Canada Pre-World Cup "friendlies" thread: news, gossip and speculation.

[VinceA]

4 minutes ago, xabuep2 said:

Uruguay, Canada's next rival has just lost in an international friendly against Iran 1-0

They're gonna be mad when they face us.

[MtlMario]

Between our result today and Iran winning 1-0, I'm feeling much better concerning our next game.

[Sal333]

14 minutes ago, MtlMario said:

Between our result today and Iran winning 1-0, I'm feeling much better concerning our next game.

Why are you going on an unreliable feeling when you have the trustworthy crystal ball?

[pod818]

Watching Argentina vs Honduras on Fubo right now. Argentina is going full concacaf with Honduras. There’s a player down ever 2 minutes in this game. It’s painful to watch. But Messi looks pretty good

Edited September 24, 2022 by pod818

[MtlMario]

19 hours ago, Sal333 said:

Why are you going on an unreliable feeling when you have the trustworthy crystal ball?

I'm saving it for the BIG games.😁

[The Ref]

On 9/23/2022 at 10:54 AM, xabuep2 said:

Uruguay, Canada's next rival has just lost in an international friendly against Iran 1-0

You can't trust them uruguayans.  They are dirty to play.

 

[SoCalTransport]

7 hours ago, The Ref said:

You can't trust them uruguayans.  They are dirty to play.

 

Uruguay is a good challenge for Canada, but I don’t expect much from them at the WC. They have aging star players. They have a lot of good prospects, but still unproven at the big international tournaments.

[Unnamed Trialist]

Was worried to see Uruguay were playing Iran hard, fouling. But since Araujo went down injured and maybe others (shitty for Barça), they might ease off. He may miss the WC, others see that and think twice.

A smart Herdman, or chat between players in Spanish, might get the game played to win but not do damage. Hard fought clean friendly.

Yes, I'm always worried, and more so now.

[SthMelbRed]

16 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Was worried to see Uruguay were playing Iran hard, fouling. But since Araujo went down injured and maybe others (shitty for Barça), they might ease off. He may miss the WC, others see that and think twice.

A smart Herdman, or chat between players in Spanish, might get the game played to win but not do damage. Hard fought clean friendly.

Yes, I'm always worried, and more so now.

I imaging the Uruguayans don't know much about Canada. However, if they've watched any of the matches from qualifying, they'll know that we're not shy about kicking back when necessary. Knowing that they're not going to intimidate us with rough play should dial back the shenanigans this close to a World Cup. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

2 hours ago, SthMelbRed said:

I imaging the Uruguayans don't know much about Canada. However, if they've watched any of the matches from qualifying, they'll know that we're not shy about kicking back when necessary. Knowing that they're not going to intimidate us with rough play should dial back the shenanigans this close to a World Cup. 

I'm also thinking they took a lot of players to their camp, so that means they have quite a few fighting for a roster spot. That often means intensity coming out and not backing down. 

We have to stay cool and play smart. Especially Davies, who tries to hotdog in places where a simple pass would work just as well. He doesn't often choose the best moment to show his skill. So he'll get fouled. And more so since it looks like he's trying to embarrass rivals at times. 

This is another reason to prefer him on the wing pushing into space and limiting the role for Canada. I think it actually works better for us, like in those matches vs the US, where he played a reduced role and ended up being effective in details.

Edit...really I liked Davies away to Mexico and the US, not as much that home to Mexico match.

Edited September 26, 2022 by Unnamed Trialist

[cornerkick]

5 hours ago, SthMelbRed said:

I imaging the Uruguayans don't know much about Canada. However, if they've watched any of the matches from qualifying, they'll know that we're not shy about kicking back when necessary. Knowing that they're not going to intimidate us with rough play should dial back the shenanigans this close to a World Cup. 

Their manager Diego Alonso has experience coaching Mexican clubs and Inter Miami.  They might not be following every storyline on Canada but they won’t be totally in the dark about Concacaf either…

[Unnamed Trialist]

This is probably one of the biggest stories: their centre backs are injured. 

https://www.elpais.com.uy/ovacion/futbol/araujo-josema-godin-coates-opciones-diego-alonso-zaga.html

Right now, Araujo hurt himself early last match; Coates, who captains Sporting Lisbon, was injured in a league match; Godin is injured, but he is ageing and like Suárez has gone back to play his final years in South American; Jiménez, the At Madrid CB, has had a series of minor injuries and ailments, and has not had continuity in the league so far.

They called in Koleosho's teammate Cabrera from Espanyol to cover for Coates. They have Rogel who is with Hertha in B1, and Sebastián Cáceres, at Club América. Martín Cáceres is ageing and is really an outside back. 

Point being: have to attack this back line, force them into mistakes. They are not as tough defending, not as strong in the air in defence or attack, since Godin and Jiménez are good both way (have to handle set piece defence well tomorrow).

Another thing that may come into play: since their defensive line has less experience with the NT and may not have played together as much, the rest of the team may try to support them. Meaning we may not see Uruguay throwing everything forward.

Going to be an exciting match (saw in that same article that the game is on 7 different channels in Uruguay, maybe their FA controls the rights then lets every channel show friendlies, do not know). 

[Sal333]

1 hour ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

This is probably one of the biggest stories: their centre backs are injured. 

https://www.elpais.com.uy/ovacion/futbol/araujo-josema-godin-coates-opciones-diego-alonso-zaga.html

 

I wonder if this is a good thing. I think it's a stroke of bad luck......for us. I would have preferred they came at us with all guns a blazing especially since  it's a friendly and we need to test ourselves.

[king1010]

12 minutes ago, Sal333 said:

I wonder if this is a good thing. I think it's a stroke of bad luck......for us. I would have preferred they came at us with all guns a blazing especially since  it's a friendly and we need to test ourselves.

They still have more than enough quality to test us. 

[ECW]

22 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I'm also thinking they took a lot of players to their camp, so that means they have quite a few fighting for a roster spot. That often means intensity coming out and not backing down. 

We have to stay cool and play smart. Especially Davies, who tries to hotdog in places where a simple pass would work just as well. He doesn't often choose the best moment to show his skill. So he'll get fouled. And more so since it looks like he's trying to embarrass rivals at times. 

This is another reason to prefer him on the wing pushing into space and limiting the role for Canada. I think it actually works better for us, like in those matches vs the US, where he played a reduced role and ended up being effective in details.

Edit...really I liked Davies away to Mexico and the US, not as much that home to Mexico match.

I like the idea of Davies on the wing as well… or even at wing back, especially because at the world cup we’re going to need to be brilliant on the counter attack. Also, he hasn’t looked good as a striker. 

Edited September 27, 2022 by ECW

[Joe Keeper]

Im very glad we have Uruguay and the Japan friendly left. I really wish we could line up one more november friendly in the middle east before the opener. We need another top opponent but I would take a decent country not playing at the World Cup too. 

Try for Senegal or Serbia or even Holland or Brazil. If not one like those,  I would take a nation like Algeria, Egypt, Peru or Scotland in a heart beat. 

[RS]

6 hours ago, Joe Keeper said:

Im very glad we have Uruguay and the Japan friendly left. I really wish we could line up one more november friendly in the middle east before the opener. We need another top opponent but I would take a decent country not playing at the World Cup too. 

Try for Senegal or Serbia or even Holland or Brazil. If not one like those,  I would take a nation like Algeria, Egypt, Peru or Scotland in a heart beat. 

Most leagues are playing right up until a week before the World Cup, so no players will be available.

The Japan friendly is only six days before Canada's first WC match, so there's no way Herdman et al. would even consider another game in between.

[Unnamed Trialist]

38 minutes ago, RS said:

Most leagues are playing right up until a week before the World Cup, so no players will be available.

The Japan friendly is only six days before Canada's first WC match, so there's no way Herdman et al. would even consider another game in between.

Agreed, this is what it is. 

Which is why we have to play today and vs Japan as if they were do or die matches, like Belgium and Croatia. We have to see if we can rise to the occasion. I know I am saying I want to avoid injury, but I do think we have to have a much higher intensity and some nastiness even, both matches. Treat them like the first two WC matches or a knockout round. 

Whatever happens, the lessons have to be hard ones too. Win or lose.

[h coach]

Canada in 17th, -1 rank since before the latest window

World Cup 2022 power rankings: how the 32 look with two months to go https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/sep/28/world-cup-2022-power-rankings-32-team-two-months-to-go-qatar?CMP=share_btn_tw

[Gian-Luca]

23 minutes ago, h coach said:

Canada in 17th, -1 rank since before the latest window

World Cup 2022 power rankings: how the 32 look with two months to go https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/sep/28/world-cup-2022-power-rankings-32-team-two-months-to-go-qatar?CMP=share_btn_tw

Its interesting stuff, and much of what was written I agree with but difficult to see how England is rising up the charts without any wins in their last 6 and getting relegated into League B - is their optimism coming from the US looking so bad? Funnily enough, I see a lot of American optimism based on the reverse premise (England looking so bad), it's about the only thing the Americans seem optimistic about.

[CanadaFan123]

2 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

Its interesting stuff, and much of what was written I agree with but difficult to see how England is rising up the charts without any wins in their last 6 and getting relegated into League B - is their optimism coming from the US looking so bad? Funnily enough, I see a lot of American optimism based on the reverse premise (England looking so bad), it's about the only thing the Americans seem optimistic about.

England is one of the more battle tested squads heading into this World Cup. They’ve played in a semi final and final in their last 2 tournaments and are one of the most talented squads. Pretty easy to see them as favourites. 

[king1010]

1 minute ago, CanadaFan123 said:

England is one of the more battle tested squads heading into this World Cup. They’ve played in a semi final and final in their last 2 tournaments and are one of the most talented squads. Pretty easy to see them as favourites. 

Have you seen england play in 2022? 

[Gian-Luca]

1 minute ago, CanadaFan123 said:

England is one of the more battle tested squads heading into this World Cup. They’ve played in a semi final and final in their last 2 tournaments and are one of the most talented squads. Pretty easy to see them as favourites. 

England will definitely remain as one of the pre-tournament favourites because of what you say above and their overall talent level and they will be favourites to get out of the group. But that's a completely different issue from whether or not they should be rising up any sort power-rankings which are supposed to be based on how "in form" a team looks. No wins in 6 matches and something like a 450-minute long goalless-from-open play streak (only broken recently late at home against Germany) along with a rather humiliating relegation doesn't suggest that they should be rising up the power rankings.

At the other end of the spectrum, given how much bashing they do of Qatar in the article and given Costa Rica's recent form, its difficult to see why they dropped Costa Rica below Qatar. It's as though whoever is doing the rankings isn't actually the same person who writes the paragraphs explaining the reasons for the placement.

[Cheeta]

20 minutes ago, king1010 said:

Have you seen england play in 2022? 

Battle tested?   OK.  Fair enough.

But may just as well paint a "Z" on the side of the team bus.  Ug.

Edited September 29, 2022 by Cheeta

[gator]

I enjoy reading these subjective ratings from abroad which include us now that we will be playing for real soon, I think our squad will have been well scouted and I don't expect we will surprise anyone!