WCQ: Canada vs Mexico - Tuesday, Nov 16, 9pm EST / 6pm Pacific - Edmonton

[narduch]

3 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Where are you then? I am in Spain, just curious. 

The broadcast was not clear and the commentators were not either. We saw David apparently near the bench for a second, as if not coming back on, then we were playing with 10. I wondered if he'd come back on, One Soccer has no one doing the work pitchside to let us know how the subs might be going, what the bench activity is (two commentators, 3 analysts, the person doing pitchside interviews postgame, but no one during the match to provide fills? Waste of personnel). Which I find amazingly dumb considering what was at stake. At least ask him to go back in and sit up high and occupy a space and pressure a bit, his legs worked. Then do the sub.

Maybe I missed it.

But im pretty sure they didn't even mention the Mexico subs at the half.

 

[TGAA_Star]

17 minutes ago, scullion44 said:

Combine this with Panama losing both their away games and now we're talking.

 

Costa Rica also has to go away to Mexico and Jamaica.

That is true but I'm just saying if we end up anywhere between 23 to 25 points that may be good enough to get to Qatar 

[Miche]

27 minutes ago, scullion44 said:

Last few minutes were a wreck for me as game was at 4:00 local time lol so can anyone confirm was David subbed off due to injury? It was before Mexico scored so tactical switch would seem weird 

There was talk that he couldn't see very well after he took that hand to the face, maybe poked in the eye / swelling, maybe lost contact lens that they struggled to replace.

[Heepster]

6 hours ago, Joe MacCarthy said:

Perhaps, easier and safer for the surface to remove snow from an artificial surface than a natural one.  SkyDome is out of the picture, correct?

SkyDome (Rogers Centre) almost certainly won't be having any football/soccer for the foreseeable future. As I understand the situation, the lower (100) level stands will be staying fixed in the baseball configuration because the most recent artificial turf installation less than a year ago is "affixed to the ground rather than be easily removable like past iterations". 

The stadium probably has not had the artificial turf for a football/soccer set-up since the CFL moved out a few years ago. Spending perhaps millions of dollars for a new one that might only be used once or twice a year would not be worth it, and temporary grass became dislodged in "large pizza box" sized chunks the last time it was tried in November 2013.  

It is a little strange that things have ended up in recent years in Toronto with the summer sport of baseball having the climate-controlled dome that sits empty and entirely unused for six months a year (October to March), while BMO Field gets used in November, December, March and even once in February by TFC.

Edited November 17, 2021 by Heepster

[Pottsy3]

It's hilarious to think that a few months ago we were panicked by Suriname bringing in Dutch talent. Then we were dubbing the Haiti series as "our most important match in a decade". Now look at us, swinging our dick around amongst the CONCACAF giants.

 

This program is amongst the best in CONCACAF. Will we be favoured next time we face Mexico or the US? Probably not. But we don't have to go into these guys worried about "just not conceding". We can play with confidence, knowing we can hang with them on any given day.

[zeelaw]

Congrats to our Edmonton Voyageurs for growing their lore with the phenomenal Iceteca name and a night to follow it.  Live it.

Edited November 17, 2021 by zeelaw

[TGAA_Star]

But if we manage to win all 3 games in our next window (27th, 30th and February 2nd)...we could still lock up a place in Qatar early which is what I'm hoping for

[JFL19]

4 minutes ago, Pottsy3 said:

It's hilarious to think that a few months ago we were panicked by Suriname bringing in Dutch talent. Then we were dubbing the Haiti series as "our most important match in a decade". Now look at us, swinging our dick around amongst the CONCACAF giants.

 

This program is amongst the best in CONCACAF. Will we be favoured next time we face Mexico or the US? Probably not. But we don't have to go into these guys worried about "just not conceding". We can play with confidence, knowing we can hang with them on any given day.

By the time the game rolled around we were actually the betting favourites across every sportsbook i could find.  Opened up only as a slight underdog but money poured in on Canada to push the odds down.

[jonovision]

1 hour ago, narduch said:

Maybe I missed it.

But im pretty sure they didn't even mention the Mexico subs at the half.

 

They absolutely did mention them.

[sstackho]

2 hours ago, narduch said:

It's probably going to take 25 points unless Panama starts to slip up

Here's where the simulation model thinks our placement will be, if we reach the number of points in the first column.

 

Edited November 17, 2021 by sstackho

[The Real Marc]

So we need wins in central america.

[apbsmith]

I appreciate the prediction models being posted but this is why prediction models are kind of funny.... It was 90%+ at 20-21 points at one point now 20 points is 15%. 

I'm glad the mentality from the jump amongst the lads was 1st in region and 25+ points.

25+ points or win the group holds true and you don't need to worry about these models. 

[Mattd97]

55 minutes ago, TGAA_Star said:

But if we manage to win all 3 games in our next window (27th, 30th and February 2nd)...we could still lock up a place in Qatar early which is what I'm hoping for

I too would like to win out. Agreed. 

[chalms04]

12 hours ago, vancanman said:

https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/nominate-someone

Figured this honour (the Polar Medal) is the most befitting:

 

 

Edited November 17, 2021 by chalms04

[jonovision]

I think 4 points from our two remaining home games and one win away does the business.

[canuckgbp]

Panama has a tough window coming up

Away at Costa Rica

Home vs Jamaica 

Away at Mexico

 

[Gian-Luca]

2 hours ago, scullion44 said:

Last few minutes were a wreck for me as game was at 4:00 local time lol so can anyone confirm was David subbed off due to injury? It was before Mexico scored so tactical switch would seem weird 

Yes, Cavallini came on for him (and didn't do enough pressing IMO, although he did seal the victory by winning the corner, then wasting time and frustrating the fuck out of the Mexicans). The injury was a swollen eye from an elbow or forearm to his head.

Think it's a less extreme case of what happened to Borjan in the 2017 Gold Cup when Piette accidentally punched him in the side of the head and his right eye started to swell up. I posted a CSA twitter video somewhere in the past few pages of this thread where they show David celebrating with what looks to be a somewhat swollen from the elbow he got. He was even mixing it up in the scuffle at the end of the game, so I think he'll be fine even for the weekend match that Lille presumably has.

[nolando]

[TGAA_Star]

15 minutes ago, canuckgbp said:

Panama has a tough window coming up

Away at Costa Rica

Home vs Jamaica 

Away at Mexico

 

Panama I can see them beating Costa Rica but against Jamaica they beat them too and then against Mexico is where I can see them losing

[canuckgbp]

3 minutes ago, TGAA_Star said:

Panama I can see them beating Costa Rica but against Jamaica they beat them too and then against Mexico is where I can see them losing

Idk. Costa Rica is on the ropes. If they don’t win against Panama it is basically over for them. 
 

Costa Rica then have to go to Mexico and Jamaica. Really difficult window for them as well. 

[TGAA_Star]

That's true but Jamaica they still have a chance all be it a very slim one to at least get to 4th especially if they win the rest of their games and they don't lose 

[DigzTFC]

Atiba Hutchinson "Honestly, this is what I've always wanted for this country"

Me too, Atiba...me too

Vamos/Forza/Allez/Let's Go!

[vancanman]

10 hours ago, vancanman said:

https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/nominate-someone

Order of Canada:

Would anyone who's more knowledgable than I am about these two (Atiba and Borjan) be interested in getting the ball rolling?  

The first sentence is "Do you know someone who's changing the game?"  Um, yes, as a matter of fact.

[vancanman]

50 minutes ago, chalms04 said:

Figured this honour is the most befitting:

 

 

Do you mean the Polar Medal?  

[jonovision]

Having re-watched some bits of the match and recalling the consternation in the earlier pages of this thread about Atiba starting, here are my thoughts on this legend:

• I agree he may not have the style or the legs to be part of the team when we are playing expansive, flowing, attacking football (think 2nd half vs Panama)
• His best skills are controlling the 5m or so of space around him. Defensively, that means reading plays quickly, and picking the right moment to double team a player not fully in control of the ball
• Offensively, he's never struck me as a fluid player that seems like a natural on the ball. What he is extremely talented at his controlling less-than-perfect passes (usually by one or two-touching to a safe outlet) and using his octopus-like reach to keep possession.
• These offensive and defensive skills are exactly what we needed in a match in these conditions. Mark-Anthony Kaye, for one, is a more talented offensive player, but doesn't bring either of these skillsets to the table.
• I don't think Atiba is a guaranteed starter in any match going forward, but on another bad pitch, he may be the guy. For at least 60-70 minutes.