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

[pod818]

2 hours ago, Vasi said:

Not only that, the stadiums will not be at full capacity! Some will be empty. That is big. 

This..probably one of the biggest factors missing much of the crowd and noise. Only half the urine bags and batteries will be thrown! Will be much less intimidating 

[Floortom]

I still haven’t seen confirmation re:Honduras and El Salvador capacity constraints. How do we know they’re not full capacity ?

[Gian-Luca]

Just now, pod818 said:

This..probably one of the biggest factors missing much of the crowd and noise. Only half the urine bags and batteries will be thrown! Will be much less intimidating 

Maybe those in attendance will piss twice as much as normal to make up for it?

[trc2014]

Not sure if the one soccer taping is old, but they are acting like Eustaquio won’t play in the window at all.

[theaub]

If anyone wants to play around (think you need to go to the page and thne refresh again for it to work)

https://www.marca.com/claro-mx/futbol/mundial/2022/01/18/61e6f68322601d64798b456e.html

My prediction for the end of the window

[Shway]

2 minutes ago, theaub said:

If anyone wants to play around (think you need to go to the page and thne refresh again for it to work)

https://www.marca.com/claro-mx/futbol/mundial/2022/01/18/61e6f68322601d64798b456e.html

My prediction for the end of the window

but how is this possible when we don't drop any points? 🤔

[EJsens1]

6 minutes ago, Shway said:

but how is this possible when we don't drop any points? 🤔

Yeah..the US would have to be at 23 points or less than 22.  In this example we would have a win and 2 ties, meaning the US either gets 2 wins and a tie or whatever results, but not possible to get 6 if we get 5

Edit: wait the States are at 15 right?  So I guess this is possible

Edited January 25, 2022 by EJsens1

[A_Gagne]

4 hours ago, footballfreak said:

Leutwiler?

In season. Makes sense to me.

3 hours ago, Canucklehead69 said:

Considering he's doing media shoots maskless

 

I'm assuming Eustaquio will join us during the break

Apparently Portugal is not exactly too covid protocol inclined at the moment.

3 hours 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...

I get the Fraser has played well against the USA and has CMNT experience angle, but I'm somewhat included to agree. At the very least I think it's a shame Paton wasn't given his chance to at least come in and be given the opportunity to stake a claim in training.

3 hours ago, ronjames said:

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. 

Likely. I imagine he's not ready to commit yet, but may have been tempted to come in and experience a camp. He probably would have been left off the official WCQ roster though. As above if there had've been a camp I would like to think Paton would have been involved as well. 

3 hours ago, Obinna said:

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? 

I like this take. I think the counter argument though is that we've got more MLS players who are difference makers. Or at least that's the perception of their fan base, who seem to hate a lot on their MLS contingent. But like you suggest I'm skeptical, and think that's more perception than reality.

2 hours ago, Free kick said:

There is one big difference between JDG’s experience in Central America and today.  Today, those two central american sides are for all intents and purposes eliminated. Hence, playing for nothing. 

They're playing for pride. That's not nothing, and it is powerful and we shouldn't underestimate it... but at the same time the difference is that in JDG's day their teams took to the field having already won in their minds, and than made it happen on the pitch... now they walk on doubting that outcome and instead hoping for a win. That is also powerful and why I like our chances.

[BearcatSA]

Gutierrez gets the call up with the Davies's absence.  Here's hoping that he doesn't up getting crocked up in training. 

Settled side, much familarity with each other and the system.  I expect some good results, regardless of the Davies and Eustaquio situations.

 

[Shway]

Just now, BearcatSA said:

Gutierrez gets the call up with the Davies's absence.  Here's hoping that he doesn't up getting crocked up in training.

What kinda of negative energy is that.
We got Covid to worry about, we don't need that all of that lol

[theaub]

19 minutes ago, EJsens1 said:

Yeah..the US would have to be at 23 points or less than 22.  In this example we would have a win and 2 ties, meaning the US either gets 2 wins and a tie or whatever results, but not possible to get 6 if we get 5

Edit: wait the States are at 15 right?  So I guess this is possible

 I have us drawing the first two matches and beating El Salvador.  So yes seven points for the US.

[BearcatSA]

12 minutes ago, Shway said:

What kinda of negative energy is that.
We got Covid to worry about, we don't need that all of that lol

I said that I was "hoping" he didn't get crocked, just like I am hoping we get all nine points in this window.  That's positive mojo, isn't it?

[narduch]

.....

Edited January 25, 2022 by narduch

[trc2014]

Plot thickens

 

[Sal333]

42 minutes ago, Shway said:

but how is this possible when we don't drop any points? 🤔

It's CONCACA. They'll deduct points from us for being too good.

[EJsens1]

Wheeler is answering a bunch of questions about the program and players on Twitter 

[EJsens1]

 

 

Just posting these for others who don’t use Twitter…kinda long so my apologies there 

He posted a couple other tweets but they really aren’t related directly to the team 

Edited January 25, 2022 by EJsens1

[red card]

5 hours ago, Obinna said:

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

That list is also from CSA - but in their full press release. It's too detailed for a twitter graphic unless your audience is something like fintwit.

But they could move away from alphabetical order to the 5 position categories listed in the press release since not many tend to click through to press releases.

[Stryker911]

The nice bonus for us is El Salvador and and Honduras passionatly hate each other. Way more than we dislike honduras. Both those teams will go all out in that middle game to get the W.

[narduch]

 

[An Observer]

5 minutes ago, narduch said:

 

wow.  Interesting about Corbeanu.

[A_Gagne]

^wants to establish himself at his new club I guess.

[David Pinto]

Considering it's his hometown that's strange. 

[frmr]

He’s on an important recon mission tomorrow.

[Infernal]