Derek Cornelius

[Watchmen]

3 minutes ago, BearcatSA said:

TBH, he was a pretty inconsistent performer with the Caps. However, he'd immediately go to the bench after a down performance while Andy Rose took over, have goal causing errors, but still get the next start or starts because he was viewed as a "coach on the field" (according to Schaad and Dolan in every f'en broadcast!).

That's the past and it's over now. The present and future is that he is the starting LCB for the Copa and hopefully beyond.  Great to see.

Yup. MDS would punish Cornelius for his mistakes, but not Rose's. And both players made a ton  TBF, it did ultimately cost MDS his job.

[SthMelbRed]

1 hour ago, PiedPilko said:

Hindsight etc. but fun reminder that the Whitecaps protected Ricketts, Nerwinski and Teibert over Cornelius for Austin FC's expansion draft - the one where they took Miller.

Marc Dos Santos is a fucking balloon head. Without doubt the worst manager in MLS Whitecaps history. Everything he touched in his time with the team turned to absolute shit, with the sole exception of Max Crepeau.

[BearcatSA]

8 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

Yup. MDS would punish Cornelius for his mistakes, but not Rose's. And both players made a ton  TBF, it did ultimately cost MDS his job.

That "coach on the field" shit was Pravda-calibre propaganda.  Must have had something to do with being Bob Bradley's son-in-law.

[BearcatSA]

10 minutes ago, SthMelbRed said:

Marc Dos Santos is a fucking balloon head. Without doubt the worst manager in MLS Whitecaps history. Everything he touched in his time with the team turned to absolute shit, with the sole exception of Max Crepeau.

Fanblog apologists loved to comment on how guys like Rose and Nerwinski and Teibert (prior to his revealing as a locker room informant/narc) were "great in the dressing room."  Didn't help.

MDS has levelled out as a career number 2, like Preki in Seattle.  His next head coaching gig will be as an interim should Cherundolo exit by choice or pink slip.

[BearcatSA]

I thought that he and Bombito were more assertive in pushing up, including earning some offside traps, compared to the Dutch game.  

Barring injury or suspension, I am pleased that those will be starting all three group games.  Give them that run of starts.

[Unnamed Trialist]

4 hours ago, Watchmen said:

I'm fine with it.

He was singled out by OneSoccer as making poor plays on 2 of the Netherlands 4 goals.

If in One Soccer you trust we have different religions. 

All I said is that defending is a team effort and you can't just ignore the 7 guys who're supposed to avoid the ball getting anywhere near the box. 

Edited June 10 by Unnamed Trialist

[costarg]

9 hours ago, Watchmen said:

I'm fine with it.

He was singled out by OneSoccer as making poor plays on 2 of the Netherlands 4 goals.

I dunno, everything they mentioned sounded more like teething problems between 4 guys playing together for the first time rather than Cornelius himself.  I wouldn't say they were poor plays.  Even if they were, he more than made up for it in excellent plays.

[Watchmen]

1 hour ago, costarg said:

I dunno, everything they mentioned sounded more like teething problems between 4 guys playing together for the first time rather than Cornelius himself.  I wouldn't say they were poor plays.  Even if they were, he more than made up for it in excellent plays.

I remain less optimistic on him than others here. I will also concede he is likely our best option at this time. I simply find he is prone to highs and lows, like Henry.

[costarg]

10 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

 I will also concede he is likely our best option at this time.

This is the thing.  At the moment our hopes are on he and Bombito.  There is no other option or formation that comes close to the potential of these two in top form.  Even if mistakes are made, it'll just be worse with anyone else in there.

[GasPed]

3 minutes ago, costarg said:

This is the thing.  At the moment our hopes are on he and Bombito.  There is no other option or formation that comes close to the potential of these two in top form.  Even if mistakes are made, it'll just be worse with anyone else in there.

I do think that an in-form Scott Kennedy is a viable LCB option, but it's difficult to know if that's a thing anymore. 

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

24 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

I remain less optimistic on him than others here. I will also concede he is likely our best option at this time. I simply find he is prone to highs and lows, like Henry.

Fair enough, I guess , having watched him in Vancouver.

For me, the last year seeing him a little bit at Malmo and reading a lot positive, he has grown.

He never looked 100% comfortable with Canada to me before, he did yesterday and a lot of Thursday.

 

By the way, the OneSoccer analysis you were quoting earlier were big stretches.  Keeper has to keep and Davies has to not get beat.  Not perfect from Cornelius, goals dont happen if other people do their job to a much great degree.  

[Watchmen]

44 minutes ago, costarg said:

This is the thing.  At the moment our hopes are on he and Bombito.  There is no other option or formation that comes close to the potential of these two in top form.  Even if mistakes are made, it'll just be worse with anyone else in there.

I mean, I can agree with that. It just doesn't negate my thought process. Both things can be true here: he can be both overhyped and still our best option.

Edited June 10 by Watchmen

[FC_Hali]

Great to see him solidify his partnership with Bombito. This is crucial for our Copa America hopes. I’ve been pretty critical of his Canada performances but he really rose to occasion.

Edited June 10 by FC_Hali

[PegCityCam]

His latest goal, just because:

 

[VinceA]

I think Cornelius betting on himself here is paying off big.

Unfortunately for Miller, his decision to stay in MLS and re-sign with Miami may have cost him his spot in the XI going forward. 

Edited June 10 by VinceA

[narduch]

4 minutes ago, VinceA said:

I think Cornelius betting on himself here is paying off big.

Unfortunately for Miller, his decision to stay in MLS and re-sign with Miami may have cost him his spot in the XI going forward. 

Miami really did him dirty

[kacbru]

Over-hyped and our best option is right.  For context, the first two(?) clips of the highlight packages are great chances for France that are  a result of mistakes (at least in part) by Cornelius.  If they had scored on those, there would be a very different vibe on here.  The missed slide tackle on the sideline near mid-field was a particularly bad choice - talk about high risk.  If you are a CB in that position, a) things have really gone to shit defensively as a team and b) if you go to ground, you can't afford to miss - take the yellow.  Better, wiser choice is to not over-commit, stay goal side and hope for help.

[GasPed]

14 minutes ago, kacbru said:

Over-hyped and our best option is right.  For context, the first two(?) clips of the highlight packages are great chances for France that are  a result of mistakes (at least in part) by Cornelius.  If they had scored on those, there would be a very different vibe on here.  The missed slide tackle on the sideline near mid-field was a particularly bad choice - talk about high risk.  If you are a CB in that position, a) things have really gone to shit defensively as a team and b) if you go to ground, you can't afford to miss - take the yellow.  Better, wiser choice is to not over-commit, stay goal side and hope for help.

These are good points, and in fact they (or at least the slide tackle) have been the same criticisms leveled against DC over the years - i.e. a tendency to be impatient/aggressive and dive in.  I actually think he's improved in this regard, but as you point out, he still does it from time to time.

Looking at the first highlight though, I don't think that one's on DC (If you're referring to the thru ball from Dembele to Kante).  

[kacbru]

15 minutes ago, GasPed said:

These are good points, and in fact they (or at least the slide tackle) have been the same criticisms leveled against DC over the years - i.e. a tendency to be impatient/aggressive and dive in.  I actually think he's improved in this regard, but as you point out, he still does it from time to time.

Looking at the first highlight though, I don't think that one's on DC (If you're referring to the thru ball from Dembele to Kante).  

Agreed - a bit harsh to lay the Dembele to Kante thru ball on him - it was a good ball and run (that could have been tracked better), but he still got beat by Dembele.

[Kadenge]

If CBs were perfect there would be no goals.  If you are looking to blame someone you can always find something. Like the 1st goal by the Netherlands...the goal scorer Depay was able to run into the box unchallenged, unhindered and untouched.....not even a nudge from the defender. You know who was marking him? AJ.   In a game of 90 mins you have to look at the overall performance of a player. Right now the combo of DC & Bombito is the best CB pairing we have seen in a very, very long time. Our defence played well in WCQ but we never faced the quality of a  #2 and #7 ranked team with some of the best attacking players in world football. Hopefully they can continue their strong play in the Copa.

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

39 minutes ago, kacbru said:

Agreed - a bit harsh to lay the Dembele to Kante thru ball on him - it was a good ball and run (that could have been tracked better), but he still got beat by Dembele.

? 

In your other point, on the slide tackle, you tell him to "stay goal side and hope for help." That is exactly what he did and Eustaquio didn't track the other runner.  So to say he got beat, is pretty contradictory. 

 

So with that context, little while later sees Griezmann open at speed on the sideline.  He commits, I agree hastily.  His worst play of the night.

But he knows Dembele and Griezmann are near world class; Dembele has world class speed and Griezmann is still rapid.  On that play specifically he also knows Eustaquio is beside him marking no one.  So taking a risk is not maybe the massive risk you made it out to be. 

In the end, Griezmann makes him look silly, - ie. he can't take the yellow if he wants -  as he has done to many.  Eustaquio doesn't close the French player down, probably fearing the same and the runner in the box gets ball side on his defender and its a great chance. 

 

 

The first chance they had on all the highlights I saw was Cornelius blocking the shot on the right side of the net, incidently.

It just feels like you are picking up the bad Cornelius highlights and then asking him to do contradictory things against players named Dembele and Griezmann.

He's not VdV but saying the position looks way better is not over-hype, in my opinion.

 

 

Edited June 10 by WestHamCanadianinOxford

[kacbru]

6 minutes ago, Kadenge said:

If CBs were perfect there would be no goals.  If you are looking to blame someone you can always find something. Like the 1st goal by the Netherlands...the goal scorer Depay was able to run into the box unchallenged, unhindered and untouched.....not even a nudge from the defender. You know who was marking him? AJ.   In a game of 90 mins you have to look at the overall performance of a player. Right now the combo of DC & Bombito is the best CB pairing we have seen in a very, very long time. Our defence played well in WCQ but we never faced the quality of a  #2 and #7 ranked team with some of the best attacking players in world football. Hopefully they can continue their strong play in the Copa.

I don't disagree.  My point was if France had scored on both of those chances - the vibe on here re: Cornelius would be very different, regardless of how the rest of the game played out.  People would have pitchforks out (unfairly), demanding LDF start against Argentina, etc.  We are a very fickle bunch.

[Kadenge]

2 minutes ago, kacbru said:

 We are a very fickle bunch.

You got dat right

 

[PegCityCam]

I'm curious as to where this "over-hyped" label even stemmed from? Regardless, calling him over-hyped because of a few mistakes against the best players on the planet? Like huh? He's clearly worthy of the Eredivisie "hype" and could possibly be playing above that level in a year or two. Can someone please explain to me what level of "hype" we're all on about here? Did someone compare him to Frank de Boer?

Edited June 10 by PegCityCam

[Watchmen]

11 minutes ago, PegCityCam said:

I'm curious as to where this "over-hyped" label even stemmed from? Regardless, calling him over-hyped because of a few mistakes against the best players on the planet? Like huh? He's clearly worthy of the Eredivisie "hype" and could possibly be playing above that level in a year or two. Can someone please explain to me what level of "hype" we're all on about here? Did someone compare him to Frank de Boer?

Probably me. I'm definitely less certain he'll have the success in the Eredivisie others do (while also being fascinated to see if he does make the jump), and it's statements like "possibly playing above that level" that caused me to say he's being overhyped.