Canada at Gold Cup 2015 Preview Thread

[Unnamed Trialist]

Did not see one so thought I'd start one: Canada-specific Gold Cup general news leading up to the games and their threads. 

 

(Actually thought of this seeing Keylor Navas will be operated and won't be in goal for CR in Toronto, much better for us as he is obviously one of their marquee players.) 

 

Here is our schedule for 1st round. I'll edit in tv rights, if someone knows.

 

08 July 2015. 10:30 PM vs El Salvador, Carson, CA 

11 July 2015. 6:30 PM vs. Jamaica, Houston 6.30 

14 July 2015. 8:30 PM vs. Costa Rica, Toronto

 

Local times.

 

Quarter finals 18 and 19 July in East Rutherford and Baltimore. Top two and two best third place sides go through.

 

The 35-man preliminary roster announced by the CSA, has to be taken down to 23 before the Cup:

 

CANADA
GK-Milan Borjan | BUL / Ludogorets Razgrad
GK- Lars Hirschfeld | NOR / Valerenga
GK- Quillan Roberts | CAN / Toronto FC
GK- Kenny Stamatopoulos | SWE / AIK
D- Sam Adekugbe | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
D- Nana Attakora | USA / San Antonio Scorpions
D- Luca Gasparotto | SCO / Glasgow Rangers
D- Andre Hainault | unattached / sans club
D- Dejan Jakovic | JPN / Shimizu S-Pulse
D- Nik Ledgerwood | GER / Energie Cottbus
D- Ashtone Morgan | CAN / Toronto FC
D- Karl W. Ouimette | USA / New York Red Bulls
D- Mallan Roberts | CAN / FC Edmonton
D- Adam Straith | NOR / Fredrikstad
D/M- Marcel de Jong | USA / Sporting KC
D/M- David Edgar | ENG / Birmingham City FC
D/M- Maxim Tissot | CAN / Impact de Montréal
M- Tesho Akindele | USA / FC Dallas
M- Kyle Bekker | USA / FC Dallas
M- Julian de Guzman | CAN / Ottawa Fury FC
M- Kianz Froese | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Besiktas
M- Will Johnson | USA / Portland Timbers
M- Issey Nakajima-Farran | MAS / Terengganu
M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Pedro Pacheco | POR / Santa Clara
M- Michael Petrasso | ENG / Queens Park Rangers
M- Samuel Piette | ESP / Deportivo la Coruna
M- Tosaint Ricketts | ISR / Hapoel Haifa
M- Russell Teibert | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
M/F- Randy Edwini-Bonsu | GER / Stuttgarter Kickers
M/F- Simeon Jackson | unattached / sans club
F- Marcus Haber | ENG / Crewe Alexandra
F- Jordan Hamilton | CAN / Toronto FC
F- Cyle Larin | USA / Orlando City SC

[BrennanFan]

Looks like Hutchinson is out.

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/atiba-hutchinson-canada-gold-cup-besiktas-concacaf-benito-floro/

 

Veteran midfielder Atiba Hutchinson is nursing a nagging groin injury and he doesn’t believe he’ll be able to play for Canada at the Gold Cup, which runs from July 7-26.

“It still hurts and I’m still trying to recover. So I doubt that I’ll be fit to play at the Gold Cup,” Hutchinson told Sportsnet.

Hutchinson, 32, suffered the injury while playing with his pro club Besiktas, and ended up sitting out the last few matches of the recent Turkish league season.

He was called up by Canada for its World Cup qualifying series against Dominica, but he aggravated the injury while training with the team, which ruled him out for both games.

 

Horrible news of course, but perhaps this will give our young mids some valuable experience.  Lets see what Teibert and Osorio can do alongside Julian and Johnson. 

[Keegan]

Always count on Jakovic and Hutchinson to pick up knocks.  Two good players but if we depend solely on either one we are in trouble.

[mrstepp817]

At this point Hutch just needs to rest and hope he's well enought for the third round of qualifying....I doubt he'll be match fit for 90 but he can possibly be a late sub and slowly work back in...especially if Canada takes care of business

[BrennanFan]

My picks for 23 man roster:

 

GK-Milan Borjan | BUL / Ludogorets Razgrad
GK- Lars Hirschfeld | NOR / Valerenga
GK- Kenny Stamatopoulos | SWE / AIK

 

D- Karl W. Ouimette | USA / New York Red Bulls
D- Adam Straith | NOR / Fredrikstad

D- Ashtone Morgan | CAN / Toronto FC

D- Dejan Jakovic | JPN / Shimizu S-Pulse
D- Nik Ledgerwood | GER / Energie Cottbus
D/M- Marcel de Jong | USA / Sporting KC
D/M- David Edgar | ENG / Birmingham City FC

 

D/M- Maxim Tissot | CAN / Impact de Montréal
M- Kyle Bekker | USA / FC Dallas

M- Samuel Piette | ESP / Deportivo la Coruna
M- Russell Teibert | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Julian de Guzman | CAN / Ottawa Fury FC
M- Will Johnson | USA / Portland Timbers
 

M/F- Randy Edwini-Bonsu | GER / Stuttgarter Kickers
M/F- Simeon Jackson | unattached / sans club

M- Tesho Akindele | USA / FC Dallas

M- Tosaint Ricketts | ISR / Hapoel Haifa

F- Marcus Haber | ENG / Crewe Alexandra
F- Cyle Larin | USA / Orlando City SC

 

 

Tesho-----------Larin----------Ricketts

------------------Osorio

--------deGuzman---Johnson

deJong---Jakovic---Edgar---Ledgerwood

------------------Borjan

 

 

Only a matter of time before Piette takes over for deGuzman permanently.   

[nolando]

We all know that WJ is very likely not coming, right?

[Unnamed Trialist]

Nice 23 from BrennanFan.

 

I wonder if Lars' season being summer and him looking like third on the list they may go for a third keeper who is younger, who'd be Quillan. 

 

I am also thinking about how Floro might judiciously seek to pick only one starting or regular player per MLS team, so looking at both Bekker and Tesho from Dallas. Is Bekker playing a lot, would they complain to lose him? That is why I agree with BFan that Floro might let Adekugbe stay with the club, and this logic would say pick Osorio over Morgan. But of course he is not obliged to leave them off as it is his call.

 

Issey's first season in Malaysia goes all summer, to the end of August. Another who you might let stay with the club as it was hard enough for him being Unatttached since January.

[Addona]

Sorry, this is the GC, not a friendly! Leaving Morgn off because we want Oso is unacceptable. Maybe JK will leave Altidore off for Bradley ...

[closetboostie]

After watching Floro operate over the last couple of years, I would suggest that he will call who he thinks will help us win. I think he has played the political game with the clubs up to this point but he will take this tournament extremely seriously and expect the clubs to deal with it.

 

And honestly I think this approach is needed when it comes to the official competitions. It's time to "act as if" and that means acting like we are a player in the confederation and as has been mentioned repeatedly, Mexico and the US call who they want when they want. We're not to the point we can bring MLS players across the ocean for a midweek friendly during their season but the least we can expect is to field the best team for our confederation championship.

[king1010]

We all know that WJ is very likely not coming, right?

 

Still trying to make sense of that Floro quote that said Will Johnson may not be ready for gold cup.

 

And I agree with the posters above me. This is the regional championship with qualification to the Copa America on the line. Floro isn't going to be dimplomatic and only pick one player per MLS team. The time to do that is for friendlies. And Floro did exactly that so he would be on good terms with clubs to call up who he pleases when the games count (Gold Cup, WCQ, Olympic Q)

[Addona]

And maybe if the teams feel the pain a bit more, MLS could think about a schedule that breaks for these tournaments.

[David C.]

Starting with BrennanFan's 23, I would:

1 - Add Hainault (if he settles his club situation in time) over Simeon Jackson.

2 - Add Pacheco for Will Johnson (if WJ can't go or is left out by Floro).

3 - List Tissot as a MF/FW, where he has actually been playing recently. That makes us 2-deep at each position (3 at GK).

[BrennanFan]

Im happy about the emergence of our new players, but its also sad to see the old guard not get called up.  

 

2015 will see the retirement of a several guys: DeRosario, Bernier, Hume, Occean, and maybe even Nakajima, Hirschfeld and deGuzman by years end.

 

End of an era, but beginning of a new one at this Gold Cup.    

[Blackdude]

I just checked the CONCACAF rosters' in PDF and Canada pretty much put the #'s next to players, and it looks like Canada's real #'s they would wear in game. I do think that there's a major absence in the first 23 in Larin.

1 GK- Lars Hirschfeld | NOR / Valerenga

2 D- Nik Ledgerwood | GER / Energie Cottbus

3 D- Ashtone Morgan | CAN / Toronto FC

4 D- Andre Hainault | unattached / sans club

5 D/M- David Edgar | ENG / Birmingham City FC

6 M- Julian de Guzman | CAN / Ottawa Fury FC

7 M- Russell Teibert | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

8 M- Will Johnson | USA / Portland Timbers

9 M- Tosaint Ricketts | ISR / Hapoel Haifa
10 M/F- Simeon Jackson | unattached / sans club

11 M- Issey Nakajima-Farran | MAS / Terengganu

12 D- Dejan Jakovic | JPN / Shimizu S-Pulse

13 M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Besiktas

14 D- Adam Straith | NOR / Fredrikstad

15 M- Tesho Akindele | USA / FC Dallas
16 M- Kyle Bekker | USA / FC Dallas
17 D/M- Marcel de Jong | USA / Sporting KC
18 GK-Milan Borjan | BUL / Ludogorets Razgrad

19 M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC

20 D- Karl W. Ouimette | USA / New York Red Bulls
21 F- Marcus Haber | ENG / Crewe Alexandra
22 GK- Kenny Stamatopoulos | SWE / AIK
23 D- Nana Attakora | USA / San Antonio Scorpions

 

24 D- Luca Gasparotto | SCO / Glasgow Rangers

25 D/M- Maxim Tissot | CAN / Impact de Montréal
26 M- Michael Petrasso | ENG / Queens Park Rangers

27 M- Samuel Piette | ESP / Deportivo la Coruna

28 M- Pedro Pacheco | POR / Santa Clara

29 M/F- Randy Edwini-Bonsu | GER / Stuttgarter Kickers
30 F- Cyle Larin | USA / Orlando City SC

31 GK- Quillan Roberts | CAN / Toronto FC

32 D- Sam Adekugbe | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

33 M- Kianz Froese | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

34 F- Jordan Hamilton | CAN / Toronto FC
35 D- Mallan Roberts | CAN / FC Edmonton

So who was in the first offical roster and not in the "first" 23?

Larin replaced by Jackson

James (not in the 35) replaced by Hainault

Piette replaced by Bekker

Edwini-Bonsu replaced by Issey

Tissot replaced by de Jong

 

 Floro did mention that he expected 80% of his roster to be from the WCQ team, so that's about 5 changes. Now, you have to add the changes due to injuries and the question becomes now. Who will replace Hutchinson and Jakovic if both are out of WCQ? I'm going with Pacheco and Gasparotto. The first one because he's covers more what Hutch is doing than Piette and the second one because he won't miss league play unlike Roberts

[nolando]

No Larin?!?

[Gian-Luca]

No Larin?!?

I wouldn't read too much into the numbers listed - I can't see them not calling Larin & Piette while calling injured players like Atiba or out of season guys like Jackson or guys like Issey that we haven't seen in a while. Its not like Jackson can play the target forward role in place of Larin.

[king1010]

No larin or piette?

[David C.]

I wouldn't read too much into the numbers listed - I can't see them not calling Larin & Piette while calling injured players like Atiba or out of season guys like Jackson or guys like Issey that we haven't seen in a while. Its not like Jackson can play the target forward role in place of Larin.

I agree. For all we know, these are just preliminary number assignments, that could change for the final selection.

[madmonte]

Yeah I'm thinking it's a case of much ado about nothing here...

[BuzzAndSting]

What number did Larin wear the other night?

Edit: Tesho wore 23 and according to the numbered list Nana is wearing 23. Theory debunked.

[Supersonic78]

What number did Larin wear the other night?

Edit: Tesho wore 23 and according to the numbered list Nana is wearing 23. Theory debunked.

 

21

[BuzzAndSting]

21

Correct, just found a pic.

When was the roster submitted? Before the first Dominica game? Some of the numbers are correct, guys who've always wore the same number, Stama 22, Nik 2, Ashtone 3, Lars 1. Others are wrong, Jono (I'm trying to get this to stick to forget about the other one) did not wear 15 he wore 10. Maybe this was a best guess at projected numbers but not final.

Edit: Piette wore 14 not Straith. Issey has worn 11 in the past but Haber wore it for the Dominica game.

[Gian-Luca]

Larin wore #21 against Dominica - Osorio wore #10

[Blackdude]

I've said that the plan was to call up those 23 players and some numbers don't work because of that. I'll just pull the players who had different numbers. Some of them can be explained because more experienced players were absent from WCQ like the first 5 + de Jong  where these players are used to wear those numbers. I'm going to but a bold on players where I can't explain the change. That's like 2 out of 23. (Not putting the players who have the same # in both) And it's because you need multipile switches from one team to another because you add an experienced player who has worn that # for many years.

 

4 D- Andre Hainault | unattached / sans club absent: #4 was worn by Roberts

10 M/F- Simeon Jackson | unattached / sans club absent #10 was worn by Osorio

11 M- Issey Nakajima-Farran | MAS / Terengganu  absent #11 was worn by Haber

12 D- Dejan Jakovic | JPN / Shimizu S-Pulse absent #12 was worn by Tissot

13 M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Besiktas absent #13 wasn't worn

14 D- Adam Straith | NOR / Fredrikstad wore #15 #14 was worn by Piette

15 M- Tesho Akindele | USA / FC Dallas wore #23 #15 was worn by Straith
16 M- Kyle Bekker | USA / FC Dallas absent #16 was worn by Attakora
17 D/M- Marcel de Jong | USA / Sporting KC absent #17 was worn by James

19 M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC wore #10 #19 was worn by Edwini-Bonsu
21 F- Marcus Haber | ENG / Crewe Alexandra wore #11 #21 was worn by Larin
23 D- Nana Attakora | USA / San Antonio Scorpions wore  #16 #23 was worn by Akindele

 

I don't think that it's a bad theory. I've said that that 23 was supposed to be the 23 to play in the Gold Cup and from what Floro has said with the # of changes he expected before WCQ without knowing who would be injured or not, it were those changes. Now, that you've got injuries, you have to juggle with your lineup and we'll see what changes Floro will make based on that. But I don't think that this theory in unproven. We'll see what happens, but that was the plan. It's also entirely possible that some players played themselves on the Gold Cup team in the Dominica games and some players played/injured/"unattached" themselves off the team.

 

All I'm saying is if those 35 players were all healthy, attached and played like Floro expected them to play in Dominica, the 23 I put there would be the 23 that Floro would have picked for the Gold Cup.

[Keegan]

An interesting theory but it's easily debunked by Larin and Piette being out of the 23.  Both will play key roles at the Gold Cup.