Canada at Gold Cup 2019

Discussion in 'Canada' started by Polygong, Apr 10, 2019.

  1. BearcatSA

    BearcatSA Member

    Jan 15, 2008
    Canada
    We we're gifted a great opportunity which we duly punished from that brain cramp decision for the last Mexican man to try a cute dribble. However, we looked a real threat off of the counter and that should give any opponent pause to think as they plan to play us in the future.

    The overall play in the back line is our achilles heel, unless Borjan replicates Craig Forrest's 2000 GC winning performances. That's holding us back from a finals appearance here.
     
  2. Kingston

    Kingston Member+

    Oct 6, 2005
    Which is kind of funny. Normally we have a pretty solid back line but can't generate any offence.
     
  3. Polygong

    Polygong Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 8, 2007
    Toronto
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    I'd still rather have our current issue than our previous one.
     
    Robert Borden repped this.
  4. Kingston

    Kingston Member+

    Oct 6, 2005
    Absolutely!
     
  5. Hawkguy

    Hawkguy New Member

    Wolverhampton Wanderers
    Canada
    Jun 22, 2019
    Sour grapes for sure.

    But... he's also not wrong with his analogy.

    We put out a team that was nowhere near our best. And once we got a little closer to our best with our subs, we actually pretty much handled the pace of the game.
     
  6. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    John Herdman explains his logic here
    I have to agree with him here. He managed the tournament with a semifinal appearance in mind and worked his way backward to make sure that the main squad arrived in QF and SF 100% fresh while not showing Mexico too much if we get past Costa Rica.

    Zambrano would have done the same thing as last time. We arrived at the QF with a team that looked out of gas against Jamaica and named the wrong guys in defense (old and slow) and we got beat by Jamaica (speed). That game we should have won.

    Herdman's approach here is the best in my opinion. He rested the best midfield and David who played 30 minutes allowing him to test Mexico. We saw a clear shift at the 60th minute after the triple change. Canada was competing, took it to them and forced Mexico's defense in making a mistake which allowed us to score.

    At the same time, he exposed the defense to Mexico's offense so they would experience the best attack so they could learn from their mistakes, adjust and know what to expect next time.

    There was no point burning our main guys in altitude in a game that had no impact on us advancing.
     
  7. Hawkguy

    Hawkguy New Member

    Wolverhampton Wanderers
    Canada
    Jun 22, 2019
    I didn't say whether or not I agreed with it. Just that it was a true analogy.

    However, I disagree with it. Mexico isn't scared enough to care about who we put on the pitch. I would have rather shocked them and had an easier semifinal, where hopefully we could get some rest later in the game.

    I do understand his thought process and won't chirp it like Zambrano. But I do not like the smugness Herdman showed by looking past Costa Rica.

    As an athlete my whole life, I've never looked past any opponent. Especially ones who have proven more than my team or myself. Costa Rica is too decorated for me to agree with looking past them.
     
  8. Polygong

    Polygong Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 8, 2007
    Toronto
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Well barring a rout of Martinique beating Mexico by 11 goals I'd say that we're through.
     
  9. Kingston

    Kingston Member+

    Oct 6, 2005
    So a crowd of over 59 000 to watch Canada versus Cuba and it looks like most of them stuck around to see the Martinique-Mexico game afterward, too. :)

    It would be fun if Haiti pulled an upset in their final pool game but I'm actually looking forward to Costa Rica. That will be a better test of where we are at since they are neither a minnow nor Mexico.
     
  10. Hawkguy

    Hawkguy New Member

    Wolverhampton Wanderers
    Canada
    Jun 22, 2019
    We would have been through anyway cause we would have been far ahead of Mexico.
     
  11. Polygong

    Polygong Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 8, 2007
    Toronto
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    It's kind of annoying that if we get past Costa Rica / Haiti, we will have to face Mexico again.
     
  12. Hawkguy

    Hawkguy New Member

    Wolverhampton Wanderers
    Canada
    Jun 22, 2019
    Why's that annoying? If we make the Final-4 we're gonna play good teams. Guess you don't want to make the World Cup cause they'll all be annoying?
     
  13. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You can surprise teams. I think betting odds would have USA more likely to win than you when they play in Canada, but you're capable of winning hosting USA.
     
  14. Polygong

    Polygong Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 8, 2007
    Toronto
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    I know full well that going further into the tournament means playing better teams. My point is that we've already faced Mexico in this tournament, and I just think we should have new teams to face early in the elimination rounds.

    Most tournaments are set up to increase cross-group pairings.
     
  15. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    This tournament is frustratingly designed to favor a US-Mexico final. The USMNT have an easier bracket
     
  16. gmej

    gmej New Member

    Crystal Palace
    Canada
    Nov 16, 2018
    Both correct, CONCACAF tournaments are set up by assuming a USA final and then working backwards to create the most likely set of circumstances that create that.

    The only thing(s) that will change that is if solid number 3 and 4 teams develop that consistently but a gum in those works and provide a similar level of competition and financial performance. Canada probably is the best positioned to provide that......but will they?
     
  17. adrenaline11

    adrenaline11 Member+

    Jul 29, 2010
    Toronto
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    We will be playing Haiti on Saturday after they upset Costa Rica 2-1 tonight to win a Gold Cup group for the first time.

    Their front three is pretty good so if we defend like we've done all tournament, we may have to score three or four to beat them.
     
  18. Kingston

    Kingston Member+

    Oct 6, 2005
    ^ We should be able to beat them. As you say, and as they showed in the Nations League qualifiers, they can put the ball in the net. So can we, however, and I think our defence is slowly coming together.

    Maybe Costa Rica will upset Mexico and we'll still get a shot at them in the semis.
     
  19. Polygong

    Polygong Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 8, 2007
    Toronto
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    I was hoping for this scenario. There's actually a whisp of a chance that we can avoid facing Mexico again. Still highly confident that they'll beat Costa Rica, but there are very few teams who could upset the Mexicans and Costa Rica is one of them.

    We still have to get past Haiti mind you. We can definitely beat them but they'll be a far bigger challenge than Martinique or Cuba.
     
  20. Kingston

    Kingston Member+

    Oct 6, 2005
    I had expected Costa Rica but feel the same about Haiti. I'm really looking forward to this game. We've now won six or seven consecutive games against minnows. We lost to Mexico, thus affirming that, as expected, we aren't yet in the top of the CONCACAF class. This game will be our first in recent times against a relatively even opponent. It is time we had this sort of test and I'm eager to see how we do.
     
  21. Kingston

    Kingston Member+

    Oct 6, 2005
    Oh, and why are the players sucking their thumbs as a goal scoring celebration?
     
  22. gmej

    gmej New Member

    Crystal Palace
    Canada
    Nov 16, 2018
    Given their ages, I suspect they are all early in their family building ages and acknowledging/tributing their young children and wives/partners somewhere in the crowd.
     
  23. mpr2477

    mpr2477 Member

    Jun 30, 2016
    Club:
    Vancouver MLS
    Wow Canada....******** YOU! Idiots, how TF do you blow a goddamn 2-0 lead!!? Oh wait, it’s ********in Canada, so of course the find a way to just give it away. :mad::rolleyes:
     
  24. BearcatSA

    BearcatSA Member

    Jan 15, 2008
    Canada
    This thread died a sudden death, didn't it?
     
  25. Polygong

    Polygong Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 8, 2007
    Toronto
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Just like out team! Ha!

    That said, disappointing, this was a game we really should have won, but the reality is that makign the quarters is "expected" as this implies we are a top 8 CONCACAF team, which is what we are. Making the semis implies a top 4, which we are not. Missing the knockout rounds would be considered a let down.
     

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