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

[TGAA_Star]

3 minutes ago, Sal333 said:

The beauty of this team is that it is at the beginning of its developmental curve. At the beginning in a number of ways.

1) If you remove Atiba, Vitoria and Borjan we'll have one of the youngest teams at the WC. Between now and November many of those young players will grow. Develop their experience and skills

2) Many  NT players are either going to move or have just moved to higher divisions. More opportunities to grow.

3) Also, I think there's still more room to grow as a unit and I'm referring to both the players and the staff. I can see the coaching staff create different formations and tactics that will surprise our opponents. Also, the players will develop more cohesion among themselves. I heard many pundits talk about the number of games that Canada had to play in 2021 and they referred to it as a liability. I was of the opposite opinion. It helped these boys to gel and grow into a team. If management can line up as many friendly games as possible from May till November it can only help.

4) And finally,As of today we still don't know the peak of this team. Maybe we achieved it in this round. Or Maybe this team still has a couple of more levels. I'm of the opinion these players have a couple of more gears. I'm convinced of it especially after this window where we played without Davies and partially without Eustaquio. Knowing that your team doesn't necessarily need two of it's five best players is a tidbit of self knowledge that will help the coaching staff to implement a variety of strategies. Strategies that will surprise many teams. Even the top tier teams.

Definitely and we haven't even hit our stride either as a program. This is definitely as close to or if not a golden generation of Canadian football that I've seen probably ever in my lifetime.

[Sal333]

Just now, TGAA_Star said:

Definitely and we haven't even hit our stride either as a program. This is definitely as close to or if not a golden generation of Canadian football that I've seen probably ever in my lifetime.

You don't need to qualify your statement. We never had the likes of Davies, David, Larin, Buchanan, Eustaquio, Johnston and Borjan all on one team. This is definitely a golden generation. And my suspicion is that for 2026 we're gonna have a Platinum Generation.

[dyslexic nam]

31 minutes ago, Sal333 said:

The beauty of this team is that it is at the beginning of its developmental curve. At the beginning in a number of ways.

1) If you remove Atiba, Vitoria and Borjan we'll have one of the youngest teams at the WC. Between now and November many of those young players will grow. Develop their experience and skills

2) Many  NT players are either going to move or have just moved to higher divisions. More opportunities to grow.

3) Also, I think there's still more room to grow as a unit and I'm referring to both the players and the staff. I can see the coaching staff create different formations and tactics that will surprise our opponents. Also, the players will develop more cohesion among themselves. I heard many pundits talk about the number of games that Canada had to play in 2021 and they referred to it as a liability. I was of the opposite opinion. It helped these boys to gel and grow into a team. If management can line up as many friendly games as possible from May till November it can only help.

4) And finally,As of today we still don't know the peak of this team. Maybe we achieved it in this round. Or Maybe this team still has a couple of more levels. I'm of the opinion these players have a couple of more gears. I'm convinced of it especially after this window where we played without Davies and partially without Eustaquio. Knowing that your team doesn't necessarily need two of it's five best players is a tidbit of self knowledge that will help the coaching staff to implement a variety of strategies. Strategies that will surprise many teams. Even the top tier teams.

Yeah, anyone who viewed our 2021 schedule as a liability is just grossly misinformed.   These games have helped us grow in a way that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible.  There is a reason why club teams play so well together - it is because they know each other so well. With the previously infrequent games that we used to play, there was often a noticeable lack of chemistry and fluidity.  The current squad has overcome that - and I think Herdman’s “brotherhood” mantra reinforces it.  These are guys that want to play together and grow together.  

I have no idea what kind of shelf life that approach will have.  I am sure it can be sustained in the approach to Qatar but after that who knows.  Maybe some of the shine rubs off at some point.  But either way, the frequency of these guys training and playing together over the last year - and for the coming 10 month period - has been immense for the program.  

[EJsens1]

2 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

Yeah, anyone who viewed our 2021 schedule as a liability is just grossly misinformed.   These games have helped us grow in a way that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible.  There is a reason why club teams play so well together - it is because they know each other so well. With the previously infrequent games that we used to play, there was often a noticeable lack of chemistry and fluidity.  The current squad has overcome that - and I think Herdman’s “brotherhood” mantra reinforces it.  These are guys that want to play together and grow together.  

I have no idea what kind of shelf life that approach will have.  I am sure it can be sustained in the approach to Qatar but after that who knows.  Maybe some of the shine rubs off at some point.  But either way, the frequency of these guys training and playing together over the last year - and for the coming 10 month period - has been immense for the program.  

What will we be at, 25-26 games between all competitions by the end of March?  When was the last time we had even half of that in a calendar year? I know there will be nations league in June, but once we clinch, it will feel like an eternity between then and Qatar after the draw 

[dyslexic nam]

5 minutes ago, EJsens1 said:

What will we be at, 25-26 games between all competitions by the end of March?  When was the last time we had even half of that in a calendar year? I know there will be nations league in June, but once we clinch, it will feel like an eternity between then and Qatar after the draw 

I assume we will fill that time. I suspect the CSA punches pennies when they can but I also have faith that they will want to ensure the boys are ready for Qatar so that we aren’t embarrassed on the world stage.  Between clinching and Qatar, we have Nations League games, we will likely organize a number of camps and friendlies, and they may even try something like getting into Copa America like others are musing about.

I think we will see a frequency of games that will ensue we are ready when it all rolls around - so there should be plenty to watch.  
 

[Kadenge]

Once we qualify the big Canadian and possibly International corporate sponsors will jump in with 2022 and 2026 locked in. The CSA coffers will be full to the brim

Edited February 4, 2022 by Kadenge

[Sal333]

16 minutes ago, Kadenge said:

Once we qualify the big Canadian and possibly International corporate sponsors will jump in with 2022 and 2026 locked in. The CSA coffers will be full to the brim

Hopefully it'll be Canadian Tire money and not that monopoly crap in the gif.😃

(And yes I know Canadian Tire doesn't use money anymore but credit.)

Edited February 4, 2022 by Sal333

[TOcanadafan]

Like all of us, I’m so hyped… this team is amazing!!  But moving forward to the World Cup we still need to improve.  Hopefully the 3rd window will give us a chance to work on a few things… I really hope our passing improves - too many needless giveaways (I think Kaye’s performance vs US highlighted this).  Let’s hope better pitches will help us out a bit here, but we definitely need to look at cleaning things up.

[TOcanadafan]

And how did I forget to mention the set-pieces and corner kicks?  No real chances against two teams (Honduras / El Salvador) who we are half a foot taller than on average.  Man, if we could figure these things out we could be unstoppable.

[TGAA_Star]

15 minutes ago, TOcanadafan said:

Like all of us, I’m so hyped… this team is amazing!!  But moving forward to the World Cup we still need to improve.  Hopefully the 3rd window will give us a chance to work on a few things… I really hope our passing improves - too many needless giveaways (I think Kaye’s performance vs US highlighted this).  Let’s hope better pitches will help us out a bit here, but we definitely need to look at cleaning things up.

I agree but then comes the World Cup itself and having either our final 23 man squad or 26 man squad and deciding who to take to Qatar and or who to bring in as far as dual nationals and or who to drop from our squad. 

Then once that's settled, you also have to gameplan for the countries you will face at Qatar which means the whole logistics of setting up friendly matches against countries who are similar to the countries paired with you in your group.

But I definitely agree that there are a lot of things to work on but also as soon as we land in Qatar, deciding where we are going to camp out. 

But the pitches in Qatar look good especially if you watched the Arab Cup a few months ago.

[footballfreak]

Cyle Larin still has an outside shot at the global goal scoring title for WCQ. He’s currently tied for second, two goals back of the leader (Ali Mabkhout of UAE). 

[EJsens1]

 

[narduch]

More hearts to break in person.

Exactly 6 weeks away

[footballfreak]

I don’t consider it a likely outcome, but 9 points in March would break Costa Rica’s hex/ocho ppg record from 2002 (2.3 ppg). 6 points would put us in second.

[Kent]

Costa Rica hasn't been scoring much, but they have kept their opponents off the scoreboard pretty effectively. They have only given up 7 goals, tied with USA for the second least (behind us!) so they will be hard to break down in their home stadium I am sure. We lucked out in our first game against them with Navas missing the game. All this to say that a draw would be a great result. A win would be right up there with our best results in the Oct.

[Cblake]

Seems BMO Field has been confirmed  by Jamaican officials as the final home game of Canada's 2022 WCQ campaign. At the end of the day this made the most sense with in being the middle game sandwiched between two matches in Central America. It will either be one heck of a celebration right out of the gate after Canada punches their ticket to Qatar a few days earlier in Costa Rica or it gets punched in front of everyone at home. 

 

Edited February 11, 2022 by Cblake

[Shway]

No better stadium to have the celebration. Let’s goo 

[TGAA_Star]

6 hours ago, Cblake said:

Seems BMO Field has been confirmed  by Jamaican officials as the final home game of Canada's 2022 WCQ campaign. At the end of the day this made the most sense with in being the middle game sandwiched between two matches in Central America. It will either be one heck of a celebration right out of the gate after Canada punches their ticket to Qatar a few days earlier in Costa Rica or it gets punched in front of everyone at home. 

 

I love that it is going to be right here in my backyard 

[Cblake]

3 hours ago, TGAA_Star said:

I love that it is going to be right here in my backyard 

Not to offend anyone, I think a lot of people are. Being in Toronto makes this easy for anyone along the 401/20 corridor from Windsor, Montreal and beyond. With the discount air carriers these days and just simply cheap airline tickets in general, there never has been a better time for travel even during this pandemic. I for one went out to Edmonton from Toronto for the Mexico game for $120 return. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by Cblake

[Miche]

[Nevermind. Just spotted this is covered in the other thread.]

I may be misremembering, but weren't we all upset that the last Jamaican match was in Toronto because it led to huge Jamaican support? Or are we not worried about a repeat of that because of the state of the table?

Edited February 11, 2022 by Miche

[Corazon]

40 minutes ago, Miche said:

[Nevermind. Just spotted this is covered in the other thread.]

I may be misremembering, but weren't we all upset that the last Jamaican match was in Toronto because it led to huge Jamaican support? Or are we not worried about a repeat of that because of the state of the table?

I think the state of our program will be much more influential than anything else including Jamaica being eliminated before that game.

[Kent]

49 minutes ago, Miche said:

[Nevermind. Just spotted this is covered in the other thread.]

I may be misremembering, but weren't we all upset that the last Jamaican match was in Toronto because it led to huge Jamaican support? Or are we not worried about a repeat of that because of the state of the table?

In addition to what @Corazonsaid, Canada has done well against Jamaica in Toronto. Here are the results of all the games between these two teams at BMO field.

Canada 1 Jamaica 1 - 2008
Canada 3 Jamaica 1 - 2014
Canada 2 Jamaica 0 - 2017

[narduch]

Honduras will play with no fans v Mexico 

 

[king1010]

Whats the reason? 

[jonovision]

28 minutes ago, king1010 said:

Whats the reason? 

Racial discrimination by a group of fans during the El Salvador match, I think?