WCQ: Canada vs Suriname - In-Match Thread

[The Beaver 2.0]

My biggest concern going into this match was whether or not we could boss the midfield. We were indeed shaky for much of the first half, but I am willing to chalk that up to a group that was playing their first game together in a new formation.  The fact that this same group looked so much better in the second half gives me a lot of confidence going forward. Eustachio really came on in the second half and looked great for most of it.  Oso, once fully game-fit, will be an important leader in the middle. And Piette was pretty darn good cleaning shit up, breaking things down. I like Kaye off the bench, and I could see him in for Oso on Saturday.  We showed much greater cohesion in the second half, for sure.  That is what I will be watching for on Saturday, the team taking another step forward in this regard.

And, while Davies was indeed amazing last night, I also felt he sometimes carried the ball too much, that he could have laid it off or worked a give-and-go a bit more often.  Better teams will seize on his tendency to hold the ball too long, and then counter hard once they strip the ball from him. If he can make this adjustment, then he will be even more deadly than he was last night, and more effective against better skilled, better organized teams.

 

[Cheeta]

56 minutes ago, BearcatSA said:

....

- If Buchanon's trajectory continues, his skillset might combine with Davies and David in the best first choice grouping come the fall.  Larin might have to be used in a different role for us.

....

 

A thought that's been in my mind recently as well.  Not trying to jinx anyone or get too far in front of things but yeah, he might be developing into form at a most advantageous time for all concerned.  David could have a field day following those two down field.

Fingers and toes crossed.

 

[BearcatSA]

7 minutes ago, The Beaver 2.0 said:

And, while Davies was indeed amazing last night, I also felt he sometimes carried the ball too much, that he could have laid it off or worked a give-and-go a bit more often.  Better teams will seize on his tendency to hold the ball too long, and then counter hard once they strip the ball from him. If he can make this adjustment, then he will be even more deadly than he was last night, and more effective against better skilled, better organized teams.

I was going to mention that, too, in my earlier post.  When he has some tough moments at club level it's usually when he's been on the ball too long and loses it when a little tikka-takka would relieve some pressure.  Here, he was getting away with it more.  But regardless, this young man's game breaking explosiveness combining with David's runs and vision give us such an X factor when on the attack. 

[Kent]

15 hours ago, SirBobsaget said:

Lets not do some revisionist stuff, Suriname IS a decent CONCACAF team. They are unlucky to be in a group with Canada. Would have run any other group.

To dominate in this way is something special. As predicted the older legs did seem to tire.

I agree with all of that, except the "would have run any other group" comment. If they were in Group A or F they might make it to the Oct. I don't think they would beat Curacao, Panama, or Haiti. Still a decent CONCACAF team like you said. It will be interesting to see what their future holds.

[narduch]

Galindo article.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/canadas-world-cup-qualifiers-learned-aruba-suriname-wins/

[MtlMario]

I wasn't going to say this but my Dr. Phil in me is too strong. So I can't help you if you don't realize you have a problem. Who is willing to admit they were too scared of Suriname and are willing to admit they were wrong? 😁

Edited June 9, 2021 by MtlMario

[costarg]

23 minutes ago, MtlMario said:

I wasn't going to say this but my Dr. Phil in me is too strong. So I can't help you if you don't realize you have a problem. Who is willing to admit they were too scared of Suriname and are willing to admit they were wrong? 😁

I was wrong, based on the reports I was expecting a tougher challenge. 

They just seemed old, tired and a little disjointed.  We weren't perfect, but still strong, the winning mentality is present in this group.  However I still feel that Henry doesn't belong there vs Haiti.  Something about him just doesn't say winner to me.  I feel he's just jinxed in the CANMNT red.  Looked ridiculously shaky those first 10 minutes, way more than anyone else out there.

[CanMNT Memes]

[SthMelbRed]

3 hours ago, MtlMario said:

I wasn't going to say this but my Dr. Phil in me is too strong. So I can't help you if you don't realize you have a problem. Who is willing to admit they were too scared of Suriname and are willing to admit they were wrong? 😁

There's an old story about Bill Shankly. Leading up to an important league match, he spent all week telling his Liverpool team that their opponents were shit, that they didn't deserve to be on the same pitch as his guys, etc. Walking into the dressing room after a crushing victory, he addresses his team, saying, "well done, boys. You've just beaten one of the best teams in the country."

Around these parts, we do the exact opposite.

[Kent]

7 hours ago, The Beaver 2.0 said:

Eustachio really came on in the second half and looked great for most of it.

I don't know if that spelling is on purpose or not but I love it.

[The Beaver 2.0]

38 minutes ago, Kent said:

I don't know if that spelling is on purpose or not but I love it.

Ha! No, that's me being too lazy to check the proper spelling. Not an excuse; just a feeble explanation. Loving the Stache, mind you. Maybe that'll be his name going forward: El Stache.  (Please don't tell me that has another--unfortunate--meaning in Spanish. Feeling too lazy to look it up.)

[The Beaver 2.0]

5 hours ago, costarg said:

I was wrong, based on the reports I was expecting a tougher challenge. 

They just seemed old, tired and a little disjointed.  We weren't perfect, but still strong, the winning mentality is present in this group.  However I still feel that Henry doesn't belong there vs Haiti.  Something about him just doesn't say winner to me.  I feel he's just jinxed in the CANMNT red.  Looked ridiculously shaky those first 10 minutes, way more than anyone else out there.

What is interesting to note about Henry, Oso and Piette, who each grew into the game, was that they are all coming off recent injuries.  I thought Henry was indeed shaky to start, but he was a beast otherwise. The biggest risk with playing him vs. Haiti--or anyone else, I feel--is that he is a tad over aggressive when he doesn't need to be, and the danger of a red card feels more real with him than any of our other defenders.  Still, I was a striker my entire life and I would've hated playing with my back to Henry. Punishing.

[Unnamed Trialist]

8 hours ago, The Beaver 2.0 said:

Ha! No, that's me being too lazy to check the proper spelling. Not an excuse; just a feeble explanation. Loving the Stache, mind you. Maybe that'll be his name going forward: El Stache.  (Please don't tell me that has another--unfortunate--meaning in Spanish. Feeling too lazy to look it up.)

Means nothing in Spanish, not even close to anything. 

In Spanish a moustache is "bigote", a short goatee, "perilla". 

I think that nicknames come naturally, but it is true that occasionally a journalist, or teammate, comes up with something that sticks. I love the ones that were created when a player was young.

Sevilla has an Argentine player named "Mudo" Vázquez, which means silent (or speechless, dumb). Seems his parents called him that, he was Mudo and his brother was Mudito, which is hilarious: your parents give you and your brother nicknames suggesting you are unable to speak. Still, listening to a match every time I hear Mudo this or that it makes me laugh. Then he says his teammates when he was a kid called him "Pachorra", which means very lazy or listless. So you have this striker playing on an elite team who cannot speak and is completely lazy, so funny.

[Kadenge]

15 hours ago, The Beaver 2.0 said:

What is interesting to note about Henry, Oso and Piette, who each grew into the game, was that they are all coming off recent injuries.  I thought Henry was indeed shaky to start, but he was a beast otherwise. The biggest risk with playing him vs. Haiti--or anyone else, I feel--is that he is a tad over aggressive when he doesn't need to be, and the danger of a red card feels more real with him than any of our other defenders.  Still, I was a striker my entire life and I would've hated playing with my back to Henry. Punishing.

Haiti had some big forwards from what I recall  at GC2019. While I agree Henry can be rash sometimes, that intimidation factor should not be discounted and may be an asset when we play them. He does try to make every tackle vs containment but had a solid game over 90 mins.  I hope Henry/Kennedy is the start of a new and strong CB partnership for  the CMNT

[BearcatSA]

12 minutes ago, Kadenge said:

He does try to make every tackle vs containment but had a solid game over 90 mins.

That has always been a problem:  going for the "big play."  And if a big error happens, he has trouble shaking it and then other errors happen.  But I was pleased to see his play on the ball settle down after the 20 min.