Copa America: Canada vs Venezuela - Friday, July 5th - 9pm Eastern / 6pm Pacific - Arlington, Texas

[A.D.I.D.A.S.]

13 minutes ago, xabuep2 said:

Canada and Venezuela have a fresh, offensive game, and both are thirsty to make more history.

They tied 17 and 24 years ago 2-2 and 1-1 in Venezuela and it is time for the moment of truth.

Do I sense a 3-3 game coming?

[CanadianTraveller]

32 minutes ago, xabuep2 said:

(By the way, getting off topic a little, I still have the Canada jersey that I wore in 2012. As you can see, it is very old. I wanted to buy the new official jersey at https://www.canadasoccerstore.com but they only ship to Canada. I live in Panama, but I am traveling to Miami in 2 weeks. Do you know if it is possible to find the Canada Soccer Jersey in Florida?)

It is not (at least not in Broward.) But perhaps someone could ship a jersey to your...hotel? place of residence in Miami.

[Lurker]

52 minutes ago, xabuep2 said:(By the way, getting off topic a little, I still have the Canada jersey that I wore in 2012. As you can see, it is very old. I wanted to buy the new official jersey at https://www.canadasoccerstore.com but they only ship to Canada. I live in Panama, but I am traveling to Miami in 2 weeks. Do you know if it is possible to find the Canada Soccer Jersey in Florida?)

 

This place might:

https://www.pelesoccer.com

They had them at one point in there Disney Springs Store in Orlando.  Looks like they have a store in Miami Beach.  I’d call them to be sure.  Good luck!

[Joe MacCarthy]

 

[SthMelbRed]

4 hours ago, A.D.I.D.A.S. said:

Do I sense a 3-3 game coming?

Nil-all would be following the trend line, no?

[Unnamed Trialist]

5 hours ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

@xabuep2 , the Vinotinto have already won the music game.

 

Where's Drake at?

Dodging Kendrick shadows and lights.

[Unnamed Trialist]

13 hours ago, nolando said:

Mallorca got bombed by Girona and Yangel in the league, then Larin and co knocked them out of the cup handily on their way to the final. 

He's very good as a good piece in a strong team and his market value is because his team played amazingly, the entire roster has seen its market value rise.

Imo their best players aren't in critical positions, ours are better. But we have to step up as a team and create chances, not just try to hang in there.

[Kingston]

7 hours ago, SthMelbRed said:

Nil-all would be following the trend line, no?

Yes, but I hope not.  I really don't want to see penalties.

[An Observer]

As I will be off grid on a trek (definitely bad planning on my part), does anyone know a site which has the complete Copa games after the fact. I don’t live in Canada so don’t have the ability to watch TSN streams after the fact.

[Canuckia]

9 hours ago, Joe MacCarthy said:

 

The names. 🤣

[Joe MacCarthy]

 

[Obinna]

Ale Moreno is the best. Love that guy man. The best pundit on ESPN FC for sure.

 

[Unnamed Trialist]

Julio Maldonado, a very good commentator in Spain known as Maldini, with his own shows, has a great video breaking down Venezuela. He also had them as clear favourites. I'll translate key points later, but mostly: Roldan free to roam up top; high press; alternating possession with giving it away; changing Aramburu to LB where he turns in to cross; effective Bello as an AM, passing and scoring; double pivot in front of defence but often Yangel gets forward; the mids finding the strikers going forward. 

My take after the Jamaica breakdown is the rival failed to stick it to their mids and outside players, sitting back too much instead of challenging them. 

Maldini is producing 3 videos a day and he's a late night commentator for Copa matches, he announced he'd do a specific preview of our match.

Edited Wednesday at 03:23 PM by Unnamed Trialist

[Unnamed Trialist]

14 minutes ago, Obinna said:

Ale Moreno is the best. Love that guy man. The best pundit on ESPN FC for sure.

 

In general this group on ESPN is solid and does good job. I enjoy Moreno and Herc almost always.

 

[jonovision]

My scouting of other opponents is usually just to have a look at which club teams their NT players belong to. On that basis Venezuela don't look too scary. But Colombia have been fantastic lately and their collectino of  clubs isn't that impressive either.

Unless Brazil is a top league (some top Venezuelans and Colombians play there). Is it? I've never really paid it any attention.

Of course, this is a very poor method of scouting. Most of our CONCACAF opponents look like total garbage by this measure.

[Ottawafan]

On 7/1/2024 at 8:14 AM, beachesl said:

"Weather:
Doesn't matter, indoor stadium "

 

WHAT, AIR-CONDITIONING??? 

...you mean, Dallas can deliver on what Qatar only deceptively promised? Texas is the promised land for 2026 final?

What was the deception?

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

2 minutes ago, jonovision said:

My scouting of other opponents is usually just to have a look at which club teams their NT players belong to. On that basis Venezuela don't look too scary. But Colombia have been fantastic lately and their collectino of  clubs isn't that impressive either.

Unless Brazil is a top league (some top Venezuelans and Colombians play there). Is it? I've never really paid it any attention.

Of course, this is a very poor method of scouting. Most of our CONCACAF opponents look like total garbage by this measure.

I think we (and others, especially the Americans) get caught up in the top league thing. Individual moments of brillance will change things and you are more likely to get that from guys that have proved themselves in high level competition. 

I also think being from a top league can provide you with an overall fitness edge. 

But especially in the compressed time of tournament football, it is a whole lot about who can bring a team together best and use the players that are ready to play.  I think we might have seen guys from top leagues, who are not playing enough have a little trouble getting going. The Americans I think suffered from the last bit. 

[A.D.I.D.A.S.]

11 hours ago, SthMelbRed said:

Nil-all would be following the trend line, no?

I hope not 🤞
After watching the Portugal/Slovenia match in the Euros, I only hope JM's strategy isn't to try taking the game penalties.

[Joe MacCarthy]

42 minutes ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

I think we (and others, especially the Americans) get caught up in the top league thing. Individual moments of brillance will change things and you are more likely to get that from guys that have proved themselves in high level competition.

I would say for more than a decade we were getting beat by Central American teams with mostly domestic league players

[narduch]

56 minutes ago, Ottawafan said:

What was the deception?

When Qatar won their bid they lied and said they could air condition outdoor stadiums. And I mean where the players are playing. Not the seats.

Once it came out that this wasn't true the World Cup was moved from summer to Winter. 

That was the deception 

[Unnamed Trialist]

20 minutes ago, A.D.I.D.A.S. said:

I hope not 🤞
After watching the Portugal/Slovenia match in the Euros, I only hope JM's strategy isn't to try taking the game penalties.

If we've tied it m. 78 or 83 after chasing it all game, then fine, let's go to penalties. Close down and don't let the rival get a winner late. It all depends on the game situation. 

Frankly the only reason I don't want it to go to penalties is because of nerves. And maybe, too, because I have not seen Canada win a penalty round, not in recent memory. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

1 hour ago, jonovision said:

My scouting of other opponents is usually just to have a look at which club teams their NT players belong to. On that basis Venezuela don't look too scary. But Colombia have been fantastic lately and their collectino of  clubs isn't that impressive either.

Unless Brazil is a top league (some top Venezuelans and Colombians play there). Is it? I've never really paid it any attention.

Of course, this is a very poor method of scouting. Most of our CONCACAF opponents look like total garbage by this measure.

I'd say the same, usually, only that, oddly, our defense has been doing well, giving chances but not terrible ones, except against Argentina (and experimenting vs. the Dutch second half). So that where our players don't look to rate (if Venezuela looks at Cornelius and Bombito they'll be thinking they can get past those guys), we are doing quite well, and then, where we do rate, we have not caused havoc. 

Venezuela had a decent right wing, Machis, but now he's sanctioned, so that may mean less work for Davies. Our left could be freed up. The guy on the other side may be the one they rely on, Aramburu, so we have to find someone to team up with Johnston. I'd put Millar over on the right because he has defensive rigour. 

But rewatching that analysis video, it seems Jamaica collapsed too much in the middle and wings, and we can't do that. We have to challenge so they can't find those channels. Because you can see they are quite good sliding in the ball to the striker though the seams, what we have not been able to do with David for example. 

There is a little detail I like, which is that two successive rivals have gone down to ten men. So the Venezuela coach has got to be saying, hey guys, lay off a bit, let's not fall into that Canadian Concacafing trap. If they are a bit cautious and not going in hard early because of that, we may have won ourselves a bit of breathing room. This, by the way, is the real motive for diving and gamesmanship, to get the rival to lay off. But we may have accomplished the goal without diving, just testing the rival and getting them carded and sent off.

[costarg]

10 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I'd say the same, usually, only that, oddly, our defense has been doing well, giving chances but not terrible ones, except against Argentina (and experimenting vs. the Dutch second half). So that where our players don't look to rate (if Venezuela looks at Cornelius and Bombito they'll be thinking they can get past those guys), we are doing quite well, and then, where we do rate, we have not caused havoc. 

Venezuela had a decent right wing, Machis, but now he's sanctioned, so that may mean less work for Davies. Our left could be freed up. The guy on the other side may be the one they rely on, Aramburu, so we have to find someone to team up with Johnston. I'd put Millar over on the right because he has defensive rigour. 

But rewatching that analysis video, it seems Jamaica collapsed too much in the middle and wings, and we can't do that. We have to challenge so they can't find those channels. Because you can see they are quite good sliding in the ball to the striker though the seams, what we have not been able to do with David for example. 

There is a little detail I like, which is that two successive rivals have gone down to ten men. So the Venezuela coach has got to be saying, hey guys, lay off a bit, let's not fall into that Canadian Concacafing trap. If they are a bit cautious and not going in hard early because of that, we may have won ourselves a bit of breathing room. This, by the way, is the real motive for diving and gamesmanship, to get the rival to lay off. But we may have accomplished the goal without diving, just testing the rival and getting them carded and sent off.

Super analysis.

[Obinna]

1 hour ago, jonovision said:

My scouting of other opponents is usually just to have a look at which club teams their NT players belong to. On that basis Venezuela don't look too scary. But Colombia have been fantastic lately and their collectino of  clubs isn't that impressive either.

Unless Brazil is a top league (some top Venezuelans and Colombians play there). Is it? I've never really paid it any attention.

Of course, this is a very poor method of scouting. Most of our CONCACAF opponents look like total garbage by this measure.

I think we all start out our scouting this way, checking out the roster to see where the players play club ball. 

The nuance is what they are doing at their clubs. This is where I like how you brought up Colombia. I haven't done a deep dive, but I am willing to bet they are collectively doing more at their clubs than what the Americans are doing, for instance. So although the USMNT on the whole have players at bigger and better clubs, the Colombians are (probably) more important to their clubs. 

Beyond this however, we need to look at what the actual team is doing, how they play, etc. Few of us have time to dedicate to watching the Vinotinto games and breaking down their tactics, but we can see their recent record and results, which have been very good. 

I think we're in for a tough match, but perhaps a very open match. I don't think they'll be as cagey as Peru or Chile. I think they'll back themselves to score goals and take the game to us. I think we'll do the same.  

[narduch]

1 hour ago, jonovision said:

My scouting of other opponents is usually just to have a look at which club teams their NT players belong to. On that basis Venezuela don't look too scary. But Colombia have been fantastic lately and their collectino of  clubs isn't that impressive either.

Unless Brazil is a top league (some top Venezuelans and Colombians play there). Is it? I've never really paid it any attention.

Of course, this is a very poor method of scouting. Most of our CONCACAF opponents look like total garbage by this measure.

At the very least I would consider Brazil's league better than MLS.

Whether that means anything I don't know.