2018 FIFA WCQ CONCACAF Rd 4, Matchday 4: Tues 29 Mar 2016, Canada @ Mexico, 1030pm ET, 730pm PT

[The Ref]

Maybe Rob Gale should take over Floro.

[Keegan]

10 minutes ago, The Ref said:

Maybe Rob Gale should take over Floro.

Yea, if we haven't had enough puzzling lineup choices we could bring in Gale.  Remember 2015 U20 qualifying?  

[Canadian Pride]

1 hour ago, The Ref said:

Maybe Rob Gale should take over Floro.

Floro isn't getting fired, that's rediculous. We shouldn't even be talking about this.

[Gian-Luca]

7 hours ago, BearcatSA said:

Getting a point here was a big time long shot, so keeping it at 2-0 isn't unexpected (in fact pretty decent, considering our personnel and the venue).  Glad to hear that James had a good game:  I really think he has a lot of upside.  

How did Ledgerwood do?  

I could see us grinding out a scoreless result in Honduras.  Unfortuately, I could also see us doing the same at home to ES.

  

That scenario easily could be enough to get us through to the next round though.

As for Ledgerwood, he was half-decent although he was marking Corona on the second goal and the stopped and watched him retrieve the ball. There were others that were in the area (Hutchinson should have thrown himself to the ground to block the shot rather than attempt to block it by standing up) but if he had stayed with his man, the goal never would have happened.

The play of James was definitely a positive - I can see why Floro put him in, to get some speed in the middle of the back four.

[Bully]

I'd put the chance of Canada making the Hex at 30%. 

[Tuscan]

Boy I have to say the flights back from this one are a true test of resilience. Also fuck Houston Int'l Airport. And fuck United Airlines. 

[Moldy9]

3 hours ago, The Ref said:

Great analysis.  I think we couldn't have played worst even if we tried.  Insofar as Floro, the old man doesn't want to win, he just doesn't know how to and does not want to be hammered.

Amen brother. 

[Guest]

Larin does not have any support compared to Orlando. Plus its hard to score goals when Floro's mind set is defend defend defend. Only 1 goal in 4 games. That is sad.

[king1010]

Just now, dsqpr said:

Why are people losing sight of the fact that after 4 of 6 matches we are well positioned to advance? We will need a result in Honduras. We were always going to need a result in Honduras. Did anybody really think we'd be home and dry by now? This campaign is going well.

people thought we would be in a much better position because they expected us to take 6 points from our first 2 games. left points on the table in El Salvador when they were there for the taking. Just like tying Honduras at home last cycle came back to bite us. So might the draw against El Salvador B. 

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Just now, dsqpr said:

 We were always going to need a result in Honduras.

This was almost always certain to be true. Part of me thinks this was true even before we got drawn with Honduras again.

[king1010]

Just now, dsqpr said:

Honduras didn't win there either.

Honduras didn't play their B team. When their A team was all on strike. 

This is why people are upset. It was their replacement players we drew. 

[king1010]

3 minutes ago, dsqpr said:

It's still just one match. We had a great result at home to Honduras that has set us up nicely. Where we probably exceeded expectations. Why not focus on that one match instead?

because we needed to win both matches to be sure of advancing. 

we can focus on our great win in cuba last cycle, focus on our great home wins vs cuba and panama at home last cycle. but obviously the focus lands on the wasted draw at home against Honduras that would have rendered the result in San Pedro Sula pointless. 

thats why we are focusing on the blown opportunity in el salvador. when opportunity presents itself you have to seize it. and we didn't. no attacking intent in that game 

why would we focus on a single result that wouldn't be enough to secure qualification. we won one game and played shit in 3.  

[Moldy9]

I think it's time the CSA and Floro put aside their BS politics, pride and little black books and do something for the good of Canadian Soccer and put out the best team that can perform on stage. No has beens, no guys that can't bring it, struggling with pace or don't belong on the international stage, players that play or know the Latin style and not intimidated by that. Even if that means playing up in Fort Mac or St Johns. 

[MtlMario]

2 hours ago, Bully said:

I'd put the chance of Canada making the Hex at 30%. 

Jason Devos was on TSN690 radio(MTL) the other day and was asked by Tony Marinaro if Canada would get to the Hex and he replied no. 

[lazlo_80]

At some point we need to do something we haven't done in the last 20 years to make the hex. getting a point in Honduras, against this iteration of the Honduras team seems like a better opportunity than getting a point against this mexico team. Time will tell I suppose.

 

[Moldy9]

There's nothing there to show me by the way Floro selects his players, to his tactics, to our inability to score in the last two years that leads me to believe we will win in San Pedro Sula let alone get a draw. We were only able to draw Belize (after they scored the opening goal).

So even though there's still 6pts on the table and our fate is in our hands - I just feel it's inevitable we will end this round with 5 or max 7pts. In order to progress something drastically needs to change. We need to get a win in Honduras or 4 pts out of 6. Does anyone have the balls to make changes - I don't think so. 

[lazlo_80]

we beat honduras at home. thats harder than beating el salvador at home. i think thats very much achievable.

 

the question is if you think they can tie in honduras or not. I think they can. I'm not saying it's easy or even necessarily super likely, but i think they can.

 

[jpg75]

52 minutes ago, king1010 said:

because we needed to win both matches to be sure of advancing.

thats why we are focusing on the blown opportunity in el salvador. when opportunity presents itself you have to seize it. and we didn't.

Carpe Diem.

[MtlMario]

7 minutes ago, dsqpr said:

I think that too but I am still hoping because hope is the last to die (I love that quote!). May we both be horribly wrong!

I'm happy you love my old Italian saying. LOL

[MtlMario]

I think we will get to the Hex( by winning our next 2 games.) What"s the use of getting to the Hex if we can't win games and not get to the Word Cup?

[jpg75]

20 minutes ago, dsqpr said:

We Carpe Diem'd at home to Honduras. And may yet Carpe Diem again to advance!

There are 6 diems in this round, we don't need to carpe all of them!

It's only negativity if nothing gets done about it. I would love to get a V's campaign started to institute a coaching change. I am going to present facts and make an economic argument why it can and should be done. Sadly i think it's going to go nowhere as even the supporters culture in this country is deeply ingrained with a mentality of failure.

[jpg75]

6 minutes ago, dsqpr said:

I think you are being a little harsh. As a QPR fan I have seen the effect of continual managerial changes and each one sets you back, it does not move you forward. We need to be realistic about the quality of players we have and set our expectations accordingly. There is no manager in the world that could turn our squad into world beaters.

I've seen many incarnations of Canada, as I'm sure you have, and the current one is far from being the worst. Even in recent memory.

This squad has potential, but if you don't play your best players (Edgar) or put people in position to fail (Henry) then there is a serious problem. The margin of error going forward is incredibly small, we cannot concede imo so we have to play flawlessly and for that only our best XI will do. I have zero faith Floro will put an adequate backline out there in Sept. 

@CanadaSoccer  1m ago

#CanMNT Borjan; Henry, Jakovic, Straith, de Jong; Hutchinson; Ledgerwood, De Guzman, Johnson, Hoilett; Larin

That's like an 80% probable Floro lineup. As in 80% of us will lose our shit the minute it's released.

[Bully]

1 hour ago, jpg75 said:

This squad has potential, but if you don't play your best players (Edgar) or put people in position to fail (Henry) then there is a serious problem. The margin of error going forward is incredibly small, we cannot concede imo so we have to play flawlessly and for that only our best XI will do. I have zero faith Floro will put an adequate backline out there in Sept. 

@CanadaSoccer  1m ago

#CanMNT Borjan; Henry, Jakovic, Straith, de Jong; Hutchinson; Ledgerwood, De Guzman, Johnson, Hoilett; Larin

That's like an 80% probable Floro lineup. As in 80% of us will lose our shit the minute it's released.

Bang on. I drove from Calgary to Vancouver last weekend (a long trip). Rallied 16 friends to come to the game, most of whom have never watched a soccer game. We are all so pumped, get into the supporters section after such a long journey. We see how big the crowd is (awesome)... and then, I see the starting line-up on the jumbo tron. 

I turn to my brother and tell him "we're done."

Of course we were probably going to lose to Mexico but yikes. I gathered all those new fans, as I'm sure many did. Such a big hype around the stadium.. and then we see a line up like that. 

Play your best players.  

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

13 minutes ago, Bully said:

Bang on. I drove from Calgary to Vancouver last weekend (a long trip). Rallied 16 friends

Do you think those 16 friends will be back if the September game is in Vancouver? and on a Tuesday night after a long weekend?

[Bully]

20 minutes ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

Do you think those 16 friends will be back if the September game is in Vancouver? and on a Tuesday night after a long weekend?

I'll try!