Gold Cup Knockout round- Roster adjustments

[Club Linesman]

We know Larin is coming and from the 40 man roster the only other player who is an obvious upgrade in terms of quality over the current squad would be Johnson for Kaye.  I think not upsetting the morale of the squad is important but from what we know of the Wizard it appears he is a good communicator and he probably warned guys who would be leaving if/when we reached the knockout round.

[Gian-Luca]

I wonder if club requests for the un/little used TFC players will come into play, particularly if Panama & the US also make it and Bruce Arena calls up Bradley and Altidore, which I think seems likely given how unsatisfying the US has been (despite the number of points they have got heading into the game against another minnow).

I can picture a conversation like this:

Vanney: Hey Oz, any chance you can bring up Larin and give me back Ricketts? Bruce just took another striker from me leaving with just Giovinco, Hamilton and Spencer as striker options, and as everyone can see, Spencer's not very good.

Oz: Greg, that's what you get for cutting Mo Babouli for some guy who used to sleep on your couch who can't even play. When I was your coach, did you ever see me cut a guy in favour of someone who slept on my couch?

Vanney: No, but there were so many crap players who couldn't play in MLS back in those days, regardless of who's couch they slept on.

Oz: All right, fine you can have Ricketts back but in return you need to make a public statement like "Will Johnson isn't good enough any longer to play internationally" so as to inspire him to accept the call up.

Vanney: Deal

[Club Linesman]

Altidore and Bradley were called up and are already with the US team.  Think I saw it on the MLS website.  This has been spoken about in here before but making deals with teams at this point of the Gold Cup needs to stop.  If the Wizard thinks he needs a player and it is in a Fifa window then he stays with the National team.  I would think the only exception would be if the player begs off because for his own reasons - be it club contract issues or personal reasons. 

[apbsmith]

Larin should be called in.  The Cavillini-Larin rotation is freaking awesome.  Both players provide different skill sets and gives OZ different options on how he wants to play.  I don't think you can send AJH home, in case we really need a goal or some type of fluke injury, very likely Edwards for Larin.   Remember Larin would have made  onthe roster if it was not for his DUI punishment.  Even with Larin's demeanour I guarantee you he wants to be out there, the kid loves Canada and bleeds the Red & White.  Just watching his fellow countrymen and the success this squad has made without him, I can only hope he's realized a few things to make better choices int he future.

Originally I was going to say bring in WJ, since him and Scotty have always linked up well in the mid triangle when they played together. Always felt WJ brought the energy but it was either the lack of other player's motivation or the coach's attitude he was just frustrated with. TBH, everytime WJ has played for us, he has always played with fire.

The only thing is now, man Osorio's performance last night, wow.  Well done man, I always support every Canadian and have criticized your performances in the past, yesterday you were a difference maker for us, great work. So yah adding WJ is an upgrade to the roster, but Bernier/Osorio.... it may just be a depth thing to add him but I could see him being left off. Since he " was recovering from an injury" but played a full 90, when TFC embarrassed them in Orlando. 

[Addona]

Osorio was good but he also made a huge mistake in our box that almost gifted Honduras a goal ... call up WJ and have both available; send back Kaye.

[shermanator]

Larin in for Edwards is the only change I'd make.

Johnson doesn't deserve to get called in, nor is he an improvement on any of the players I've seen in midfield with the exception of Kaye, who likely won't play in the QF anyways. He can pretend to rest his knee some more when he plays Atlanta Friday night.

[Addona]

Remember both Oso and Arfield are on yellows and so one or both could miss the semis .... bring in WJ.

[mpg_29]

Just now, Addona said:

Remember both Oso and Arfield are on yellows and so one or both could miss the semis .... bring in WJ.

pretty sure yellows are reset after group stage..

[king1010]

8 minutes ago, Addona said:

Remember both Oso and Arfield are on yellows and so one or both could miss the semis .... bring in WJ.

I think yellows reset so They arent at risk of missing  the semis. 

I dont think Cordova gets called. Zambrano wanted him to win a starting spot with his new club. 

In terms of call ups id only call up larin. Had he not got the DUI he would have been on the 23 man roster and more importantly wanted to be there. 

I dont agree with calling up Johnson who wanted to "rest" his nagging injuries to replace a player who has been with us since the beginning of the tournament. 

[Vince193]

Wouldn't be surprised if Straith is sent home, hasn't been needed at all and FCE could use him.

[Club Linesman]

Is there a deadline to announce roster changes?

[Unnamed Trialist]

43 minutes ago, mpg_29 said:

pretty sure yellows are reset after group stage..

After quarters in fact.

IMO it's not fair for a player who's contributed to not be around when we're getting the medal. Although all would get one, I think...I'd only leave off Edwards for Larin. WJ as stated dicks about too much with us. Straith still might be important cover in the crunch some game.

[Addona]

9 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

After quarters in fact.

IMO it's not fair for a player who's contributed to not be around when we're getting the medal. Although all would get one, I think...I'd only leave off Edwards for Larin. WJ as stated dicks about too much with us. Straith still might be important cover in the crunch some game.

Thanks ... it is usually after quarters; not sure if CONCACAF does things differently 

[BrennanFan]

OZ wants to win, so he's going to make changes, team chemistry will be just fine if not boosted.

In: Larin, Johnson, Akindele

Out: Jackson-Hamel, Kaye, Edwards

[BearcatSA]

1 hour ago, king1010 said:

I dont think Cordova gets called. Zambrano wanted him to win a starting spot with his new club. . 

He made this very clear in one of his q & a's prior to the tourney.

[Gian-Luca]

2 hours ago, Club Linesman said:

Altidore and Bradley were called up and are already with the US team.  Think I saw it on the MLS website. 

I haven't seen that, though maybe they said that they will do so upon qualification as I didn't think they could be officially called until a team is officially qualified into the next round. It's only mathematically possible for the US to be eliminated at this stage (Martinique-Panama draw, El Salvador-Jamaica draw and an extremely unlikely 3-0 loss to Nicaragua could do theoretically do it).

[BrennanFan]

3 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

I haven't seen that, though maybe they said that they will do so upon qualification as I didn't think they could be officially called until a team is officially qualified into the next round. It's only mathematically possible for the US to be eliminated at this stage (Martinique-Panama draw, El Salvador-Jamaica draw and an extremely unlikely 3-0 loss to Nicaragua could do theoretically do it).

Molinaro said they're already with the US team, which is bullshit and so very Concacafy.

[Gian-Luca]

Would add, given that there is now a much greater chance of going to penalties with no extra time in the next two rounds (which I don't like - give me golden goal over that if a change needed to be made), call-ups should also be made with PK abilities in mind. I think Bernier is the only regular club PK taker on the entire team. Johnson has taken a few over the years as well (but isn't in the squad) - Larin rarely takes them for Orlando mind you and I think missed the only one he had, but he ought to be able to finish them. Ricketts chose not to take one in the playoffs last year for TFC (allowing a defender to be the 6th taker, Morrow, who of course missed).

[Gian-Luca]

3 minutes ago, BrennanFan said:

Molinaro said they're already with the US team, which is bullshit and so very Concacafy.

Interesting - hadn't seen that either and yes, that probably shouldn't be allowed.

Although I was joking about the Vanney phone call's content, I wouldn't be surprised if he makes one. I wonder if he was watching the game last night and hoping Canada would lose.

[nolando]

2 hours ago, king1010 said:

 

I dont think Cordova gets called. Zambrano wanted him to win a starting spot with his new club. 

In terms of call ups id only call up larin. Had he not got the DUI he would have been on the 23 man roster and more importantly wanted to be there. 

I dont agree with calling up Johnson who wanted to "rest" his nagging injuries to replace a player who has been with us since the beginning of the tournament. 

Agree with this, but might give more consideration to Akindele. Like Larin, he doesn't seem to thrive in our system, but he has a skillset that adds another dimension that could be interesting to have off of the bench going forward.

[apbsmith]

15 minutes ago, nolando said:

Agree with this, but might give more consideration to Akindele. Like Larin, he doesn't seem to thrive in our system, but he has a skillset that adds another dimension that could be interesting to have off of the bench going forward.

In akindele defense re:skill set. Floro didn't really play or line us up to his skill sets. In my opinion Akindele could do much better for us in the OZ system.  Also the few late game appearances he did have for us. He did make us more offensive and generated a few scoring chances. 

[BearcatSA]

To me Kaye=Kevin Harmse, a big time athlete with enough skills to make you think he has a higher ceiling than he actually has, prone to brain cramp plays but can cover a ton of ground in tough conditions.  Though Kaye has featured in two games, that late game foul might give OZ something to think about.  For such very late game situations I would prefer to have Straith reprising his defensive mid role from two years ago because he's not going to make (or is much less likely to make) those kinds of rash decisions.  Also, if Jakovic's lower body injury (alluded to by the TSN crew) takes a turn for the worse, we'll need to have Straith as the third CB option so I think he may stay.

 

[Guest]

Might be an unpopular opinion but I feel some of you guys overrate Akindele (who I have never been impressed with Canada) and is having an alright season with Dallas. Edwards is a step above him.

[jonovision]

3 minutes ago, canta15 said:

Might be an unpopular opinion but I feel some of you guys overrate Akindele (who I have never been impressed with Canada) and is having an alright season with Dallas. Edwards is a step above him.

I don't know that Edwards is better, yet, but I have never been impressed with Akindele for Canada. I haven't seen enough of his play with Dallas to rate his MLS performance.

[apbsmith]

2 minutes ago, canta15 said:

Might be an unpopular opinion but I feel some of you guys overrate Akindele (who I have never been impressed with Canada) and is having an alright season with Dallas. Edwards is a step above him.

I don't think it is that of an unpopular opinion. Just thought he could be worth being considered. However with no injuries, it likely won't happen. In the future though I'm sure OZ will give him a look.