WCQ: Third Round - Window 4 (January 27- February 2, 2022)

[Obinna]

I know Davies is a massive loss, but that's still an excellent squad. No reason why we aren't believing 7 points are attainable here.

We should believe we can finish the window in the same way we start it, in first place. 

[CanadaFan123]

Unattached FC makes its triumphant return

[Obinna]

1 minute ago, narduch said:

Here's the list with club names:

GK- Milan Borjan | SRB / FK Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade)
GK- Maxime Crépeau | USA / Los Angeles FC
GK- Jayson Leutwiler | ENG / Oldham Athletic AFC
CB- Derek Cornelius | GRE / Panetolikos FC
CB- Doneil Henry | Unattached / sans club
CB- Scott Kennedy | GER / SSV Jahn Regensburg
CB- Kamal Miller | CAN / CF Montréal
CB- Steven Vitória | POR / Moreirense FC
FB- Samuel Adekugbe | TUR / Hatayspor FC
FB- Cristián Gutierrez | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
FB- Alistair Johnston | CAN / CF Montréal
FB- Richie Laryea | ENG / Nottingham Forest FC
M- Stephen Eustáquio | POR / FC Porto
M- Liam Fraser | BEL / KMSK Deinze
M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
M- Mark-Anthony Kaye | USA / Colorado Rapids
M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Samuel Piette | CAN / CF Montréal
F- Tajon Buchanan | BEL / Club Brugge KV
F- Lucas Cavallini | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
F- Jonathan David | FRA / Lille OSC
F- David Junior Hoilett | ENG / Reading FC
F- Cyle Larin | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
F- Liam Millar | SUI / FC Basel
F- Iké Ugbo | BEL / KRC Genk

https://canadasoccer.com/news/canada-soccer-announces-fifa-world-cup-qualifiers-squad-to-start-new-year/

I can't be the only one who prefers this layout to the CSA graphic.

[gator]

By my count 15 of the players called are in season, I think that is very important especially with our cancelled camp and training match!

[Canucklehead69]

Considering he's doing media shoots maskless

 

I'm assuming Eustaquio will join us during the break

[king1010]

25 person roster. bet it was going to be 24, then Eustacqio got COVID and they added a 25th. The stache probably won't be playing/ travelling for the first game. 

[VinceA]

Fraser over Paton is mind-blowing to me. Feels like Herdman will play favourites instead of going with needs, in this case a player who is in mid-season form.

Fraser is also moving to a second division club that's barely professional.

[TripleA]

Call-ups sitting on a yellow card: Kaye, Adekugbe, Eustaquio, Piette, Laryea, Henry

[EJsens1]

3 minutes ago, CanadaFan123 said:

Unattached FC makes its triumphant return

I like their chances this year 

[Canucklehead69]

We get 6 points this window I think it's almost party time

 

4 is not the worst

 

Anything less is nerve-racking

[CanadaFan123]

3 minutes ago, Canucklehead69 said:

Considering he's doing media shoots maskless

 

I'm assuming Eustaquio will join us during the break

Exactly what I was thinking. 

[Pottsy3]

12 minutes ago, VinceA said:

Fraser over Paton is mind-blowing to me. Feels like Herdman will play favourites instead of going with needs, in this case a player who is in mid-season form.

Fraser is also moving to a second division club that's barely professional.

Liam Fraser has the experience stepping in for big games for CanMNT, specifically against the USA in 2019. Neither are world beaters, so I think you lean on the side of experience and familiarity in this case.

 

I'm all for rotating in guys like Paton in due time, but with the spread of COVID putting every player at position of missing games I'd be much more comfortable starting Fraser if it came down to it. Every game is crucial.

 

Similar to why I think Leutwiler was called in, even with Oldham struggling. I consider the struggles we had thrusting guys like Marcus Godinho into the mix in the past or the Gold Cup where we need experienced vet Stamatopoulos to bail us out.

Edited January 24, 2022 by Pottsy3

[trc2014]

No idea what Wheeler was talking about regarding players left off because of vaccine status.....

Edited January 24, 2022 by trc2014

[ronjames]

I wonder if the camp being cancelled impacted Mitrovic's chance at a call-up? 

In any case, still a decent squad. I'll be content with 4 points, happy with 5 points, elated if more. 

[toontownman]

2 minutes ago, VinceA said:

Fraser over Paton is mind-blowing to me. Feels like Herdman will play favourites instead of going with needs, in this case a player who is in mid-season form.

Fraser is also moving to a second division club that's barely professional.

It's a case of Herdman trusting the players that have been in the set up. It's a bit chicken and egg. I agree with Paton and players like that don't get trusted and used to the set-up without being called up to be in the set-up. Unless we have top tier break through players/dual commitments the squad we have and have had the past year or so, is the squad we will have through the qualifiers, if not the WC, if we make it. 

We need friendlies and camps to bed new players in. 

 

[Gian-Luca]

25 called but no extra midfielders for Eustaquio being absent for at least game 1 - just six called in total.

[ag futbol]

10 minutes ago, Obinna said:

I know Davies is a massive loss, but that's still an excellent squad. No reason why we aren't believing 7 points are attainable here.

We should believe we can finish the window in the same way we start it, in first place. 

I want to be optimistic but man, having the majority of your midfielders out of season and your best one missing (assuming his inclusion is speculative)… that’s a tough one. 

I also wonder about the merits of having another ice bowl when we’re sandwiching that between two warm weather games and the opponent is going to be acclimatized in their previous matches (if I read it right that US was going to play somewhere cold their first game). Although I get you either give the americas the benefit of minimal travel or play in cold weather, so bit of a tough one.

We’ll be counting on big performances from guys in the group.

 

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by ag futbol

[canuckgbp]

 

[N1ckbr0wn]

Very happy with the roster. Usually Herdman does a press conference with the roster release, maybe we get more clarification on Eustaquio status then ?

[toontownman]

Just now, N1ckbr0wn said:

Very happy with the roster. Usually Herdman does a press conference with the roster release, maybe we get more clarification on Eustaquio status then ?

Wouldn't be surprised if they save it for the hot takes this evening in OneSoccer Today. Unless it is pre-filmed. 

Sure we will get clarification soon on Wheelers twitter account either way.

 

[QBCS]

Controversial Team, but a team I think would hold its own

[Obinna]

One narrative amongst USA fans (and even our own fans to an extent) was that Canada will be more hurt by our reliance on MLS off-season players than United States, but let's take a closer look now that we have the roster:

GK- Milan Borjan | SRB / FK Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade)
GK- Maxime Crépeau | USA / Los Angeles FC
GK- Jayson Leutwiler | ENG / Oldham Athletic AFC
CB- Derek Cornelius | GRE / Panetolikos FC
CB- Doneil Henry | Unattached / sans club
CB- Scott Kennedy | GER / SSV Jahn Regensburg
CB- Kamal Miller | CAN / CF Montréal
CB- Steven Vitória | POR / Moreirense FC
FB- Samuel Adekugbe | TUR / Hatayspor FC
FB- Cristián Gutierrez | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
FB- Alistair Johnston | CAN / CF Montréal
FB- Richie Laryea | ENG / Nottingham Forest FC
M- Stephen Eustáquio | POR / FC Porto
M- Liam Fraser | BEL / KMSK Deinze
M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
M- Mark-Anthony Kaye | USA / Colorado Rapids
M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Samuel Piette | CAN / CF Montréal
F- Tajon Buchanan | BEL / Club Brugge KV
F- Lucas Cavallini | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
F- Jonathan David | FRA / Lille OSC
F- David Junior Hoilett | ENG / Reading FC
F- Cyle Larin | TUR / Beşiktaş JK
F- Liam Millar | SUI / FC Basel
F- Iké Ugbo | BEL / KRC Genk

That's 10 out of 25 players who are truly out of season, which is not entirely different from the USA (which I will get to).

You can debate Laryea because he hasn't played yet for Forest, but he's been training regularly by now so let's keep him in the "in-season" list. 

Now let's consider the USA:

GOALKEEPERS (4)

Sean Johnson - New York City FC

Gabriel Slonina - Chicago Fire FC

Zack Steffen - Manchester City

Matt Turner - New England Revolution

DEFENDERS (9)

Reggie Cannon - Boavista

Sergiño Dest - Barcelona

Brooks Lennon - Atlanta United

Mark McKenzie - Genk/BEL

Chris Richards - Hoffenheim

Antonee Robinson - Fulham

Miles Robinson - Atlanta United

DeAndre Yedlin - Galatasaray

Walker Zimmerman - Nashville SC

MIDFIELDERS (7)

Kellyn Acosta - LAFC

Tyler Adams - RB Leipzig

Luca de la Torre - Heracles

Sebastian Lletget - New England Revolution

Weston McKennie - Juventus

Yunus Musah - Valencia

Cristian Roldan - Seattle Sounders FC

FORWARDS (8)

Brenden Aaronson - Red Bull Salzburg

Paul Arriola - D.C. United

Jesús Ferreira - FC Dallas

Jordan Morris - Seattle Sounders FC

Ricardo Pepi - Augsburg

Christian Pulisic - Chelsea

Tim Weah - Lille

Gyasi Zardes - Columbus Crew

 

That is 13 out of 28 players from MLS who are out of season. I know the yanks had a recent camp for the domestics and we didn't, but aside from that is there a real difference here? I question if there is honestly.

The most out of season player for us, perhaps aside from Henry, would be Osorio, Cavallini, Gutierrez and Crepeau, because those teams are not prepping for Champions League.

For the USA, I believe you have Ferreira, Zardes, Zimmerman, Lennon and Robinson. 

I ask you, is there an actual difference here? 

Edited January 24, 2022 by Obinna

[Obinna]

5 minutes ago, QBCS said:

Controversial Team, but a team I think would hold its own

I need to see Johnston in a 2 before I believe it, but put Vitoria next to Scott Kennedy and I would support it. 

[Trois Reds]

Even without Davies and Eustaquio, I believe this group can more than hold its own.

[apbsmith]

20 minutes ago, ag futbol said:

I want to be optimistic but man, having the majority of your midfielders out of season and your best one missing (assuming his inclusion is speculative)… that’s a tough one. 

I also wonder about the merits of having another ice bowl when we’re sandwiching that between two warm weather games and the opponent is going to be acclimatized in their previous matches (if I read it right that US was going to play somewhere cold their first game). Although I get you either give the americas the benefit of minimal travel or play in cold weather, so bit of a tough one.

We’ll be counting on big performances from guys in the group.

 

 

I see your valid point but what were the other options?

1) The game needs to be played in CANADA unless federal regulations say otherwise that don't allow players to enter for your home game.  

2) Working in housing/construction law, I swear it must be 90%+ of renovation/construction work occur delays (even before covid era with material delays). BC turf was set to be ready in mid January, my understanding is turf is not ready yet. Also, the Big O in Montreal can't be used in case a big snowfall because of safety issues.  Those were the indoor options. 

Options were very limited, they picked a venue that logistically made the most sense, since my understanding was they could not use BMO.

Edited January 24, 2022 by apbsmith