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

[frmr]

1 hour ago, RS said:

This same Toronto from a month later?

As I already said, the actual answer is COVID restrictions.

I would hope that a city of 3 million could fill a 30k stadium on a historic qualification run for the most popular sport in the world. Let's not pretend Toronto hasn't been abysmal for CMNT  attendance in the past.

[reggietfc]

4 minutes ago, frmr said:

I would hope that a city of 3 million could fill a 30k stadium on a historic qualification run for the most popular sport in the world. Let's not pretend Toronto hasn't been abysmal for CMNT  attendance in the past.

people still brining up this shit.grow up

[RJB]

Now is not the time to complain about attendance in the past.  It is petulant to do that now, and frankly the sulking needs to stop!  

[frmr]

9 minutes ago, reggietfc said:

people still brining up this shit.grow up

Lol. Ok mate.

Don't worry, I'm not trying to bully your precious city. You're all doing great.

[Yoginess]

17 minutes ago, frmr said:

I would hope that a city of 3 million could fill a 30k stadium on a historic qualification run for the most popular sport in the world. Let's not pretend Toronto hasn't been abysmal for CMNT  attendance in the past.

The whole point of making the World Cup is that it puts on the map internationally and domestically. We get to reap the rewards of being able to now fill the stadium across the country (hopefully). Not sure why we would ever even want to get into a pissing contest about poor attendance in the past. 
 

tl;dr enjoy that we can now sell out games!

Edited November 24, 2022 by Yoginess

[RJB]

45 minutes ago, Joe MacCarthy said:

I think we gave France all they could handle back in the day but a different type of competitiveness to be sure.  At the end of the day both are still 1-0 losses and that is pretty much the same to me.

Toller Cranston once said that Canadians in sport were glorious losers.  Someone would come from 12th place to ... alas finish 4th.  He was right back then but since Vancouver 2010 that attitude as changed,

I take no solace from a glorious loss anymore, most of the kids here are too young to remember those days but I do.  I don't want to be happy with top ten finishes as an expectation and I don't think Herdman does either.  He knows that was an opportunity lost, I honestly believe he wasn't happy with that, you can't be to move forward.

I couldn't disagree more.  While it's important to have high expectations there has to be an element of reflection that allows us to celebrate what has been successful.  We all want to win, but you're basically saying all or nothing, and to be fair, we aren't here with the expectation of winning the tournament.  

And with respect to Cranston, if someone finishes 4th IN THE WORLD, how is that a glorious loser!?  Honestly, the only reason we think third is great is because there is a medal, but it's arbitrary to say that 4th, 5th, or 12th is a failure.  If there was a copper medal for 4th are we all of a sudden content?

I'm delighted by our performance yesterday.  I'm gutted that we lost and am allowing myself frustration, but to say it was us being glorious losers is naive to our history and progress. 

If we perform that way and go 0-3 I'll be sad but pleased.  If we do it again in 2026, then we can talk disappointment.  But I think what's happening here is that people are moving the goal posts after our great showing.  Remember what the stated goal is: score a goal, get a point.  

[frmr]

1 minute ago, Yoginess said:

The whole point of making the World Cup is that it puts on the map internationally and domestically. We get to reap the rewards of being able to now fill the stadium across the country (hopefully). Not sure why we would ever even want to get into a pissing contest about poor attendance in the past. 
 

tl;dr enjoy that we can now sell out games!

I didn't bring it up. I just answered someone else's question.

I personally couldn't give a shit about it. Obviously some people are a little sensitive about it. So be it.

[reggietfc]

2 minutes ago, frmr said:

Lol. Ok mate.

Don't worry, I'm not trying to bully your precious city. You're all doing great.

how about taking about the game ,mate

[RS]

21 minutes ago, frmr said:

I would hope that a city of 3 million could fill a 30k stadium on a historic qualification run for the most popular sport in the world. Let's not pretend Toronto hasn't been abysmal for CMNT  attendance in the past.

Well you didn't need to hope because it happened multiple times.

2 minutes ago, frmr said:

I personally couldn't give a shit about it. Obviously some people are a little sensitive about it. So be it.

"So be it" says the guy who went out of his way to shit on the biggest city in the country in a thread about our men's team's first World Cup game in 36 years.

[frmr]

1 minute ago, RS said:

Well you didn't need to hope because it happened multiple times.

"So be it" says the guy who went out of his way to shit on the biggest city in the country in a thread about our men's team's first World Cup game in 36 years.

I want to offer my sincerest congratulations to the wonderful, international metropolis of Toronto for selling out BMO Field.

 

In all seriousness, fuck me, Toronto your inferiority complex is showing. It was one post and everyone's in a huff. Chill out.

Edited November 24, 2022 by frmr

[RS]

Just now, frmr said:

I want to offer my sincerest congratulations to the wonderful, international metropolis of Toronto for selling out BMO Field.

Instead of sarcastically stroking Toronto off you could have just kept your thoughts to yourself and avoided the blowback.

[frmr]

Just now, RS said:

Instead of sarcastically stroking Toronto off you could have just kept your thoughts to yourself and avoided the blowback.

Lol, I have absolutely no problem with the "blowback". I'll talk about how Toronto has been shit for attendance for years all day if that's where the conversation goes. Fine by me.

For the people who are complaining that we're now talking about Toronto attendance, if you all would have just ignored if you weren't interested in discussing it, it would have been lost to the thread by now. But it obviously struck a sore spot and people rushed to defend Toronto's honour. Which is fine, like I said, we're all very proud of you Toronto for filling BMO in the second half of qualifying.

[BearcatSA]

3 hours ago, DeRo_Is_King said:

I haven't had a chance to read through this thread, so apologies if what I'm about to say has been mentioned already. 

Belgium were extremely poor in this game. But they got a chance and they finished it. 

Canada, in my view, looked nervous and that led to some wayward passing, a missed penalty and good chances being wasted. It's a much better result than I expected, but we cannot afford to shoot 22 times and only get three on goal.

Belgium punished us yesterday. Uruguay, even with their lack of possession and chances, punished as well in September. It's what the best teams do, and punishing us on the counter is becoming a trend.

Have we looked dangerous against top opposition? Yes, but Morocco / Croatia are good teams. We have to remain composed and convert against them to get six points. It is possible, but we desperately need better finishing. 

So, this is probably an unpopular opinion, but I thought it was an average performance from us that featured multiple attempts -- albeit off-target. 

Edit: Just to add, I watched the TSN broadcast. It's nice that the panel were impressed with Canada's performance. Maybe the larger platform is helping to create more support for the team, but Canada have the quality to play even better. 

Kilbane, with whose perspectives I disagree on a number of things, did make a thoughtful point the night before the game that in order for us to win, we needed a minimum of 8 out 10 ratings from all our players.  I didn't think we got that, notably from our two most heralded ones (D & D).

I look at 22 shots and 3 on target.  So, could one give me a link to our xG (since we spent a fair bit of time discussing this and other analytics in another thread)?  In that first half, the collective pressing was excellent.  That facet was 9 to 10 out of 10.  But finishing chances? A whole lot lower.

In how he did his job and his overall contribution out there, Eustaquio was our best performer in my eyes.  His passing selection and rhythm made the build up hum and his two way presence helped stifle their midfield.  I hope he is able to go the full match vs Croatia.

[reggietfc]

5 minutes ago, frmr said:

I want to offer my sincerest congratulations to the wonderful, international metropolis of Toronto for selling out BMO Field.

 

In all seriousness, fuck me, Toronto your inferiority complex is showing. It was one post and everyone's in a huff. Chill out.

its got nothing to do with inferiority complex,we are at the WC.a shitty loss and people are talking about size of crowds from last summer.lets move on.

[RS]

3 minutes ago, frmr said:

But it obviously struck a sore spot and people rushed to defend Toronto's honour.

All we ever hear from a certain segment of people on here is how much Toronto sucks, the fan support is shit, etc. You doubled down on it, even after it was pointed out that there were extraordinary circumstances involved (and all four games in Toronto were sell outs any way).

That you decided to do it in this thread is pathetic, petty, but not all that surprising. Maybe that's my Toronto inferiority complex showing (or is it my Toronto superiority complex? We somehow constantly get accused of both by the rest of Canada).

5 minutes ago, reggietfc said:

its got nothing to do with inferiority complex,we are at the WC.a shitty loss and people are talking about size of crowds from last summer.lets move on.

I agree with this, but the unnecessary pettiness always gets me going, even though my original response was quite measured.

[frmr]

The moral of the story: Torontonians are easy to wind up.

I'm from Saskatchewan originally. Do you have any idea how much we get shit on? It's water off a duck's back to me. In fact, I like to join in on it. Toronto could use a lesson in self-deprecating humour. Taking yourself so seriously and jumping to defend ever slight against you is not a good look. It's dare I say—American like?

Okay I'm done now for real.

[RS]

It's not "every slight" though. It's a very specific one that's being responded to. That was it.

I'm also done.

[Califax]

I kinda wish I had the Drury Feed. This is electric. 

[kacbru]

6 minutes ago, Califax said:

I kinda wish I had the Drury Feed. This is electric. 

Aside from calling Davies Davis. 

[Califax]

6 minutes ago, Califax said:

I kinda wish I had the Drury Feed. This is electric. 

there was another quote im trying to find that was 

"Only Brazil are ahead of Belgium in the FIFA rankings. Canada on number 41 sandwiched between Scotland and Norway… But if you just landed into this planet, you wouldn’t know"

 

[costarg]

10 hours ago, BearcatSA said:

I re-watched the highlights, again, and that goal we gave up was really poor.  It wasn't a bad break fluke/deflection or an out-of-this-world strike.  It was a route one, over the top punt that turned into a foot race.

The question is... why didn't we try that with all of our pace???

[BearcatSA]

...

Edited November 24, 2022 by BearcatSA

[GasPed]

10 hours ago, Bison44 said:

I agree with the 86 comparisons...it was so long ago (teenager for me) I also went back and watched the highlights once we qualified again and its not the same as todays result.  Although, if the black and white results end up the same as 86, it will be little comfort that we didnt park the bus, that we played attractive football and were on more level terms with the games elite.  Like the new attitude that herdman has instilled in the players, results matter, getting it done, winning and being ruthless is important, no more politely taking an L and being happy with it.  Getting a goal, getting a result, the guys need to get tangible results...I'd hope to hell it be now than have to wait until 2026.  

I watched the '86 France game live in a bar in Mexico, and I can tell you the difference in quality between then and now was night and day - not only because I watched it on a fuzzy 20" B&W from 30 feet away (vs. my 4k 65" at 6 feet), but also because that game was completely one-way traffic against us.  I mean, I doubt we even had 25% possession, and we had the ball in their half maybe 5 times in total?  And the end whistle came as a beautiful "thank you, ref" relief, not as an angry "f___ you, ref" expletive.  In fact I was happy at the end of that game vs. how I'm feeling today.  No comparison.

[AvroArrow]

If you had told me when we first started World Cup qualifying that Canada would be playing against Belgium in the World Cup, would lose 1-0 (with Belgium bunkering!), and I would be disappointed with the result, I would have told you that you were nuts.

How far we have come.

At the same time, yesterday's performance has bolstered my confidence going forward.  Hopefully, they keep playing like they are but get some finishing.

Edited November 24, 2022 by AvroArrow

[jonovision]

51 minutes ago, costarg said:

The question is... why didn't we try that with all of our pace???

Because Belgium were sitting deep all game?