Hutchinson hasn't been playing much lately. Im talking about the Mexico v Honduras match in the earlier round, not the final round. Nobody is hurt, just a lot of people on this thread downplaying Canada for some reason, using emotions and lacking any coherent argument.
This is true. Just putting it out there and he was on a recent roster for us so until he is on a Mexican roster I will put him at C.
It's not that they are down playing Canada. Everybody, literally everybody admits they have improved and are a threat. You are saying they are #3 and down playing other teams using criteria that only you find convincing. If they go get points in Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, Jamaica and El Salvador against full A squads that are going for it. Then hell yes, they can lay claim to #3. Until then..
you have yet to show me one team not named US or Mexico that has anything to brag about recently. Who exactly am I downplaying ? Costa Rica = been crap for a while (11 winless streak before Gold Cup) and easily disposed by Canada missing their top players Honduras= beat Panama , have recently tied Martinique, Belarus, Nicaragua, and lost to Guatemala recently. Have performed worse than Canada in 2 recent gold cups Panama= not done anything of late, worse than Canada in this gold cup, and same fate in the previous one Jamaica= haven't really built anything on the hype of the team. Did better than Canada in previous GC, but worse in this current one. Compare the two recent matches against Costa Rica, and who is superior. So please tell me who I'm missing and why they hell any of these teams CURRENTLY should be ranked ahead of Canada. I haven't heard anything even close to a solid argument.
And for a third time.. Gold Cup results aren't an all out indicator of current strengths of teams... Speak to the wind.
I have a problem with both FIFA and Elo rankings, but this at least shows that I am not just talking out of my behind, and am at least basing my argument on statistical evidence and not sentiments.
and for the hundredth time, you've yet to provide ANY indicator of current form which counters my argument. I've done more than look at Gold Cups, I've looked at the recent WCQ, Nations League, and friendly records of all of the teams. and you've also ignored that Canada has beaten the USA in Nations League, while no other team in Concacaf has beaten either the US or Mexico recently.
I never dreamed that in all my years on big soccer, the most frustrating person I'd run into on here is a Canadian fan. I guess that's what I deserve for all the bad things I've done in life.
How about this, put your money where your mouth is, Ban Bet, if Canada doesn't finish third or in a WC spot you're gone for life, and if Honduras doesn't, I'm gone for life.. You're so confident right using these flawed metrics, right.
Due to COVID restrictions the new 3 matches per FIFA week windows, Weird Winter FIFA break windows I would say forget it. Too many strange variables for any sane person to make a bet on anything these days.
So if you feel so strongly on Canada being the #3 outright best team in the region, then what's a little ban bet? Surely Canada will reach the WC right? Unless settling for 3rd best was your ultimate goal? I don't think they hand out banners or trophies for that but yea... Speak up
Here's an idea. Instead of "ban bets" why don't you calm down and make an actual coherent argument. I've asked you 3 or 4 times to provide a metric we can make an objective call on, as to who on current form is concacaf #3 and you keep avoiding.
You seem childish. You want to be the #3 best team in CONCACAF but refuse to accept a wager on their Qualifying hopes.. that does not make sense to me. If you feel so strongly about Canada being #3 in this region then you HAVE TO FEEL THE SAME CONVICTION ABOUT QUALIFYING FOR QATAR. If not, then what's the point of boasting for it... That's WEIRD THERE IS NO METRIC TO ACCURATELY PREDICT THE OCHO. Why can't you accept that...
And just to double down on your stupidity.. If your point is that Canada is the region's third best team in CONCACAF but feel they might not qualify for the WC, then I hate to break the news to you, but that probably means they're not the #3 team in the region...
The only stupidity and childishness is on your part. You're the one who wants to do some stupid bet about getting banned. Who the hell does that ? Definition of childish. Yes I think Canada is currently #3 in concacaf, and I've provided plenty of evidence as to why. You just claim that results are somehow "not valid" because it doesn't favor your argument. And yes If I was to bet, I would bet that US, Mexico, and Canada will be the top 3 for WCQ. Doesn't mean I would be surprised if it didn't happen, that's clearly the nature of football, duh. But I'm not going to resort to your childish "ban bet" it doesn't mean that much to me, seems like it does to you. You clearly have issues.
You wouldn't be surprised because that's clearly the nature of football but you're surprised that we don't believe Canada is the third best team in the region based on Gold Cup results and pandemic results. Ok... I've said put your money where your mouth is and you haven't. That's not childish that's what I called you being scared. For what? No clue but if you feel so strongly about Canada the wager would be a no brainer. Argue w your parents, bro. Not me
If Canada doesn’t finish in the top three of the ocho then they just aren’t top 3. It is the fairest way of measuring teams given everyone gets a home and away. This gold cup had watered down teams winning it is nice but doesn’t prove much. Canada has historically been just below the top tier and until they show otherwise that is logically where most would think about them. They may well be top three in the next few years but that will play itself out and we will see. You aren’t the first Canadian fan claiming Canada is the third best team granted the level of Canadian players has finally gone up. I know it’s easy to say Costa Rica is on a down cycle as is Honduras but they have for the past few cycles performed well in the hex despite looking mediocre in gold cups and games leading up to hex. Teams that make it to the World Cup regularly are the best in our region given our regional championship doesn’t have the best players in it
Well yeah of course I would agree with that. of course a home and away when all 8 teams play each other would be the best way to really determine the concacaf heirarchy. But we aren't there yet. And as a football forum I thought people made predictions or debated strength of teams. and frankly saying Costa Rica or Honduras are better than Canada based on what they did 4 years ago, when the Canada team was completely different is just ridiculous. Especially when we have enough data (2 Goldcups, Concacaf Nations league, friendlies) to suggest the contrary. Form and team strength are not static, they change constantly. They could even change during the qualifiers.
The gold cup is to watered down to be a metric. Even Canada doesn’t have their best squad in it and neither do the other top contenders. Nations league would work but canada didn’t make it to ko rounds so we are waiting on that as well when comparing them to other top teams in the region. Every soccer fan knows that because my team beat x and your team barely beat team y that doesn’t automatically mean my team is better then yours once we face each other At this point there just aren’t enough metrics to say where teams stand. It’s fine to say throw out the old results from the last cycle but this one is just getting started in September if we are going to accurately measure teams against each other. Measuring Canada vs Honduras based on how they did in this gold cup given both squads were missing players and more importantly didn’t play each other isn’t a good way to measure a sporting competition. We do that on the field. You are jumping the gun then wondering why people aren’t agreeing with you
I am going to go with my gut on Semi Predictions. I am going to say a wild west shootout in Austin. Something like 3-2 USA. Winning Goal in injury time. I want Mexico to lose so badly but I just can't pull the trigger on that one. I am going to say Mexico 2-1. Television Networks and sponsors pop champagne late Thursday night/Friday Morning.