Match Thread: Copa America Group A - Matchday 1 - Argentina v Canada - June 20, 2024 - 8pm local time (ET) / 5pm PT

[Pottsy3]

I thought Liam Millar was hesitant in the friendlies, but I rather liked his patience today and thought it linked up well with Davies.

impressed with Kone’s play off the ball tonight. Lesser so on the ball.

Cornelius looked great. Not sure if I can criticize the backline as it seemed more like a tactical issue that was allowing for Argentina’s quick breaks. The long balls up and over seemed to work time and time again with our high line.

Didn’t love Larin in the first half especially, looked disjointed up top. Not a surprise we haven’t scored in three matches under this system. David hasn’t been too noticeable either.

Crepeau has earned the starter role.

[jhoops__]

Tajon is a major concern…he offers nothing out there.  

[JAVIERF]

41 minutes ago, narduch said:

2-0 Argentina 

Lauturo Martinez

Lautaro Is the Spanish for Lothar 

[Kadenge]

Argentina was always going to be a bridge too far, their movement & passing are several levels above us. They may not be faster than us but they are quicker with their movement & passing and it opens up gaps & spaces that they exploit. Re finishing: Larin is not in form, Tajon & Staq have played very little in 2024/last 4 mths. They are rusty and it shows. I think we did ok. Their 2nd goal was pure class, but the ref should have a called  a foul on Shaf just outside their box. It seemed he was reluctant to give them yellows.

[frmr]

Wild ride. Good performance, probably a fair result as both teams missed golden chances. Probably should have been 4-2. Disappointing but have to be proud of the team and looking forward to Peru on Tuesday. Cut out the mistakes, improve the finishing and we'll be cooking.

[DeRo_Is_King]

3 minutes ago, jhoops__ said:

Tajon is a major concern…he offers nothing out there.  

Just hasn't been playing enough, I think. That turn and shot was a headscratcher. Doesn't look sharp right now. 

[narduch]

Tajon was an attacker at New England Revolution and has basically been turned into a defender in Europe.

I think it's stunted the growth of his attacking game

Edited June 21 by narduch

[Unnamed Trialist]

27 minutes ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

81%

My screen stats just after the interviews said 44%. Was the international feed.

I admit it seems impossibly low so if we were better than that then great. 

The real problem was when we were in easy possession we wasted it, we had sloppy imprecisions. That just puts way more pressure on the defence and doesn't let them have a break. And wastes an opportunity to make the rival nervous. 

 

[Cadeau]

9 minutes ago, jhoops__ said:

Tajon is a major concern…he offers nothing out there.  

I love the guy, he’s got promise but he’s got to show more than just anger and a chip on his shoulder out there.

[Kadenge]

1 minute ago, Cadeau said:

I love the guy, he’s got promise but he’s got to show more than just anger and a chip on his shoulder out there.

He needs to play more at club level

[CanadaFan123]

13 minutes ago, jhoops__ said:

Tajon is a major concern…he offers nothing out there.  

He’s not buying into the system. Needs to let go of old habits. 

[Gian-Luca]

1 minute ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

My screen stats just after the interviews said 44%. Was the international feed.

I admit it seems impossibly low so if we were better than that then great. 

The real problem was when we were in easy possession we wasted it, we had sloppy imprecisions. That just puts way more pressure on the defence and doesn't let them have a break. And wastes an opportunity to make the rival nervous. 

 

We tried too many low percentage passes against a team that is very good at breaking up plays, when the simple pass was available. Ambitious but a bit naive. That was my chief complaint about our performance. But I liked a hell of a lot more than I disliked

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

1 minute ago, Gian-Luca said:

We tried too many low percentage passes against a team that is very good at breaking up plays, when the simple pass was available. Ambitious but a bit naive. That was my chief complaint about our performance. But I liked a hell of a lot more than I disliked

Kone's biggest problem in a nutshell.

[Unnamed Trialist]

19 minutes ago, anthony7 said:

You got idiots like @Unnamed Trialistsmoking that weed.

Cuban on occasion.

Weed is legal in Canada, it hasn't been an intelligent argument for a while now. 

[DeRo_Is_King]

1 minute ago, CanadaFan123 said:

He’s not buying into the system. Needs to let go of old habits. 

Can you elaborate? Genuinely interested. Not disputing the take. 

[The Beaver 2.0]

Solid performance. Plenty to be optimistic about; a shit ton still to do! I was worried we'd get severely outclassed all game, but we settled into the first half, kept our shape, and created a couple of the better chances. Almost ALL of Argentina's chances, save for their second goal, were created by easily avoidable mistakes. A few from Kone, a couple more from Bombito. Clean those up and we're still very much in a dogfight with the best national side on the planet (more or less). 

I am not worried about the finishing. That'll come. We're creating solid chances against some of the best defenses in the world. I'd be worried if we weren't creating anything. The finishing will come.

Tajon does not have his mojo. It'll come. He's played few minutes this year, and it shows.  

I still prefer Staq for captain.

Now comes the real test. Can we show against Peru that we've truly grown over these first three games under Marsch? Expectations certainly increase now. We need a goal, or two. We need a complete game, and we need to clean up all those errant passes.

As for Kone, he needs more games like these. He will eat this sort of experience up. He's a monster footballer. Can he play faster? Hell's yeah. Just give him a chance. Kid's only 21.

Looking forward to the next game!!

[An Observer]

23 minutes ago, Mattd97 said:

Bombito had some big mistakes but played pretty damn well considering his experience and the opposition 

At the end of the day, he is very inexperienced as has been noted before on this Board.  But he has the raw physical tools.  We need to keep playing him in these matches with the hope that over the next two years, he can learn and be a stud for us in 2026.  We just don't have any other immediate options who are clearly better now and have his upside.  Obviously, LDF and some others have a chance at pushing into the team in the next year or two but they are not ready.

I would say the same about Kone.  Fantastic against France but today a give away machine.  In spite of that, he still had a number of great turns with the ball today to give him space.  But then just gave it away.  I think he was trying too hard.  Quite often he had the simple pass to the wing or elsewhere but tried the hard one instead. Argentina is too good defensively to do that.  He just needs more matches at this level to iron those things out.  Again, I think he can be a stud by 2026 for us.

[Free kick]

14 minutes ago, narduch said:

Tajon was an attacker at New England Revolution and has basically been turned into a defender in Europe.

I think it's stunted the growth of his attacking game

Yes.  This has been a long standing problem with several of our players who have gone over seas over the past 30 years.  This has got to change.  I dont know what the answer is.

Edited June 21 by Free kick

[CanadaFan123]

Just now, DeRo_Is_King said:

Can you elaborate? Genuinely interested. Not disputing the take. 

He’s not pressing directly as he should be in this system. Falling into his natural instinct of feinting and blocking lanes. 

 

[DeRo_Is_King]

2 minutes ago, An Observer said:

At the end of the day, he is very inexperienced as has been noted before on this Board.  But he has the raw physical tools.  We need to keep playing him in these matches with the hope that over the next two years, he can learn and be a stud for us in 2026.  We just don't have any other immediate options who are clearly better now and have his upside.  Obviously, LDF and some others have a chance at pushing into the team in the next year or two but they are not ready.

I would say the same about Kone.  Fantastic against France but today a give away machine.  In spite of that, he still had a number of great turns with the ball today to give him space.  But then just gave it away.  I think he was trying too hard.  Quite often he had the simple pass to the wing or elsewhere but tried the hard one instead. Argentina is too good defensively to do that.  He just needs more matches at this level to iron those things out.  Again, I think he can be a stud by 2026 for us.

This is spot on. 

[Kusch to the Corner]

I kind of think the last 20 minutes or so was pretty naive, on our part pushing so hard for the tie. This could very well come back to bite us. Goal differential will be important as I think there's a very good chance both we and Chile finish with 4 points.

[The Beaver 2.0]

Did anybody feel we'd be this far along after only three games with a new manager? I did not. Especially not against France and Argentina. Much yet to do, but it is all doable.

[Free kick]

3 minutes ago, An Observer said:

.

I would say the same about Kone.  Fantastic against France but today a give away machine.  In spite of that, he still had a number of great turns with the ball today to give him space.  But then just gave it away.  I think he was trying too hard.  Quite often he had the simple pass to the wing or elsewhere but tried the hard one instead. Argentina is too good defensively to do that.  He just needs more matches at this level to iron those things out.  Again, I think he can be a stud by 2026 for us.

This has been a re occurance with Kone.  He can look like a super prospect one game.   And look bruttal the next

[DeRo_Is_King]

1 minute ago, CanadaFan123 said:

He’s not pressing directly as he should be in this system. Falling into his natural instinct of feinting and blocking lanes. 

 

Yeah. Also, looks rusty, and I feel his awareness isn't where it should be. 

[CanadaFan123]

Just now, Kusch to the Corner said:

I kind of think the last 20 minutes or so was pretty naive, on our part pushing so hard for the tie. This could very well come back to bite us. Goal differential will be important as I think there's a very good chance both we and Chile finish with 4 points.

You have to be kidding? Tying the World Cup champs would have been one of the biggest results ever - of course we were going for it.