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The Importance of Alphonso Davies


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On 6/18/2021 at 12:42 PM, Aird25 said:

He doesn't play like that at all with Bayern, and I don't think he should in the next round if he's playing as a LB or LWB. The US punished us when Davies tried that against them, and so has Haiti and other teams at times. If we want him to be responsible for generating that much offense through the dribble then we need Adekugbe behind him, but I still think Davies is more valuable for us coming from a deeper position. He just needs to be more selective about it. That being said, Adekugbe has really impressed me recently, and I think he compliments Davies well in a more advanced position

I still prefer him in a more advanced role, although 3 at the back seems like a decent middle ground. When you’re playing further up, you only have to beat 1 or 2 players to be in on goal. You regularly see Davies dribble past a couple players from wingback and they just have someone else rotate over to help while the others recover. He’s obviously effective either way, but I think the threat he provides from playing further up the field completely changes how the opponent has to approach the game.

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5 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Do. 

FWIW, I have been pretty consistent in advocating for the direction Herdman seems to be going. 

Despite some positive results, our guys have had limited playing time together.  We have had basically 3 semi-competitive games against 2 teams we should be expected to beat comfortably, with the rest being glorified training exercises.  And in many of those games, we looked unsure of ourselves in the early stages of the games. 

In September, we begin the most important series of games we have played in decades.  Two of those games in the first round are very winnable - as long as we hit the ground running and play well as a team.  With such a young team, I don’t buy the idea that the healthy guys need an extended period to heal up and recharge - they are clearly enjoying playing with the national team.  In light of that, and the need to really be tuned up come September, taking basically an A team to the Gold Cup seems like a worthwhile risk to me.   

On the one hand, some players may miss their preseason.  But most our tops guys pretty much have locked down their spots in their respective teams.  I don’t see any of Davies, David, Larin, Osorio, Eustaquio, etc getting dropped because they answered the call of their national team (in a tourney that clubs are obligated to release players for). And the benefit is that we get a whole series of games to gel and prep for the Ocho - some of which would be against really solid opposition if we manage to go deep.  

If you get that A team scenario, and we manage to mix in (and cap) a couple of dual nationals, it would pretty much be my perfect outcome.  And the prospect of playing with our top guys and maybe earning a spot in the Ocho can’t be ignored by the high profile dual nationals we are hoping to attract.   It would be hard to picture a better scenario in which to call them and see if they are receptive.

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51 minutes ago, Kent said:

I feel like Davies playing here is the spark of passion that this team needs. The story is no longer about Will Johnson saying "ugh, too much travel, I'll pass" or others saying "I want to focus on my club". This is a guy saying "Hell yes I'm in! Let's win this!"

I like it.

I feel this post needs more than just a "like".  Great post, well said!

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52 minutes ago, Kent said:

I feel like Davies playing here is the spark of passion that this team needs. The story is no longer about Will Johnson saying "ugh, too much travel, I'll pass" or others saying "I want to focus on my club". This is a guy saying "Hell yes I'm in! Let's win this!"

I like it.

It just makes it so hard for any player to make excuses. Davies is captain material for his commitment to this country.

It also makes it tempting for any dual nationals to choose us in this tournament. Cap tying yourself in a “B” team isn’t as enticing - kinda feels like you’re being used.

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And if he gets injured during the gold cup and has to miss the first window of WCQ?   Then what are we going say?   
 

Gold Cup:   nice

World cup:  its what soccer is all about.

its been there, done that as far as the Gold Cup.  Off the top of my head, i cant recall who won the last Gold cup.    But we havent been to the WC since 1986 and i can tell you, without looking it up,  all the teams from Concacaf taht went to the WC in the last few cycles.

Edited by Free kick
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3 minutes ago, Free kick said:

And if he gets injured during the gold cup and has miss the first window of WCQ?   Then what are we going say?   
 

Gold Cup:   nice

World cup:  its what soccer is all about.

its been there, done that as far as the Gold Cup.  But we havent been to the WC since 1986.

And if he got injured in Bayern preseason what do we say? Injuries happen. 

Edited by CanadaFan123
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2 minutes ago, Free kick said:

And if he gets injured during the gold cup and has miss the first window of WCQ?   Then what are we going say?   
 

Gold Cup:   nice

World cup:  its what soccer is all about.

its been there, done that as far as the Gold Cup.  But we havent been to the WC since 1986.

Any one of our players could get injured at any time during training or matches with their club, or in training or matches for Canada. If they don't play in the Gold Cup, it's not like they're just going to be sitting at home with their feet up. They'll be playing football, and exposing themselves to injury risk, one way or the other.

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6 minutes ago, CanadaFan123 said:

And if he got injured in Bayern preseason what do we say? Injuries happen. 

He has a contract to play for Bayern.  Its his job and he is paid for it and that that job helps him improve his game.  He as to play for Bayern but he doesnt have to play at the Gold Cup.  

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5 minutes ago, Free kick said:

The Gold cup, when its sandwiched in between WCQ,  is meaningless.  A glorified series of freindlies.  You dint even get to go to the confedartions cup.

Well the confederations cup is dead now. So I guess all Gold Cups (and Euros and Copa Americas, etc.) are meanlingless now.

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Just now, Free kick said:

He has a contract to play for Bayern.  Its his job and he is paid for it and that that job helps him improve his game.  He as to play for Bayern but he doesnt have to play at the Gold Cup.  

What if Lewandowski gets hurt playing for Poland at the Euros? He gets his pay cheques from Bayern! Or what if Muller, Gnabry, basically every player but Davies, get's hurt in the Euros?

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39 minutes ago, Kent said:

Well the confederations cup is dead now. So I guess all Gold Cups (and Euros and Copa Americas, etc.) are meanlingless now.

The Gold cup is not the Euros!   Nor Copa!  Lets get serious here.  It doesn not have the history, pedigree, exposure, prestige, talent… etc etc.   

 I have been to a few gold cups.  i like watching the gold cup. Its nice. Its fun.  But lets get serious here. 

Edited by Free kick
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1 minute ago, Free kick said:

The Gold cup is not the Euros!   Nor Copa!  Lets get serious here.  I have been to a few gold cups.  Its nice. Its fun.  But lets get serious here. 

Well, until Canada manages to qualify for the Euros or Copa America, we're stuck with the Gold Cup.

Personally, I could go either way with the Gold Cup squad selection, however, your position baffles me.

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5 minutes ago, SthMelbRed said:

Well, until Canada manages to qualify for the Euros or Copa America, we're stuck with the Gold Cup.

Personally, I could go either way with the Gold Cup squad selection, however, your position baffles me.

Guys,  what is so baffling?   We already won the Gold Cup.   And in that following cycle of WC, we got quickly eliminated.  What was so fun about that?  Having missed WCQ took most of the enjoyment out of winning the GC.   In this region,  its WCQ that matters.    
 

what would you rather have?   A Gold cup trophy?   Or a WC qualification.   Because in sept when the WCQ comes around,  the Gold Cup will be forgotten.

Edited by Free kick
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Just now, Free kick said:

Guys,  what is so baffling?   We already won the Gold Cup.   And in that following cycle of WC, we got quickly eliminated.  What was os fun about that.    In this region,  its WCQ that matters.    
 

what would you rather have?   A Gold cup trophy?   Or a WC qualification.   But sept when the WCQ comes around,  the Gold Cup will be forgotten.

What's baffling is that you think that having our better players at the Gold Cup will somehow be detrimental to our WCQ chances, when it's quite evidently the opposite. More competitive games together, a long period of training as a group, strengthening the social bonds amongst a group that we'll be asking to embark on a monumental journey in just a couple of months....how do these things not help our chances?

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