Gold Cup 2021

[rkomar]

1 hour ago, SoccMan said:

Probably played Mexico as well as the USA did only thing is giving up that goal in the dying minutes. Canada has not beaten Mexico in World Cup qualifying or the Gold Cup since I think the year Canada won the Gold Cup I think it’s the last time Canada has beaten Mexico in an official tournament game . What Canada lacks in terms of Mexico is the belief that they can beat them. The US has beaten Mexico many times and go into each game against Mexico with  a history of winning against Mexico on their side , Canada does not have this. They just have to get that monkey of their back and then I think the wins will come.

I didn't get this impression from our game against Mexico.  I thought we played like we expected to win, and the team looked gutted when it failed to do so.  I didn't see any signs of resignation at any point, even after the Mexicans scored their goal.

[jonovision]

^ Agreed. The difference between USA having some success Mexico and Canada not having any success against Mexico is that USA is a better team with better players. But the gap is closing fast.

[Floortom]

7 minutes ago, jonovision said:

^ Agreed. The difference between USA having some success Mexico and Canada not having any success against Mexico is that USA is a better team with better players. But the gap is closing fast.

Tbh I think the gap is closing more versus Mexico than US. The US U23 pipeline is notably superior to Mexico at this point. They’re sending tons of young guys to great European landing spots while Mexico is still way too reliant on LigaMx. 

[ag futbol]

1 hour ago, SoccMan said:

Probably played Mexico as well as the USA did only thing is giving up that goal in the dying minutes. Canada has not beaten Mexico in World Cup qualifying or the Gold Cup since I think the year Canada won the Gold Cup I think it’s the last time Canada has beaten Mexico in an official tournament game . What Canada lacks in terms of Mexico is the belief that they can beat them. The US has beaten Mexico many times and go into each game against Mexico with  a history of winning against Mexico on their side , Canada does not have this. They just have to get that monkey of their back and then I think the wins will come.

I don’t think it’s belief, team seemed to have its share of that. Primarily it seems like experience and a few other things that should be fixable. Henry has got to realize it’s safer to let that play pan-out rather than try a hero tackle and bungle over the attacker. Kaye also had poor judgement sticking his foot in here at the edge of the box. Set pieces could have been better (as another poster mentioned).

Otherwise the team is coming together nicely and we’ve got to realize comparing ourselves to US and Mexico is jumping the gun a bit. We need to show we can beat CR, Jamaica’s, Honduras in WCQ’s which is a different animal than the gold cup.

[harrycoyster]

21 minutes ago, Floortom said:

Tbh I think the gap is closing more versus Mexico than US. The US U23 pipeline is notably superior to Mexico at this point. They’re sending tons of young guys to great European landing spots while Mexico is still way too reliant on LigaMx. 

Must be said that the maturation of MLS academies have really made an impact. They are still very hit or miss, but the good ones are pumping out players at a rate that Liga MX/the rest of CONCACAF can't match. FC Dallas has developed ten players currently worth $2mil+ in the last 4-5 years (Tessman, Ferreria, Pomykal, Reynolds, McKennie, Cannon, Richards, Che, Pepi, Acosta). Philly, Toronto, NY youth teams are all inarguable top ten academies in North America.

We and the Americans also have a steady pipeline of NCAA late bloomers that the rest of CONCACAF just doesn't have to the same scale. If Tajon or Miles Robinson were Mexican, they'd likely have started in the Mexican lower divisions. Very, very small chance of upward movement from there. 

[BearcatSA]

40 minutes ago, ag futbol said:

I don’t think it’s belief, team seemed to have its share of that. Primarily it seems like experience and a few other things that should be fixable. Henry has got to realize it’s safer to let that play pan-out rather than try a hero tackle and bungle over the attacker. Kaye also had poor judgement sticking his foot in here at the edge of the box. Set pieces could have been better (as another poster mentioned).

Otherwise the team is coming together nicely and we’ve got to realize comparing ourselves to US and Mexico is jumping the gun a bit. We need to show we can beat CR, Jamaica’s, Honduras in WCQ’s which is a different animal than the gold cup.

Henry is what he is.  Heck, even Chip doing the colour commentary on the broadcast last night threw the young Sands under the bus for making at least one bad mistake a game but hoping that it wouldn't cost the team.  I feel that way about Henry except that he's a 28 year old experienced pro so at this stage of his career the odds of a change are pretty low.

If we can stop measuring our cock sizes in comparison to the Yanks and Mexicans for now and start focussing on consistently putting the sword to the rest of the teams in the Ocho, the time will come when we make that a true three-way competition at the top of the chain.  

 

Edited August 2, 2021 by BearcatSA

[dyslexic nam]

6 minutes ago, harrycoyster said:

Must be said that the maturation of MLS academies have really made an impact. They are still very hit or miss, but the good ones are pumping out players at a rate that Liga MX/the rest of CONCACAF can't match. FC Dallas has developed ten players currently worth $2mil+ in the last 4-5 years (Tessman, Ferreria, Pomykal, Reynolds, McKennie, Cannon, Richards, Che, Pepi, Acosta). Philly, Toronto, NY youth teams are all inarguable top ten academies in North America.

We and the Americans also have a steady pipeline of NCAA late bloomers that the rest of CONCACAF just doesn't have to the same scale. If Tajon or Miles Robinson were Mexican, they'd likely have started in the Mexican lower divisions. Very, very small chance of upward movement from there. 

This is why I chuckle when people think the US will never catch Mexico and that MLS will always be an also-ran league.  The quality of league play has been increasing at a steady rate, they have been doing better and better against Liga MX teams in CCL play, and the number of talented young domestic prospects coming out of MLS has been growing as you note.  It isn’t a matter of when the US overtakes Mexico IMO - it is a matter of when.  As long as more and more money keeps flowing into the league, the continued growth in quality is fairly  assured.

(And at the risk of being laughed at, I think we actually have the potential to seriously close the gap so that we are far closer to being on par.)  

[Obinna]

Haven't been following the thread too closely, so forgive me if the point was already made, but Mexico has a squad in the Olympic semis right now.

Not saying the USA won't overtake Mexico (if they haven't already), but we should probably keep that in mind and pump the brakes on the American hype train. 

Personally, I see this summer as the USA scoring psycological victories over Mexico more than I see evidence they currently have the deeper/more talented program.

Either way, this summer has been massive for the states. They have to be favrouites to top the Ocho considering their current form.

Edited August 2, 2021 by Obinna

[red card]

21 hours ago, nazzer said:

Not watching the final but curious if there have been any chokeholds or ball throws from centre field yet?

To be fair, others do it also. Oso with a punch last Thursday & McKennie in Nations League.

 

[apbsmith]

22 hours ago, Cheeta said:

Maybe Jamaica the surprise team of the tournie?  I mean aside from us.  Mexico and USA still the teams to beat and as goofy as this tournie has been they've both looked very beatable. 

They're going to look very different come WCQing but still, they now know they'll have to or it could get very unpleasant very fast.

Also think El Salvador surprised me this tourny, not the biggest tourny surprise but still a bit of a surprise. Thought they might not even get out of the group. 

Good results in the group stage with a tight 1-0 L to Mexico. 

Aside from a bad 30 mins vs Qatar, they def had Qatar on the ropes the final 15 mins as well. 

[BearcatSA]

2 hours ago, apbsmith said:

Also think El Salvador surprised me this tourny, not the biggest tourny surprise but still a bit of a surprise. Thought they might not even get out of the group. 

Good results in the group stage with a tight 1-0 L to Mexico. 

Aside from a bad 30 mins vs Qatar, they def had Qatar on the ropes the final 15 mins as well. 

And this is the type of opponent against whom we have dropped maximum points in the past.  We have to turn the two matches against this potential "banana peel" into six points. 

Edited August 3, 2021 by BearcatSA

[CanadaFan123]

On 8/1/2021 at 10:23 PM, Cheeta said:

Maybe Jamaica the surprise team of the tournie?  I mean aside from us.  Mexico and USA still the teams to beat and as goofy as this tournie has been they've both looked very beatable. 

They're going to look very different come WCQing but still, they now know they'll have to or it could get very unpleasant very fast.

Surprise in terms of underperforming? Squeaking by Guadeloupe and Suriname then losing to the Costa Rica and the USA.

With their previous 3 tournaments being 2 finals and a semi.

Edited August 3, 2021 by CanadaFan123

[narduch]

Buchanan the lone Canadian to make the tournament XI

 

[Floortom]

1 minute ago, narduch said:

Buchanan the lone Canadian to make the tournament XI

 

Borges over Eustaquio?

 

[Obinna]

6 minutes ago, Floortom said:

Borges over Eustaquio?

 

Bizarre and disappointed for Eustaquio. He deserved a spot here.

Typically you need to be a standout to make this team if your team goes out in the QF. Borges may have been a stand out for CR (or not, I never saw all their games), but it's hard to imagine he was really a standout as far as the tournament goes.

[CanadaFan123]

8 minutes ago, Floortom said:

Borges over Eustaquio?

 

Yeah that's crazy. 

[Obinna]

https://www.concacaf.com/gold-cup/article/turner-funes-mori-named-to-best-xi/

I guess this trumps scoring 3 goals in 4 games, helping your country reach the SF for the first time since 2017..

MF - Celso Borges (CRC)

The Costa Rican veteran reached a milestone during the 2021 Gold Cup by becoming the Costa Rican player with the most Gold Cup appearances (25). At age 33, Borges shows no signs of slowing down, with two goals and 11 steals in four games.

[Shway]

14 minutes ago, Obinna said:

https://www.concacaf.com/gold-cup/article/turner-funes-mori-named-to-best-xi/

I guess this trumps scoring 3 goals in 4 games, helping your country reach the SF for the first time since 2017..

MF - Celso Borges (CRC)

The Costa Rican veteran reached a milestone during the 2021 Gold Cup by becoming the Costa Rican player with the most Gold Cup appearances (25). At age 33, Borges shows no signs of slowing down, with two goals and 11 steals in four games.

Yea that’s bullshit. 

[rkomar]

Maybe they take into account being suspended for a game due to accumulation of yellow cards?

[Unnamed Trialist]

30 minutes ago, Obinna said:

https://www.concacaf.com/gold-cup/article/turner-funes-mori-named-to-best-xi/

I guess this trumps scoring 3 goals in 4 games, helping your country reach the SF for the first time since 2017..

MF - Celso Borges (CRC)

The Costa Rican veteran reached a milestone during the 2021 Gold Cup by becoming the Costa Rican player with the most Gold Cup appearances (25). At age 33, Borges shows no signs of slowing down, with two goals and 11 steals in four games.

First thing I saw, Borges-- he was useless against us and looked like a player well past his peak. Embarrassing choice to make.

[Club Linesman]

It’s political. Teams in the final get 6, Qatar paid a shitload to be here give them a couple and then spread the last 3 around and give the Costa Rican his lifetime achievement award.  Even Costa Rica fans would know that Eustaquio was far better in the tournament and in our game Borges was certainly not gorgeous and Eustaquio was a star.

[canadianbacons]

3 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

First thing I saw, Borges-- he was useless against us and looked like a player well past his peak. Embarrassing choice to make.

Exactly.... look at how they played against each other.  Borges was invisible.  Staq was MOTM.   I think they were just trying to pick a player from as many QF teams as possible. 

[Obinna]

36 minutes ago, rkomar said:

Maybe they take into account being suspended for a game due to accumulation of yellow cards?

This crossed my mind too. Kind of dumb if they did, but somehow I can see it. 

To be fair he scored 2 goals. I think scoring 3 and reaching the semi is a bigger accomplishment, but maybe they figured with Tajon getting picked they have the Canadians covered.

It's funny too because the graphic makes it look like Buchanan is a center midfielder, which is where Eustaquio plays. 

[red card]

"They don't make the Olympics but they do make the World Cup Final. And they win it"

 

 

[Free kick]

On 8/2/2021 at 9:58 AM, El Hombre said:

Couldn't agree more with this sentiment.

Shows a bit of an inferiority complex that we can only consider something "legitimate" if everybody else does.  Why can't something uniquely Canadian be important to Canadians?

That is true (and i agree with you) when it come many other areas such as the arts, culture, foods , customs…etc.  but sports is alot about bragging rights. And its about achievement.   How can you brag about an achievement that was so low  in scale, competition,  and broader recognition.   Its kind of like bragging about your grades and successes in phys ed or Home Economics as opposed to the Maths and sciences and litterature.

Edited August 3, 2021 by Free kick