The Road to Qatar.

[TGAA_Star]

3 minutes ago, Beaut said:

Great wins in Edmonton.

To lock in top 3... 25 or 26 points will likely be needed. To avoid this coming down to the last game, we will (likely) need 3 wins and 1 draw. 

A huge game is actually Costa Rica (H) v Panama (A). A CR win makes this much easier. 

Let's get some W's in Honduras and El Salvador. We can and we will. Go gents go. 
 

Well if we somehow manage to win all 3 games (27, 30 and 2nd) then that's 25 points right there 

But then again if we qualify for Qatar, guaranteed Justin Trudeau our Prime Minister will give us a national holiday

[Free kick]

7 hours ago, superstarss said:

 

Tomori watching from the bench counting down the days until he can switch back.

Might it be too late at this point to make that drastic a change to the back line?   IMHO, i think it would be.   So i am not sure that i would want to see that happen.   Its so important in soccer for a back line to have and build chemistry and familiarity.  A good back line is not necessarily only about a good athlete or technical abilities.   With that in mind, i don't see how it would help at this point to mess with that chemistry.  

D-Mids Eustachio and Mark Anthony Kaye have been awesome and that has helped the backline.  Also, don't look now but we have only conceded 5 goals in 8 games.   That's the best (tied with the US) in the octagonal.  If it aint broke, dont fix it.   

Edited November 17, 2021 by Free kick

[Corazon]

54 minutes ago, Free kick said:

Might it be too late at this point to make that drastic a change to the back line?   IMHO, i think it would be.   So i am not sure that i would want to see that happen.   Its so important in soccer for a back line to have and build chemistry and familiarity.  A good back line is not necessarily only about a good athlete or technical abilities.   With that in mind, i don't see how it would help at this point to mess with that chemistry.  

Eustachio and Mark Anthony Kaye have been awesome and that has helped the backline.  Also, don't look now but we have only conceded 5 goals in 8 games.   That's the best (tied with the US) in the octagonal.  If it aint broke, dont fix it.   

Tomori is not coming back but in terms of quality, he is head and shoulders above our current crops of center backs and that's no slight on our players.  In my opinion, he should be starting for England at CB based on performances in 2021.  Herdman would make it work with a player of his calibre.

[Kyle_The_Hill]

On 1/14/2020 at 1:22 PM, Kyle_The_Hill said:

I'm not sure. I was trying to look that stuff up before myself.

Being a CMNT supporter is weird. Normal people look at me like I'm fucking crazy when I try to explain this stuff.

"Canada plays Iceland in a friendly tomorrow and it's really important we win because we'll gain 3 FIFA points, which we need to catch El Salvador who are also playing Iceland but their game is only a training match so it won't count towards FIFA points but because they're selling tickets it may not be considered training so they would lose FIFA points if they lose"

"Ok" 

Still blows my mind that pre-covid, we were an El Salvador "training match" away from finishing outside of automatic hex qualification.

[narduch]

2 minutes ago, Kyle_The_Hill said:

Still blows my mind that pre-covid, we were an El Salvador "training match" away from finishing outside of automatic hex qualification.

Personally think it's bs that a team as awful as Honduras was gifted a spot in the Octo.

We also could have easily been drawn with Panama instead of Haiti too in the knock out stage 

[Free kick]

1 hour ago, narduch said:

Personally think it's bs that a team as awful as Honduras was gifted a spot in the Octo.

We also could have easily been drawn with Panama instead of Haiti too in the knock out stage 

The process was BS.  Worst still,  imagine if there would have been no pandemic and the original qualifying would have stood?

there was over 1 mill who watched last night’s game.   Under the original process we would never have played that game.  Nor the game vs the US, CRC…, ect

Edited November 18, 2021 by Free kick

[CanadianSoccerFan]

The preliminary round draw was harsh on Curacao, Suriname, and Haiti.  Panama only edged Curacao on away goals and now they're 2 points off the top.  Suriname and Haiti both had to beat the best team in all of CONCACAF to make the Octagonal.

Suriname in particular probably would have added a raft of new recruits if they had an easier route to the Octagonal.

[Free kick]

It would be poetic justice if canada and panama would finish 1-2 for that reason only.  Make one of mexico and the US have to go to that Continental playoff that rest of the unwashed would have had to go thru under the original Concacaf qualifying process.

Edited November 18, 2021 by Free kick

[footballfreak]

Reports out of Jamaican youtube are that Jamaican manager Tappa Whitmore has been sacked and replaced with someone named Ricky Hill. 

[Shway]

4 minutes ago, footballfreak said:

Reports out of Jamaican youtube are that Jamaican manager Tappa Whitmore has been sacked and replaced with someone named Ricky Hill. 

Saw that. 

I remember him from coaching the Tampa bay rowdies. Who knows if this is an upgrade. Feel like there was better options especially if you’re going to replace him at this stage. 

Should be interesting. 

[The Real Marc]

1 hour ago, Free kick said:

The process was BS.  Worst still,  imagine if there would have been no pandemic and the original qualifying would have stood?

there was over 1 mill who watched last night’s game.   Under the original process we would never have played that game.  Nor the game vs the US, CRC…, ect

Absolutely. I never want to hear Europeans complain about having to go to Andorra or Moldova again. Imagine if teams risked being eliminated in a preliminary group stage like ours...they'd never stand for it.

[PiedPilko]

2 hours ago, Kyle_The_Hill said:

Still blows my mind that pre-covid, we were an El Salvador "training match" away from finishing outside of automatic hex qualification.

A fun reminder that El Salvador were a Montserrat goal vs Antigua & Barbuda from losing their group.

Edited November 18, 2021 by PiedPilko

[vancanman]

12 hours ago, narduch said:

We want Oceania

I'd be ok with Antarctica.

[Wayverider]

It actually is mind boggling how quickly this has morphed into a high level success story. The Hex was unobtainable for decades. Just mere months ago Surinam was a big obstacle in our path and while we were confident, we were anything but certain (and might I add Joe Public didn’t have a clue. Now the major networks are ALL climbing over one another to jockey for placement on the band wagon). We suddenly EXPECT to beat Mexico and the US, and the possibility of 4th place will be considered exceedingly disappointing. Despite needing to keep evolving, I’m actually conceding nothing in potential scenarios where we meet European and South American opponents. How crazy is that?  - the rise of this Canadian team has literally snow balled into something very rare and unique. Enjoy the ride folks, we’ve never previously ever experienced this level of talent and confidence in Canadian men’s soccer! 

As we play through our final six qualifiers consider both Canada and Mexico only have two remaining games against the top 4 teams in CONCACAF, whereas the US and Panama have three each. 

Edited November 18, 2021 by Wayverider

[ADP10]

Here is our record according to which kit we wear. I'm liking black @ Honduras to set our bogey team straight.

Red: 3 Wins 2 Draws

Black: 1 Win 1 Draw (@ USA & vs Mexico)

White: 1 Draw (@ Jamaica)

[Ngravs]

Red will always be #1 but I have such a love for the black jerseys and wear mine often. 

[Free kick]

1 hour ago, Wayverider said:

It actually is mind boggling how quickly this has morphed into a high level success story. The Hex was unobtainable for decades. Just mere months ago Surinam was a big obstacle in our path and while we were confident, we were anything but certain (and might I add Joe Public didn’t have a clue. Now the major networks are ALL climbing over one another to jockey for placement on the band wagon). We suddenly EXPECT to beat Mexico and the US, and the possibility of 4th place will be considered exceedingly disappointing. Despite needing to keep evolving, I’m actually conceding nothing in potential scenarios where we meet European and South American opponents. How crazy is that?  - the rise of this Canadian team has literally snow balled into something very rare and unique. Enjoy the ride folks, we’ve never previously ever experienced this level of talent and confidence in Canadian men’s soccer! 

As we play through our final six qualifiers consider both Canada and Mexico only have two remaining games against the top 4 teams in CONCACAF, whereas the US and Panama have three each. 

Earlier i found myself browsing this page, for the first time ever:

Buy World Cup Hospitality Packages | FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™

😃

Edited November 18, 2021 by Free kick

[footballfreak]

14 hours ago, Califax said:

I would like someone to run a scenario where we get one point out of the next three games.

Hate to be the jerk-face downer - and it’s not likely -  but it is possible.

This thing is far from done.

I decided to have a go at your scenario. No fancy math, just messing around with results. 

• We go into March on 17 points.
• I gave Panama what I consider to be their realistic best case scenario before the final game: 3-1-1. Win @Costa Rica, win vs. Jamaica, lose @Mexico, win vs Honduras, draw USA away. They could outperform this, but the likelihood seems extremely remote to me. Panama goes into the final game on 24 points.
•  To pip Panama, we would need to take 4 points from Costa Rica and Jamaica, win at Panama, and win the tiebreaker.

If this scenario haunts your nightmares for the next two months like it will mine, please remember that you asked for this. on the other hand, it is somewhat comforting to know that even a nightmare scenario is still possible to salvage. That final game is a curse, but it could also be a blessing if we mess up down the stretch.

 

5 hours ago, El Diego said:

Every once in a while I will watch a YouTube video for "Poland Road to (insert country hosting World Cup/Euro)" which is a compilation of all the goals they scored in the qualifying campaign. Cannot wait to potentially watch "Canada Road to Qatar" a million times.

This got me wondering what the records for most games played/goals scored in a successful qualifying campaign is?

Most Games: Best guess I can come up with on the fly is 20 by multiple teams. 

CONMEBOL (18+2)

T&T 2006: Prelims (2), semi-finals (6), Hex (10), Playoff (2). They only scored 30 goals in those games btw. For comparison, we scored 26 in the 4 game prelim this year. 😆 

AFC has switched it up over the years and I’m not gonna do a deep dive on them right now.

Most goals: Going out on a limb and guessing Australia probably has the most goals in any campaign - 73 in 2002 (the year they spanked American Samoa 31-0), but they didn’t make the World Cup that year.

 

If Canada or Panama were to make the Finals via the playoffs, it would take 22 games, and Canada would likely be somewhere in the vicinity of 55-60 goals scored. Crazy.

[CanadianTraveller]

11 hours ago, Pottsy3 said:

I can't wait until we roll into Qatar wearing a lumberjack plaid kit.

I'll pay the luggage fee - both ways - of any V who brings the complete kit they wore Tuesday night in Edmonton to a Canada match in late November 2022...as long as they wear it to the match, and for the full 90 minutes of the match. Except the shirtless guys from Quebec, 'cause they don't need excess luggage for what they wore.

[CanadianTraveller]

3 hours ago, vancanman said:

I'd be ok with Antarctica.

But where would the grass sod come from? It'd never survive the boat trip. And I don't think you could fit it in the 767 out of Christchurch? Plastic turf just wouldn't cut it for such an important match!

Good news is that Adam Thorne is available to be groundskeeper. Quality of the surface may differ from the MCG, though.

[vancanman]

14 hours ago, Pottsy3 said:

I can't wait until we roll into Qatar wearing a lumberjack plaid kit.

I actually think that would be pretty sharp, as long as it isn't flannel.  

[vancanman]

3 hours ago, CanadianTraveller said:

But where would the grass sod come from? It'd never survive the boat trip. And I don't think you could fit it in the 767 out of Christchurch? Plastic turf just wouldn't cut it for such an important match!

Good news is that Adam Thorne is available to be groundskeeper. Quality of the surface may differ from the MCG, though.

Do you remember what our boys had to play on in Jamaica?  I'm sure Antarctica has something just as nice.

[Shway]

7 hours ago, Ngravs said:

Red will always be #1 but I have such a love for the black jerseys and wear mine often. 

I like black being an option. I’m just hoping Nike will give us more respect and add some customization…like adding red to it.

I refuse to buy kits that are templates, especially for the price they go at.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Honduras, although not technically mathematically eliminated ( somebody correct me if they actually are ) are already doing a post-mortem of their WCQ campaign.

https://www.diez.hn/laseleccion/1502856-498/fenafuth-fracaso-seleccion-honduras-jorge-salomon-rafa-villeda-javier-atala

Blame is being assigned and talk of the restructuring process is beginning 

https://www.diez.hn/liganacionaldehonduras/1502912-498/rolin-peña-dispara-contra-la-fenafuth-no-podemos-estar-regresando-a-celebrar

[chalms04]

13 hours ago, ADP10 said:

Here is our record according to which kit we wear. I'm liking black @ Honduras to set our bogey team straight.

Red: 3 Wins 2 Draws

Black: 1 Win 1 Draw (@ USA & vs Mexico)

White: 1 Draw (@ Jamaica)

After the historic win vs. Mexico, as the saying goes... I don't think we can go back.