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

[TheSelectFew]

Hey guys

 

Bad luck today. I'm really eager to see Canada on top. What's the issue over there?

TSF from Melbourne. 

[rob.notenboom]

4 hours ago, Bully said:

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.  

First off, kudos on an impressive piece of Voyageur recruitment work.

Secondly, I have the same questions as Ben (OdM) ... How many of those people do you think might be back despite the result? A ton of other stuff was impressive enough in Vancouver that it might be enough of a draw regardless of the result. I was hooked years ago, but one game in Toronto really put the stamp and seal on it for me ... committed for life. 

[Moldy9]

7 hours ago, Bully said:

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.  

You perfectly described how I felt minus the 16 guys and instead Calgary put Edmonton. Hahaha players on the big screen. Yes! The crowd yelling out last names I was like "ehhhh???" "Nooooo!"

Please no more Straith, Henry, De Guzman, Ricketts, Johnson and 4-1-4-1. 

[rightback]

On 3/30/2016 at 5:18 AM, BearcatSA said:

 

How did Ledgerwood do?  

I thought he did pretty well, a lot better than Ricketts anyway.

  

 

[BearcatSA]

On Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 10:03 AM, Gian-Luca said:

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.

I finally saw the recordings of these two matches.  It looked like Ledgerwood was playing as a quasi-right back in charge of shadowing the very impressive Layun.  I don't think the Mexican LB had to do any real defending in these two games.  

 

[red card]

On 3/30/2016 at 7:25 PM, Bully said:

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.  

Play your best players is an opinion. That 's why this type of discussion happens with every manager in every country. Changing managers isn't going to eliminate or reduce this issue. If it was that easy to pick your "best players", you don't need to pay anybody to do it let alone million+. This also assumes that Canada best players are actually good enough to make a difference. Instead, we have a lot of mismatched parts and misfit talent. It's like shopping at a thrift store. Once in a while there a gem but generally you find a bunch of imperfect, flawed stuff.

My view is play your best combo of players for the team you're playing. But first and foremost is to get the organization right which has gotten Canada to the HEX in the past without using our "best players" as deemed by the unwashed masses. 

[Bully]

1 hour ago, red card said:

Play your best players is an opinion. That 's why this type of discussion happens with every manager in every country. Changing managers isn't going to eliminate or reduce this issue. If it was that easy to pick your "best players", you don't need to pay anybody to do it let alone million+. This also assumes that Canada best players are actually good enough to make a difference. Instead, we have a lot of mismatched parts and misfit talent. It's like shopping at a thrift store. Once in a while there a gem but generally you find a bunch of imperfect, flawed stuff.

My view is play your best combo of players for the team you're playing. But first and foremost is to get the organization right which has gotten Canada to the HEX in the past without using our "best players" as deemed by the unwashed masses. 

For sure. That's what I meant. The best combination of our best players. That's a fair point, a seasoned coach is payed to find who will work well together. But I think we can all agree that some of Floro's choices (ie. no Edgar) are out of this world.

If we had 10 world class strikers; no I wouldn't suggest a 1-0-0-10. 

[Grizzly]

On 3/30/2016 at 4:37 AM, BearcatSA said:

Perhaps it also says more about MLS defending?

Does anyone really expect MLS teams to have a backline comparable to that of the Mexican national team?

[BearcatSA]

11 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Does anyone really expect MLS teams to have a backline comparable to that of the Mexican national team?

Judging from some of the comments  you'd think the only thing holding Larin back was the lack of attacking support.  Funny you should say this because I thought about adding something similar at the end of my post.

[Keegan]

12 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Does anyone really expect MLS teams to have a backline comparable to that of the Mexican national team?

+1

20 year old Larin was always going to have a tough time alone up top against Mexico, 99.9% of strikers his age/experience would.  I can't imagine even Anthony Martial having a great time against them, but fortunately for them they don't need to depend on a 20 year old.  I actually thought he did pretty well, certainly better than a 27 year old Bundesliga striker named Rob Friend v Mexico in 2008 and that needs to be a positive.  He was able to get off two shots and we all know he has a cannon.. hopefully next time he connects solidly with one, also he didn't get a chance to get on the end of any balls with those dumb short corners.

[Blackdude]

19 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Does anyone really expect MLS teams to have a backline comparable to that of the Mexican national team?

The question is more if the MLS backline  is comparable to that of your good UNCAF/CFU teams?