WCQ: Third Round - Window 5 (March 24 - 30, 2022)

[spitfire]

As Herdman said...  1 game at a time Focus on Costa Rica and get our job done...let the rest sort it self out...

[theaub]

Jamaica squad - very North American based

 

[Gian-Luca]

 

[Obinna]

3 hours ago, VinceA said:

I'm very interested in how nations league will look. We've all been talking about integration and new blood but do we actually know how Herdman is thinking of approaching it? He could very easily use the games as more reps ahead of Qatar and as a result its mostly the same guys.

 

If he does go the new blood route, who does he leave off? I imagine any in season MLSers who are regulars might get left off (but then do they want to be? e.g. Osorio) and then how does he aproach Europeans? I could see David getting a rest, but then I could see Davies coming in since he missed a lot of time recently.

Lots to think about.

It's a good question. So far there hasn't been an indication whether we'll bring our top squad or our fringe guys or something in between.

Without any mention from Herdman all we can do is speculate, so my speculation is that players will be asked if they want to play or want a break and the chips will fall where they may. This is what we did for Gold Cup last summer, which resulted in an A minus squad of sorts.

David was the most notable exclusion because he was struggling with injury and was moving clubs, and since he's likely on the move again and his status in the team is secure, I predict we won't see him. Larin is likely moving clubs as well and he's struggled with niggling injuries all season, so let's call that a coin flip. I am going to assume Hutchinson needs rest and Borjan I can see bring being omitted, either to rest or to blood new keepers (we have a lot of them now all of a sudden). I can't think of anyone else who may be on the move, aside from Corbenu returning from loan (and likely being sent out again), so coin flip there as well. Ditto for Ugbo I suppose. Davies I think will be a coin flip due to the nature of what he's dealing with.

Assuming the coin flips don't show, we are left with:

Crepeau, St. Clair, Laryea, Johnston, Henry, Cornelius, Vitoria, Miller, Adekudgbe, Gutierrez, Eustaquio, Kaye, Osorio, Fraser, Buchanan, Hoilett, Millar, Cavallini

Here are my picks for the remaining 7 to fill in the gaps and bring us to 25:

Kone, ZBG, Choiniere (could be Edwards), L. Petrasso (could be Schaffleburg), Breza (could be Hasal), Paton (could be Mitrovic), Akinola (could be Brym)

[TGAA_Star]

At this point I wouldn't be surprised if we finish undefeated in qualifying 

[Weng]

19 minutes ago, TGAA_Star said:

At this point I wouldn't be surprised if we finish undefeated in qualifying 

This is like saying a team is going to get a shut out in hockey before the game is done.  Now you’ve gone and jinxed it!  Haha!  
 

It would be awesome if they could achieve that TGAA.

Edited March 21, 2022 by Weng

[Approve My Account Pls]

Would someone be able to repost that spreadsheet with every team's card status?

[Corazon]

29 minutes ago, Obinna said:

It's a good question. So far there hasn't been an indication whether we'll bring our top squad or our fringe guys or something in between.

Without any mention from Herdman all we can do is speculate, so my speculation is that players will be asked if they want to play or want a break and the chips will fall where they may. This is what we did for Gold Cup last summer, which resulted in an A minus squad of sorts.

David was the most notable exclusion because he was struggling with injury and was moving clubs, and since he's likely on the move again and his status in the team is secure, I predict we won't see him. Larin is likely moving clubs as well and he's struggled with niggling injuries all season, so let's call that a coin flip. I am going to assume Hutchinson needs rest and Borjan I can see bring being omitted, either to rest or to blood new keepers (we have a lot of them now all of a sudden). I can't think of anyone else who may be on the move, aside from Corbenu returning from loan (and likely being sent out again), so coin flip there as well. Ditto for Ugbo I suppose. Davies I think will be a coin flip due to the nature of what he's dealing with.

Assuming the coin flips don't show, we are left with:

Crepeau, St. Clair, Laryea, Johnston, Henry, Cornelius, Vitoria, Miller, Adekudgbe, Gutierrez, Eustaquio, Kaye, Osorio, Fraser, Buchanan, Hoilett, Millar, Cavallini

Here are my picks for the remaining 7 to fill in the gaps and bring us to 25:

Kone, ZBG, Choiniere (could be Edwards), L. Petrasso (could be Schaffleburg), Breza (could be Hasal), Paton (could be Mitrovic), Akinola (could be Brym)

I agree with majority of this post.  However, I will say that if Edwards is currently on standby, he is 26th and just missed out on the final spot for this set of games.  Assuming he continues his strong form, he will be there.  Akinola I would love to be there but unless he's fully cleared and playing for some time before the internaitonal games, I wouldn't want to risk it.  Bob Bradley also just said that he is still away away.  I also think Brym likely just missed the cut for this window as well so if he can continue his form, I would expect him there.  If Mitrovic accepts, he should be there.

Edited March 21, 2022 by Corazon

[Xavier.]

12 minutes ago, Approve My Account Pls said:

Would someone be able to repost that spreadsheet with every team's card status?

[narduch]

Athletic sending Kloke to Costa Rica. We are like a real soccer nation now.

 

[narduch]

One Soccer Today is back in studio 

 

[Shway]

2 hours ago, Xavier. said:

Wow never really looked at the bottom totals. 
I guess we don't top the chart without being a little dirty. Definitely not getting any fairplay awards lol.

[narduch]

6 minute+ interview with Herdman.

 

[Kadenge]

30 minutes ago, narduch said:

6 minute+ interview with Herdman.

 

just listening to that video you can see how much John Herdman has  progressed over the last 4 yrs. There's no more sizzle ....just  solid on field results. Very measured in his responses and the part about staying calm....... the man is in control and on a mission

[Joe MacCarthy]

 

[dyslexic nam]

58 minutes ago, Kadenge said:

just listening to that video you can see how much John Herdman has  progressed over the last 4 yrs. There's no more sizzle ....just  solid on field results. Very measured in his responses and the part about staying calm....... the man is in control and on a mission

I will reiterate what I have said before - he absolutely seems to learn and evolve quickly.  Some of the tactical gaps seem to have been filled.  Not a fan of the Ted-Talk style?   Fixed.   Recognizing the gaps in his own skillset - so he surrounds himself with a solid team of professionals.  

I was a skeptic out of the gate but I am really liking what he has brought to the program.   Hopefully he is invested for the long haul.   

[lamptern]

The only sad thing i can see now is: With a possiblity of 99.5% Canada to qualify, the chance of Phozie to personally experience the decisive qualifying game is 0.5%......

Edited March 22, 2022 by lamptern

[sstackho]

14 hours ago, narduch said:

6 minute+ interview with Herdman.

 

I get a bit triggered every time I hear say Herdman say "we just need one point".  Technically, we need two points and lest we forget 8-1.  Seems rather un-Herdman-like to underplay the situation. 

[Sal333]

5 minutes ago, sstackho said:

I get a bit triggered every time I hear say Herdman say "we just need one point".  Technically, we need two points and lest we forget 8-1.  Seems rather un-Herdman-like to underplay the situation. 

I think it is one point to qualify for 4th. Panama is 8 points behind us. If we pick up only one point the whole window and Panama scores all nine points, we'll be tied with them and we go through because we have a winning record against them. I think that's how it works.

[Kent]

The one point thing doesn't bother me too much, but it is a bit disingenuous. In all likelihood we already have enough points to qualify. And you could say that Herdman is right on a technicality, as long as that one point is against Panama.

[Metro]

18 minutes ago, Sal333 said:

I think it is one point to qualify for 4th. Panama is 8 points behind us. If we pick up only one point the whole window and Panama scores all nine points, we'll be tied with them and we go through because we have a winning record against them. I think that's how it works.

4th place is clinched.  It is mathematically impossible that 4 teams pass Canada in the final 3 games.

Edit: IIRC, the "magic number" to clinch an automatic spot is 2.

Edited March 22, 2022 by Metro

[Sal333]

9 minutes ago, Metro said:

4th place is clinched.  It is mathematically impossible that 4 teams pass Canada in the final 3 games.

Edit: IIRC, the "magic number" to clinch an automatic spot is 2.

You're right. I mis-spoke. If we get one point we'll clinch 3rd place. 

Edited March 22, 2022 by Sal333

[maplebanana]

1 hour ago, Sal333 said:

You're right. I mis-spoke. If we get one point we'll clinch 3rd place. 

Also not technically true. We can get 1 pt and still finish 4th. But it takes a very specific combination of results and requires Panama to make up a huge goal difference with us.

Clinching scenarios have been laid out before but putting it here again:

Canada win

OR

Canada draw AND (Panama loss/draw OR USA loss/draw)

OR

Canada loss AND Panama loss/draw AND USA loss

[archer21]

2 hours ago, Sal333 said:

You're right. I mis-spoke. If we get one point we'll clinch 3rd place. 

1 point clinches 4th at least. As has been mentioned though, every other game would have to go against us and our big goal differential would need to be overturned for us to not get top 3 at that point.

[narduch]

20 hours ago, Xavier. said:

We should send home any player sitting on a yellow after Sunday. Assuming we have clinched by then.

I believe suspensions carry over to the World Cup