WCQ: Honduras vs Canada - Thursday, Jan 27, 8pm EST / 5pm Pacific - San Pedro Sula, Honduras

[JAVIERF]

15 minutes ago, jonovision said:

I agree we should have called a bigger roster but I don't think we left anyone off the list who really could have helped in the centre of midfield. I don't think Russell Teibert or Michael Baldisimo or Ralph Priso or Noble Okello are solving any of those problems.

In the previous two 3-game windows Canada's performances and cohesion improved with each match. I don't know if that's enough to beat the USA, but it gives us a chance.

Teibert is a player I hugely rate is someone who could link up well with Osorio and others as a deep lying playmaker.  The Hoilett idea wasn't bad but he was coming back from injury, he has lost his speed but Hoilett is so composed on the ball he could be a playmaker now

[Free kick]

39 minutes ago, Joe Keeper said:

Bloody brilliant. I've watched us lose more than a few down there; I'm extatic with this result.

The David goal, the pass from Miller and the two Borjan saves were just top class. If Cavallini could have gotten one for 3-0, I would have lost it (after what he went through in the 2012 loss).

The sweetest thing might be the fact that the Honduran own goal was the game winner.

That being said, we looked like a team that hasn't played together in a while. We made that harder on ourselves than it needed to be. Possession was sloppy with far too many give aways, especially in midfield.

We definitely looked weak in the center of the park and middle of defence at times. The CBs did just enough but overall will need to fight for more ariel balls and work on proper clearances. I'm a bit concerned. We need to try to keep the ball and pass it around with more pace and confidence. The team is so good when we can do this. The pitch was heavy a tore up easily to be fair.

All this needs to be cleaned up against a much tougher American team. It was worth trying Hoilett at center mid. I'm proud of the team and coach for having the guts to be flexible when needed. Hopefully Eustaquio is ready to go and that Piette is healthy too. We need all the help in the centre we can get. We should have called a bigger roster to cover this but here we are.

I love what we have on the wings and at forward, including some players that aren't here right now. I felt for Tajon. He is a capable wing back or attacking fullback or even pure midfield winger but he is built for the final third and flair attacking. He looked frustrated tonight but did well. I really liked Adekugbe too. He is growing slowly but surely. Larin will rise up again for the next game as will others. 

The Costa Rica win over Panama was huge. If only Jamaica could have held or beaten Mexico.

We should be going for the jugular against the US and El Salvador.

On we go lads, just finish the job.

 

 

I think a lot of the deficiencies (for lack of better word) that we saw tonight can be attributed to the fact that so many players were not in in-season form.  And the lineup reflected that.  Looks like Herdman did everything he could to play as many European based players that he could.    The best part is that we can win an away game in Honduras while still questioning and knowing that it wasnt our best performance.  

To me,  that 1-1 game at the Azteca was our best performance of this whole WCQ campaign.  It was close to perfect when you consider the location,  the opponent,  the altitude, the number of scoring chances generated..etc..  The rarity of getting a result at the Azteca since it opened in 1930.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Free kick

[narduch]

 

[JAVIERF]

2 minutes ago, narduch said:

 

That's how this is the best sport in the world has the magic to bring all people together.  Borjan played in Argentina in his youth.  He also was on the bench for a season for a team here.  Top guy and seems a humble guy too ...good qualities for a team leader

[sstackho]

9 minutes ago, narduch said:

 

Words cannot express how much I love this. 

[sebdeserio]

11 minutes ago, JAVIERF said:

That's how this is the best sport in the world has the magic to bring all people together.  Borjan played in Argentina in his youth.  He also was on the bench for a season for a team here.  Top guy and seems a humble guy too ...good qualities for a team leader

Atiba saying I ****ing love this team is so powerful.

[Acid-Tone]

55 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

I was thinking Sheik Adnan Al Kassi, you knew that bugger had his cast loaded up with a steel rod.  

Sorry, but you're both wrong.  He's clearly doing a long-term homage to Hamilton's very own Iron Mike Sharpe!

[Joe Keeper]

The Azteca result was a fantastic performance. Like you say, given the degrees of difficulty, the fact we almost pipped a winner there makes it both wonderful and frustrating. It sets up the future, I hope.

Between that game and tonight, I take solace in the fact that it means we have hit a new level but still know what we can do to improve. I don't think this team has seen its best football yet.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Joe Keeper

[Approve My Account Pls]

2 minutes ago, Joe Keeper said:

I don't think this team has seen its best football yet.

This is the best part. We all see that there's another gear to this, we're just getting started 

[JamboAl]

23 minutes ago, narduch said:

 

I would have never believed this even 6 months ago…what a great team!  Let’s get those Yanks on Sunday!

[JAVIERF]

What amazed me about the Canadian national team over the last 20 years is how things changed the Canadian football fans made it work.  The CSA hired local coaches, Floro and many others and couldn't get this done.  The ones that came close and made it better were Frank Yallop and Stephen Hart at patches.

[Neil R.]

An incredible result. We've won in Central America. If you had told me before the Octagonal that we would go to Mexico, the US, and Honduras, and we wouldn't lose a single one of those matches, I wouldn't have believed you.

This is the new Canada.

This feels like a flag donation night. I'm donating 5. 3 for the 3 points and 2 for the 2 goals.

[Free kick]

Another positive to consider going into Sunday.  The best that the US was able to do (playing at home against ES) was a 1-0 result..   Thats not even close to what Canada was able to muster against this same squad at BMO

Edited January 28, 2022 by Free kick

[afun]

Another bunch of beauties to add to what will be an absolutely epic montage video clip of this world cup qualifying campaign. The quadruple stepover and goal by Tajon, the pinpoint laser pass by Fraser, and the take, header and chip by David, and then the left hand save by Milan and then the right.

All added to the goal by Phonzie, the snow jump by Sam, Oso's goal against Mexico and Milan saves and so many more.

20 years prior to this I think I could count real highlights on one hand.

[JAVIERF]

The players that I think could bring something to your national team are 4 that I always rate and watched play always good intelligent football

1-Maxim Tissot. 

2-Russel Teibert

3-Tyler Pasher

4-Tesho Akindele

 

I like the idea of blooding youngsters but experience is more important.  

Those 4 are really good

 

[hulkrogan]

4 hours ago, Diego said:

I've honestly never understood what anyone sees in him for club or country. Him being dubbed subbed on is always a bad sign for me. 

(^Fraser subbed on)

4 hours ago, OhCanadaOhBaby said:

I take it back David has got to come off

Lol. Back to back beauties. Nailed it! 

Edited January 28, 2022 by hulkrogan

[JAVIERF]

Where is Maxim Tissot playing at?  He was a great talent.  An old fashioned lefty left-back a bit of class and speed.  A Bit of Fabio Grosso 

[Cblake]

1 minute ago, JAVIERF said:

Where is Maxim Tissot playing at?  He was a great talent.  An old fashioned lefty left-back a bit of class and speed.  A Bit of Fabio Grosso 

He just signed with Atletico Ottawa for the upcoming season.

[VanMetropole]

5 hours ago, The Real Marc said:

Fraser? Erg....

 

5 hours ago, Hawkguy said:

Horrendous from Fraser.

 

5 hours ago, Big_M said:

Yup thats belgian d2 player

 

5 hours ago, AvroArrow said:

Fraser worries me.

 

[footballfreak]

I haven’t read the whole thread, so apologies if it’s already been mentioned, but Borjan 100% got a touch on that shoss that went off the crossbar right? Might have been going in.

[Cadeau]

Never in doubt

[vancanman]

6 hours ago, EJsens1 said:

Why do the guys on the left side of the picture look as if they could smack the tattoo off Mike Tyson's face?

Ii couldn't remember his name, so I had to look it up:

 

 

 

[rydermike]

7 hours ago, dyslexic nam said:

 I am curious about the threshold for assured qualification given the dynamics of the final window among the 3 other teams vying for the top 3.  

Updated Magic Numbers for Canada:

To clinch 4th - 9 points 

To clinch 3rd - 11 points

 

Magic Number = Points We Win + Points dropped by team in the following position. So any combination of Canada points earned and Costa Rica points dropped for 4th  / Canada and Panama for 3rd

[Strait Red]

6 hours ago, Acid-Tone said:

Sorry, but you're both wrong.  He's clearly doing a long-term homage to Hamilton's very own Iron Mike Sharpe!

Canada’s Greatest Athlete!

Definately ageing myself remembering that about his introduction to a match.

[Joe MacCarthy]

17 minutes ago, Strait Red said:

Canada’s Greatest Athlete!

Definately ageing myself remembering that about his introduction to a match.

Wrong! Gene Kiniski was Canada's Greatest Athlete