Guess where Canada is? Group C: USA Canada Guadeloupe Panama Frankly, we got the only group with no minnows, but we're playing the USA in Detroit, which offers up a hell of an opportunity for a pro-Canadian crowd, I'm hoping to attend, but might not be able to due to the match being midweek, and possibly late at night. We might be screwed here, everyone.
I humbly disagree, Guadaloupe is a definite minnow. Panama is beatable, and we can manage a draw with the Yanks. I think that second in the group is probable for us. I'll definitely be at the game in Detroit, job or no job.
You might want to do some research before posting a generalization like that, no one is ever a minnow to Canada. There are no easy teams. Gold Cup Miami June 9, 2007 Guadeloupe 2 Canada 1 Canada vs Guadeloupe (pbp/discussion)
They're the lowest ranked team in the tournament. If they're not a minnow, then there are no minnows in this tournament. And to RCF: two words: Via Rail
Yup. 8 pm I think we'll move on to the knockout stage though. The real group of death IMO is Group A.
"No rank" does not equal "low rank." Guadeloupe is a department of France (19th in the FIFA World Rankings, only inferior to the US), so it's Football Association is unrecognized by FIFA. But it's accomplishments in the last couple of CONCACAF tournaments speaks for itself: semifinalists in 2007 and quarterfinalists in 2009; Canada, Panama, Honduras and Nicaragua as victims; and a recent runner-up finish in the 2010 Caribbean Cup, only losing the title to Jamaica on penalties. There are no minnows in our group.
Not to mention that several players who have capped for France on more than a few occassions are eligible for them this time around. I called ours the group of death because Panama are on the rise, too. Granted, I expect to beat Panama, but we need to really shock the US in the opener if we're going to have any sort of momentum going into the game v. Guadeloupe.
If only 2 teams will go on from this group,Canada might have a problem making it from the round robin.
Third place teams can move on as well, but they have to be one of the top two third place teams between the groups. We have to open the tournament by playing hard against the USA, if not beating them, at least making them fight hard for a draw, and rattling their confidence.
I still don't see how our group is significantly tougher than any other. Group A - Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Cuba This is the group of death in my opinion. Barring any disasters, Mexico has a lock on first, the other three are pretty evenly matched and it will be a huge fight for the remaining positions. Certainly no minnows here. Group B - Honduras, Guatemala, Jamaica, Grenada Arguably the easiest group in the tournament, but still tough. Grenada could be described as a minnow, but it's an open field for the rest. I certainly don't fancy facing Honduras or Jamaica. This group will likely be one of the two groups where the third place team goes through to the playoffs. Group C - USA, Canada, Panama, Guadeloupe As with Mexico, the US basically has a lock on first. Despite recent success, Guadeloupe is in the toughest. They've done well recently, but I would argue that they've been playing above their level and how long they can make it last is debatable. Canada has also lucked into the fact that we're playing the US in a border city where they will surely have a large contingent of support. Second in the group is a distinct possibility, and to not get third would require everything to go completely pear shaped for us.
With all the players they have in Ligue 2? A pretty long time if Salnot manages it well. MLS can't even afford guys like Fleurival, for instance - and Guadeloupe is coming off its best-ever performance in the Caribbean Cup, only missing out on the title on penalties.
1) Mexico 2) Costa Rica 3) Cuba 4) El Salvador Cuba will give Costa Rica a little trouble, but they'll still be an easy enough lock on second place in this group. 1) Honduras 2/3) Guatemala/Jamaica 4) Grenada The Catrachos will take first place, without a doubt, they not only have a strong set of vets left from their 2010 WCQ run, but some promising youth who will most likely be joining the squad. I hope Guevarra gets the call, he's an excellent player who has served Honduras well and deserves to captain them into what may be their most promising Gold Cup run to date. As for Jamaica/Guatemala, this one is a bit of a toss-up based on the performance of the spoiler (Grenada), and their head to head match. If Jamaica decide to call up O'Brian White, watch for Guatemala to take second place. 1) USA 2/3) Canada/Guadeloupe 3/4) Panama To my mind, this is without a doubt the most closely matched group in the tourney, with a relatively high skill level across the board. I don't see Panama getting any higher than third, although that may push them through. Canada can beat Panama and Guadeloupe, no doubt, but Panama and Guadeloupe can also beat Canada. The only safe bet in this group is the USA, but even then an upset could well be in the cards. When I look at this list of teams, and the uncertainty surrounding the Guadeloupean and Canadian squads going into the tourney, this whole group reeks of uncertainty. A large Canadian contingent for Detroit is not guaranteed, word on the Voyageur's boards is that maybe two or three hundred are going down in organized bus trips. Hopefully more individual fans will wind up heading to the match. Even so, it is our least winnable matchup in the group.
I think we drew a good group. The US is the clear favourite but there's no reason Canada can't (or shouldn't) finish second. Yes, Guadeloupe beat us once. So what? To win the Gold Cup we'll have to go through significantly better teams than Guadeloupe. We also know that Canada tends to play its best soccer in the Gold Cup (and, unfortunately, its worst in WCQ). Plus if we finish first or second we are guaranteed not to face either the US or Mexico in the quarters (well, guaranteed barring some very unusual results in other groups).
Watching Canadian men's team isn't exactelly the soccer entertainment dream,but I'll watch it anyway,just to see if they are improving or not. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't make it out of the group. Canada has no quality in attacking as a team and all they do is struggle not to lose.
Detroit is good place luckly for us near the border I may down to see the game. But a trip to the Rose Bowl is the main goal here and to be "giving up" before even the tournament starts is not what is needed here. There is enough negativity around this Canadian fourm from losing players and not have an established league of own (but thats another topic in itself). So these players can play for France? Sounds like a Mexico team like in the Copa America, sort of...... I would like to see who Guadeloupe call up for the Gold Cup because I don't think....that once they have played France you can't play for Guadeloupe especially if the player already played at a senior level in another Confederation (UEFA). But it can work the other way around since Guadeloupe is not a recongized team by FIFA, which I don't understand why they are participating in the 1st place. Here is my round up of what I think may happen........ Group A - Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Cuba Mexico and Costa Rica should advance with El Salvador being 3rd. It should be an easy one for Mexico to advance and for Costa Rica, and El Salvador should get its goals against Cuba to get its seed to get into the 1/4. Group B - Honduras, Guatemala, Jamaica, Grenada Houndras and Jamaica should advance with Guatelmala being 3rd. Honduras looks to be in place to win the group but Jamaica can surprise and knock Guatelmala out. Group C - USA, Canada, Panama, Guadeloupe USA and Canada should advance with Guadeloupe being 3rd USA will win this group with its home crowd, Canada can some in Second by handling Panama and Guadeloupe. 1/4 - Finals WQ 1 B2 - Jamaica A2 - Costa Rica WQ 2 A1 - Mexico B3 or C3 - Guadeloupe WQ 3 B1 - Honduras C2 - Canada WQ 4 C1 - USA A3 or B3 - El Salvador Semis WQ 1 - Jamaica WQ 2 - Guadeloupe WQ 3 - Canada WQ 4 - USA Final Guadeloupe USA Winner Guadeloupe
I don't want to troll, but I just thought I'd mention that I'm nearly positive that the rule states that former French national team players CAN play for Guadeloupe as long as they haven't played for France in the last 5 years. Example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sommeil
Nice to know that, thanks. Mexico and USA have been the powerhouses of Concacaf, so yeah they are Concacaf and will always be the teams to beat to win the Gold Cup. Don't get me wrong I want Canada to win.
Canada actually drew a decent grouping for this tournament. If they just manage to come in 2nd in their group, which is very likely, then they will most likely play Honduras or Jamaica in the knock-out stage which is another "winnable" match should Canada play well. Honduras will be much tougher than Jamaica though. This game will be played at RFK in DC. If Canada wins this first knock-out game against (most likely) Honduras, then they will (most-likely) play USA in the semi's which they will (most likely) lose. But that means they can come in 3rd place very easily. There is no 3rd place match in this Gold Cup though as far as I know. I know there a lot of "most likely's" here. But don't feel bad, at least Canada is the de facto "Brazil" of ice hockey. Usually a Group of Death requires a really good team to be eliminated early. I don't see that here. It's not like the last World Cup with Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast, & North Korea where North Korea swept their group on their way to a World Cup championship without conceeding a goal according to North Korean media outlets.
