Roster for CR

[AvroArrow]

I think an argument can be made that Canada may now have the best midfield in CONCACAF.

[Soju]

Armchair manager rant time.

Why are we seeing some calls for a 4-4-2 have you guys forgotten the tactics that turned Canada around after the last qualifying cycle so soon? The 4-3-3 going forward and the 4-5-1 ten men behind the ball when we lose it is how to roll! I like David C's lineup with Brennan in the holding role. I think a lot of us want to see how he does there. As a converted center back with a midfielder's resume it might suit him fine and gives us another option on set pieces.

Keep DeRo on the left side where he's been playing for us, especially if Jazic's in. Gotta maintain the partnerships we've built up through Gold Cup. Also DeRo is most dangerous cutting onto his right foot from the left, his crossing from right to left isn't great. DeRo has the better outside shot and Radz is the better crosser so keep Radz on the right side looking to get balls in to Friend/Gerba/Occean.

As for some of you replacing Radz or DeRo on the outside with Hume, silly. Hume is the super sub forward, Radz is still the better option for a winger (Radz played in that position effectively in the premiership, nuff said). Hart knew how and when to use Humey to great effect against the US and for now I think that's his best place in this line up.

[BrennanFan]

------Occean

DeRo------------Radz

----DeGuz-Hutch

------Bernier

Jaz--JB--Hain-Stally

------Hirsch

Best. Lineup. Ever. Klukowski, Mckenna, Nsaliwa may not improve this lineup at all.

[Soju]

Occean over Friend and Gerba? Hainault will be good but we have better than him at CB. Hastings if he's fit has a lot more experience for example. Remember Hainault was letting our keepers take a lot of knocks, was a bit green. I'd like to see Tam there for comparison.

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by Soju

Occean over Friend and Gerba? Hainault will be good but we have better than him at CB. Hastings if he's fit has a lot more experience for example. Remember Hainault was letting our keepers take a lot of knocks, was a bit green. I'd like to see Tam there for comparison.

Occean is the most consistent goalscorer of the 3 at the club level, I would start him over Friend and Gerba for that reason since they are playing in similar leagues.

[Guest Ed]

Confirmed from the FC Koeln website that Dale Mitchell and Christoph Daum have come to an agreement to let Kevin McKenna stay in Germany for this game but that Kevin will be available next time round.

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by Ed

Confirmed from the FC Koeln website that Dale Mitchell and Christoph Daum have come to an agreement to let Kevin McKenna stay in Germany for this game but that Kevin will be available next time round.

I just hope "next time round" is October or November, and not May.

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by Ed

Confirmed from the FC Koeln website that Dale Mitchell and Christoph Daum have come to an agreement to let Kevin McKenna stay in Germany for this game but that Kevin will be available next time round.

I'm just wondering when is next time? It doesn't look like we'll play games during October FIFA dates....

[Loud Mouth Soup]

April 2017

[Guest Ed]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

I just hope "next time round" is October or November, and not May.

What was posted at www.fc-koeln.de:

FC-Abwehrspieler Kevin McKenna wird nicht zur kanadischen Nationalmannschaft reisen. FC-Trainer Christoph Daum und der kanadische Nationaltrainer Dale Mitchell verständigten sich am Mittwoch in einem persönlichen Gespräch darauf, dass der kanadische Verband dieses Mal auf McKenna verzichten wird. In der nächsten Abstellungsperiode wird Kevin McKenna dann wieder der kanadischen Auswahl angehören. Beide Trainer werden weiterhin in Kontakt bleiben.

Kevin will be available in the next 'Abstellungsperiode' which I assume is the next FIFA window.

[Soju]

quote:Originally posted by loyola

Occean is the most consistent goalscorer of the 3 at the club level, I would start him over Friend and Gerba for that reason since they are playing in similar leagues.

It's a good point but I'm wondering how he'll do at the target man role if we play with outside forwards. Remember how well Friend can flick on, win headers, and hold up the ball. We don't necessarily need a CF to score goals if he's creating for the rest of our attackers, who are all proven goal scorers for Canada. A lot of emphasis has been put on how few times Friend has notched for us, but as a team we've played well with him on the field so he has my vote to start.

[nolando]

OO to start if I had to pick. He seems like the most likely to still be a proven goal scorer and starter come next year, at club level. We have the luxury of a few picks out in front now. Why not play them like NHL coaches often play goaltenders - keep a hot guy in, give him a second chance from time to time, and then give the next guy down a shot if your number one isnt performing. Great motivator - again, a tactic we havent often had the chance to use. We may even be lucky enough to play three top if we draw another Belize next year, and even if that isn't the case Friend and Gerba should all see minutes in WCQ regardless.

[gkhs]

I would like to see us play a good long stretch in the 4-5-1 (4-1-4-1) and the 4-4-2. Maybe Friend and Bernier off at half for Occean and Gerba.

I really don't think results should be the be all and end all at this point...lets work on finding a first choice squad, and formation.

[marktci]

quote:Originally posted by loyola

I'm just wondering when is next time? It doesn't look like we'll play games during October FIFA dates....

As VPjr commented on MLSUnderground (echoing a thought I had), the US has just lost a proposed friendly with Catalonia on Oct 13th. Ideally, a Euro-based Canadian team could play them in Europe on that date. The logistics shouldn't be that difficult. Any available stadium holding a couple hundred could host the match.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by marktci

As VPjr commented on MLSUnderground (echoing a thought I had), the US has just lost a proposed friendly with Catalonia on Oct 13th. Ideally, a Euro-based Canadian team could play them in Europe on that date. The logistics shouldn't be that difficult. Any available stadium holding a couple hundred could host the match.

Its a good idea. Only thing that the US got a good appearance fee and all expenses to play Catalonia, playing us eliminates that.

I was looking forward to that game, and we still might get it: the president of the Catalan federation is in the States today talking with USSoccer, and their is an appeal underway, as the decision to not permit Catalonia to play was totally arbitrary, it was based on no previous precedent and no principles ever used to stop a regional team from playing a match when it wanted (the only stipulation until now has been to not coincide with the same day as a Spanish national team match, and never enter into confict with players). If anyone things tensions between a national FA's objectives and a regional view are exclusive to Canada, well here you go, but totally different.

Better for the US to play one of the Euro teams not active that day, and come to an agreement on costs with the host team. Which is exactly what we could and should be doing as well, perfect day to do so.

[VPjr]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

Better for the US to play one of the Euro teams not active that day, and come to an agreement on costs with the host team. Which is exactly what we could and should be doing as well, perfect day to do so.

Actually my idea is better ...

Seriously though, if the US wants to play on that day in October and the game against Catalonia falls through, why not stage a battle of the most Northern Americans to be played anywhere in Europe that will host them. It wont be a money maker but it's a good chance to gather the 2 squads up for even more useful training and team building.

Maybe I can call some of my cousins in my dad's hometown in Italy..they can clean up the rubbish from their little stadium and fill it up with 1000 people who will cheer for just about anything because it's a sleepy little town and nothing ever happens there. The only downside is that the Canadian players might become a little perturbed by the fact that all the townspeople will call both teams "gli Americani". [:I]

[mcaout]

Well I like

-----Hirschfeld-----

Stalteri-Serioux-Hainault-Brennan

-----Imoff-----

Radzinski-Hutchinson-DeGuzman-DeRosario

-----Hume-----

The midfield 3 need to be moving a lot. One will have to take the responsiblity to hold, I've given Imoff the job more or less, but it'd be better with some fluidity.

The outside attackers also shouldn't be glued to the touch line like classical wingers.

Push Hutchinson up on long ball to act as centre forward. Prefrably don't go long, play it on the ground and let Hume's pace and runs open up through ball options not to mention someone, again not always the same person moving from deep in the midfield three.

Substitutions are welcome, it is a friendly experimentation should be considered.

[jonovision]

quote:Originally posted by mcaout

Well I like

-----Hirschfeld-----

Stalteri-Serioux-Hainault-Brennan

-----Imoff-----

Radzinski-Hutchinson-DeGuzman-DeRosario

-----Hume-----

The midfield 3 need to be moving a lot. One will have to take the responsiblity to hold, I've given Imoff the job more or less, but it'd be better with some fluidity.

The outside attackers also shouldn't be glued to the touch line like classical wingers.

Push Hutchinson up on long ball to act as centre forward. Prefrably don't go long, play it on the ground and let Hume's pace and runs open up through ball options not to mention someone, again not always the same person moving from deep in the midfield three.

Substitutions are welcome, it is a friendly experimentation should be considered.

That is a reasonable lineup except for Hume up front. There is no way Mitchell would have called up 3 "pure" forwards like Gerba, Occean and Friend if he had no intentions of using them. Hume is a super-sub/wide player for Canada, and while there is nothing wrong with that, I don't think he is a strong option to play as a lone striker.

But replace him with Occean, Friend, or Gerba in the starting lineup and it looks pretty good. I'm not sure Brennan will start at left back if Jazic is healthy (we could see Brennan at centre-back or even in Imhof's position) but he is a good option there if Ante isn't ready to go.

[mcaout]

I think Hume should have a chance to shine from the start, it seems he hasn't for awhile. If it isn't working then change the striker, and tactics. I'm not all that bothered who plays up front. Using a bigger striker makes sense too, to hold up the ball etc... I conceed this is the likely case, as Jonovision rightly points out, why call three strikers of the same hold up style and not use one of them? I fear long ball tactics especially with one target man. Having a target player, imo, lends itself to direct play. I rather see more on the ground. My lineup has a few I'd like to see, but don't really expect to see. Other's have put a big forward, or Jazic at left back, Brennan in the middle of defense. That would be good as well. I'm fairly easy going when it comes to friendly lineups especially with such a strong squad.

[loyola]

If you want to see Hume shine from the start you have to play him as a striker in a 4-4-2 or on the wing in a 4-5-1.

[mcaout]

I thought Hume was more in the mode of a poacher type up front. I wouldn't have him out wide, although he'd do fine there. I it was a more direct front 3 then he might be fine in a wideish possition. Where does he play for his Club?

I do agree that he'd benefit more in a partnership; little and large style like a 4-4-2 could offer. However on the success of our formation in Gold Cup I wouldn't recomend 4-4-2 just for that type of striking partnership.

It seems there are these limits on Hume's playing time and what he's capable of doing and thus he doesn't get the start often. Perhaps there is good reason there on past performances when he was younger. But now that he's coming close to the full product I figure give him a chance up front.

I do see Loyola and Jonovision's points here, but I feel he should not be stuck into the role of replacement or super sub just yet, or put into a wide position rather then out and out forward.

[Daniel]

Hume is not really a poacher (I'd say Ali is our best poacher). His specialty is long-range efforts and free kicks.

The best I've seen Canada play is when Friend has been up top as a pivot. That being said, we haven't seen Occean in a while and he hasn't really shown what he can do with the NT.

[mcaout]

Hmmm, maybe I want him to be a poacher... If ask really nice? Probably not. oh well, like I've said above we've got lots of good players and I'm more then happy to see Gerba who played well at the Gold Cup or OO or Friend. I guess the only thing I wouldn't like to see is long ball tactics. But who says the other strikers wouldn't play well on the ground either? Certainly Gerba looked good holding up the ball on the floor and mobile enough for 1-2 passing.

I probably need to play less Fifa Canada and actually watch Hume play for L City or in MNT highlights of the past.

[mcaout]

Hmmm, maybe I want him to be a poacher... If ask really nice? Probably not. oh well, like I've said above we've got lots of good players and I'm more then happy to see Gerba who played well at the Gold Cup or OO or Friend. I guess the only thing I wouldn't like to see is long ball tactics. But who says the other strikers wouldn't play well on the ground either? Certainly Gerba looked good holding up the ball on the floor and mobile enough for 1-2 passing.

I probably need to play less Fifa Canada and actually watch Hume play for L City or in MNT highlights of the past.

[Soju]

Hume just isn't a target man, as if his height didn't give that away. He's a great player but the tactics that work call for a bigger CF up front. If Canada struggle to penetrate as in the USA v CAN Gold Cup Semi, Hume's outside shooting can play a huge factor. We've also seen him do it for the U20's. As for calls to try a 4-4-2 I say no, we have already found our best formation in the Gold Cup. We have limited friendlies so how about we don't screw around "trying things" and stay with one formation and one core of starters and actually build a cohesive TEAM.