Match Thread: Gold Cup - Group Stage: Canada vs Guatemala - Saturday July 1, 2023 - 9:30 pm ET/6:30 pm PT

[dyslexic nam]

5 minutes ago, BearcatSA said:

Too much on the line but you want to see an untried CB partnership, with one of the two really having had very limited pro experience? 

Bombito with Vitoria I could possibly see, even despite the latter's olé on the first goal last game.  I'm not feeling the confidence with Kennedy at the moment and this is definitely a banana peel match.  We need some qb-ing back there, and that was clearly lacking in the CNL final when Vitoria was not starting.

On the basis of the first game, I am not sure I would insist on Vitoria over Kennedy tonight.  I know it was just a single game but man it was it was a rough one defensively.  For me Kennedy isn’t an unknown factor - so pairing him with a new CB isn’t completely radical.   And Bombito may be raw but he showed a lot more in game 1 than McGraw.  Again, small sample size - but I don’t see Kennedy/Bombito as more risky than what we saw in game 1.  

[RJB]

21 hours ago, cornerkick said:

Red jerseys please.  July 1st

I'd love to see our black jersey disappear completely. We're a national team, not a club team, and therefore need to wear the colours of our country. 

I also expect this game will have much better contrast. Watching red v black can be very challenging for some of us. 

[TGAA_Star]

Still calling for a Canada loss because after the first game I was not impressed like even at all

[BearcatSA]

3 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

On the basis of the first game, I am not sure I would insist on Vitoria over Kennedy tonight.  I know it was just a single game but man it was it was a rough one defensively.  For me Kennedy isn’t an unknown factor - so pairing him with a new CB isn’t completely radical.   And Bombito may be raw but he showed a lot more in game 1 than McGraw.  Again, small sample size - but I don’t see Kennedy/Bombito as more risky than what we saw in game 1.  

Really?  

Bombito played as a defensive midfielder in his debut, not at CB.  Kennedy isn't a guy who is going to boss the back line, which one of them needs to do.  

I'm just not seeing, sorry. 

 

[costarg]

1 hour ago, Wasp said:

Totally agree. We really need to move away from a back-3 IMO as it exposes our biggest weakness more than it adds in the ability to play Larin, David, Davies, and one of Laryea/Buchanan together.

I'd love to see a 4-3-3 today as I still think that's our best formation when at 100%. My picks for tonight would be:

Millar - Cavallini - Hoilett

Ahmed - Loturi - Osorio

Laryea - Kennedy - Bombito - ZBG

St. Clair

 

With the ultimate full strength squad being something like:

Millar/Nelson - David/Larin - Buchanan/Hoilett

Ahmed/Oso - Eustaquio/Loturi - Kone/Choinière

Davies/Adekugbe - Miller/Kennedy - Vitoria/Bombito - Laryea/ZBG

Borjan/St. Clair

SUBS/BUBBLE PLAYERS:

McGill/Sirois, Shaff, Zator, McGraw, Ugbo, Fraser/Spoony (depending on landing spots for both of them at club-level).

 

 

I like and totally agree about the back 4 > back 3.  Just find a spot for Johnston please!

[Borjans Sweatpants]

I’d like to see

———————St Clair———————

——-Bombito-McGraw-Kennedy——

-—Laryea———Loturi———ZBG——

————Ahmed —-Hoilett—————

—————-JRR-Cavallini—————

But I’m sure we’ll get Borjan and other regulars in there

[Wasp]

1 hour ago, costarg said:

I like and totally agree about the back 4 > back 3.  Just find a spot for Johnston please!

Haha good point, totally blanked on Johnston! He would obviously be the starting RB and ZBG would be dropped down to bubble status.

[dyslexic nam]

Well, the wife decided we are going camping for the weekend so I guess I am PVRing the game.   Will prob check Formob lots…

[SpursFlu]

I think 2 goals should have beat Guadeloupe. Let's set up so we keep the game simple and ahead of us. I think a 4-2-3-1 and see how the game goes 

I personally don't like setting up with 3 CBs. If CBs get draggout wide against speedy wingers they tend to look like Bambi on ice. If you want 3 big defenders put one in front on of the 2 and keep them central. But we shouldnt have to do that against Guatemala 

Edited July 1, 2023 by SpursFlu

[costarg]

3 hours ago, RJB said:

I'd love to see our black jersey disappear completely. We're a national team, not a club team, and therefore need to wear the colours of our country. 

I also expect this game will have much better contrast. Watching red v black can be very challenging for some of us. 

I dunno, doesn't seem to affect Germany, Italy or the Netherlands.  But I agree for home games, I feel red would be better.  Then again, black does seem to have a undeniable success rate when it comes to sports and jerseys according to statistics, so i'll take any advantage we can!

[narduch]

I think its cute people keep putting St. Clair on their line ups

[RJB]

52 minutes ago, costarg said:

I dunno, doesn't seem to affect Germany, Italy or the Netherlands.  But I agree for home games, I feel red would be better.  Then again, black does seem to have a undeniable success rate when it comes to sports and jerseys according to statistics, so i'll take any advantage we can!

I'd love to see those statistics. As a Canucks fan, black didn't seem to make them more successful.  And stats lie, because ManU wore black at times, but surely their success was the team not the colour. 

And the three teams you listed (though Italy doesn't wear black) are a good example of the stats lying: they're just good teams, colour be damned. 

[costarg]

22 minutes ago, RJB said:

I'd love to see those statistics. As a Canucks fan, black didn't seem to make them more successful.  And stats lie, because ManU wore black at times, but surely their success was the team not the colour. 

And the three teams you listed (though Italy doesn't wear black) are a good example of the stats lying: they're just good teams, colour be damned. 

Ya, I wasn't clear.  It was two separate points.  1- successful national teams that don't wear their flag colors.  2- success of black colored jerseys.

I read a report a few years ago (easily 10-11 years ago) that listed the success of specific colors in specific sports across leagues, and black was the most successful color across different leagues and sports.  They attributed it to confidence, intimidation factor, etc... also showed it wasn't necessarily the highest spending teams, it was an easy way to improve success without spending too much.  I think there was also a study linked to the LA Kings, when they wanted to part with their purple & yellow branding, they've studied it and come up with black and silver.  Doesn't seem to help the Raiders much though! 

Ohh!  and it helped sales, too!  Much easier for fans to match and blend black and dark blue (think yankee caps) as opposed to flashy red, yellow, green...

Edited July 1, 2023 by costarg

[MtlMario]

After that last game I think we'll come out flying. We win 3-0.

[Borjans Sweatpants]

36 minutes ago, narduch said:

I think its cute people keep putting St. Clair on their line ups

I think many want to see us start to experiment beyond Borjan, because his time is coming to an end. We need to see what we have with Dayne (and McGill eventually).

Seems anytime Borjans in the team, however, he gets the nod.

[Corazon]

46 minutes ago, Borjans Sweatpants said:

I think many want to see us start to experiment beyond Borjan, because his time is coming to an end. We need to see what we have with Dayne (and McGill eventually).

Seems anytime Borjans in the team, however, he gets the nod.

I will make one quick note on McGill.  I am a bit concerned with his height or lack thereof.  He looks quite short, which has always been a bit of my concern with Crepeau as well.  McGill looked like the exact same height as Millar when walking to the south stands on Tuesday.  It doesn't mean he can't be a great goalie as we've seen great keepers such as Casillas and Campos have great careers despite their lack of height.

Edited July 1, 2023 by Corazon

[narduch]

Based on One Soccer's updated schedule on Fubo the kick off will be after 10pm ET.

Pre-Game show starts at 9:30pm ET.

[maplebanana]

Alright folks, I've done my part. Getting poutine in San Jose is no small feat!

Happy Canada Day everyone!

[Stoppage Time]

2 hours ago, narduch said:

I think its cute people keep putting St. Clair on their line ups

Dayne was such a cute little boy.  : )

[narduch]

 

 

[frmr]

58 minutes ago, maplebanana said:

Alright folks, I've done my part. Getting poutine in San Jose is no small feat!

Happy Canada Day everyone!

That’s a lot of plate. 

[nfitz]

1 hour ago, narduch said:

Based on One Soccer's updated schedule on Fubo the kick off will be after 10pm ET.

Pre-Game show starts at 9:30pm ET.

Good news for us doing the unmentionable in Toronto at 7:30 pm.

The previous game in Houston starts at 7:30 pm. If they start right on the nose at 7:30 pm and have no extra time, they won't finish until 9:15. With the 20-minute (20?) warmup and 15 (?) after, then the earliest start could be 9:50 pm.

I can't remember what time the Gold Cup match at BMO started after the 7 pm time.

[Obinna]

Feeling good about a result today. 

Guatemala with no Rubio Rubin? I am going to say a hard fought 2-0 Canada victory. Cav gets his second of the tournament and Hoilett finds the back of the net to open up his account.

Happy Canada Day everyone!

 

[Kadenge]

I know we  say this is a B squad, and with the exception of perhaps 2/3 players who could have been called(?) It's all we got, but in terms of quality level its probably a "C" team in comparison to our A team.

[narduch]

46 minutes ago, nfitz said:

Good news for us doing the unmentionable in Toronto at 7:30 pm.

The previous game in Houston starts at 7:30 pm. If they start right on the nose at 7:30 pm and have no extra time, they won't finish until 9:15. With the 20-minute (20?) warmup and 15 (?) after, then the earliest start could be 9:50 pm.

I can't remember what time the Gold Cup match at BMO started after the 7 pm time.

If twitter wasn't collapsing I might be able to find the official start time.

But yes based on the start time if the first match our game has to be after 10pm ET