Match Thread: World Cup Group F - Matchday 2 - Croatia v Canada - November 27, 2022 - 7pm local time / 11am ET / 8am PT

[TGAA_Star]

But it is also bound to be a heated affair for tomorrow's game

[narduch]

Everybody is healthy. 

 

 

[Gian-Luca]

Herdman admits that he was too honest in the post match interview when he admitted using the F bomb in relation to Croatia. He called it a learning moment for himself because it is his “first World Cup”. 

I wonder now if people  will call him “sexist” for saying the latter. 

[InglewoodJack]

I think Herdman’s comment was relatively tame and Croatia needs to get over themselves, but based on their reaction, it’s a must win. You can’t come in as a heavy underdog and talk shit like that unless you can back it up. Which we can- I hope we bring it the same way we did to Belgium, and eventually the goals will find the back of the net.

[The Real Marc]

He’s showing his inexperience a bit but in weird, totally avoidable mistakes.

[ensco]

It wasn’t a mistake. Nobody in the media are asking the level of pointed questions about the missed PK or breaking the duck or whatever, that they would otherwise be doing.

Herdman put the spotlight on himself for a very good reason, and the only thing that happened is, the Croatian media went wild so he had to back track a bit. He wasn’t trying to create diplomatic crisis. That's the inexperience bit.

Who seriously thinks Croatian players or management actually give a crap about this?

Edited November 26, 2022 by ensco

[Gian-Luca]

The Croatian coach and Perisic accused Herdman of a lack of respect for Croatia at today’s press conference according to a Joshua Kloke tweet, for what its worth 

[jonovision]

1 minute ago, Gian-Luca said:

The Croatian coach and Perisic accused Herdman of a lack of respect for Croatia at today’s press conference according to a Joshua Kloke tweet, for what its worth 

If the Croatian team is spending more than a minute thinking and talking about a stupid comment, Canada has won the exchange.

[Kadenge]

This was raised in the Davies thread but may explain our lack of shot conversion v Belgium and possibly a concern v Croatia. 2 of 3 starting  forwards v Belgium, Hoilett and Tajon  play as wingbacks for their clubs. Not expected to score or  be in positions to score for their clubs and as with Davies may explain why we had so many shots off target. I think this is a reason for concern. I don't like the fact that many of our high end attacking talent are being converted to FB/WB by their clubs. 

[canuckgbp]

[shortofbrillant]

6 minutes ago, jonovision said:

If the Croatian team is spending more than a minute thinking and talking about a stupid comment, Canada has won the exchange.

It just gives Croatia even more fire to push for a win. I am not sure how that's a win for Canada. The media discussion may have been deflected from questions about the PK, but it comes at a cost

[jonovision]

3 minutes ago, shortofbrillant said:

It just gives Croatia even more fire to push for a win. I am not sure how that's a win for Canada. The media discussion may have been deflected from questions about the PK, but it comes at a cost

It's the World Cup. Croatia had a miserable first match. If they weren't going to come out firing and need a childish media firestorm to motivate them, they're not worthy of the title of professionals.

[Free kick]

Just now, shortofbrillant said:

It just gives Croatia even more fire to push for a win. I am not sure how that's a win for Canada. The media discussion may have been deflected from questions about the PK, but it comes at a cost

If a team needs more fire to push for a win in the WC (the premier event for the sport) then there is something seriously wrong with that team.  

[canuckgbp]

They are going to try even harder in a World Cup match? Lol 

 

[reggietfc]

this is so overblown,what are they going to do,go after davies,have a bench clearing brawl play their goons,its a WC,they were always going to play there best game

[Ivan]

15 minutes ago, jonovision said:

It's the World Cup. Croatia had a miserable first match. If they weren't going to come out firing and need a childish media firestorm to motivate them, they're not worthy of the title of professionals.

Fuck Croatia! (And my heritage is Croatian 😄)

[Lurker]

I think we have an advantage with this banter.  It just helps keep that focus and removing any of the “maybe we should play for a draw” thoughts from the players.

I might be wrong but this type of interaction seems unnatural for Croatia.  It could galvanize them but after the first match day I’m sure they took notice and weren’t going to overlook us.

[Harambasa]

3 minutes ago, Ivan said:

Fuck Croatia! (And my heritage is Croatian 😄)

I Ime takodjer!

[shortofbrillant]

16 minutes ago, jonovision said:

It's the World Cup. Croatia had a miserable first match. If they weren't going to come out firing and need a childish media firestorm to motivate them, they're not worthy of the title of professionals.

I never said they required more, but Herdman gave them more. I know in my history of playing sports any time a team has pissed my team off we end up playing with extra focus. If you don't think extra focus is possible since it's the world cup then I don't know what to tell you.

 

It's also quite the assumption that the world cup is the pinnacle for every player the way it is for the fans.

[Unnamed Trialist]

10 hours ago, RJB said:

Honestly, this might be a good way to have a laugh and get the players minds to lighten up.  

This surprises me a little, only because of the hype that seems to come with KDB.  I admit, I don't watch as much club footy as I'd like and tend to rely a lot on match reports and punditry, and from what I gather, KDB is the best in the world.  I would assume that Modric is past it base on age mostly, I mean, can anyone name a 37 year old athlete that is one of the best in the world?  But I read English media on the topic: BBC, Guardian, Sky, etc.  And the English can't fawn enough of Pep and his team, so maybe that's a big part of it too.  

I'll take your opinion because you certainly watch more than me, I just hope that at 37 on short rest following a compacted start of the season that he doesn't have the legs he needs against us.  The same can be said for us - and Hutch in particular - but I don't think we're as dependent on him or another player as Croatia seems to be on Modric.  

But hey, as expected this is a World Championship match.  It's entirely possible that we get the title on Sunday, and maybe even leave Qatar with it.

Modric is a top player on right now the holder of the Champions League trophy, and at no time has he looked like he was declining. He has deadly passing, beautiful tempo, much better than KdB, and he scores. The other day he came out fouling Morocco, he had like 3 in a row and deserved a card I think. So he's fit and will put a foot in. 

But he's also wily and moves between the lines very well.

The advantage Croatia has over Belgium is their younger generation is more proven and their ball quality is better. They're in the Nation's League final 4, there's no apparent decline.

[BearcatSA]

3 hours ago, Gian-Luca said:

Herdman admits that he was too honest in the post match interview when he admitted using the F bomb in relation to Croatia. He called it a learning moment for himself because it is his “first World Cup”. 

I wonder now if people  will call him “sexist” for saying the latter. 

I guess it's a Grand Canyon-sized leap to assume that that was calculated, as well.  Do you think the Croats want to lose to a person whose main international credentials come from the women's program?  

You get the feeling that he's doing the Ted Lasso-hustling-at-darts routine here.  Or, more likely, I'm getting hustled by the 5D chess talk. 😃

I haven't had my coffee yet, so maybe that's also affecting my thinking.

Edited November 26, 2022 by BearcatSA

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

46 minutes ago, Ivan said:

Fuck Croatia! (And my heritage is Croatian 😄)

Jebem tvoju zemlju banana.

Luka Modrić je ružni patuljak.

Zagreb i Split zajedno imaju IQ 90.

Sorry just needed to get it out of my system.

 

[Unnamed Trialist]

I'm leaning towards having our first goal at a World Cup being an own goal, just to get past that dumb milestone and onto better things. 

OG Lovren, a Canadian Heritage moment. 

Now can we get a point or three?

[youllneverwalkalone]

Bono own goal would make more sense, seeing us through to the round of 16 1-0 over Morocco after a nil-nil tomorrow.

Can a keeper we charged with an OG?

[narduch]

2 minutes ago, youllneverwalkalone said:

Bono own goal would make more sense, seeing us through to the round of 16 1-0 over Morocco after a nil-nil tomorrow.

Can a keeper we charged with an OG?

Yes they can.

The Haiti keeper infamously was awarded with an OG in WCQ against us.