Match Thread: April 22, 2023 - Valour v Atletico Ottawa

[K Edgar]

Sanchez looked solid in his 1st start for Valour.

De Brienne, Sanchez and a few minutes for Ulloa -- serious U21 minutes of Valour.

[Wingback6]

2 hours ago, Moore204 said:

It's definitely the Jets game. 21,000 people at the arena and whiteout parties, and everyone else is either watching at home or at a bar. CPL really should have moved the game to Sunday as soon as the NHL playoff schedule was announced to help Valour out.

I believe the Winnipeg Ice are also in the playoffs, so that is another one.

[Soccerpro2]

Thoughts:

1. Guti and Pacifique are the entire team Valour team going forward.

2. Pacifique is the best dribbler in CPL. If he could cross/shoot consistently, he'd be in a much better league because his close ball control and pace is ridiculous.

3. Juan Pablo Sanchez did a good job in CM with Guti. Way better than Rendon or anyone else that would play there instead of him.

4. Pianelli is a pretty good defender and a nice addition from the Usport draft.

5. Baquero can't cross a ball to save his life

6. Assi has grown into a man's body with very good speed/athleticism. If he learns to be more aggressive he can stick in MLS next year.

7. De Brienne is going to continue to get scorched 1v1 vs other teams the way Assi burned him several times in the first half.

8. Through the first 3 games, Williams is the most disappointing player in my eyes (besides Chandler who was an extremely late addition to the team). He doesn't do anything out there. He needs to do something.

 

 

 

[jonovision]

1 minute ago, Soccerpro2 said:

8. Through the first 3 games, Williams is the most disappointing player in my eyes (besides Chandler who was an extremely late addition to the team). He doesn't do anything out there. He needs to do something.

He set up Valour's goal today, and was involved in several chances vs York. He was terrible on Wednesday, but who wasn't?

He has faded in the second half of both league matches, so that is for sure something to work on.

[Soccerpro2]

16 minutes ago, jonovision said:

He set up Valour's goal today, and was involved in several chances vs York. He was terrible on Wednesday, but who wasn't?

He has faded in the second half of both league matches, so that is for sure something to work on.

He did set up goal #1. So I'll take that back.

I still find him pretty underwhelming, especially compared to Pacifique.

[K Edgar]

22 minutes ago, Soccerpro2 said:

4. Pianelli is a pretty good defender and a nice addition from the Usport draft.

7. De Brienne is going to continue to get scorched 1v1 vs other teams the way Assi burned him several times in the first half.

Pianelli had a good game but could be faulted on the goal against.

De Brienne had an assist and, as always, plenty of energy.  His defense needs some work but it is a new position to him. -- EDIT: Sorry, Williams had the assist, "hockey assist" for de Brienne.

Edited April 23, 2023 by K Edgar

[Soccerpro2]

9. Novak's hold up play really impressed me today. 

[Soccerpro2]

4 minutes ago, K Edgar said:

Pianelli had a good game but could be faulted on the goal against.

De Brienne had an assist and, as always, plenty of energy.  His defense needs some work but it is a new position to him. -- EDIT: Sorry, Williams had the assist, "hockey assist" for de Brienne.

He wasn't sharp on the goal.

Yesli should have easily saved it, though.

I don't fault De Brienne's energy, his lack of speed/athleticism in 1v1 defending is tough to overcome though.

[jonovision]

4 minutes ago, Soccerpro2 said:

9. Novak's hold up play really impressed me today. 

I know Novak is hardly a world-beater but Valour has never really had a true centre forward that is even competent. What a difference it makes seeing a guy doing all the normal things you'd expect of someone in that position. 

[Soccerpro2]

5 minutes ago, jonovision said:

I know Novak is hardly a world-beater but Valour has never really had a true centre forward that is even competent. What a difference it makes seeing a guy doing all the normal things you'd expect of someone in that position. 

Siaj has played 21 mins in game #1 and 0 minutes in the 2 games since. I don't think PDS has liked what he has seen.

I know depth doesn't really exist in CPL outside of maybe 1 or 2 teams, but it seems if Guti, Pacifique or Novak go down, it's big trouble for Valour.

Edited April 23, 2023 by Soccerpro2

[PegCityCam]

52 minutes ago, Soccerpro2 said:

 

7. De Brienne is going to continue to get scorched 1v1 vs other teams the way Assi burned him several times in the first half.

 

Couldn't disagree with you more. He pocketed Assi multiple times. We were calling out Assi from our seats time and time again as he didnt seem to want the ball and when he got it Matteo had an answer. He eventually got subbed out having achieved absolutely nothing. Also, I don't put much stock in ratings sights but fotmob clearly disagrees with you as well...

[Soccerpro2]

3 minutes ago, PegCityCam said:

Couldn't disagree with you more. He pocketed Assi multiple times. We were calling out Assi from our seats time and time again as he didnt seem to want the ball and when he got it Matteo had an answer. He eventually got subbed out having achieved absolutely nothing. Also, I don't put much stock in ratings sights but fotmob clearly disagrees with you as well...

Assi drove past him pretty easily a good handful of times the first half. De Brienne stopped him a few times after that. I can't speak to what you saw, but I know what I saw at the game from where I was sitting and that was Assi having his way with him the first 30-35 mins.

Fotmob also ranked Williams higher than Pacifique. That tells me everything I need to know about that program.

Edited April 23, 2023 by Soccerpro2

[PegCityCam]

2 minutes ago, Soccerpro2 said:

Assi drove past him pretty easily a good handful of times the first half. De Brienne stopped him a few times after that. I can't speak to what you saw, but I know what I saw at the game from where I was sitting and that was Assi having his way with him the first 30-35 mins.

Fotmob also ranked Williams higher than Pacifique. That tells me everything I need to know about that program.

I honestly liked what I saw from Williams. Pacifique rating is strange but he did dribble into traffic multiple times losing the ball or ending up "fouling" (that ref yeesh). But yeah, I guess we saw different things with Matteo. I thought he had a hell of a game and so did everyone else I was sitting around. 

[Soccerpro2]

5 minutes ago, PegCityCam said:

I honestly liked what I saw from Williams. Pacifique rating is strange but he did dribble into traffic multiple times losing the ball or ending up "fouling" (that ref yeesh). But yeah, I guess we saw different things with Matteo. I thought he had a hell of a game and so did everyone else I was sitting around. 

Aside from the assist on Guti's goal, Williams generally kept playing sideways/back passes. I dont know if he has a lack of pace or confidence to take his man on 1v1 or make a darting 1-2 play, but he seems timid.

Pacifique occasionally lost the ball, but he creates so much on his own. He constantly beats his man and the next man (Ottawa were double-teaming him), he looks for combination play and sometimes put good balls in (sometimes his crosses are poor). He's a more skilled William Akio.

Edited April 23, 2023 by Soccerpro2

[jonovision]

With de Brienne he looks like he can do just fine defending one-on-one. But he is clearly being asked, or at least given the freedom, to get up and support the attack and that will leave space in behind. It would be kind of a waste of his attributes as a player to have him playing more defensively like Baquero. PDS likely thinks he'll come out ahead on that trade-off more often than not.

[K Edgar]

8 minutes ago, Soccerpro2 said:

Pacifique occasionally lost the ball, but he creates so much on his own. He constantly beats his man and the next man (Ottawa were double-teaming him), he looks for combination play and sometimes put good balls in (sometimes his crosses are poor). He's a more skilled William Akio.

Thought Pacifique performance was impressive in the 1st half, seemed to peter out in the 2nd.  Certainly Akio-like in many ways but offering a bit more.

Thought the lack of subs is a bit telling.  Only Ulloa and a cameo from Rendon.  Between injuries and poor performances PDS is working with a very short bench.  Haynes and Mzoughi made the bench but were likely not game ready -- Chandler was not dressed.  Ponce and Saij were not given an opportunity.

Edited April 23, 2023 by K Edgar

[PegCityCam]

12 minutes ago, Soccerpro2 said:

Aside from the assist on Guti's goal, Williams generally kept playing sideways/back passes. I dont know if he has a lack of pace or confidence to take his man on 1v1 or make a darting 1-2 play, but he seems timid.

Pacifique occasionally lost the ball, but he creates so much on his own. He constantly beats his man and the next man (Ottawa were double-teaming him), he looks for combination play and sometimes put good balls in (sometimes his crosses are poor). He's a more skilled William Akio.

Don't disagree at all about Pacifique. Mentioned it to my buddy before the game that I believe he is our most dynamic offensive player and most threatening up the wing. I just assume Fotmob doesn't give a shit about how much attention he garners and focuses solely on stats. Excited about our man Pacifique and am looking into getting a Burundi flag for the next match.

Edited April 23, 2023 by PegCityCam

[K Edgar]

https://valourfc.canpl.ca/article/23714

"in front of 3,374 at IG Field"

"centre back Matthew Chandler (was injured) in training on Friday"

"Dos Santos ... did indicate some of the players who did dress Saturday would not have been able to play."

[Soccerpro2]

3 minutes ago, K Edgar said:

https://valourfc.canpl.ca/article/23714

"in front of 3,374 at IG Field"

"centre back Matthew Chandler (was injured) in training on Friday"

"Dos Santos ... did indicate some of the players who did dress Saturday would not have been able to play."

Decent numbers considering the Jets game and the colder weather.

Hoping we can get to that 4-5k mark this season rather than being stuck in the 3's.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

26 minutes ago, K Edgar said:

Thought Pacifique performance was impressive in the 1st half, seemed to peter out in the 2nd.

Agreed.

-----

It was nice meeting the whole Red River Rising group.

Thank you for greeting me so warmly on a cold day @MrsC , @Cheeta and all the rest.

Friendly Manitoba indeed!

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

14 minutes ago, Soccerpro2 said:

Decent numbers considering the Jets game and the colder weather...

They were giving season ticket holders one or two extra tickets for free from what has been posted on the Valour thread so I wouldn't read too much into today's crowd in either direction. How they draw on summer weekends when a lot of people in Winnipeg head out to the cottage by all accounts is probably what will help shape Wade Miller's views about viability.

[Wingback6]

Props to Guti getting his first for the club. Long deserved, and couldn't happen to a more deserving guy. Worked his way up from CM playing FB to starting CM (Box to box), and now Captain to boot.

Feel very privileged as a fan of the sport to get to be a part of what is essentially a small Canadian dynasty, between him and his twin. We were so hyped on these guys at one point. And I can say, I have no complaints on my end at any point as a Valour fan, about Diego. His heart, and his commitment to the cause, since day 1, have been exemplary (May have had the first caution in club history-for dissent, I don't quite recall). I do not know what we would be without him - at this point. Laugh if you will.

De Brienne was boss tonight. Classic tiny-ass Fullback in the truest sense. Old School, and fun to watch. Any FB capable of a Rugby-kick style volley clearance is a rare breed these days, it seems.

Yesli is beginning games too stiff.

Edited April 23, 2023 by Wingback6

[jonovision]

12 hours ago, K Edgar said:

"Dos Santos ... did indicate some of the players who did dress Saturday would not have been able to play."

Have to imagine that would have been Mzoughi and Haynes, who both dressed for the first time. Valour now get a full week + (next game is on Sunday) to train and get healthy, compared with 3 matches and two cross-country flights across 4 time zones in less than a week. 

Injuries, just like their hockey playing counterparts, are a problem. If they're dressing two guys who wouldn't play, do they really only have 16 healthy bodies right now? I don't expect Valour fans to be seeing their best defender or recently returned midfielder anytime soon.

Confirmed or suspected injured: AJB, Ohin, Haynes, Mzoughi, Polisi, Chandler... anyone else? I guess when you only have 22 players on the roster, 6 injuries means a short bench.

I was wondering why you'd dress players who can't play, but according to the rules only the visiting team is allowed to have a short bench. The home team must dress 18.

Edited April 23, 2023 by jonovision

[EnigMattic1]

32 minutes ago, jonovision said:

Have to imagine that would have been Mzoughi and Haynes, who both dressed for the first time. Valour now get a full week + (next game is on Sunday) to train and get healthy, compared with 3 matches and two cross-country flights across 4 time zones in less than a week. 

Injuries, just like their hockey playing counterparts, are a problem. If they're dressing two guys who wouldn't play, do they really only have 16 healthy bodies right now? I don't expect Valour fans to be seeing their best defender or recently returned midfielder anytime soon.

Confirmed or suspected injured: AJB, Ohin, Haynes, Mzoughi, Polisi, Chandler... anyone else? I guess when you only have 22 players on the roster, 6 injuries means a short bench.

I was wondering why you'd dress players who can't play, but according to the rules only the visiting team is allowed to have a short bench. The home team must dress 18.

Makes you wonder why PDS hasn't filled the final slot yet. Is it by choice or because the funds aren't there? Surely a 5th CB wouldn't be a bad thing, especially with 2 out injured.

[jonovision]

Just now, EnigMattic1 said:

Makes you wonder why PDS hasn't filled the final slot yet. Is it by choice or because the funds aren't there? Surely a 5th CB wouldn't be a bad thing, especially with 2 out injured.

Who knows? But if Valour are committed to spending as little possible (total player salary floor), they are probably better off being one or two bodies short and using the extra cash to attract some slightly better players than keeping extra guys around that will be bit players. Wade Miller Moneyball.