WCQ: Canada vs Bermuda - March 25th 8pm Eastern/5pm Pacific - Orlando FL

[bwilly11]

19 minutes ago, narduch said:

Probably also explains why he barely ever plays for Cardiff anymore.

Makes you wonder eh. Is this because he has actually declined, or because he isn't match fit due to lack of playing time? I hate to give up on him, but man something is up.

[archer21]

11 minutes ago, bwilly11 said:

Makes you wonder eh. Is this because he has actually declined, or because he isn't match fit due to lack of playing time? I hate to give up on him, but man something is up.

Hopefully he finds himself in a better club situation soon so we can find out.

[Stryker911]

I dont know what is going on with Hoilett. You would think having Laryea on his side would lead to alot of attacking threats, but the first half everything ran down the left.

He is only a year removed from being an important peice of one of the top teams in the championship. Maybe he has a bit of an injury that is slowing him down

[dyslexic nam]

There was definyaomwthing up with Hoilett.  
 

30 minutes ago, bwilly11 said:

Makes you wonder eh. Is this because he has actually declined, or because he isn't match fit due to lack of playing time? I hate to give up on him, but man something is up.

Lack no of playing time or not, he is still in mid-season.  I am wondering if he has some sort of nagging injury.  Otherwise it is pretty understandable why he has dropped down the pecking order at Cardiff.  

[gator]

I think Cav, Junior and Laryea, although he scored a nice goal all showed some rust from inactivity, I don't think Hoilett is done yet, he may not be the automatic starter anymore though!

[Kent]

13 hours ago, JuicyHam said:

This is definitely not true. Unless it just changed today. Been using same account with a friend watching the olympic qualifying 

There was a time, likely in 2019, that there were 2 games going on at the same time that I wanted to watch. So I got two devices and tried to watch them simultaneously. I kept getting booted out of one or the other. Support told me it was because I can only watch 1 at a time.

[BrennanFan]

Geez, ease up on Hoilett every one! He combined well with Laryea, they had a few really great moments passing it between them and getting into the box. Hoilett could have had a brace if he was a bit more lucky. He's got competition, and maybe he sees the bench sometimes now, but he's not close to done yet. I think he's more comfortable and dangerous cutting in from the left, but that's Davies spot now. 

[costarg]

9 hours ago, Shway said:

Question... what formation did we play today? A flat 4-4-2?..... is that the new identity?. I thought all the teams were supposed to play the same system.

I loved the 4-4-2, it was the best formation and 11 we could've played yesterday.  However, not sure we can pull off that formation vs the CONCACAF heavyweights.  We'll need to congest the middle a little more, not sure Hutch and Eustaquio would be enough cover.

[costarg]

1 hour ago, Stryker911 said:

I dont know what is going on with Hoilett. You would think having Laryea on his side would lead to alot of attacking threats, but the first half everything ran down the left.

He is only a year removed from being an important peice of one of the top teams in the championship. Maybe he has a bit of an injury that is slowing him down

Not everyone ages and recovers from injuries as well as god, i mean Hutchinson.

[king1010]

I honestly thought Hoilett was ok last night, not amazin but not brutal either. 

[Shway]

4 minutes ago, costarg said:

I loved the 4-4-2, it was the best formation and 11 we could've played yesterday.  However, not sure we can pull off that formation vs the CONCACAF heavyweights.  We'll need to congest the middle a little more, not sure Hutch and Eustaquio would be enough cover.

It’s my exact point. Our formation seems to change EVERY game - which is bad from an identity standpoint. I said I didn’t want to see nations League tactics and sure enough we did. Our coach says so eloquently that he wants all teams playing the same way and sure enough we weren’t.

I personally didn’t like it. And prefer the 4-3-3 or at least a 4-2-3-1. 

it’s hard to critique considering the scoreline....but we’ll lose the battle in the middle against a better team.

[costarg]

23 minutes ago, Shway said:

It’s my exact point. Our formation seems to change EVERY game - which is bad from an identity standpoint. I said I didn’t want to see nations League tactics and sure enough we did. Our coach says so eloquently that he wants all teams playing the same way and sure enough we weren’t.

I personally didn’t like it. And prefer the 4-3-3 or at least a 4-2-3-1. 

it’s hard to critique considering the scoreline....but we’ll lose the battle in the middle against a better team.

But then the Herdman-haters would just say he doesn't adapt and plays the same game regardless of who the opponent is.  

Either way, its a trap.

Herdman is showing he can adapt and is actively coaching, not just pumping tires and using psycho-tricks.  

Edited March 26, 2021 by costarg

[Floortom]

Hoilett got better as night went on..had some good interplay even though the finishing was bad.

I think he’ll be more sharp against Cayman and I hope he gets good time 

[DavemTFC]

11 hours ago, CanadianSoccerFan said:

Looks like OneSoccer works in the UK

 

 

It was so surreal hearing Edgar call him out on the broadcast.

Not that down on Hoilett I thought he was rusty but still useful tough for Bermuda to handle. Like pretty much everyone else on our team really. Same with Cav - got into some good positions and I think when he's in season he'll start scoring.

I'll try not to get carried away with 20 minutes from Corbeanu in a basically done game but he was awesome and I can't wait to see more of him. Clearly in the mood to make an impression!

I actually was impressed by how Adekugbe played last night. I think he can fit in well if his role is to usually stay back and sometimes drop into defense/midfield so that Phonzie can stay high and wide and Laryea can go up early and often on the other wing.

As for Borjan, the goal against was somewhat unlucky since the Bermudan player was in his blind side and actually made a pretty good play following up out of nowhere. I might be more concerned with the unnecessary coming out and clattering into Vitoria in the first half. We should all know by now he's guaranteed one insane moment a match, even if he isn't always punished. I'm not convinced his shot stopping is still good enough and our other options bad enough to still be the incumbent #1

[Shway]

7 minutes ago, costarg said:

But then the Herdman-haters would just say he doesn't adapt and plays the same game regardless of who the opponent is.  

Either way, its a trap.

Herdman is showing he can adapt and is actively coaching, not just pumping tires and using psycho-tricks.  

Great point. But for me the adjusting doesn’t happen against the lesser opponents. You typically see your identity practice/established against them. 

Again I didn’t like the 4-4-2, but what can you say when you win 5-1. 

I think there’s a difference between adjusting your in game tactics, vs changing the way you setup.

[El Hombre]

 

...23 minutes later...

 

Edit: now somebody ask for a clip of Godinho crashing through the boards.

Edited March 26, 2021 by El Hombre

[Yohan]

12 hours ago, Shway said:

Question... what formation did we play today? A flat 4-4-2?..... is that the new identity?. I thought all the teams were supposed to play the same system.

 That’s my only thing I can say about tonight game. Oh and Cavallini needs to be a super sub....I’ve said this long before his performance tonight.

His mobility has regressed, which falters our attack/his ability to play in the last man/breakout... love the guy, but in the future we’re better with David & Larin.

4-2-2-2 with double pivot DMs and attacking wingers

[Yohan]

12 hours ago, Shway said:

Question... what formation did we play today? A flat 4-4-2?..... is that the new identity?. I thought all the teams were supposed to play the same system.

 That’s my only thing I can say about tonight game. Oh and Cavallini needs to be a super sub....I’ve said this long before his performance tonight.

His mobility has regressed, which falters our attack/his ability to play in the last man/breakout... love the guy, but in the future we’re better with David & Larin.

4-2-2-2 with double pivot DMs and attacking wingers

[archer21]

Just now, Yohan said:

4-2-2-2 with double pivot DMs and attacking wingers

Everyone is saying we played with 2 strikers but Herdman mentioned that Larin played in the half spaces, like he does with Besiktas. So maybe it was technically more of a 4-2-3-1 with Larin at “CAM” but often becoming a striker.

[SoccMan]

4 hours ago, gator said:

I think Cav, Junior and Laryea, although he scored a nice goal all showed some rust from inactivity, I don't think Hoilett is done yet, he may not be the automatic starter anymore though!

I like Laryea’s rust then, along with the goal could have had 2 assists , 3 years ago I would have thought maybe USL or CPL is where he would end up pretty soon but if he keeps this up a higher league than MLS will come calling .

[dyslexic nam]

16 minutes ago, SoccMan said:

I like Laryea’s rust then, along with the goal could have had 2 assists , 3 years ago I would have thought maybe USL or CPL is where he would end up pretty soon but if he keeps this up a higher league than MLS will come calling .

Yeah, Laryea was the one out of season guy who looked like he hasn’t missed a beat IMO.  My “like-o-meter”just keeps going up with him.  He may be a bit of a late bloomer but I don’t think we have seen the last of his growth.  He has been very good for a while now for both club and country.  

[sebdeserio]

Laryea 100% deserves a move to Europe and I'm sure he'd excel but he has a young family and he's a local boy so he might just be happy at TFC, which may be why there aren't any rumblings around him. As a TFC fan I don't mind that one bit but as a selfish Canada fan I hope he ends up making the jump sooner rather than later.

[SpursFlu]

I'm a big Hoilett fan but he definitely looked like he's lost a step

[johnyb]

16 hours ago, Corazon said:

If there was ever a game that proved players in form / in season should start, this was it.  Big difference in the European players playing regularly vs the players out of form / out of season.

Overall good result.  Losing the shut out hurt a little and the fact we should have twice as many goals as well.

Borjan - Too bad about the error but he is still my number 1 keeper but we got some young keepers on the rise.

Vitoria & Miller were quiet but good today as expected.

Adekugbe looked great.

Laryea looked great (did not look out of season like others).

Davies is clearly a level above everyone else on the pitch.

Hoilett was a little bit off for sure and should have scored.

Cavallini was definitely off and when in form easily gets a hat trick.  But he was getting into the right places.

Larin was everything we expected with his recent form.

Atiba & Eustaquio were solid.  I really look forward to those two playing together in big games.

Johnston, Piette and Wotherspoon did their job well when they came on.

Corbeanu & Millar looked very good when called on.

 

Expect to see a few changes for the next one.

I gush at the thought of these two manning the wings for Canada for the next 10 years!!

[BearcatSA]

As I've said before, I still think Hoillet's the guy for that late game sub role when we are chasing the game, kind of like veteran Portuguese winger Quaresma.  Whether or not he sees himself in such a role is a different story.