Match Thread: World Cup Group F - Matchday 3 - Canada v Morocco - December 1, 2022 - 6pm local time / 10am ET / 7am PT

[Cheeta]

1 hour ago, SpursFlu said:

We could be seeing a bunch of guys in a Canada shirt for the last time. Atiba, Vitoria, Hoilett, Borjan?

Yeah, as much as aspects of this team feel like they are three or four years away from their potential best there will be a changing of the guard along other lines.  Not unimportant positions at that.

Feels right. 

Wonderful times we're living in.      

[Cheeta]

By the way, more and more I think this match will be the best watch of the stage for Group F.  Like Morocco, think they're feeling it and will want to football on Thursday just because they have to be feeling confident to earn AT LEAST a draw against Canada.  And for their part Herdman & Co. has no reason not to go for broke. 

Fu'k it.  "Let's have a go at them" sort of attidude.  They've earned it.

Speaking of by-the-ways, for every player who gets onto the pitch this is their last chance in that World Cup shop window.  Blinged up with Christmas decorations and all.  I don't know if that's good or bad but there it is...

Can no wait. 

 

[A_Gagne]

2 hours ago, SpursFlu said:

We could be seeing a bunch of guys in a Canada shirt for the last time. Atiba, Vitoria, Hoilett, Borjan?

Atiba, almost certainly

Vitoria, likely

Hoilett, I could see him sticking around for another year or two

Borjan, feel like that dude will get dragged off the pitch in wheelchair before he hangs'm up

Edited November 30, 2022 by A_Gagne

[EJsens1]

It’s been a very difficult couple days digesting how quickly we were bounced from the tournament. That’s the difference between making mistakes against Mexico and US, where you can get away with it, but making mistakes against a savvy team like Croatia, they make you pay. Shows we have a long way to go.

I really hope there’s some much needed change in tactics against Morocco. With the crowd behind them, I’m curious what their approach will be. Go for it or park the bus. Sometimes it’s all match ups. Just get a result. Going in to ‘26 with an 0-6 record will be all we hear for 3 and a half years. We don’t need hear that over and over.

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

4 hours ago, RJB said:

There is no way that there should be a goalie sub. With respect to St Clair, replacing the keeper for anything other than an injury or red card is a mockery of the game.  Imagine how Borjan would feel‽

 

Ha. I think Borjan would be smart enough to understand any such gesture, if we were leading enough to make it reasonable.

[scullion44]

If Crepeau was there I could understand a goalie change but St Clair? Give me a break..

[Kadenge]

I'm sure Vitoria will be encouraged to stay on as long as he can. Canadian CBs are a rare commodity right now and there is no right footed replacement without a drop in quality. 

[narduch]

42 minutes ago, scullion44 said:

If Crepeau was there I could understand a goalie change but St Clair? Give me a break..

A massive step down from Borjan at this point

[RJB]

We still have a job to do this tournament and while it's nice to get guys in, it can't be at all costs. If we were through, then go for 100% rotation I don't care, but we haven't acheived our goal so it needs to be our best eleven.

[A.D.I.D.A.S.]

We should play the best 11 that will potentially be a part of the squad in 2026 and go for a result. But I'd still start Borjan in goal tomorrow, and start Atiba from the bench in all honesty (maybe sub him on later).

Everyone in that locker room should be going into this imagining it is our final group stage match in the 2026 WC and both us and Morocco are in the same group again, both needing a result to go through to the knock-out stage.

Since we're already eliminated, there's no better place to start preparations for 2026 than the current WC vs a team that still needs a result.

The atmosphere is sure to be electric, just like it will be in 2026. Morocco will be highly motivated, just like whichever teams we will be facing in 2026. It is the perfect test.

[Kadenge]

I found James Duthie rather dismissive of our upcoming game v Morrocco.  It's clear he doesn't have the historical background of someone who has followed our program. TSN have generally done a great job with the coverage and giving exposure to our CMNT but they (Duthie & Hedger) do seem to harp on the negatives like not scoring a goal or Canada's 5 game losing streak in the WC. 

[ensco]

^I also think we should play a 2026 focused squad, and that means, I think, we are not playing a best XI for the full 90.

I would play Kone and St Clair for the full 90, for this reason.

Ugbo should get 45 minutes. Maybe 90 minutes.

Whichever of Waterman or Cornelius Herdman rates higher, should get 45 minutes.

Herdman has an opportunity to send messaging to the “market” about who he believes in. That can translate into opportunities for players, and he needs to use those bullets tomorrow.

 

 

Edited November 30, 2022 by ensco

[El Hombre]

Nah.  Best players play.  End of discussion.

[narduch]

Just now, El Hombre said:

Nah.  Best players play.  End of discussion.

Agreed. 

The World Cup isn't the time for developing players

[Floortom]

I really don’t want to be with Qatar as the two worst squads of this World Cup.  We still have never had a result in the World Cup and people are talking about not going 100% for the match?

[El Hombre]

2 minutes ago, narduch said:

Agreed. 

The World Cup isn't the time for developing players

I SAID END OF DISCUSSION!

Lock the thread.

[ensco]

Well, OK, to each his own, but you realize we are massive underdogs here. A result isn’t likely.

Morocco haven’t conceded, and have everything to play for.

Also I really, personally, don’t give a rat's ass about this “never got a result in the World Cup” stuff, and will not care if that is what happens. We are out of this tournament, I am gutted by that, but I am not interested in tertiary narratives, that really don’t matter.

We were the best team in Group F for the first 120 minutes of the tournament. That's my tertiary narrative, if you want one.

Edited November 30, 2022 by ensco

[El Hombre]

1 minute ago, ensco said:

Well, OK, but you realize we are massive underdogs here. A result isn’t likely.

Morocco haven’t conceded, and have everything to play for.

Which is why the world will be shocked when we blow them out 6-0.

[youllneverwalkalone]

5 hours ago, El Hombre said:

Nah.  Best players play.  End of discussion.

As long as three of them are midfielders.

Edited November 30, 2022 by youllneverwalkalone
spelling

[gator]

It's so frustrating watching these other groups unfold, I think we would have had a real good chance of getting out of virtually any other group in this tournament but it is what it is! This is a huge game for us tomorrow even though we can't advance, we have to play our best healthy 11 no matter what!

[Kadenge]

30 minutes ago, ensco said:

Well, OK, to each his own, but you realize we are massive underdogs here. A result isn’t likely.

Morocco haven’t conceded, and have everything to play for.

Also I really, personally, don’t give a rat's ass about this “never got a result in the World Cup” stuff, and will not care if that is what happens. We are out of this tournament, I am gutted by that, but I am not interested in tertiary narratives, that really don’t matter.

We were the best team in Group F for the first 120 minutes of the tournament. That's my tertiary narrative, if you want one.

Tunisia and Australia were also massive underdogs today. How did that turn out?

[ensco]

6 minutes ago, Kadenge said:

Tunisia and Australia were also massive underdogs today. How did that turn out?

Like that is what I was saying. They were playing for something. I mean, cmon.

Forget I said anything. Moving on.

[scullion44]

38 minutes ago, gator said:

It's so frustrating watching these other groups unfold, I think we would have had a real good chance of getting out of virtually any other group in this tournament but it is what it is! This is a huge game for us tomorrow even though we can't advance, we have to play our best healthy 11 no matter what!

Especially Australia. I don’t think there’s a single player from their 11 I’d take in our team yet they have 2 wins ffs

[gigi riva]

3 hours ago, scullion44 said:

Especially Australia. I don’t think there’s a single player from their 11 I’d take in our team yet they have 2 wins ffs

I t pisses me off when I see Austrailia advance Costa Rica Take one shot and Score .  But  To be honest I looked at ths tournament as far as a Canadian perspective   almost like a learning experience  you could say a apprentischip . I think we will gain valuable experience down the road

[Kadenge]

The number of goals today that were simply "passed" into the corner of the goal is remarkable. Precision and accuracy when a player is in good position is so key. That takes composure and experience though. Hopefully David will get that chance v Morrocco