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WCQ Honduras - Canada 2 Sept Pre-game


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29 minutes ago, BrennanFan said:

I can't believe Honduras is in an Olympic semi. And with us, with our best group of U23s maybe ever, sitting at home

Larin, Hamilton

Petrasso, Piette, Chapman, Babouli

Adekugbe, Henry, Gasparotto, Aird

Crepeau

 

A lot of those guys didn't even play in the qualifying tourney. Petrasso and Gasparotto did and played well. Same as Crepeau. Piette was there but was terrible.

whitecaps weren't willing to release them for long enough apparently so we missed out on Froese, Aird and Adekugbe.

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This is just brutal for Jules, gotta feel for the guy.

As Hulkrogan mentions above it might not be the biggest loss for the team as long as Piette isn't his replacement. Arfield and Johnson in front of Hutch would be an actual improvement for us.

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These comments are surprising me a bit, I assumed that De Guzman wasn't going to start either way. After the Arfield CM experiment during the friendlies, I expected Arfield and Johnson in front of Hutch. My only question in midfield is whether Akindele or Ricketts starts wide right. Akindele was decent when he linked up with Arfield for the friendlies, however we know that Floro loves Tosaint and that love has likely grown now that Tosaint is receiving consistent minutes for TFC.

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1 hour ago, Pottsy3 said:

These comments are surprising me a bit, I assumed that De Guzman wasn't going to start either way. After the Arfield CM experiment during the friendlies, I expected Arfield and Johnson in front of Hutch. My only question in midfield is whether Akindele or Ricketts starts wide right. Akindele was decent when he linked up with Arfield for the friendlies, however we know that Floro loves Tosaint and that love has likely grown now that Tosaint is receiving consistent minutes for TFC.

I agree with your thoughts on the CM's, although Johnson still hasn't played a game since his injury. Something to follow closely over the next two weeks.

Regarding the wingers - I wonder if Akindele starts on the left and Ricketts on the right - given that Hoilett is still unattached and hasn't played a club match since May.

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Hoilett is also on a yellow card, so maybe he will sit and let the guys with presumably better fitness start us off. Hoilett coming into the game in the second half probably gives us much more of a threat than Ricketts or Akindele, as he can create for himself.

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They mixed up the Defenders and Mids (Volantes). The first 4 mids are CM'S, the next 4 are wingers. Probably see either Acosta or Claros beside Espinoza in CM.

The top 2 strikers are U23's and the other 3 are relative newcomers to the NT. So we might even see Lozano and Elis together up top - which is great news for us - pretty green strikeforce.

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My guess:

-------------------------Escober-------------------

Beckeles--Palacios-Figueroa-Izzaguirre

-------------------Acosta--Espinoza--------------

Martinez----------------------------------B.Garcia

------------------Elis-----------Lozano--------------

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Ricketts has immensely improved my opinion of him as a striker with TFC - he can get on balls quickly and creates space by negating opposing defenders' abilities to mark closely - but I still don't want him on the wing unless we are ahead and looking for a way to solidify our right side defensively. Even at striker, I'd only want to see him if paired with a target man

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Izaguirre and Lozano are the obvious upgrades. The latter is rather green but he is pretty dangerous. Had a good season on loan at Tenerife - 10 goals in 32 appearances. Him being green is as good a news for us as Cyle Larin being green is for Honduras.

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7 hours ago, Pottsy3 said:

These comments are surprising me a bit, I assumed that De Guzman wasn't going to start either way. After the Arfield CM experiment during the friendlies, I expected Arfield and Johnson in front of Hutch. My only question in midfield is whether Akindele or Ricketts starts wide right. Akindele was decent when he linked up with Arfield for the friendlies, however we know that Floro loves Tosaint and that love has likely grown now that Tosaint is receiving consistent minutes for TFC.

I think people are being very presumpuative in this regard, Arfield did start both friendlies in June at CM, however our three regular starters weren't available to start for those games; Johnson and Hutchinson didn't even make it to the camp. We should remember that in a full roster against Mexico, Arfield made his debut as a right winger. I feel like that would be the most likely choice for him in a full XI, and it seems like a logical one as well. As much as many people on this forum seem to really dislike de Guzman (often to an unreasonable extent I would say), the midfield has never been Canada's problem. We generally dominate possession and out-pass teams we're expected to do well against and we create plenty of opportunities in the process. Our massive issue has always been in the final third and our weakest point in attack has for a while been at right wing. Larin and especially Hoilett have been very good for us and obviously seem firmly in control of their respective positions, however we have long lacked a technically skilled and creative player like Hoilett at right wing, and Arfield seems like exactly that player.

Now obviously Julian being gone changes things and I feel like moving Arfie into midfield could make sense as a result, filling in the right wing with Old Faithful Tos who has done well with TFC lately or perhaps Akindele who looked very good there against Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan in June. Simultaneously we also have plenty of other guys who could slot into an advanced or holding midfield role, particularly Straith and Edgar. Ledgerwood has also done very well in midfield for the Eddies this year, and Piette and James are younger but perhaps the least likely starters. Having a different player replace JDG would enable Arfield to move into the RW role, which would presumably be our strongest choice in that position.

It's not an obvious selection choice, each has their pros and cons, but it seems like Arfield in midfield last June may very well have been partly because of a short bench and it might make sense to put one of our stronger players into one of our weaker positions in September rather than one we've been fine in. At the same time, it could be a choice between a more solid overall lineup or one with better attack.

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4 hours ago, Obinna said:

Izaguirre and Lozano are the obvious upgrades. The latter is rather green but he is pretty dangerous. Had a good season on loan at Tenerife - 10 goals in 32 appearances. Him being green is as good a news for us as Cyle Larin being green is for Honduras.

I was thinking more of his strike partner, 20 yr old Alberth Elis.

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So starting 11?

 

larin

hoilett--- Arfield--- Johnson--- ricketts/akindele

----hutchinson----

de Jong--- Edgar---Jakovic-- Ledgerwood 

borjan

blessings in disguise:

sorry to say but this midfield looks better than one with de Guzman starting in it and with Henry out we won't see him at right back. 

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27 minutes ago, Alex said:

So starting 11?

 

larin

hoilett--- Arfield--- Johnson--- ricketts/akindele

----hutchinson----

de Jong--- Edgar---Jakovic-- Ledgerwood 

borjan

blessings in disguise:

sorry to say but this midfield looks better than one with de Guzman starting in it and with Henry out we won't see him at right back. 

In theory this sort of lineup gives you a lot of offensive firepower if floro wanted to go forward. But I still don't see that happening with him as coach. 

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45 minutes ago, Alex said:

So starting 11?

 

larin

hoilett--- Arfield--- Johnson--- ricketts/akindele

----hutchinson----

de Jong--- Edgar---Jakovic-- Ledgerwood 

borjan

blessings in disguise:

sorry to say but this midfield looks better than one with de Guzman starting in it and with Henry out we won't see him at right back. 

I would like to see Edgar in there but I don't think Floro is going to start him.   Just like the last 2 games.   We will all be wondering where Edgar is.

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14 minutes ago, JDub said:

I would like to see Edgar in there but I don't think Floro is going to start him.   Just like the last 2 games.   We will all be wondering where Edgar is.

I'm guessing James instead of Edgar. Straith has been a regular starter for Floro as well and is playing regularly in his league so we may see him instead of Jakovic.

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At one point James was turning out horrendous displays with our youth teams, with some calling for him to never wear a Canada shirt at any level ever again.

Now people want him to start in our most important senior game in 4 years.

 

How times have changed!

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