CNL FINAL: Canada vs USA - Sunday, June 18th - 8:30 pm ET/5:30 pm PT - Las Vegas

[Approve My Account Pls]

It's not all doom and gloom

1st goal: poor defending, but Johnston gets stuck under Zimmerman and can't defend the goal 

2nd goal: yeah... that was poor

Otherwise, it's been cagey both ways

[El Hombre]

4 minutes ago, frmr said:

Did you watch the first half? We’re garbage.

You're garbage.

😎

[Hawkguy]

1 minute ago, Wasp said:

I really don't think we've played all that badly to be honest, this game has just highlighted that the weakest positions on our team at the moment are at CB and, unfortunately, GK. The USA just has a ton of talent and, as always in these CONCACAF tournaments, are playing at home. I also question our gameplan of trying to go over the top to the wings when the Americans have speedy backs who can match the pace of Laryea and Davies down the flanks. With the attack-first midfield that the Americans have thrown out there, I would've hoped that we would try to play down the middle and look to play through balls to the wings after we pulled their RB/LB's inside to cover.

Hopefully we make some changes either at the half or at the hour mark and we can get a goal relatively quickly to get back into this one. Otherwise, the Americans will be more than happy to sit back and defend the two goal lead knowing that they can always add to it if we get overeager on the counter.

Borjan's ball distribution is so bad. So fucking bad.

[Joe Keeper]

This is still a very good team, but we are currently stuck in a massive rut that we have not been able to get out of since the warm up period before the World Cup.

As Ive watched them, the mistakes they make are observable to the point of pattern. They do it again and again. And that list is long. When we are struggling in games, the pressure exaserbates these mistakes and they cant seem to get out.

 We dont move up more levels until we break these patterns. 

Tactically this is a disaster. 

 

However the 2nd half presents the opportunity to break the mistakes that are holding us back. The conditions might just be right. Learn from it now. 

Edited June 19, 2023 by Joe Keeper

[costarg]

38 minutes ago, Razcal said:

Alistair is having a shocker, what the heck is going on? He's usually so solid.

injured.

[Borjans Sweatpants]

10 minutes ago, El Hombre said:

Or we work it the fuck out and figure out what we're going to do without a 36 year-old centerback.

I really don't think Vitoria is the saviour that everyone thinks he is.  And he ain't getting younger or faster.

Bombito?

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

10 minutes ago, El Hombre said:

what team we're going to be fielding in 2026. Is Kennedy the man to replace him?  Maybe not, but let's see how he does over a full 90 minutes...

At this point the next big window is November of this year and trying to get to that Copa America. I'm not thinking 2026.

10 minutes ago, El Hombre said:

Kennedy...he does over a full 90 minutes and watch the whole thing and not just the negatives.

1) Kennedy hasn't really played 90 minute matches this year.

2) Kennedy is on a yellow.

3) We are down by 2 goals, the risk of playing Bombito is not as great.

Edited June 19, 2023 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[dyslexic nam]

3 minutes ago, Big_M said:

difference between the two teams is the keeper...borjan turning 36 and balls going in left and right since the world cup...time to move the hell on

Just like the defence, we don’t have superior alternatives that we are arbitrarily exiling.  Our talent pool objectively isn’t as deep at the US.  We go with the guys who have earned it - and right now between the pipes that is still Milan. 

[SirBobsaget]

Laryea has played CB for TFC and done well, should consider switching him with Johnston then bringing in Buchanan. 

[Floortom]

Borjan was ridiculously good during WCQ. He single handedly won us points. He's fallen off massively since then though. Shame with Crepeau's injury because otherwise I would be calling for Max to be #1. I dont think there's a better option right now unfortunately

[VinceA]

I do wonder if it is time to experiment with some sort of 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 going forward. The two striker system is nice in theory but then we get games like this where Larin is no where to be found and David is having to do a lot of dirty work.

[El Hombre]

3 minutes ago, king1010 said:

In 2 years for a meaningless friendly

THis is what I don't understand.  I want to see our mettle when it matters.  Otherwise we're going in with preparation against teams that are playing half speed.

Like it or not, this is the team we have.  We can wish that Tomori wasn't an idiot or that Vitoria didn't have an hour-long ice bath Thursday night, but it's not reality.  Lets test ourselves.

[frmr]

If we get the next goal, before the 75 minute mar or so, I think we can still make a game of it. We need some serious half time adjustments though. Need to find a way to get the attackers in the game more, instead of just spraying balls out of play.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

4 minutes ago, doopy said:

and decent ref

The ref has been ok actually. I expected the 💩 we saw down in Costa Rica but he hasn't been that bad.

[king1010]

Just now, El Hombre said:

THis is what I don't understand.  I want to see our mettle when it matters.  Otherwise we're going in with preparation against teams that are playing half speed.

Like it or not, this is the team we have.  We can wish that Tomori wasn't an idiot or that Vitoria didn't have an hour-long ice bath Thursday night, but it's not reality.  Lets test ourselves.

I want to see us win our first trophy in 23 years. Not test who our starting CB might be 3 years from now. Thats what friendlies are for. And we’ll have a lot of them with no WCQ. 

[narduch]

No subs for Canada I think.

[BearcatSA]

Looks like a back four right now.

[El Hombre]

4 minutes ago, PastPros said:

Simon Eady is no longer with the team, so...

Well, that's obviously the issue then, isn't it @Olympique_de_Marseille.  Someone find money in the budget for Simon!

[dyslexic nam]

No Reyna for the second half.  That at least is encouraging.  

[kacbru]

Just need some bounces.

[costarg]

30 minutes ago, BearcatSA said:

Ripped apart, starting with Reyna drifting away from Osorio and then an elite run by Balogan onto the pass and cool finish.

Why did Osorio just stop running when he was beside Reyna with the ball?  2nd goal is on him.

[Borjans Sweatpants]

Good looking start, bit of a formation shift and then get Buchanan on at 60

[dyslexic nam]

Looking better so far.  We got this one in the bag. 

[king1010]

Just now, costarg said:

Why did Osorio just stop running when he was beside Reyna with the ball?  2nd goal is on him.

Kennedy and Miller are equally at fault. 

[Stryker911]

This is going pretty far back, but anytime I see a goalie hold onto the ball for nearly 20 seconds I get pretty annoyed about the Olympic game.