2020 Cavalry FC and CanPL Thread

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by shermanator

Club needs an overhaul at CB and in attack. Too many defensive mids on the squad as well. Looking forward to a healthy Cordova and Escalante returning. Hope we can keep Farsi, his play was the bright spot throughout the tournament.

Frustrating 2020 to say the least. Hopefully we will all be back in the stands in 2021.

Fully agreed. Injuries and being asleep when it came time to get players back into the country put us behind the eight ball and tested the depth, but CB was incredibly weak this year.

On offense, we probably didn't see what Cordova has, since he was hurt, so likely a free pass, but the offense was anemic at best. No finish. Lots of running and lob balls, no tricks.

I hope that we have seen the end of Boskovic, Northover, and Jay Wheeldon. Pepple is also a real question mark. Not sure what Hernandez adds, and would rather see that spot go to someone who can take U21 minutes.

Haber added an interesting dynamic, so I would maybe take a shot on him next year if there's room, but priority has to be someone dynamic, whether we ever see Luca again, or we find someone new.

[shermanator]

I would love to see Cavalry throw some cash at Akeem Garcia in the offseason. Can't see it ever happening, but that is the type of player we need to pick up. Someone truly dynamic in offense.

[Jimmy Stang]

Maybe not the "right" attitude to have as a supporter, but I'm not even mad. The squad was decimated and they simply didn't have anything left in the tank.

Sure, the team made some poor decisions in this tournament - tactics, on-field decisions, etc. but when it all comes down to it, I can't argue that the two most deserving teams are in the final. I would've loved to steal this one from Forge just to piss them off (and, of course, to get into the final), but it wasn't to be.

And finally: GO WANDERERS! I cheer for one team, cheer against another, but Halifax are at the top of the other 6 for me.

[Ozy_Flame]

If I'm not cheering for the Cavs, I'm always cheering for HFX. This is the best team for me going into the final that I could ask for! Going to be an exciting game to watch!

[Bill Bumface]

Whitecaps win. Confirmed it will be TFC to kick the sht out of Forge in the final if it comes down to it.

[shermanator]

Good stuff from Stuart Gradon regarding the league and 2021. League is looking at the same format as the original format for 2020, kicking off in April with supporters in the stands.

Hope that actually happens. It's hard to build the supporters culture during a pandemic.

https://www.totalsoccerproject.com/2...ormat-in-2021/

[Mango]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1306996941625196544

Go Halifax.

[ditty]

Originally Posted by Mango

https://twitter.com/user/status/1306996941625196544

Go Halifax.

I blame the league for this. Smyrniotis is correct in that there was no silverware or formal recognition for Cavalry winning the spring and fall. That, plus the fact that the league's chosen format led to Cavalry and Forge knowing they were playing each other in the final by about mid-September does lead me to believe that Forge were content with seeing the season out as the second-overall and getting ready for the final.

Cavalry definitely should have gained some greater advantage for the final or at least recognition for finishing first in both seasons. I don't think we'll see that original format again as 2019 proved the worst-case scenario of having one team win both Spring and Fall and have nothing to show for it.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by ditty

I blame the league for this. Smyrniotis is correct in that there was no silverware or formal recognition for Cavalry winning the spring and fall. That, plus the fact that the league's chosen format led to Cavalry and Forge knowing they were playing each other in the final by about mid-September does lead me to believe that Forge were content with seeing the season out as the second-overall and getting ready for the final.

Cavalry definitely should have gained some greater advantage for the final or at least recognition for finishing first in both seasons. I don't think we'll see that original format again as 2019 proved the worst-case scenario of having one team win both Spring and Fall and have nothing to show for it.

Meh. That’s just lame though. We all know the Cavs won the first season entirely, and the “final” was a complete farce. First of all, that should’ve been an intra-squad game. Cavs won both seasons outright and there never should’ve been a final to begin with. Then you have the joke with the red card that was appealed and overturned, the ridiculous time wasting that took place in the second game and the list just goes on. There is no doubt that the Cavalry were the absolute class of the season, despite with Hamilton and their people think.

[ditty]

Originally Posted by Slava

Meh. That’s just lame though. We all know the Cavs won the first season entirely, and the “final” was a complete farce. First of all, that should’ve been an intra-squad game. Cavs won both seasons outright and there never should’ve been a final to begin with. Then you have the joke with the red card that was appealed and overturned, the ridiculous time wasting that took place in the second game and the list just goes on. There is no doubt that the Cavalry were the absolute class of the season, despite with Hamilton and their people think.

The first part of your response is kinda my point. Winning both seasons should have meant Cavalry were automatically champions or else had some sort of advantage in a post-season situation. But those weren't the rules. Cavalry were the best CanPL team in 2019 but aren't champions according to the format the league set out. That's a fact. The red card being overturned is a better argument as to why Forge won the final but the fact there was a final isn't a scandal. The format was clear from the beginning. I think the league didn't imagine a double champion at the end of the two seasons but that's what happened.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by ditty

The first part of your response is kinda my point. Winning both seasons should have meant Cavalry were automatically champions or else had some sort of advantage in a post-season situation. But those weren't the rules. Cavalry were the best CanPL team in 2019 but aren't champions according to the format the league set out. That's a fact. The red card being overturned is a better argument as to why Forge won the final but the fact there was a final isn't a scandal. The format was clear from the beginning. I think the league didn't imagine a double champion at the end of the two seasons but that's what happened.

I think the league has done everything it can to give Forge every possible chance of success along the way. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it rigged, but there were questionable arrangements at every step. The farce of the finals was just one more chance for them to become “champions”, despite them not really winning anything.

[shermanator]

Ugh, #### 2020.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by shermanator

Ugh, #### 2020.

At least we didn't have to sit there and watch them celebrate from the stands this time. But I would've like to have seen at least 6 other teams win that before Forge.

[Bill Bumface]

Tfc! Tfc!

[shermanator]

Cavalry post mortem up on the league's website. Some key points:
- Players will be training until end of October back in Calgary.
- Escalante expected to return in 2021, and confirmed that he has been loaned to Vida.
- Luca likely to return in 2021.
- Club has had some inquiries about players, not necessarily the core players.

https://canpl.ca/article/cavalry-fc-...-for-next-year

[brocoli]

Nico Pasquotti has just been selected to the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame. Just for some good news here.

https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2020/0...cal-athletes/9

[shermanator]

So that challenge that knocked Pasquotti out of the tournament? Tore his ACL and meniscus. Huge loss for the club.

https://twitter.com/nicopasquotti/st...38499898839040

[shermanator]

https://twitter.com/tristandamours/s...04660524101632

https://twitter.com/tristandamours/s...04661774008321

[Ozy_Flame]

Wow:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1313157823790895105

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Wow:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1313157823790895105

I remember watching Cavalry's last game (I think) and saying who the hell is that guy? He was super dangerous on the pitch, and only 17 or 18 years old!