Canada Soccer Part VII: Copa America Semifinal Edition

[SeawaterOnIce]

This is on the whole a good performance.

This team will sadly concede high quality chances but you need to focus on what you can do overall to compete.

Press hard from the start against Croatia and Morocco and there should be chances. Delivery and finishing needs to be way sharper because chances will be hard to come by. Really want Buchanen and Davies down both sides.

Do the same with Belgium. Also need Lukaku to suck.

 

[robertmac43]

Do the same with Belgium. Also need Lukaku to suck.

I would welcome KDB sucking that day as well...

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

I would welcome KDB sucking that day as well...

He'll probably be injured 10 min in.

 

[Snippit]

The final third quality wasn't there. Just some hesitation, indecision, and a few guys making the wrong decision.

But the build up to that was quality. Going back to the Floro days where we would bunker against the likes of Jamaica, I could never imagine us pressing and out-possessing Uruguay.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

The final third quality wasn't there. Just some hesitation, indecision, and a few guys making the wrong decision.

But the build up to that was quality. Going back to the Floro days where we would bunker against the likes of Jamaica, I could never imagine us pressing and out-possessing Uruguay.

"5-0 loss with 25% possession? Not bad. As usual, Dwayne De Rosario looked like a threat with that shot at the 70th minute that sailed 40 ft wide. JDG looked good carrying the ball to midfield. Also Terry Dunfield was doing stuff. Hopefully this team can beat Trinidad and Tobago next week in Gold Cup Qualification. "

 

[robertmac43]

A good showing from Kone. Colour me exited for this kid's development.

 

[JunglePete]

I have been mentioning his name for years on here but while everyone is focused on Darwin, Suarez, FV and Bentancur, Nico de la Cruz is a serious player to watch for the WC and Years to come.


I didn't see the game as a whole but we can end the Johnston as CB experiment right now. The way he got bullied by Darwin of all people, on the 2nd goal shows why we need Doneil Henry if healthy. He's unpopular but his strength is unmatched.


Aside from Henry we have no enforcer CB who can really intimidate the opposition. Vitoria 10 years ago maybe. As a smaller nation/underdogs we can't afford to get beat that easily. We need to be physically dominant.


I believe Davies should be a LWB and nothing more, he tries wayyyyy too much and it's annoying. Let's hope Osorio can make a successful return. He's our best options as #10 & #8, along with Scott Arfield.


Larin again hot and cold. He shouldn't be the undisputed starter.

Kone earned his ticket to Qatar, may even be a starter

 

[robertmac43]

I believe Davies should be a LWB and nothing more, he tries wayyyyy too much and it's annoying. Let's hope Osorio can make a successful return. He's our best options as #10 & #8, along with Scott Arfield.

What, really? Davies was amazing in the free role today. His options for attack are limited when he is at LWB, why do that to your most technically gifted player?

 

[robertmac43]

 

[JunglePete]

What, really? Davies was amazing in the free role today. His options for attack are limited when he is at LWB, why do that to your most technically gifted player?

He's great at defending and we have enough offensive weapons capable of creating / converting.

That's the thing I believe Davies shouldn't be in a free role. He tries to do way too much, it can work against Aruba but not Uruguay.

Herdman clearly implied it on his post game presser "There's moments I thought we could have crossed the ball and we wanted the extra touch"

Davies as CAM is just for experiment purposes. We will defend more than attack and against Belgium We have to be PERFECT defensively.

Davies-Miller-Vitoria-Henry-Johnston will be our backline vs Belgium


The mid will be Eustaquio-Osorio-Kone

Forwards Hoilett-David

 

[Moncherry]

I hope for Canada's sake that they have better ideas than using the likes of Doneil Henry to stop Belgium. Shouldn't even make the squad, never mind be in the starting line-up. That's a massacre waiting to happen.

Canada should forget trying to contain the opposition and just go for it every game like they did in qualifying. That includes giving Davies free reign. Their attack is by far the best part of their team and the only area where they stack up to the rest of the group. No sense for them to be setting up defensively.

 

[robertmac43]

He's great at defending and we have enough offensive weapons capable of creating / converting.

That's the thing I believe Davies shouldn't be in a free role. He tries to do way too much, it can work against Aruba but not Uruguay.

Herdman clearly implied it on his post game presser "There's moments I thought we could have crossed the ball and we wanted the extra touch"

Davies as CAM is just for experiment purposes. We will defend more than attack and against Belgium We have to be PERFECT defensively.

Davies-Miller-Vitoria-Henry-Johnston will be our backline vs Belgium


The mid will be Eustaquio-Osorio-Kone

Forwards Hoilett-David

I don't know man. From an attacking perspective, Davies really carried a lot of the load the last 2 games. I will agree that today there was a period of the game where he tried to force it, in the last 10 to 15 minutes he was attempting to do too much. Before that though he was magnificent with the ball at his feet, he drove at the Uruguay backline, shook off the defender, and was playing great on the half turn. I don't think there is anyone that can mirror that dynamism on the team.

I don't think the CAM role is experimentation, Herdman mentioned he wants Davies in more advanced positions, and this way he can pick up the ball higher up the pitch and apply more pressure to the backlines. Plus why move Adekugbe out from the LB role where he has found a lot of success in the past 6 months? Doesn't really make sense to me.

When it comes to playing Belgium, we will be going at them when we get the chance. There is not much pace on the backline and the Witsel is still a relied upon member of the double pivot despite losing a step. Plenty of experience sure, but Herdman will set up to have quick options that can try and isolate Vertongen, Alderweireld, Meunier, etc. Debast is quicker but on the inexperienced side of things and has shown some holes when playing against better opposition. Basically, there is plenty of opportunity to attack with speed and it makes more sense to have Davies in those spaces.

 

[robertmac43]

I hope for Canada's sake that they have better ideas than using the likes of Doneil Henry to stop Belgium. Shouldn't even make the squad, never mind be in the starting line-up. That's a massacre waiting to happen.

Lol what? Henry hasn't been a starter on this team since WCQ started. It's consistently been Miller-Vitoria-Johnston with a little variation here and there. Henry started when Mexico visited Edmonton to combat Jiminez's physical presence. He was subbed off after 30 or so minutes in that game.

 

[Moncherry]

Lol what? Henry hasn't been a starter on this team since WCQ started. It's consistently been Miller-Vitoria-Johnston with a little variation here and there. Henry started when Mexico visited Edmonton to combat Jiminez's physical presence. He was subbed off after 30 or so minutes in that game.

I'm aware of all of this. I was responding to JunglePete and his notion that Henry could be an important player for Canada and should be starting.

 

[JunglePete]

I don't know man. From an attacking perspective, Davies really carried a lot of the load the last 2 games. I will agree that today there was a period of the game where he tried to force it, in the last 10 to 15 minutes he was attempting to do too much. Before that though he was magnificent with the ball at his feet, he drove at the Uruguay backline, shook off the defender, and was playing great on the half turn. I don't think there is anyone that can mirror that dynamism on the team.

I don't think the CAM role is experimentation, Herdman mentioned he wants Davies in more advanced positions, and this way he can pick up the ball higher up the pitch and apply more pressure to the backlines. Plus why move Adekugbe out from the LB role where he has found a lot of success in the past 6 months? Doesn't really make sense to me.

When it comes to playing Belgium, we will be going at them when we get the chance. There is not much pace on the backline and the Witsel is still a relied upon member of the double pivot despite losing a step. Plenty of experience sure, but Herdman will set up to have quick options that can try and isolate Vertongen, Alderweireld, Meunier, etc. Debast is quicker but on the inexperienced side of things and has shown some holes when playing against better opposition. Basically, there is plenty of opportunity to attack with speed and it makes more sense to have Davies in those spaces.

Although I do agree that Davies as CAM bring a new spark on the field that we love to see, it wouldn't be ideal to play him there at the WC, in my opinion.

But just like you mentioned Belgium lacks pace back there which is why Davies would flourish on the left flank vs Meunier rather than middle. Verthongen, Alderweireld may be slow CBs but no damn pushover and lethal 1 v 1. If you wanna have a chance against Belgium you gotta play through both flanks, where their flaws can be exposed more. I think Witsel is now a CB and Denayer is a pretty fast CB too.


As for Ade, yeah im glad for him but this is the biggest game in Canadian history so good for your improvement but sit this one out and we may need you for the last 20 mins depending on the score, should we push Phonzie upfront.

I'm aware of all of this. I was responding to JunglePete and his notion that Henry could be an important player for Canada and should be starting.

I didn't say anything, Herdman did




I'm simply saying that Henry wouldn't get bullied by donkey Nunez the way AJ looked on the 2nd goal, which is why I think Henry could provide strength that we lack.

Now just imagine Lukaku vs Johnston... I like Alistair but I would need my Hennessy with some pineapple juice asap.

 

[PanniniClaus]

In watching Belgium this window, they are going to play wide and have multiple options off that wide ball.... their movement looked very good and Meunier was a big part of their attack so dedicating someone to the hard miles of tracking back will be Adekugbe... KDB often picks up a first or second ball off the wide play and then he tries for the killer pass or works his own shot. Belgium are less likely to stand a ball up for Lukaku or Batshuayi like Uruguay did Nunez today.. They will look to play between the lines.

So it will be Johnston, Vitoria and Kamal... Adekugbe and there is a good chance they put Laryea on defensive task as the starter.

Best chance for offense is to press Belgium before they get a chance to organize ..
I agree with the poster that said attack would be the best approach.. bunkering is not it.. not this team and I am very ok with that. Let's go all in on the big stage and try and take it to these teams.

 

[Joufreau]

Explosive and fun to watch at times but still feels like a half-baked product. I think he gets a move out of the CPL, however, I doubt we see him across to Europe again.

Pretty much this. Sometimes is the best player on the pitch, sometimes is invisible. His first touch lets him down more often than one would like. I think MLS Next Pro would be a good next move for him. Still only 23.

 

[robertmac43]

 

[Pink Mist]

Did anyone notice that Stefan Mitrovic played a couple of minutes with the Serbian national team last weekend.

Any chance we can still cap him or did we get leveraged by a player to play for a larger nation yet again?

 

[PanniniClaus]

Did anyone notice that Stefan Mitrovic played a couple of minutes with the Serbian national team last weekend.

Any chance we can still cap him or did we get leveraged by a player to play for a larger nation yet again?

Would seem out of reach now... This one is tougher to take as this is not Croatia... this is a team ranked 25th and one i would take our chances with head to head any day.

 

[JianYang]

Did anyone notice that Stefan Mitrovic played a couple of minutes with the Serbian national team last weekend.

Any chance we can still cap him or did we get leveraged by a player to play for a larger nation yet again?

The off field circus in Canadian soccer is probably making the decision alot easier for players like mitrovic.

I can't really blame someone who decides to play for a more stable federation..... And if that's not a deal breaker, then the plastic plastic pitches and less than ideal destinations like El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti to travel to are icing on the cake.

 

[maclean]

Would seem out of reach now... This one is tougher to take as this is not Croatia... this is a team ranked 25th and one i would take our chances with head to head any day.

Serbia is still a much better team than Canada

 

[robertmac43]

 

[Tuggy]

 

[robertmac43]

Atleti Ottawa is up 2-0 right now and starting to get some separation at the top of the table. At this point Forge needs to close out the season with 9 points from 9 and have Ottawa need to drop points in the last game to become hosts of the CPL finals.