teach ball skills. Even if there was enough time and money (which there isn't) players need to develop those skills with their club and college teams. It is not now, nor likely ever will be a National team coach's responsibility.

4. If I had a 100 dollars for every time I read Canada's style won't work against skilled teams I'd be a little richer - and Canada wouldn't have wins over the USA, Brazil, China, France, Denmark etc. As simple as it might look, Canada's style does work. Statements to the contrary just conveniently ignore the facts.

[The Ref]

CAFAN, how is Dominguez doing anyway wherever she is. I think she may be a flop outside Mexico. Didn't she wanted to play in a men's team at one time? or was that somebody else.

[The Ref]

CAFAN, how is Dominguez doing anyway wherever she is. I think she may be a flop outside Mexico. Didn't she wanted to play in a men's team at one time? or was that somebody else.

[sj]

The Ref

I think she is playing for Barcelona in Spain

looks like they were on tour and played Against the mexican national team with 80 thousands cheering for her after she put the Mexican jersey on

Dominguez played one half for Bacelona and one half for the Mexiacn side.

As for her being a flop I dont think so.

she was one of the uprising stars in WUSA a clever little player

she destroyed the only hope Canada had to sent a soccer team to Athens.

CAFAN

out of those five teams you mentioned the only team we beat in a competitive game is China

the others were during friendlies which we seems to put too much emphasis on winning and not enough on learning how to be creative and spontaneous in the long run this is what is going to help us win

competitive games, put customers in the stand and sponsors lining up behind the teams.

20 yrs ago we were ahead of most of those teams including the USA.

our destructive style of play is what has prevented US at the same rate as the others we will only win the odd ones against those teams but not consistantly.it does not even allow us to sring a few quality passes together aginst lesser opposition

struggling is what we do when we need be constructive and pass the ball around in open play regardless of the opposition

Soccer is called the beautiful game and there nothing beautiful about the way our various national team portrait the game

our players have hearts

things would be much better if they were allowed to add a little bit of creativity,style and adequate time to at least gel the starting eleven together as a complete unit prior to the first game were the abjective sucks seems to be eternally part of more so when it is a home game.

[sj]

The Ref

I think she is playing for Barcelona in Spain

looks like they were on tour and played Against the mexican national team with 80 thousands cheering for her after she put the Mexican jersey on

Dominguez played one half for Bacelona and one half for the Mexiacn side.

As for her being a flop I dont think so.

she was one of the uprising stars in WUSA a clever little player

she destroyed the only hope Canada had to sent a soccer team to Athens.

CAFAN

out of those five teams you mentioned the only team we beat in a competitive game is China

the others were during friendlies which we seems to put too much emphasis on winning and not enough on learning how to be creative and spontaneous in the long run this is what is going to help us win

competitive games, put customers in the stand and sponsors lining up behind the teams.

20 yrs ago we were ahead of most of those teams including the USA.

our destructive style of play is what has prevented US at the same rate as the others we will only win the odd ones against those teams but not consistantly.it does not even allow us to sring a few quality passes together aginst lesser opposition

struggling is what we do when we need be constructive and pass the ball around in open play regardless of the opposition

Soccer is called the beautiful game and there nothing beautiful about the way our various national team portrait the game

our players have hearts

things would be much better if they were allowed to add a little bit of creativity,style and adequate time to at least gel the starting eleven together as a complete unit prior to the first game were the abjective sucks seems to be eternally part of more so when it is a home game.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by The Ref

CAFAN, how is Dominguez doing anyway wherever she is. I think she may be a flop outside Mexico. Didn't she wanted to play in a men's team at one time? or was that somebody else.

Marigol came mid-season to Barcelona with the team dead last in a 14 team top flight women's league (mostly amateur here), and they ended up tied for 8th with a winning record with her here. In Spain Bilbao won the league, then they play a cup between the top 8 teams, but Barça was technically 9th on goal difference.

She is more an attacking midfielder here. Though she did make a difference, perhaps it was even more on a mental level, as the team's defence improved, and she was not the goal-scorer in the games she played, it was an under 21, Adriana.

In any case, this suggests that perhaps playing in a place like Spain could be an option for a Canadian just out of university, and the level would not be too low for a good Canadian either. A decent team -Levante, Espanyol, Rayo Vallecano- would give a player an apartment and some kind of stipend, she could coach a bit and live alright, and the experience would be excellent.

[CAFAN]

quote:Originally posted by sj

The Ref

I think she is playing for Barcelona in Spain

looks like they were on tour and played Against the mexican national team with 80 thousands cheering for her after she put the Mexican jersey on

Dominguez played one half for Bacelona and one half for the Mexiacn side.

As for her being a flop I dont think so.

she was one of the uprising stars in WUSA a clever little player

she destroyed the only hope Canada had to sent a soccer team to Athens.

CAFAN

out of those five teams you mentioned the only team we beat in a competitive game is China

the others were during friendlies which we seems to put too much emphasis on winning and not enough on learning how to be creative and spontaneous in the long run this is what is going to help us win

competitive games, put customers in the stand and sponsors lining up behind the teams.

20 yrs ago we were ahead of most of those teams including the USA.

our destructive style of play is what has prevented US at the same rate as the others we will only win the odd ones against those teams but not consistantly.it does not even allow us to sring a few quality passes together aginst lesser opposition

struggling is what we do when we need be constructive and pass the ball around in open play regardless of the opposition

Soccer is called the beautiful game and there nothing beautiful about the way our various national team portrait the game

our players have hearts

things would be much better if they were allowed to add a little bit of creativity,style and adequate time to at least gel the starting eleven together as a complete unit prior to the first game were the abjective sucks seems to be eternally part of more so when it is a home game.

20 years ago? Whew, you're going back way further than I can comment on - first WWC wasn't until 1991. Who even had a semi-serious women's program back then?

I can't argue that Canada has beaten many of the big teams in the WWC or Oly's but those opportunities are few and far between - that's why friendlies exist and why FIFA uses them to update world rankings. Here's an interesting fact. Only one top 10 ranked team has gained more points in the FIFA ranking tables since they were first established in December 2002. Points-wise, Canada has gained ground on the USA, Germany, Norway, Brazil and Sweden. Hard to be too critical of that performance.

National coaches have to balance their priorities. Not enough emphasis on winning can lead to bad things like termination and/or cuts in funding. Too much emphasis on winning can hurt the team's evolution (e.g. by not trying new things or introducing new/young talent). Hard to accuse Canada of not testing young talent. Some might accuse Pellerud of not trying to develop a better possession style, I expect we'll see a big improvement over the next 2 years.

I didn't see this game or any of the others but the scores suggest Canada didn't employ bunker tactics. Canada's problem since the summer of 2003 has been an inability to consistently field a defense as strong as Boyd, Nonen, Hermus and Chapman were just prior to the WWC. It doesn't take a crystal ball to predict that Canada will struggle until Pellerud puts that kind of talent back together and gets them working together as a coordinated unit.