GimliJetsMan Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 So we should pay a salary to a player just to train to put a damn ball in the back of the net. Seriously, chances galore, and we can't put them away. What is it with donning the maple leaf that makes players lose all their quality in the box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyslexic nam Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Not to overstate it, but I am still hopeful that Larin finds his shooting boots while wearing the red and white, and that we find a system that lets him flourish. I could criticize his performance in Honduras, but his luck last night was simply shit. That sliding tap in was far harder to miss than bag, yet he somehow made a miracle 'clearance'. Just like hitting the bar in ES. When he isn't gassed, you can see that there is quality there. We just need a few bounces to go our way. Despite our ongoing troubles in front of goal, I still feel better about us going forward than I have in quite a while. Larin, Junior, Airfield - these guys are quality going forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shermanator Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Remember, Larin is still only 21. Lots of time for him to continue to improve in that area. No need to write him off just yet for his poor finishing this cycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boominbooty Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 I wanted to start this topic too. Do we need a finisher or just better service to our finishers (last night notwithstanding)? Since Sept 2015 (1-1 tie with Belize) Canada has played 11 games, scored 10 goals and only 3 of those (one for Akindele and two for Larin) have been scored by a forward. This is not good. Last night was a real example of our lack of finishing - that should have been a 5-1 game. I hope that with Hoilett and Arfield (and now seemingly De Jong) providing good service (and maybe Aird??) our scoring chances will increase but we also need to finish those chances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvroArrow Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 I don't think this is a problem unique to Canada. If Honduras could finish, our 2-1 loss could have been much worse. If El Salvador could finish, our 2-1 lead last night could have become a 2-2 draw. Sure, I'd love to have a Canadian Ibrahimovic, but I won't hold my breath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 A few points. First off, I didn't see the game last night (only the goals, and the sliding tap in that Larin put over), but something nobody seems to be pointing out is that 2 of our goals shouldn't have counted. So maybe with good finishing (which almost always includes some misses) and El Salvador not getting CONCACAF'd the score would be 3-1 for us. Next point as others have pointed out, don't count out Larin just yet. Last point, if finishing is the only thing as the OP suggested, then maybe Hamilton is our guy. To me he seems like a good calm finisher. I think he has room to improve in other parts of his game (making a run instead of waiting for a pass, and creating more room for himself), but he may be the best finisher I have seen play for Canada (using club and youth national team play to judge). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floortom Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 35 minutes ago, AvroArrow said: I don't think this is a problem unique to Canada. If Honduras could finish, our 2-1 loss could have been much worse. If El Salvador could finish, our 2-1 lead last night could have become a 2-2 draw. Sure, I'd love to have a Canadian Ibrahimovic, but I won't hold my breath. Agreed. I have said the same thing numerous times. Yes, it would be nice if we had more clinical finishers but missing chances is a part of the game. With Canada, finishing issues are exacerbated because we create so few good opportunities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One American Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Larin is fine. He'll find the groove. What Canada needs most is quality defenders that can get the job done without parking the bus. And a coach that wants to play fluidly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDub Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 2 hours ago, Boominbooty said: I wanted to start this topic too. Do we need a finisher or just better service to our finishers (last night notwithstanding)? Since Sept 2015 (1-1 tie with Belize) Canada has played 11 games, scored 10 goals and only 3 of those (one for Akindele and two for Larin) have been scored by a forward. This is not good. Last night was a real example of our lack of finishing - that should have been a 5-1 game. I hope that with Hoilett and Arfield (and now seemingly De Jong) providing good service (and maybe Aird??) our scoring chances will increase but we also need to finish those chances. Keep in mind that we only ever play with one forward. Surely Larin or Akindele or whoever you put in the lone striker role is not going to score all the goals. They need help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baulderdash77 Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 2 hours ago, Kent said: A few points. First off, I didn't see the game last night (only the goals, and the sliding tap in that Larin put over), but something nobody seems to be pointing out is that 2 of our goals shouldn't have counted. *edit* I thought it was on a throw in and legal but I was mistaken. Yes I think we got away with one there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub Narcotic Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 If someone did an xG map of that game I bet it would be pretty close to three. As mentioned, two of the goals should not have counted and there weren't that many clear-cut opportunities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koolvid Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 On 9/7/2016 at 1:15 PM, shermanator said: Remember, Larin is still only 21. Lots of time for him to continue to improve in that area. No need to write him off just yet for his poor finishing this cycle. Unfortunately this isn't the NFLNBA/MLB because 21 is pretty old development wise in the football/soccer world. If they can't a player can't for example dribble or finish at 21 he would never make it anywhere worth mentioning in Europe. And that's because footballers start playing when their kids and the best. I think in Larin's case it is just bad form but he could just end up being a Wondolowski. Good/Legend in MLS but terrible at the international level. Doing good in MLS means little in grand scheme of things in terms on translating that success to Europe or International level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub Narcotic Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 He's scored 4 goals in 10 appearances. He's already doing well at the international level. Just because you have the ball on your feet within twenty yards of goal does not mean it's an easily convertible chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob.notenboom Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 14 hours ago, Dub Narcotic said: If someone did an xG map of that game I bet it would be pretty close to three. As mentioned, two of the goals should not have counted and there weren't that many clear-cut opportunities. When in need of xG data just ask Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtlMario Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 12 hours ago, Dub Narcotic said: He's scored 4 goals in 10 appearances. He's already doing well at the international level. Just because you have the ball on your feet within twenty yards of goal does not mean it's an easily convertible chance. I thought scoring goals within 20 yards was what a good striker does? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub Narcotic Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 The xG numbers tell the story. Canada actually outscored their expected goals in that game and overall through this round. That just shows how poor this team really was overall and what a poor job Floro did. Larin is also scoring at a rate of a goal every other game which is a pretty good rate for international play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison44 Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 Larin is the best young striker we have had since Bunbury! What do you guys want from him? Isolated on top while we play tight defensively, he is trying to make chicken salad out of chickensh*t. Everyone misses chances, everyone could be more clinical. I think he is doing pretty well for only being in his second season of professional ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingvikingstad Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 When the gap between the striker and the next attacking player is about thirty yards, it's pretty hard to be effective. Maybe get him a second striker to play off of, or play a different style and he'll look better. With Larin, we're sticking a square peg in a round hole trying to get him to be a type of striker he isn't. We should have started Haber based on what we wanted our striker to do tactically. Sadly, Larin is one of many square pegs being stuck in round holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red card Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 14 hours ago, koolvid said: Unfortunately this is the NFLNBA/MLB because 21 is pretty old development wise in the football/soccer world. If they can't a player can't for example dribble or finish at 21 he would never make it anywhere worth mentioning in Europe. And that's because footballers start playing when their kids and the best. I think in Larin's case it is just bad form but he could just end up being a Wondolowski. Good/Legend in MLS but terrible at the international level. Doing good in MLS means little in grand scheme of things in terms on translating that success to Europe or International level. This what Klinsmann has mentioned a number of times, thinking 21 is young is a North American way of thinking only. He just recently said: "Here, in the U.S. you call a younger player a rookie at the age of 22. At 22 in Europe, if you're not broken through yet, you're done. They move you down to third or fourth level." Unfortunately, our Cdn development system isn't good enough, so even Larin who went spent some time at one our best academies, his development has been stunted. In European terms, his skillset is more apropos for a 17 year old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffian Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 He was 19 when he made his appearance in MLS. Christiano Ronaldo made his first professional appearance at 18. So to say he has the skillset of a 17 year old in nonsense. He is what he is. He likely never will be a Christiano Ronoldo but he could be a Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Atiba Hutchinson or Landon Donovan who all came through a less developed system than Europe has in most places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 I would equate Larin's development to a kid joining a French Ligue 2 academy as a teenager. At 18 he promotes to the "B" team in CFA2 for 1 1/2 seasons, but his production is underwhelming because he's surrounded by less skilled players. Then when the top 4 strikers on the first team go down injured he steps in and scores on his debut and never looks back - 30 goals in approx. 60 games by age 21. Pretty sure a kid like that would be getting some serious interest from Ligue 1 clubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apbsmith Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 With regards to these last 2 games, unfortunate for Canada, Larin carried a lot of fatigue into these game. He featured in 5 games in 14 days w a bunch of travel. I don't care who you are that is A LOT! Away Colorado 90 min - 4 days later 90 mins in Orlando - 4 days late 90 mins in Orlando - travel to Honduras game - travel to Vancouver game. I couldn't even imagine his fatigue level, I'm not a pro athlete anymore but takes me a few days to recover from 75 mins of mens league. 5 games in 14 days with travel. He is 100% our main striker going forward until someone proves otherwise, let's hope he keeps playing well, developing and bagging goals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub Narcotic Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 Dwayne de Rosario: .27 goals/appearance Dale Mitchell: .35 goals/appearance Cyle Larin: .26 goals/appearance Larin already has a very reasonable strike rate and is not even near his peak years yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpg_29 Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 I had my own theory that the U.S. overachieved over the past 10-15 years because they had guys like Donovan and Dempsey who could routinely finish when near the net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CUJO Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 Where are jason jordan and ali gerba these days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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