WCQ: Third Round - Window 3 (November 12-16, 2021)

[BearcatSA]

5 hours ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

...and getting caught in the rain.

He might be into yoga but definitely not Yoginess.

[Sal333]

33 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

That would be a pretty good scenario. We should be able to beat CR with normal conditions.  Then we would get acclimatized as the weather got cooler.  By the time a chilly Mexican game happened, we would be optimized and they would just be getting used to it.  Sounds like the perfect set up.  

We hope.

[Joe MacCarthy]

2 hours ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

For those of us living in countries where metric is norm (like Canada or Spain), that would be 5½°C.

That's mid winter?  It's probably -5 to -10 C where I am, 5 would be considered HEATWAVE! Where's Martha and the Vandellas when you need them? 

[Ngravs]

No Keylor Navas for Costa Rica. That's a huge blow to their roster skill and leadership wise. 

[RS]

 

[Lansdude]

Navas has got to think about his health and how many generations of his descendants can have trust funds. His national team doesn't have a prayer so it's an easy choice.

[dyslexic nam]

I don’t wish injury on anyone but I am not crushed that they won’t have their top Champion’s-League-quality keeper against us.  

[CanadaFan123]

2 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

I don’t wish injury on anyone but I am not crushed that they won’t have their top Champion’s-League-quality keeper against us.  

Agree and I think it’s a bigger blow to them in terms of his presence in the squad. 

[theaub]

Canada opens as the only under evens favourite of the matchday

[kacbru]

5 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

You underestimate that extra half a degree when the sidelines of the pitch are at sea level and the pitch itself is half a foot below sea level.

Oh, you played in Richmond too?

[Unnamed Trialist]

18 minutes ago, kacbru said:

Oh, you played in Richmond too?

I sort of made that up to get the half degree and half foot contrast in the post. Literary freedom. 

But I was in Vancouver and pitches, in the 70s, were generally a mess.

 

[Kent]

3 hours ago, theaub said:

Canada opens as the only under evens favourite of the matchday

For the gambling dunces here, that means if you bet a dollar and win, you win less than a dollar, right?

[Kent]

I would say cold weather gives a slight edge to players used to playing in cold, and a HUGE advantage to players with healthy muscles vs players with niggling muscle injuries. I don't know whose muscles are healthier between us and our opponents. Generally speaking you would think the younger Canadian squad would have healthier muscles than the aging Costa Rican squad.

[Shway]

8 minutes ago, Kent said:

For the gambling dunces here, that means if you bet a dollar and win, you win less than a dollar, right?

Correct because they are the favourite to win the game. 

[TheDoon]

I heard in the TFC game that the players should be in Edmonton on Monday. Any ideas where they’re training and if there will be any access to the public?

[Sal333]

 

[red card]

2 hours ago, TheDoon said:

I heard in the TFC game that the players should be in Edmonton on Monday. Any ideas where they’re training and if there will be any access to the public?

Looks like Commonwealth itself. In discussing the pros/cons of the turf, Herdman mentioned a plus was being able to train it on for a few days vs only once for grass pitches.

Otherwise, are there decent training grass pitches & facilities in Edmonton. I assume something will be need to build for '26. Oilers are providing some of their facilities to Canada which I assume will happen in '26.

[red card]

7 hours ago, CanadaFan123 said:

Agree and I think it’s a bigger blow to them in terms of his presence in the squad. 

Navas left at the half during the US match because of an injury. US scored an own goal by the new keeper that 90% said should have been stopped.

Plus, a couple of commentators mentioned the Costa Rican backline played much more cautiously and with hesitancy in the 2nd half vs with comfort & confidence under Navas in the 1st.

[dyslexic nam]

Man, I know Cav always puts in a hard shift for Canada but he is only put on for the last 3 minutes of the most important game of Vancouver’s season.  Says a lot about where he stands currently at club level.  Curious what kind of a role he plays for us this window.  

[footballfreak]

18 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Man, I know Cav always puts in a hard shift for Canada but he is only put on for the last 3 minutes of the most important game of Vancouver’s season.  Says a lot about where he stands currently at club level.  Curious what kind of a role he plays for us this window.  

Not only that. His only pass was to an offside player (only partly to blame for that, but it wasn’t a pass that needed to be made), sat lazily in the box after a corner was cleared, and later committed a bad foul that very nearly dumped the Caps out of the playoffs. All in the span of 4 minutes. 

[Floortom]

I actually don’t understand why Sartini keeps putting Cav out there for the last few minutes of a match. Is it out of obligation? It’s not like he’s shown any value in that role. Better to just keep white on tbh.

[footballfreak]

7 minutes ago, Floortom said:

I actually don’t understand why Sartini keeps putting Cav out there for the last few minutes of a match. Is it out of obligation? It’s not like he’s shown any value in that role. Better to just keep white on tbh.

He looks so bad he’s either still injured enough that he shouldn’t be playing, or he has completely checked out and wants to leave the Caps. 

Edited November 8, 2021 by footballfreak

[Floortom]

36 minutes ago, footballfreak said:

He looks so bad he’s either still injured enough that he shouldn’t be playing, or he has completely checked out and wants to leave the Caps. 

TBH I think it's a mix of all three

1. He's definitely still hurt

2. he was very poor prior to being injured too though so it's not all the knee issue

3. He's obviously checked out and pissed he's been displaced by a guy like Brian White

I cant imagine there's a chance in hell he's back in Vancouver next year. It will be interesting to see what kind of market there is for him and if he can rejuvenate his career.

 

Edited November 8, 2021 by Floortom

[BrennanFan]

I thought he showed well in the few minutes he had. Got his touches in, fought off a defender and brought down a ball nicely, was involved on both sides of the ball. The foul was not needless. Glad he got the run out. 

[EJsens1]

I’ve been watching the weather in Cincinnati to see how it will impact the US-Mexico game.  It shows a high of 15 during the day for Friday, but a low of 2 at night, feels like zero.  Quite a change.  I hope it stays warmer so the Mexicans don’t adjust as well for their game against us.  Want them to rack up the yellow cards too