Match Thread: World Cup Group F - Matchday 1 - Belgium v Canada - November 23, 2022 - 10pm local time / 2pm ET / 11am PT

[football_world]

19 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

Larin has barely played at all for his club this year. He’s definitely better for country than club for sure, but at a certain point, he just isn’t as in form as our other guys. Agreed that he was buzzing today though

Oh, I didn't know Cyle Larin hasn't played much for his club this year. He is still our best finisher though, I think we got to start him, especially as you can see in the game, we lack finishers.

But otherwise, I think John Herdman did everything right.  With a little luck, we could have won or at least tied the match. I'm pretty happy with the formation and strategies that John Herdman prepared, against the #2 team in the world.

Edited November 23, 2022 by football_world

[canuckgbp]

 

[canadasoccer20]

9 minutes ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

David looked nervous all game.  I have no idea but maybe he didn't want it. Still Vitoria should be next in my opinion. Or even Junior.

David also has been vocal about transferring for a top European team. I don't think nerves was the reason. I think this was the coaches decision. 

[canuckgbp]

6 minutes ago, jonovision said:

Tielemans and Carrasco had to get pity-subbed, they were so bad.

Cowards 

[Unnamed Trialist]

4 minutes ago, Bertuzzi44 said:

People complaining about the ref are a bit out to lunch IMO. You think we should have been given two additional PKs in the 1st half? The Eustaquio blocked shot was NEVER a penalty, the defenders arms were tight to his body and if that went against Canada we'd be livid.

The Lareya decision was maybe a bit tighter, but I agree with the commentary at the time that Lareya went looking for contact. No PK in my opinion.

Overall, very proud of the boys. We'll need more from David and Davies against Croatia if we want to beat them though.

And yes, no more egos please (Cavallini, Davies PKs), our PK taker should be Jonathan David and that's that. If he isn't on, probably Vitoria!

Plenty of Spain fans in media comments are saying we deserved one maybe two more penalties.

Most press here are saying the same as we are, we outplayed them for most of the game and deserved more. And that Courtois saved them.

If you have a penalty you need to score because in open play Courtois intimidates rivals.

[jonovision]

Just now, ECW said:

Very tough to lose on such an obvious mistake. Mistakes that happen within the play, okay, that’s football… but this was something else. David, Vitoria, Hoillet… penalties should not be about who has the greatest media attention or the most tiktok followers. 

Don't be this guy.

It was about who had the balls to take it. If David wanted if, Davies would have deferred like he has several other times for Canada.

[BigMo]

Was there even an exchange between the players re: who will take the penalty? Didnt see anything on TV. 

I also dont think it shoud've been Alphonso, but would be more understandable if everyone else shied away. 

[trc2014]

1 minute ago, jonovision said:

Don't be this guy.

It was about who had the balls to take it. If David wanted if, Davies would have deferred like he has several other times for Canada.

Yeah seriously, is there any evidence David even tried to question Davies on taking it?  He may have still been a deer in the headlights at that moment, it was 8 minutes in.

[BigMo]

Hats off to the Canadian supporters at the game. Very much sounded like a pro-Canada crowd for all 90 minutes.

[shortofbrillant]

I still haven't seen the goal. My laptop deleted my WIFI adapter driver. Had to hard connect to the modem, but battery ran out of juice right before halftime because I forgot the charger downstairs 🤣

[canuckgbp]

Just now, BigMo said:

Was there even an exchange between the players re: who will take the penalty? Didnt see anything on TV. 

I also dont think it shoud've been Alphonso, but would be more understandable if everyone else shied away. 

From memory (it’s foggy), seemed the broadcast said Davies wanted it instantly. 
 

Hope the team has a convo saying 

David - 

[ECW]

Very proud of our unknown abroad MLS guys, especially… not that they played any differently than in this last cycle but it was great to see it on this stage. Layrea and Johnson I thought were especially good. 

[canuckgbp]

1 minute ago, shortofbrillant said:

I still haven't seen the goal. My laptop deleted my WIFI adapter driver. Had to hard connect to the modem, but battery ran out of juice right before halftime because I forgot the charger downstairs 🤣

 

[fookisan]

Canada play great and should have won if not tie at the minimum.

Courtois world class goalkeeping vs Borjan who should have stopped Batshuayi's goal. It went right through his hands.

[SpursFlu]

Without getting too negative because overall that was a pretty amazing performance 

I put it on Herdman.  The pk taker should have been decided before the game and as an Alphonso Davies super fan, I've never seen anything that would convince me that Phonzie should have taken that penalty. I don't blame him, he's got that confidence. That's a good thing 

[dyslexic nam]

This proves to me that FotMob is complete shit…

 

 

[mpg_29]

6 minutes ago, Bertuzzi44 said:

People complaining about the ref are a bit out to lunch IMO. You think we should have been given two additional PKs in the 1st half? The Eustaquio blocked shot was NEVER a penalty, the defenders arms were tight to his body and if that went against Canada we'd be livid.

The Lareya decision was maybe a bit tighter, but I agree with the commentary at the time that Lareya went looking for contact. No PK in my opinion.

Overall, very proud of the boys. We'll need more from David and Davies against Croatia if we want to beat them though.

And yes, no more egos please (Cavallini, Davies PKs), our PK taker should be Jonathan David and that's that. If he isn't on, probably Vitoria!

There was actually another potential missed penalty aside from those that I only noticed after ...you can see a closeup on Buchannan's foot

 

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

9 minutes ago, canadasoccer20 said:

David also has been vocal about transferring for a top European team. I don't think nerves was the reason. I think this was the coaches decision. 

It has been said by Herdman somewhere, its up to the players.

Edited November 23, 2022 by WestHamCanadianinOxford

[kohanz]

2 minutes ago, SpursFlu said:

Without getting too negative because overall that was a pretty amazing performance 

I put it on Herdman.  The pk taker should have been decided before the game and as an Alphonso Davies super fan, I've never seen anything that would convince me that Phonzie should have taken that penalty. I don't blame him, he's got that confidence. That's a good thing 

I think there was a mention on the last NFP pod that Herdman leaves it up to the players. It doesn't take away from your point, but he's been up front about it being in the players hands and perhaps that's part of the style that makes players want to play hard for him 🤷‍♂️

[shortofbrillant]

3 minutes ago, canuckgbp said:

 

So, if we are blaming anyone for that goal then it's Laryea (i think) for not holding the line. Still a great ball and great finish. I am not sure how anyone blames Miller for that one

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

1 minute ago, mpg_29 said:

There was actually another potential missed penalty aside from those that I only noticed after ...you can see a closeup on Buchannan's foot

 

They called that offside, I believe, 

[The Pessimist]

It doesn't matter who took the penalty. There is no guarantee that David would have scored.

[mpg_29]

2 minutes ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

They called that offside, I believe, 

It was a back pass from Hazard..

[jonovision]

Just now, mpg_29 said:

It was a back pass from Hazard..

It was, they got it wrong. Pretty inexcusable.

[ECW]

1 minute ago, The Pessimist said:

It doesn't matter who took the penalty. There is no guarantee that David would have scored.

Of course not but the odds are better. I’d put Davies 4th or 5th in line, based on experience.