General Discussion on CMNT

[Joe MacCarthy]

 

[BearcatSA]

Belgium is at -189 and Canada at +900 for win, +450 for the draw, at this time.

[PegCityCam]

Edit: Misquote

Edited November 19, 2022 by PegCityCam

[rydermike]

Nah, here's the deal.

Herdman saying they might not play when they're healthy is 4D chess.

But Belgium is playing 5D chess because they know Herdman plays 4D chess, so they're assuming they will play.

But Herdman is actually playing 6D chess, knowing that Belgium is playing 5D chess because he knows they know he likes to play 4D chess, that they're preparing for the oppositite, so he does the opposite of the opposite and tells the truth, knowing they're not expecting the lie of a lie.

Confused? I just confused myself.

[PegCityCam]

Ugg

Edited November 19, 2022 by PegCityCam
Sorry again

[Kadenge]

2 hours ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

Other than his habit of stretching in short shorts in team videos, I have huge respect for Piette.  He will keep running after most players slow down but that needs to be used wisely in ideal circumstances.  

The problem again is we are not in ideal circumtances in midfield. Kaye and still Kone have a game-killer bad pass in them, that becomes an even bigger issue if they playing more holding roles.  Many of the others are more attack-minded.  I trust Piette to at least make the simple passes simple. 

No greater answers to be fair. 

I hear you, but we aren't a bunkering or low block team. The closest we came to that was  home vs USA in WCQ. If the US had decent strikers or forwards in form it would have been a different ending. We have to be defensively responsible but it's exactly the type of line splitting passes that both Kone & Kaye can deliver that will spring a goal for us. You could say we have to live or die by the brotherhood sword 🙂

[Norrin Radd]

32 minutes ago, rydermike said:

Nah, here's the deal.

Herdman saying they might not play when they're healthy is 4D chess.

But Belgium is playing 5D chess because they know Herdman plays 4D chess, so they're assuming they will play.

But Herdman is actually playing 6D chess, knowing that Belgium is playing 5D chess because he knows they know he likes to play 4D chess, that they're preparing for the oppositite, so he does the opposite of the opposite and tells the truth, knowing they're not expecting the lie of a lie.

Confused? I just confused myself.

Sounds like the Belgians may be on the verge of committing one of the all time great blunders; Never play multi-dimensional chess with John Herdman!

In the list of classic blunders it ranks somewhere between "Never get involved in a land war in Asia" and "Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line".

[dyslexic nam]

22 minutes ago, Norrin Radd said:

Sounds like the Belgians may be on the verge of committing one of the all time great blunders; Never play multi-dimensional chess with John Herdman!

In the list of classic blunders it ranks somewhere between "Never get involved in a land war in Asia" and "Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line".

[Sal333]

25 minutes ago, Norrin Radd said:

Sounds like the Belgians may be on the verge of committing one of the all time great blunders; Never play multi-dimensional chess with John Herdman!

In the list of classic blunders it ranks somewhere between "Never get involved in a land war in Asia" and "Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line".

Or maybe Herdman is simply playing checkers.

[Bison44]

21 minutes ago, Sal333 said:

Or maybe Herdman is simply playing checkers.

You'd like to think that wouldnt you?  But it has worked, Belgium has given everything away!!

[Kadenge]

@MtlMarioI hope you are stroking your crystal ball. There's some PTSD creeping in.

[Unnamed Trialist]

1 hour ago, rydermike said:

Nah, here's the deal.

Herdman saying they might not play when they're healthy is 4D chess.

But Belgium is playing 5D chess because they know Herdman plays 4D chess, so they're assuming they will play.

But Herdman is actually playing 6D chess, knowing that Belgium is playing 5D chess because he knows they know he likes to play 4D chess, that they're preparing for the oppositite, so he does the opposite of the opposite and tells the truth, knowing they're not expecting the lie of a lie.

Confused? I just confused myself.

Belgium is way ahead of us on this, since they announced Lukaku would not be ready for the Canada game, we have all basically believed it. Or so it seems. 

Only, according to your model, Herdman never believed it. I don't know what #D that is, and anyways, we have a warm and heavy body for him if he decides to play.

[Cheeta]

2 hours ago, BearcatSA said:

Belgium is at -189 and Canada at +900 for win, +450 for the draw, at this time.

😮

I might just take a piece of that...

[youllneverwalkalone]

Walk down and fuck 'em all at 200 to 1

[Norrin Radd]

2 hours ago, dyslexic nam said:

We may need that in the post-match thread.

[PegCityCam]

On 10/31/2022 at 8:31 AM, Unnamed Trialist said:

Tired of the perception that Canada fans are so weak minded we need to be flattered by press pundits who'll make us believe any bit of BS about ourselves.

I appreciate it's also the function of semi professional journalists to make wild predictions...then they get to leverage the odd one that comes true.

I'm perfectly happy to look the truth in the face: we're a nice team who should finish last and maybe make a game of it. 

Coming 3rd would be amazing but I'm just looking forward to making any of the rivals crap in their boots 

From this^

To this:

5 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I agree. First, it's the surprise factor, and our specific prep for them.

Then, if they don't have Lukaku, if Hazard starts (and everyone in Spain knows he hasn't done a thing in years for club, he is so overrated by those who saw him in EPL), if they play Castaigne who is slow and ineffective, that ageing back line, the inexperience at the back of Debast (on a weaker team than Tajon and Larin), we have a much better chance against them. Also because they are not going to come out with any intention of factoring in our strengths, they'll just want to ride their superiority.

That, and it seems clear Croatia has done a better job renewing and has a lot of younger blood of better quality. And they, like us, will have an even sharper idea of what is at stake by the second game, so it won't get easier, just the opposite.

No matter what, our aim has always to be within a goal, to not lose the narrative of any match, to always be within a goal of a result. Whether that's to draw or win. So staying with our rivals early, and not getting scored on first (as happened in 6 of 14 qualifiers, against Honduras in NL, in friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, far too often).

When even UT has "thrown" all caution to the wind we know the shift is real. Make me believe UT!🗣📢

[InglewoodJack]

I'm not sure I buy "gamemanship" as the reason Herdman is saying what he does- Belgium has surely scouted all of our players and are prepared to face whoever is actually playing, so it doesn't matter what he says in the press, but I thought it was interesting he said he's being cautious because "this could be. along tournament for us". For this to be a long tournament, we need a result in all three games, and for that, we need our best players playing. To me that sounds like the absolute worst case scenario is they get subbed on at the half, or they start. 

[Mitchryan11]

Gotta start your studs, you cant plan for major injuries that havent happened maybe not play the full 90 but if they are fit to play they should. Seems like davies is starting collect injuries early on in his career and staq just has been playing a good amount of games in short period of time nothing you can do about it

[The Beaver 2.0]

FWIW, I suspect that Herdman is being straight up wrt injuries. We've not had an update on Eustaquio for a couple of days, Davies seems questionable for Belgium, and who knows what the hell's going on with Borjan.  Which is to say, none of us has a fricking clue what to expect come Wednesday.  My guess: Stache starts, Davies subs late if the game is still close (i.e. tied), and who knows about Milan.  

[jonovision]

I'd put money on all three seeing the pitch vs Belgium.

[Floortom]

3 minutes ago, jonovision said:

I'd put money on all three seeing the pitch vs Belgium.

Same - I think Steph and Borjan are sure fire starters and Phonzie is 50/50 but will at least come on as a sub 

[Unnamed Trialist]

55 minutes ago, PegCityCam said:

From this^

To this:

When even UT has "thrown" all caution to the wind we know the shift is real. Make me believe UT!🗣📢

I just don't like being told how to administer my emotions. Or feel I am being pandered to. 

Most fans on this board are totally independent in their views, have a lot of information and knowledge, and are perfectly capable of taking their own emotional states into this event and handling them. So on one side, I am clear about being underdogs, but then I try to go through the scenarios where we start to win match-ups on the field or weaken the rival's strengths. For me, probably, it is not enough; it may fall short, mostly because individual details go like that. Superior teams eke out terrible matches on the slightest of margins.

My dream scenario almost always involves a long ball over the top and someone going in on goal gets pulled down, red card, and we get to play against 10. I used to dream of that happening in the box but damn FIFA robbed me of that dream with a rule change. 

 

[johnyb]

7 hours ago, BearcatSA said:

Just out of curiosity, I wonder what the betting line is on this first match?

Belgium -200

Croatia -143

From Bet 365

7 hours ago, trc2014 said:

I think a lot of people are also underestimating the Croatia game.  That is less winnable then the Belgium game IMO.

I agree but Bet365 doesn't.

[eramosat]

1 hour ago, PegCityCam said:

From this^

To this:

When even UT has "thrown" all caution to the wind we know the shift is real. Make me believe UT!🗣📢

i am only a newcomer to this forum.  

it is so awesome to see the depth of love for Canada's results here, and the long-term commitments, and the breadth of discussions, so much passion.

And it is also awesome to see how, as Canada counts down to it's actual WC matches, that many forum disagreements are getting left behind in favour of cheering for the one main goal...success for Canada, a WC goal, a point, a win, advancing?  

Ill probably be at the Rose&CCrown in Toronto when it all begins.  Everybody have fun!

[eramosat]

8 hours ago, VinceA said:

The lack of nuance in talking about the midfield is annoying. Piette in a 2 man midfield is very different to Piette in a 3-man.  The extra body changes roles for everyone.

No shit Piette struggles when its just him and one other needing to do everything in midfield.

I'd also argue it doesn't matter who we run in the midfield in a 2-man. Croatia and Belgium will eat them alive.

Running Eustaquio-Hutchinson will still get us overrun against arguably the best midfield in the world in Modric/Brozovic/Kovacic or the 4 man midfield Belgium could roll out in a 3-4-2-1.

thank you for this sanity check

the Canadian back line will have some of it's strongest tests ever in all 3 matches, and every other player will simply have to adjust to how that plays out.  Period.

Piette's abilities will just get consumed in that over-arching test.