If we can't win against El Salvador's B team in a half empty stadium in a game being played in comfortable evening weather, will we ever win in Central America?
I'm upset Floro didn't make more of an effort to go for it in the 2nd half.
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I have a bad feeling that we might need those two points at the end of this round. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but upcoming are:
Mexico home and away
Honduras away
El Salvador home
Taking any points from Mexico in either fixture would be a huge bonus. Honduras away will be very tricky. El Salvador at home is the best opportunity to take points.
I'm still optimistic, but I fear that we may find ourselves lamenting the dropped points here come September.
I have a bad feeling that we might need those two points at the end of this round. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but upcoming are:
Mexico home and away
Honduras away
El Salvador home
Taking any points from Mexico in either fixture would be a huge bonus. Honduras away will be very tricky. El Salvador at home is the best opportunity to take points.
I'm still optimistic, but I fear that we may find ourselves lamenting the dropped points here come September.
Agreed. We really need El Salvador to hold Honduras to a draw in their home match. If Honduras wins both and we don't get anything off of Mexico we'll face a "can't lose" match in Honduras, and we all know how that went last time.
What a missed opportunity. They will be shooting to get one point out of the turn (Mexico home/away) and suddenly you're sitting on 5 points after 4 games, basically needing 6 points out of your last two, one of them being Honduras away... so lots of outside help needed now.
Last edited by Bill Bumface; 11-18-2015 at 10:15 AM.
Well, assuming we get nothing out of the upcoming home-and-home with Mexico, we'll be on 4 points after 4 games. Hopefully Honduras will drop some points against El Salvador, but the worst case scenario is that we're down 2 points to Honduras heading into the final two games.
Barring some very surprising upsets, it looks to be headed towards a game in Honduras where we'll need a result to give us a chance in the final game vs El Salvador.
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Absolutely they were points dropped. But, considering the fact that El Salvador parked the bus, and the game was played on a terrible pitch, it was not the worst result in the world. Canada held the play and had all but one of the quality scoring chances, just couldn't finish. But that's not exactly a new issue with the team.
If Honduras and El Salvador split their games, we're in the drivers seat. That being said, for me it looks like it will come down to getting points in Honduras. For Canada to really get a sense of if they have actually improved in the last 4 years, it just kind of seems right that they are in the same position as last cycle. And for the record I don't think we will get a result in Honduras, but it won't be an 8-1 drubbing.
As an aside, given that the playing surface was so bad last night, how many people wish the game was played on a surface as good as the one in Vancouver?
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Can someone explain this whole qualification process to a casual soccer fan like me? I'm assuming that two teams will qualify on this go around. One likely being Mexico, and one spot open for Canada. Where is the USA in all of this. Are they exempt from qualifying for the World Cup, or does finishing in the top 2 in this pool, just place Canada in a higher echelon pool with the USA and some other teams to qualify for the World Cup?
USA is in group C going through the same process as Canada is right now. Canada is in Group A and there is a third group B with Costa Rica and Jamacia as the likely teams to advance.
The top two teams in each group will through to the "Hex" where they will play home and home games against each of the other 5 teams. At the end of that round the top 3 advance to the World Cup and the 4th place team goes to face a play-off against another team (not sure where maybe Asia or Oceania?) for a spot in the World Cup.
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USA is in group C going through the same process as Canada is right now. Canada is in Group A and there is a third group B with Costa Rica and Jamacia as the likely teams to advance.
The top two teams in each group will through to the "Hex" where they will play home and home games against each of the other 5 teams. At the end of that round the top 3 advance to the World Cup and the 4th place team goes to face a play-off against another team (not sure where maybe Asia or Oceania?) for a spot in the World Cup.
Asia this time. Most likely a middle eastern team.
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Watching the Oilers defend is like watching fire engines frantically rushing to the wrong fire
About a month until our friendly with the US in LA. and another camp and some more crazy good news for Canada. Scott Arfield, a 27 year old midfielder who I'd say is one of the best players in the english championship and looked like a solid premier league player last year, looks like he's coming into the fold. Should be around for this cycle and one more, pretty major reinforcement.
Also Steven Vittoria is coming in as well (who no one really seems to want that much among the fanbase but could be a useful player and also has a couple cycles left at 28).
Unbelievable how many players with multiple options Canada has picked up in the last couple of years after so many years of being jerked around. Akindele, Hoilett, Aird and now these two.... some really good players.
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Arfield is a solid pickup, who can slot in immediately at a starting RW. I love Ricketts, but Arfield is just a much better quality option.
Vitoria is a punk who I want nowhere near the team. Even ignoring the fact that he spurned his country for a U-20 World Cup on their home soil, he doesn't bring anything more than our starting CB's (Edgar, Henry, Jakovic)
Arfield is a solid pickup, who can slot in immediately at a starting RW. I love Ricketts, but Arfield is just a much better quality option.
Vitoria is a punk who I want nowhere near the team. Even ignoring the fact that he spurned his country for a U-20 World Cup on their home soil, he doesn't bring anything more than our starting CB's (Edgar, Henry, Jakovic)
I think he's solid cover at CB if he shows the right attitude. Though I agree and am a bit predisposed to thinking he is a dbag after some of his past conduct.
Henry is made of glass, Jakovic is 31 in a couple of months and has fallen off a bit IMO and Edgar has dropped down to League 1. Not saying he is better than any of them, but it's becoming a bit of a position of concern since Hainault fell off the map.
The guy I was really hoping to come into the fold (after Arfield) was Riccardo Ferreira.
We're a good RB and Cavallini coming back to add a third scoring option away from being a team that should make the world cup on paper now, which is crazy to see.
I think he's solid cover at CB if he shows the right attitude. Though I agree and am a bit predisposed to thinking he is a dbag after some of his past conduct.
Henry is made of glass, Jakovic is 31 in a couple of months and has fallen off a bit IMO and Edgar has dropped down to League 1. Not saying he is better than any of them, but it's becoming a bit of a position of concern since Hainault fell off the map.
The guy I was really hoping to come into the fold (after Arfield) was Riccardo Ferreira.
We're a good RB and Cavallini coming back to add a third scoring option away from being a team that should make the world cup on paper now, which is crazy to see.
"Should make the World Cup"?
Concacaf has 3.5 spots. Right now I'd say Mexico, Costa Rica and USA are almost automatic. For the .5 spot that leaves Panama, Honduras, Jamaica, T&T, Canada.
My bet is Panama to take the spot. But can we say we're better or have played better than the other teams? Not really. Also remember that some of these teams have huge home field advantages which we don't also have.
"Could make the World Cup" is a lot more realistic than "should" right now.
