2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup: Opponents Watch

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Sebsasour, Jun 15, 2019.

  1. DGreat

    DGreat Moderator
    Staff Member

    CD Guadalajara
    Mexico
    Oct 5, 2007
    El Ombligo
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    Very few in the Mexico board are sold with Antuna. As long as he can keep scoring during the tournament I won't complain.
     
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  2. gunnerfan7

    gunnerfan7 Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Jul 22, 2012
    Santa Cruz, California
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Bear down is right, baby! Did you go to U of A?

    Squad rotation it seems, so I'll chalk some of that performance to new players/B-team players. Though, I recall Guardado starting this game after subbing on last game, which I'm not sure how to count in terms of who would be starting if everyone was healthy. I presume that Guardado's still better than Erick Gutierrez...
     
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  3. Salmos

    Salmos Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 26, 2010
    Berkeley, CA
    Club:
    Pachuca CF
    The takeaway from this group stage is Mexico faced a half decent team in Canada and never looked in trouble of losing that match. I really don't understand all of the hype for the Canada coach's tactic of not showing his best vs Mexico. With all due respect to them, the idea that there are these big difference makers looming from their bench is absurd.

    In terms of the A squad, ignoring that Mexico has true difference makers who weren't on the squad, IMO a best starting 11 is: Ochoa, Luis Rodriguez, Salcedo, Araujo, Gallardo, Alvarez, Charly Rodriguez, Guardado, Antuna, Jimenez, Pizarro. 7 started vs Canada, 7 started vs Martinique. I feel like this crop of players was really not designed to play in a 4-3-3 but that's what we've gotten.
     
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  4. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    All explained here
    3:10
     
  5. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    It's all about awareness. Wherever you go, be like Jason Bourne.
     
  6. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Canada just needs to get over the nerves of playing in Central America, and this is their cycle.
     
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  7. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    They didn't leave them off the roster, those players didn't want to play for their NT.
     
  8. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Eh...….I think they are looking at it all holistically. Mexico is a team that shows up when it really counts. In the hex we will be up against Vela, Lozano, et al. It's sort of like how we are missing Adams but in the long run we are better off. He'll be here when it counts.
     
  9. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    I realize he's 33 but this guy is good and Canada sucks in the back line

    https://www.lafc.com/players/26/dejan-jakovi
     
  10. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
  11. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    CNL Qualifiers helped the team a lot to learn to win on the road. Also, the change of culture and the new guys means that there aren't a lot of those guys left on the squad.
     
  12. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    I suppose so since I haven't seen him in LA lineup.
    Fact is, when I saw him play for LA he was good. Guy knows how to play. Lots of USL players in the Gold Cup. Playing in the USL is not an automatic non starter. That's where the Euro scouts go these days to look for future talent. With a guy that age you just want to know if he is in form.
     
  13. Rahbiefowlah

    Rahbiefowlah Member+

    Oct 22, 2001
    Las Vegas
    Las Vegas Lights
     
  14. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    In the 2017 Gold Cup, he started with Steven Vitoria at CB against Jamaica in the Quarterfinals. This was a game we should have a won. Starting those 2 was a mistake made by former coach Zambrano. Those 2 were too slow and couldn't keep up with the Jamaica's speedy forwards.

    Once we made the change for James (younger and much faster), we started to properly defend but it was too late.

    Cornelius is only 21, he will get better, just needs to play more and I think that leaving Europe for Vancouver Whitecaps was a mistake for his development.

    Henry is more experienced but I'm afraid that's as good as he'll get.

    Manjekar James is better than Henry in my opinion. From a local GTA academy to Hungary and now at FC Midtjylland in Denmark. Injuries is the reason he wasn't called.

    22 years old Kamal Miller, Orlando City looks promising

    What Canada really need is to recruit
    • Fikayo Tomori, Derby County...on loan from Chelsea
    • Ricardo Ferreira, Braga, Liga NOS
     
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  15. CMeszt

    CMeszt Member+

    Farewell Sweet Prince
    Jan 9, 2004
    Gentrification's Apex.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Vela has at least made it seem like he's done with El Tri, but who knows, he's been in and out so much over the years that the FMF might still try to stand below his window with a boombox over its head.

    Some of the interviews he gave when he came to LAFC really made him sound like a guy who was pretty burned out before he arrived in LA, no no small part because of the media microscope he gets put under while playing for Mexico.
     
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  16. Regi0

    Regi0 Member

    Aug 11, 2011
    Club:
    CF Rayados de Monterrey
    That was a pretty abstract response and didn't answer the question.
     
  17. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    He did. We're not a deep team and rotating the squad was essential to arrive 100% for the KO stage.

    Losing to Mexico didn't prevent us from advancing and give us a chance to reach the goal which is the semi-finals

    Managing the minutes were essential. 2 years ago we looked out of gas at the QF and lost to Jamaica, a team we should have beat
     
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  18. Regi0

    Regi0 Member

    Aug 11, 2011
    Club:
    CF Rayados de Monterrey
    The question he asked is not why it was done, but rather would it have made a difference. It's kind've of like calling a poker player out on his bluff. I self admit that I am not knowledge at all on Canada's squad, so I guess we really will not know unless both teams are able to make it to playoffs.

    If Costa Rica make it out first in the group as expected, it will be a very tough game but certainly possible.
     
  19. Pegasus

    Pegasus Member+

    Apr 20, 1999
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Followill's main gig is Dallas Maverick's TV. He also does FCD when not doing Mav's games. He has a reputation for extreme studying the teams he will be doing.
     
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  20. Mantis Toboggan M.D.

    Philadelphia Union
    United States
    Jul 8, 2017
    This Nicaragua-Bermuda game is absolutely brutal
     
  21. porkrind

    porkrind Member+

    Quakes
    United States
    Sep 27, 2001
    Bostonia
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    and yet it somehow makes me happy to see Bermuda up 2-0
     
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  22. Bluecat82

    Bluecat82 Member+

    Feb 24, 1999
    Minneapolis, MN
    Club:
    Minnesota United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    On the contrary, I think it's been one of the most entertaining games of the tournament. Certainly better than Jamaica-El Salvador, TNT-Panama or anything involving Cuba.
     
  23. CMeszt

    CMeszt Member+

    Farewell Sweet Prince
    Jan 9, 2004
    Gentrification's Apex.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union

     
  24. Sebsasour

    Sebsasour Member+

    New Mexico United
    May 26, 2012
    Albuquerque NM
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Bermuda had their chance to bury Haiti in the first half of their opening game. They could have advanced.

    I've been mildly impressed with them
     
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  25. skim172

    skim172 Member+

    Feb 20, 2013
    You know, that last name is so unusual, I wouldn't be surprised if they were related.
     

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