Confirmed call-ups for Argentina and Venezuela friendlies

[Keegan]

A guest from RSL on It's Called Football just confirmed that Will Johnson will be allowed to head down to Argentina for the friendly.

No way! I definitely wasn't expecting a non TFC canuck to get the nod that is great news! *Knock on wood* hopefully it doesn't mean they are desparate for numbers and its rather RSL helping along Johnson

[Ivan]

^ During the TFC - RSL broadcast, Dobson said he spoke to Jason Kreiss who said he would not deny Will an opportunity to play vs. Argentina.

[Lord Bob]

He was released for the Gold Cup too. Real Salt Lake does a better job supporting the Canadian national team than Toronto FC does. Huh.

[Guest Ed]

Mckenna is out. He is being operated on this week.

[Toronto MB]

^^

Oh dear... That's some bad news right there. What's the surgery Ed?

So where does this leave us at CB:

- Edgar?

- Straith?

I guess with Johnson getting the release, there is some hope for Hainault and Nana. Jakovic is presumably still injured.

Oh well, I know it's throwing them into the fire, but I have some faith in Edgar and Straith back there. McKenna and Jakovic would be my starting pair, but it shows we have some relative 'depth' at CB.

Stalteri--Straith--Edgar--Klukowski

Could be worse.

[Guest Ed]

^

I always get caught with anatomy.

Grizzly, anybody, what does 'leiste' mean?

"Der Kanadier hat Probleme mit der rechten Leiste und muss operiert werden. [...] Am Samstag musste „Kevin McKenna aufgrund der Leistenbeschwerden in der Halbzeit ausgewechselt werden"

[jonovision]

^

I always get caught with anatomy.

Grizzly, anybody, what does 'leiste' mean?

"Der Kanadier hat Probleme mit der rechten Leiste und muss operiert werden. [...] Am Samstag musste „Kevin McKenna aufgrund der Leistenbeschwerden in der Halbzeit ausgewechselt werden"

Google Translate says right groin.

[Guest Ed]

Friend and Stalteri confirmed for Argentina and Venezuela friendlies.

http://www.borussia.de/de/borussia_news_detail,185,0,newsid-179797.html

More players in Germany called up but waiting on some official confirmation before naming names.

[youllneverwalkalone]

I guess he's our captain, but I'd rather see Straith over Stalteri at RB.

[Lord Bob]

I'd rather see both. Bring in the elder statesman and the young gun and let's see what we've got.

[KidCanada]

would Adrian Serioux be possibly making this trip?hes on the bench for houston and if his injury is fully recovered he could help

[Keegan]

With McKenna out I'd put Klukowski and Edgar at centerback with De Jong on the left and Straith/Stalteri on the right.

[Mazha]

Probably a good call.

[Mazha]

I would like to see how Straith handles it, but he may be having to pay his dues, 'cause he's only 19.

[matthew]

With McKenna out I'd put Klukowski and Edgar at centerback with De Jong on the left and Straith/Stalteri on the right.

I was thinking the exact same thing. I'm a little worried about what kind of form he's going to be in, but I think Stalteri is nearly a lock at RB. I'm just hoping he bottled some of that form he showed in Edmonton against Mexico. I think Stalteri-Edgar-Klukowski-DeJong is our strongest back four based on who is likely to be available. I'm sort of expecting a midfield of Hume/Peters, Hutchinson, Johnson, Simpson. Then add Jackson (or Hoilett, dare to dream) playing off of Friend. Does that seem fairly likely to everyone else?

I'm hoping the combination of experience and quality in the back with the speed and work rate in the midfield should ensure we don't get played off the pitch. I'd really like DeGuzman out there, but other than that I think this isn't a terrible 11 provided we get any goalkeeping at all.

I'm all for giving guys like Straith 90 against Venezuela, but I'm not sure the Buenos Aires match is the right time to blood the youth — at least not from the start.

cheers,

matthew

[BearcatSA]

I'm sort of expecting a midfield of Hume/Peters, Hutchinson, Johnson, Simpson. Then add Jackson (or Hoilett, dare to dream) playing off of Friend. Does that seem fairly likely to everyone else?

I can see Hart going with that 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation (more often the latter) with Friend a lone ranger up front hoping to hold the ball up. Barring the availability of De Guzman and DeRosario, Hutchinson, Bernier, and Johnson may make up the central mid threesome, Simpson on the left, not sure who will be on the right (Peters? Hume? Jackson?).

[Guest Ed]

I am big fan of Paul Stalteri but he hasn't seen any action since Christmas. I don't know if he will be a lock. Adam Straith has gone 90 minutes in almost every game since he broke in late last fall, but I definitely share Matthew's concerns. We'll have to see how training goes.

[matthew]

I can see Hart going with that 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation (more often the latter) with Friend a lone ranger up front hoping to hold the ball up. Barring the availability of De Guzman and DeRosario, Hutchinson, Bernier, and Johnson may make up the central mid threesome, Simpson on the left, not sure who will be on the right (Peters? Hume? Jackson?).

If we had DeGuzman I think you're right and I would agree about playing three mids in the middle like we did in qualifying, but we've been going 4-4-2 a little more lately and I think whoever is playing off of Friend will drift back a fair bit anyway, so it won't be far off a 4-5-1. I guess I would rather have Hume or Peters in there rather than Bernier and having a right mid on the flank should provide a little more cover for Stalteri or Straith.

At the end of the day I don't think it's going to look a whole lot different even if we change the formation.

But I don't want to give this Argentina side too much respect. They can be world beaters, but at times during qualification they were a mess. If they started out disjointed I'd like to be able to have some players on the pitch who could put them on their heels a little. I expect we'll be on the back foot most of the game, but we have little to nothing to lose and I'd hate to dress a bunkering 4-5-1.

cheers,

matthew

[Keegan]

We definitely don't want to look like we did vs. Mexico away in 2008 WCQ. That was pathetic bunkering we will get killed in Argentina playing like that. We need those wingers playing up so we can get some transition

[nfitz]

He was released for the Gold Cup too. Real Salt Lake does a better job supporting the Canadian national team than Toronto FC does. Huh.

We had no problem releasing Boyens on non-FIFA dates when New Zealand called him up. It's a lot easier to release just one player.

But if we start releasing players for pre-World Cup friendlies, we could quickly find De Rosario, de Guzman, Cann, and Attakora all missing!

[devioustrevor]

We had no problem releasing Boyens on non-FIFA dates when New Zealand called him up. It's a lot easier to release just one player.

But if we start releasing players for pre-World Cup friendlies, we could quickly find De Rosario, de Guzman, Cann, and Attakora all missing!

O'Brian White too if he chooses to play for Canada.

.....and improves his first touch.

[Ivan]

Today's Toronto Sun quotes Julian DeGuzman as saying he will be in Argentina despite TFC having a game 2 days later.. "Who wouldn't want to play against one of the best teams in the world".

[Sam]

Great news hopefully he's there for both Argentina and Venezuela

[dr. killinger]

I'd rather have him (possibly dero too) start against argentina, but then have some younger guys like johnson or ledgerwood fill in those positions against venezuela.

[nfitz]

Great news hopefully he's there for both Argentina and Venezuela

Hopefully not ... he doesn't have to miss a Toronto game to play Argentina (not sure where the Sun gets two days later ... but the Sun isn't known for it's accuracy), but he would for Venezuela. Hopefully Preki has more sense than to release him for that long.