WCQ: Mexico vs Canada - Thursday, Oct 7, 9:40pm Eastern / 6:40pm Pacific - Mexico City

[Cblake]

6 minutes ago, PopePouri said:

Somewhere in DC, Pablo Maurer just twitched.

I am sure he did (  :

[dyslexic nam]

I get that each of these games is a potential banana peel.  Jamaica may be super motivated to save thei campaign.  Panama has started strongly.  Etc. 
 

Bit come on people - we are talking about playing Mexico in Azteca.  Let’s not get caught up in our own hype machine too much.  This is the toughest game of this entire 14-game process.  Full stop.  

[SpursFlu]

Its funny to think back that we were in a similar scenario against Mexico at the last last Gold Cup. Lets not forget how that worked out for Herdman. I wonder if that weighs on his mind 

[SkuseisLoose]

5 minutes ago, Cblake said:

I am sure he did (  :

This is completely offtopic but why have you liked like 13 of my comments from months ago since yesterday.

[Joe MacCarthy]

 

[Mattd97]

I'm not sure even taking a point in Mexico affects the standings that much, they still finish first. Part of the away draw is holding the home team to 1, tying Honduras away is much more impactful.

 

That said, I hope all the ppl on here realize we will never know, A team or B team, win lose or draw, how the alternative scenario would play out.  Criticize the approach all you like, but its a game-- we could beat or lose to Jamaica/Panama on any given day with either roster

[canuckgbp]

Just now, dyslexic nam said:

I get that each of these games is a potential banana peel.  Jamaica may be super motivated to save thei campaign.  Panama has started strongly.  Etc. 
 

Bit come on people - we are talking about playing Mexico in Azteca.  Let’s not get caught up in our own hype machine too much.  This is the toughest game of this entire 14-game process.  Full stop.  

It is but no one really is expecting a result from the Mexican game. The Panama game is a must win. Jamaica is weakened and ripe for a pummeling without fans and that adds more pressure.

Before the Sept window with Jamaica getting all these dual nationals in, I am not sure we expected much from this game, assuming the new pieces would gel. Things have changed drastically for them and I think their is added pressure on us to get a result. 

[Joe MacCarthy]

5 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Bit come on people - we are talking about playing Mexico in Azteca.  Let’s not get caught up in our own hype machine too much.  This is the toughest game of this entire 14-game process.  Full stop.  

Very true, but as a guy who has seen us get screwed and f' up for longer than most here were born, it's time to start believing.  If we or the team don't believe, there's no point in playing the games, they been lost before they start.  So yes, temper your predictions, but always be confident.  The day is coming.

[dyslexic nam]

2 minutes ago, Mattd97 said:

That said, I hope all the ppl on here realize we will never know, A team or B team, win lose or draw, how the alternative scenario would play out.  Criticize the approach all you like, but its a game-- we could beat or lose to Jamaica/Panama on any given day with either roster

Maybe so, but if we drop points in the last two games while looking completely gassed after going all out against Mexico with our best 11, I don’t think it will be hard to judge the approach.   

[Kent]

3 minutes ago, SkuseisLoose said:

This is completely offtopic but why have you liked like 13 of my comments from months ago since yesterday.

It wasn't just you. His account (not going to say him, because it could have been a bot hijacking his account or something) liked every comment in several threads. Some people here had well into 200 likes from him last night.

[trc2014]

1 hour ago, Joe MacCarthy said:

Very true, but as a guy who has seen us get screwed and f' up for longer than most here were born, it's time to start believing.  If we or the team don't believe, there's no point in playing the games, they been lost before they start.  So yes, temper your predictions, but always be confident.  The day is coming.

My belief is that we can make it to the World Cup, something I haven’t believed in 20+ years watching this game.  I think it’s a mistake to get so over confident for this game and it also has a knock on effect to the other two winnable games in this window.

Edited October 7, 2021 by trc2014

[Joe MacCarthy]

1 minute ago, canuckgbp said:

It is but no one really is expecting a result from the Mexican game. The Panama game is a must win. Jamaica is weakened and ripe for a pummeling without fans and that adds more pressure.

In all honesty aside for the injuries, yellows etc, to me the biggest hurdle is the altitude. Aside from that, I think we can beat them, I don't think they are intimidated.  They are close, but as I said this game is a crapshoot because of the special circumstances pertaining to this particular game.  A month ago I would have been more confident.

[dyslexic nam]

4 minutes ago, canuckgbp said:

It is but no one really is expecting a result from the Mexican game. The Panama game is a must win. Jamaica is weakened and ripe for a pummeling without fans and that adds more pressure.

Before the Sept window with Jamaica getting all these dual nationals in, I am not sure we expected much from this game, assuming the new pieces would gel. Things have changed drastically for them and I think their is added pressure on us to get a result. 

I disagree.  Anyone advocating a strong starting lineup has to be aiming at points from that game - otherwise why would we field a strong lineup and tire out our best guys   

 

[theaub]

1 minute ago, dyslexic nam said:

I disagree.  Anyone advocating a strong starting lineup has to be aiming at points from that game - otherwise why would we field a strong lineup and tire out our best guys   

 

This 100%.  You aren't just giving guys a runout so they can play at Azteca.

[Kent]

I was originally in the "rest our starters" camp. The way things have shaken down I can see how playing our stars today can make sense. Perhaps the stars can come on late in Jamaica and we can still get a win there.

At this point I don't think any lineup will upset me tonight, as long as it still looks like a lineup from someone that has watched soccer before (I don't want to see a 1 person backline, or Pantemis playing midfield). I am just really excited for the game, despite knowing a loss is still the most likely result.

Nothing to lose tonight guys. Enjoy it!

[Joe MacCarthy]

I think Herdman is a gambler.  I think he'll gauge the attitude from the Gold Cup game and decide whether he is really going to go for it or not.  If they won, that would be a seismic shift, atom bomb stuff.

[Kent]

4 minutes ago, trc2014 said:

My belief is that we can’t make it to the World Cup, something I haven’t believed in 20+ years watching this game.  I think it’s a mistake to get so over confident for this game and it also has a knock on effect to the other two winnable games in this window.

Wait, that isn't a typo? We make it to the final round for the first time in 20+ years. We are in 2nd in the group after 3 games including an away match to USA. And THIS is when you finally lose hope?

[canuckgbp]

1 minute ago, dyslexic nam said:

I disagree.  Anyone advocating a strong starting lineup has to be aiming at points from that game - otherwise why would we field a strong lineup and tire out our best guys   

 

They have their true A lineup back with Jimenez, Corona and Lozano for the first time in years. We also don't have our strongest lineup. You add Larin, Hoilett and a healthy Cavallini into this squad then yeah maybe then. I don't know if we have the depth in this particular game to get a result. Hopefully I am dead wrong tonight. 

[Ruud]

Too nervous about the options and which of the next two games we are risking most people free play 1a tonight.  
 

for the record I expect Mexico to win 2-0.   Hopefully some early goals so we can rest our expectations 

[El Diego]

I wonder what would happen if a team just didn't go to Mexico and took the forfeit, and instead just focused on the other matches.

[canuckgbp]

We also don't know the lineup Herdman will field. Some of it is obvious due to players missing. 

Herdman may play his strongest for 60 minutes and evaluate then. Do we have the fire power to either secure a result or tie things up late? With the missing players idk. We won't have Hutch to sub on or Larin/Hoilett to bring on for David (or start with him). I am just trying to be realistic. 

 

[Joe MacCarthy]

There's no "I told you so's" in this game tonight.  None of us have a clue how it will shake down and only a few will make a lucky prediction.  Win or lose I just want a good showing, because I know they'll learn from it.  This will be about as hard as it gets, bearing in mind playing away at the CA countries.  But if we can pull it off...

[canuckgbp]

I think regardless of the lineup the team will put in a shift. Clearly the mentality of the team has change. The only stain so far is the Honduras draw.

We need points on the road from a team and I think Jamaica this window without fans and the chaos within their camp is as good a time as any. "Easier" then going to Honduras and getting a win... though the USA just trounced them last window so who knows. 

[sstackho]

No Atiba.  No Borjan.  Who should be captain? 

EDIT:  was primarily Vitoria at the Gold Cup

Edited October 7, 2021 by sstackho

[Strait Red]

2 minutes ago, sstackho said:

No Atiba.  No Borjan.  Who should be captain? 

Vitoria