Friendly: Japan vs Canada - Friday, October 13th - 6:35am Eastern / 3:35am Pacific - Niigata, Japan

[InglewoodJack]

I missed Corbeanu not being there, that’s a big disappointment. Also Tajon looks close to full strength, too bad he won’t be there.

Excited to see LDF, but cautiously optimistic that this doesn’t turn into another Koleosho experience. Though I assume he’ll actually play and then he’ll have to file his one time switch if England comes sniffing, so hopefully we play this one better. 

[Jack1997]

DE FOUGEROLLES!!!!!!!!!

[Bigandy]

Just now, Shway said:

And I'll assume you have Crepeau or St. Clair in net right. 

Bombito... thats where I see his long term future. 

Ya, crepeau starts. 

 

1 minute ago, CanadaFan123 said:

I like it but would swap out LDF for someone with more experience to start.

No chance. We dont need to win this game. LDF could easily become a top 5 player on our squad. We either move AJ back to RCB or we play bombito there. Bombito hardly has any experience and we know what we get with AJ at RCB. 
 
Imagine if we played iran and panama and didnt play koleosho because of a lack of experience.

I bet the LDF is already a better player than bombito, even without any experience. 

Losing koleosho would suck but its manageable. Losing LDF would be devastating! Hes our most important prospect in the last 5 years (not including kolo) 

[Jack1997]

Hopefully it’s just a last hurrah for the old guys I would’ve liked to see Sirois for Borjan, Ahmed for Adekugbe, Macnaughton for Vitoria, Saliba for Piette and Corbenau for Hoilett

[Ottawafan]

13 minutes ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

He and Piette!!!  Fack

[DeRo_Is_King]

There are some obvious choices for this that I agree with and am pleasantly surprised by the LDF / Choiniere inclusions.

That said, we have other young players who I was very eager to see against a good team like Japan. Instead, we've chosen to bring older players who may not even be around for 2026. Piette, Hoilett, Vitoria, Adekugbe, Osorio, etc., are all guys who have played solidly for us throughout the years. But I was really hoping to see something a bit more experimental here. Disappointed, honestly. 

[Footyeh]

Just now, Bigandy said:

Bombito... thats where I see his long term future. 

Ya, crepeau starts. 

 

No chance. We dont need to win this game. LDF could easily become a top 5 player on our squad. We either move AJ back to RCB or we play bombito there. Bombito hardly has any experience and we know what we get with AJ at RCB. 
 
Imagine if we played iran and panama and didnt play koleosho because of a lack of experience.

I bet the LDF is already a better player than bombito, even without any experience. 

Losing koleosho would suck but its manageable. Losing LDF would be devastating! Hes our most important prospect in the last 5 years (not including kolo) 

Yeah but based on what mate?  What have you seen in u21 academy football that makes you say that?  I love the call up to get him involved, but f*** me let’s not pretend we have a clue what these players are until they’ve even kicked a ball in senior/professional football.  It was the same thing with McGill.  

[trc2014]

15 minutes ago, Shway said:

I was saying the same thing. Swap them three for some other guys like Sirios, Corbeanu, and Zator/Waterman/ sheit even Kennedy. 

Just stop with this old guard. 

I was being sarcastic to anyone who didn’t think they would be on here. 

[InglewoodJack]

3 minutes ago, Footyeh said:

Yeah but based on what mate?  What have you seen in u21 academy football that makes you say that?  I love the call up to get him involved, but f*** me let’s not pretend we have a clue what these players are until they’ve even kicked a ball in senior/professional football.  It was the same thing with McGill.  

He looked pretty good in preseason playing for the Fulham senior team. I think they even had him starting a game at some point. No clue how that pans out, but that’s the most developed prospect we’ve got, that’s for sure. 

[Bigandy]

Just now, Footyeh said:

Yeah but based on what mate?  What have you seen in u21 academy football that makes you say that?  I love the call up to get him involved, but f*** me let’s not pretend we have a clue what these players are until they’ve even kicked a ball in senior/professional football.  It was the same thing with McGill.  

based on his preseason form with the first team.  I get all the criticisms about why thats risky to assess etc. However, at 17 hes looking solid with all of fulhams first team and against the first team of west ham etc. Would any of our other CB look fine in a friendly. I dont think so. Certainly not when they were 17. 

Lets say he absolutely botches his current trajectory and ends up in the championship. He would still arguably become our best CB. Now lets add in the fact that hes naturally right footed but can play on the left as well. He finally gives us depth in all defensive positions. 

Barring some injury, extremely horrible downturn in form or some miraculous CB options for CMNT emerging, hes likely to be head and shoulders above all our other CB's 

[Footyeh]

Corbeanu has to be there.  Don’t get this obsession with Brym, he’s 4 years older and the argument can be made that he’s far less impactful in what he can bring.  I get Hoilett brings the valuable experience, but time to bleed younger guys in against top sides like Japan?

Paton is a surprise, would’ve like to see Ahmed keep his place.  

[Shway]

1 minute ago, trc2014 said:

I was being sarcastic to anyone who didn’t think they would be on here. 

Yea I was reluctantly expecting some of them as well (not all)....but I was hoping to be surprised. 
Missed opportunity to move on from the old guard especially considering the circumstances of each of the players. 
 

[Footyeh]

1 minute ago, Bigandy said:

based on his preseason form with the first team.  I get all the criticisms about why thats risky to assess etc. However, at 17 hes looking solid with all of fulhams first team and against the first team of west ham etc. Would any of our other CB look fine in a friendly. I dont think so. Certainly not when they were 17. 

Lets say he absolutely botches his current trajectory and ends up in the championship. He would still arguably become our best CB. Now lets add in the fact that hes naturally right footed but can play on the left as well. He finally gives us depth in all defensive positions. 

Barring some injury, extremely horrible downturn in form or some miraculous CB options for CMNT emerging, hes likely to be head and shoulders above all our other CB's 

Ok… let’s bring in Lazar Stefanovic then?  He’s actually played senior MLS matches.  Is that not better than some friendlies with Fulham?  

[DeRo_Is_King]

15 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

Though I assume he’ll actually play and then he’ll have to file his one time switch if England comes sniffing, so hopefully we play this one better. 

100 per cent this. 

[Shway]

2 minutes ago, Footyeh said:

Ok… let’s bring in Lazar Stefanovic then?  He’s actually played senior MLS matches.  Is that not better than some friendlies with Fulham?  

The glitz and glam of being attached to European or UK clubs trumps everything in our backyard. 

[Bigandy]

1 minute ago, Footyeh said:

Ok… let’s bring in Lazar Stefanovic then?  He’s actually played senior MLS matches.  Is that not better than some friendlies with Fulham?  

Thats absurd to compare mls matches to first team friendlies with fulham.  Im a huge stefanovic fan but theres nothing to suggest that he could walk into fulhams 11 and look comfortable in a preseason match.  

I am so excited for the day stefanovic gets his call, but LDF makes waaay more sense now than stefanovic.  

[InglewoodJack]

I’ll take Stefanovic over Bombito, sure 

[Bigandy]

stefanovic hasnt even signed a pro contract with the first team. LDF has. LDF is a dual, one of the most highly regarded prospect in fulhams academy and in a position of desperate need. He could be our second chance at a tomori like player. 

This board has been dying for a CB to appear and when one does, theres criticism on playing him in a friendly match.  How absurd. 

[DeRo_Is_King]

I wonder how guys like Corbeanu and Ugbo are feeling after choosing to play for Canada. I can understand the Ugbo exclusion somewhat because of recent form (and even though none of our forwards are playing well), but not Corbeanu. 

Is it too late for Corbeanu to switch to Romania? 

[InglewoodJack]

Just now, DeRo_Is_King said:

I wonder how guys like Corbeanu and Ugbo are feeling after choosing to play for Canada. I can understand the Ugbo exclusion somewhat because of recent form (and even though none of our forwards are playing well), but not Corbeanu. 

Is it too late for Corbeanu to switch to Romania? 

Yes, he’s played almost 10 times for us, I think 

[Bigandy]

1 minute ago, DeRo_Is_King said:

I wonder how guys like Corbeanu and Ugbo are feeling after choosing to play for Canada. I can understand the Ugbo exclusion somewhat because of recent form (and even though none of our forwards are playing well), but not Corbeanu. 

Is it too late for Corbeanu to switch to Romania? 

Corbeanu makes sense positionally. We clearly will be playing 3-5-2.   Depth chart at wingback has millar and hoillet above him (if needed). Depth chart at striker has millar and hoillet ( plus the other 3 stirikers) above him.   Even if he is the better player, we wont play with wingers which makes it tough to bring him.  

I really really wish he was included though. 

[YorkRegionFan]

Will there be extra substitutes allowed during this game, instead of the standard 5?  It would be great to have allow the extra substitutes, so more players can play.  Japan is a wonderful place to visit, but to fly that long and sit on the bench is not fun.

[Shway]

11 minutes ago, Bigandy said:

Corbeanu makes sense positionally. We clearly will be playing 3-5-2.   Depth chart at wingback has millar and hoillet above him (if needed). Depth chart at striker has millar and hoillet ( plus the other 3 stirikers) above him.   Even if he is the better player, we wont play with wingers which makes it tough to bring him.  

I really really wish he was included though. 

He plays RW...so Buchanan (not there), Laryea, and Johnston would be ahead of him in the RWB.
But IMO he's a better attacker, and passer in the final third.
 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Shway

[Obinna]

1 hour ago, vancanman said:

You're right.  Ito gets a bit overshadowed on this team, playing at Reims.  He carried the team in the last 20 minutes or so in a couple of WC qualifying matches.

Every time I see Maeda, Tim Booth (of the band James) pops into my head.

I have always liked Ito even back when he played in Belgium. Very underrated player in my opinion.

[Corazon]

11 minutes ago, YorkRegionFan said:

Will there be extra substitutes allowed during this game, instead of the standard 5?  It would be great to have allow the extra substitutes, so more players can play.  Japan is a wonderful place to visit, but to fly that long and sit on the bench is not fun.

Friendlies do have more substitutions.  I'm not exactly sure what the limit is but 6 or 7 seem to be a standard for these international friendlies.

Edited October 5, 2023 by Corazon