WCQ: Panama v Canada - Wednesday, March 30, 9pm Eastern / 6pm Pacific - Panama City

[TGAA_Star]

Yeah we may have lost last night but it doesn't really matter because we already  qualified on Sunday and we finish top of the table anyway despite losing to Panama. So either way I'm fine and cool about it because we're in Qatar. Our ticket was already booked. In fact both of my countries Ghana 🇬🇭 and Canada 🇨🇦 are both going to Qatar in November so I have a lot to look forward to.

[lbula17]

As a Serb - Canadian, as long as Serbia doesn’t draw Canada I’ll be very happy with pot 4. Both teams could come away with the win and I don’t want a war to break out in my house!

[TGAA_Star]

But since both countries of mine Ghana and Canada are in Pot 4 at least I do not have to worry about them being in the same group so as a Ghanaian-Canadian I'm happy

[narduch]

6 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

So brotherhood, but Herdman actually doesn't believe that. 

Guys coming for a 3 game window not seeing the pitch; must be adopted or step brothers those guys, right John?

He has to buy in too. 

Compare the 2 friendlies played by many European teams these days, everyone called gets minutes, except 3rd keeper and anyone with a knock. 

We have a striker playing in Ligue 1 that we barely give garbage minutes to.

A lot of people are expecting to blood in new players during the upcoming friendlies and NL but I'm predicting we will see mostly more of the same.

[AvroArrow]

If we wanted the win, then we should have started with the A squad.  If the game was meant to give the role players some minutes, then we should have stuck with that strategy.  What we had last night was a combination of the two and it didn't work.

 

Also, starting atiba at CB smacks of the coaching staff overthinking the game.  If you call Cornelius as the CB depth, then you play him when you start running out of CBs.

[TOcanadafan]

7 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

So brotherhood, but Herdman actually doesn't believe that. 

Guys coming for a 3 game window not seeing the pitch; must be adopted or step brothers those guys, right John?

He has to buy in too. 

Compare the 2 friendlies played by many European teams these days, everyone called gets minutes, except 3rd keeper and anyone with a knock. 

It’s a head scratcher to me why Millar, Ugbo and Cornelius didn’t get any minutes last night.  The ‘go-to’ guys had no legs / still hung over.  Fresh blood would have wanted to impress.  

[prairiecanuck]

3 minutes ago, TOcanadafan said:

It’s a head scratcher to me why Millar, Ugbo and Cornelius didn’t get any minutes last night.  The ‘go-to’ guys had no legs / still hung over.  Fresh blood would have wanted to impress.  

Ugbo did come on, but would have liked him to get some more action.

[vancanman]

9 hours ago, footballfreak said:

I want Panama in Nations League. Unfinished business.

I'd like Costa Rica as well, so we can have a couple of loons handy to call into a megaphone while we play their seven-minute extended disco mix anthem at double speed.  Wankers.

[Mattd97]

I didn't love the line up last night but I'm going to call out some of the BS on the guys who always criticize only calling a 23 man roster but are also upset and question the "brotherhood" because a few guys didn't get in to any games

[Shway]

1 hour ago, TGAA_Star said:

But since both countries of mine Ghana and Canada are in Pot 4 at least I do not have to worry about them being in the same group so as a Ghanaian-Canadian I'm happy

I'm confused, why did I think you say you were Nigerian  at some point lol

[Floortom]

Millar has too many guys ahead of him for me to worry about his minutes. He has received a decent amount of minutes during WCQ - a few starts and sub appearances here and there which I think is fair. I mean Pefok kills the Swiss League and the US barely calls him into the squad even though they have a serious weakness at striker.

Ugbo - I don't know. It's possible that he just hasn't impressed Herdman in training. There's no other reason that Cavallini would be getting more minutes than him.

Guti - I think he's just a throw-in and injury cover. 

Cornelius - Think you would only ever see him in a back four besides Doneil or Vitoria and even then he's clearly behind Kennedy. 

 

[TGAA_Star]

2 minutes ago, Shway said:

I'm confused, why did I think you say you were Nigerian  at some point lol

I'm not Nigerian...Ghanaian background 

[costarg]

Just like most of you I just don't get the Hutch at CB decision, while we have Cornelius playing at a good level.  We've tried this years ago and it didn't work then.  Hutch has obviously slowed down, perhaps they're trying to figure out how they'll use him in Qatar?  

Gutted for Millar, he's also playing well at a good level.  Perhaps Herdman doesn't see him fit the formation?  

I also would've gone with Ugbo ahead of Cavallini, his form has tanked since Vancouver.  Not nearly the same player anymore, hopefully he turns it around this year.

Larin and David still don't look that good together.  Too similar, I feel they're looking for the pretty goal and try too hard to walk it into the net with too many passes amongst each other.

Johnston is a beast!

I sound really negative, but there are still lots of positives to draw from all this!

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by costarg

[narduch]

My conspiracy theory is that Vitoria's injury is worse than they are letting on.

As a result Herdman is testing out Atiba at CB because he may decide to use him that way in Qatar 

[costarg]

1 minute ago, narduch said:

My conspiracy theory is that Vitoria's injury is worse than they are letting on.

As a result Herdman is testing out Atiba at CB because he may decide to use him that way in Qatar 

This will not work, Hutch has tonnes of qualities, but CB is not one of them.

[Cblake]

Safe travels to our Canadian hero's and can not wait until June. 

 

[narduch]

2 minutes ago, costarg said:

This will not work, Hutch has tonnes of qualities, but CB is not one of them.

I just wonder if Herdman doesn't think Atiba has the pace to play midfield at the World Cup level.

[gator]

2 minutes ago, narduch said:

I just wonder if Herdman doesn't think Atiba has the pace to play midfield at the World Cup level.

I think you have to be careful managing him but he definitely has a role in the midfield, playing him out of position is not the answer to make sure he gets playing time, if Herdman doesn't think he has the pace don't play him! I think it depends on the opposition and how we set up, I don't expect a 39 year old Atiba to play every minute of every match!

[lbula17]

59 minutes ago, Shway said:

I'm confused, why did I think you say you were Nigerian  at some point lol

Probably because of the negative Ghana comments within the pot 3 topic😂

[BearcatSA]

23 minutes ago, narduch said:

I just wonder if Herdman doesn't think Atiba has the pace to play midfield at the World Cup level.

I'd rather have him coming into midfield to help kill off games.  His leadership there may have been a difference in the Gold Cup stoppage time loss to Mexico where our mids (including Estaquio) were running around and losing the defensive shape.

Edited March 31, 2022 by BearcatSA

[AvroArrow]

19 minutes ago, narduch said:

My conspiracy theory is that Vitoria's injury is worse than they are letting on.

As a result Herdman is testing out Atiba at CB because he may decide to use him that way in Qatar 

This will not work.  One of the skills that a defenseman picks up over the years is when is the time to keep possession of the ball and when it is time to just clear it.  Often this is a split second decision and when made wrong, it's when you see the forward picking the pocket of a defender or running on to a bad back pass.  Mids are always going to err on the side of keeping possession which means they are more prone to making the wrong decision, defenders not so much.  When Atiba plays CB, you sometimes see these decisions being made and they are iffy.

If anyone is worried about Atiba's fitness to play 90 at the World Cup (which I'm no overly concerned about), you start him and play him for 70 minutes, or you bring him in in the 70th minute to hold down the fort.  Either is better than playing him at CB.

[BearcatSA]

14 minutes ago, AvroArrow said:

If anyone is worried about Atiba's fitness to play 90 at the World Cup (which I'm no overly concerned about), you start him and play him for 70 minutes, or you bring him in in the 70th minute to hold down the fort.

It would certainly depend upon the opponent and match situation.  

A possible quandary, but the gaffer has had to deal with similar before on the big stage (Sesselmann).

Edited March 31, 2022 by BearcatSA

[top cheese]

They've played two games with Atiba at CB and they have lost both. No disrespect to Atiba but he doesn't have the pace to play as a CB in a back 4. I could see him maybe as a middle CB with 3 CBs just based on his technical qualities. The goal last night was a great cross but Atiba couldn't close the ball down because of the lack of pace. If Canada goes into the WC aga

I'm disappointed that Liam miller and Cornelius never got any minutes. Its particularly concerning that the coaching staff played two players out of position rather then using both. Also not giving Ugbo a good run out as opposed to Cavallini didn't make sense. I fear that the staffs value of some veteran players who are in poor form for their "commitment and dressing room ability" out reaches quality players who are playing at a good level. 

[Lansdude]

1 minute ago, top cheese said:

They've played two games with Atiba at CB and they have lost both. No disrespect to Atiba but he doesn't have the pace to play as a CB in a back 4. I could see him maybe as a middle CB with 3 CBs just based on his technical qualities. The goal last night was a great cross but Atiba couldn't close the ball down because of the lack of pace. If Canada goes into the WC aga

I'm disappointed that Liam miller and Cornelius never got any minutes. Its particularly concerning that the coaching staff played two players out of position rather then using both. Also not giving Ugbo a good run out as opposed to Cavallini didn't make sense. I fear that the staffs value of some veteran players who are in poor form for their "commitment and dressing room ability" out reaches quality players who are playing at a good level. 

Another way of looking at it is that they gave this version of the team a look and it was clearly lacking so they can justify not making these decisions going forward. Highly doubt Cava is going to the WC.

[ballerz]

Atiba deputises at CB for club from time to time. He obviously has better ball playing skills than any of our CB options. If you want to build from the back, he is a good option. He gives up much less in marking and aerial abilities than what is gain with his passing and build up play from the CB spot. Mind you, we do not have any rock solid defenders - the type where you don’t have to cringe when we are under pressure. So who is the player you have in mind that is a clear cut upgrade to Atiba from a defensive perspective?

Edited March 31, 2022 by ballerz