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Subject: [NT] U21 World Cup
Apologies for no game lead up this week. I've struggled with a cold all week long. :S
Mexico is a strong team. They are better at every position. The only player of ours that might start for them is G Verville.
So it's going to be a tough much. Last week the focus was playing to our strengths (which worked out great :P). This week will be more trying to hide our weaknesses.
Mexico is a strong team. They are better at every position. The only player of ours that might start for them is G Verville.
So it's going to be a tough much. Last week the focus was playing to our strengths (which worked out great :P). This week will be more trying to hide our weaknesses.
541 with a winger this week. Defense backs off to give our guys a little better chance of making the tackle. Will mean more long shots against and play in our end, but I figure it’s still our best chance of making a match out of it.
Will hopefully get a little offense from the winger - A Verville stands a better chance of turning the corner, so look for a burst when he comes on. Our strikers don’t have enough tech to bust through their defense, so I’m just as happy if they are “hidden” and just try to get their heads to crosses. Hopefully not too many kick-outs trying to get the ball to the winger.
The central midfield is meant to channel passes into the solid wall of defenders. Singh in net this week - looking for a better pure shot stopper, as I expect a lot more shots (especially from distance).
Using all subs - dangerous, but necessary given the stamina.
Line-Up
Singh
G Verville, Sahota, Metra, Lemieux, Kasim
Foster, Fluet, Dudic, Maillet
Boisierres
Bench
Castillo Lara
Konstantyko (70 - Metra)
A Verville (50 - Maillet)
Farahani (60 - Boisierres)
Vafir
Will hopefully get a little offense from the winger - A Verville stands a better chance of turning the corner, so look for a burst when he comes on. Our strikers don’t have enough tech to bust through their defense, so I’m just as happy if they are “hidden” and just try to get their heads to crosses. Hopefully not too many kick-outs trying to get the ball to the winger.
The central midfield is meant to channel passes into the solid wall of defenders. Singh in net this week - looking for a better pure shot stopper, as I expect a lot more shots (especially from distance).
Using all subs - dangerous, but necessary given the stamina.
Line-Up
Singh
G Verville, Sahota, Metra, Lemieux, Kasim
Foster, Fluet, Dudic, Maillet
Boisierres
Bench
Castillo Lara
Konstantyko (70 - Metra)
A Verville (50 - Maillet)
Farahani (60 - Boisierres)
Vafir
Result was not unexpected, and probably should have been worse. Singh played well.
I was happy with the tactic. Shut down attacks through the middle (as much as was possible). The wing defense would have been better had I guessed the proper side. Kasim was over-matched. I would have much preferred G Verville mark their wide player.
Third goal is why I hate substituting defenders (I try to avoid it at all costs, but felt it was necessary today). Much like a bad change in hockey. Konstantyno was nowhere near bearing in position, leaving the player he was supposed to be marking completely free for the goal.
A win is required against USA next week to stay in the U21 cup. Don't hold your breath. :D
I was happy with the tactic. Shut down attacks through the middle (as much as was possible). The wing defense would have been better had I guessed the proper side. Kasim was over-matched. I would have much preferred G Verville mark their wide player.
Third goal is why I hate substituting defenders (I try to avoid it at all costs, but felt it was necessary today). Much like a bad change in hockey. Konstantyno was nowhere near bearing in position, leaving the player he was supposed to be marking completely free for the goal.
A win is required against USA next week to stay in the U21 cup. Don't hold your breath. :D
A strong tactical game for Canada. Singh has absolutely no pace, but he played well.
Again apologies. I haven't been feeling well lately - pretty skimpy pre-match again this week.
USA is a strong team from front to back. They are clearly superior at all positions, save perhaps midfield (where they probably still have the upper hand, but the gap is much closer). Valentine, for example is a double unearthly defender (we only have one of those on the senior team, let alone the junior squad).
We need a win to continue in the U21 World Cup, but expectations should be similar to last week. We'll do well to keep it close - a blow out is entirely possible.
USA is a strong team from front to back. They are clearly superior at all positions, save perhaps midfield (where they probably still have the upper hand, but the gap is much closer). Valentine, for example is a double unearthly defender (we only have one of those on the senior team, let alone the junior squad).
We need a win to continue in the U21 World Cup, but expectations should be similar to last week. We'll do well to keep it close - a blow out is entirely possible.
I suspect you don't have an individual of the quality of Sammy Smuckers in midfield though :)
Nope. :) Smuckers looks pretty awesome. I don't know much about him - but given his marks and value, I suspect he'd be in the mix for our senior squad if he were Canadian.
Underway against USA.
I suspect a repeat of last week’s tactic would have been the optimal approach. But I’m inclined to make another attempt at playing to our strength. Using a 451 formation today - this basic formation was used by the U21s a couple of times last season.
Defense backs off a little more then usual to give them a little extra help making the tackles. Hoping to get some offense from the winger this week - Maillet didn’t have a great game last week (A Verville looked decent tho). I don’t think we’ll be breaking too many tackles, so the passing will need to be good.
Using mostly square throws this week - Mr Gibbage generally guards the lines pretty tightly. Foster takes freekicks, Boisierres the spot kicks. Fluet has orders to assume a back-line position should one of the defenders be sent off.
The central defense is not as strong as last week, and the flank defense is no stronger. Hoping for a lot of ball control, otherwise Singh will have to sparkle to keep things close.
Line-Up
Singh
G Verville, Metra, Sahota, Kasim
Foster, Fluet, Dudic, Lemieux, Maillet
Boisierres
Bench
Castillo Lara
Konstantyno (75 - Metra)
A Verville (55 - Maillet)
Farahani (65 - Boisierres)
Vafir
I suspect a repeat of last week’s tactic would have been the optimal approach. But I’m inclined to make another attempt at playing to our strength. Using a 451 formation today - this basic formation was used by the U21s a couple of times last season.
Defense backs off a little more then usual to give them a little extra help making the tackles. Hoping to get some offense from the winger this week - Maillet didn’t have a great game last week (A Verville looked decent tho). I don’t think we’ll be breaking too many tackles, so the passing will need to be good.
Using mostly square throws this week - Mr Gibbage generally guards the lines pretty tightly. Foster takes freekicks, Boisierres the spot kicks. Fluet has orders to assume a back-line position should one of the defenders be sent off.
The central defense is not as strong as last week, and the flank defense is no stronger. Hoping for a lot of ball control, otherwise Singh will have to sparkle to keep things close.
Line-Up
Singh
G Verville, Metra, Sahota, Kasim
Foster, Fluet, Dudic, Lemieux, Maillet
Boisierres
Bench
Castillo Lara
Konstantyno (75 - Metra)
A Verville (55 - Maillet)
Farahani (65 - Boisierres)
Vafir
Congrats on the win and U21WC qualification :)
A single goal victory would have destroyed Scotlands chances of qualifying via 3rd place but we now have a better gd than USA.
Thanks :)
A single goal victory would have destroyed Scotlands chances of qualifying via 3rd place but we now have a better gd than USA.
Thanks :)
You are a tactical genius Seca. Boissieres and Singh did their part too. USA midfield players, like Smuckers were mia today. Well done.
A surprising result. Boisierres going 3 for 4 shooting is unprecedented (not that he isn't capable). One was a high quality chance, the other two were a little speculative. Sensational day for him.
Singh was excellent. Second week in a row he has been stellar. Makes me wonder a little about the current incarnation of the ME. Singh is a nice prospect with a bright future, but at this point in a career is a pretty average keeper. He probably shouldn't be stealing the show week after week.
I was pretty happy with the tactic. It worked very much as I had hoped. I had to back the defense off (because of our relatively low level of tackling) which meant we did give up a lot of shots. But for the most part they were from distance, and the USA finishing was very poor today (combined with a nice performance from Singh). Our midfield moved the ball around well, and did a good with possession. Our throw-ins (with a few exceptions) were highly effective which helped a great deal in the over picture.
All that said, it is still a very fortunate victory. USA had more chances, better strikers and better keeper and deserved the win.
With the win, we survive the qualification stage.
Singh was excellent. Second week in a row he has been stellar. Makes me wonder a little about the current incarnation of the ME. Singh is a nice prospect with a bright future, but at this point in a career is a pretty average keeper. He probably shouldn't be stealing the show week after week.
I was pretty happy with the tactic. It worked very much as I had hoped. I had to back the defense off (because of our relatively low level of tackling) which meant we did give up a lot of shots. But for the most part they were from distance, and the USA finishing was very poor today (combined with a nice performance from Singh). Our midfield moved the ball around well, and did a good with possession. Our throw-ins (with a few exceptions) were highly effective which helped a great deal in the over picture.
All that said, it is still a very fortunate victory. USA had more chances, better strikers and better keeper and deserved the win.
With the win, we survive the qualification stage.
Genius yes and you beat them with the "Smuck".
Singh the man of the match along with Dudic IMO and of course Boissieres.
Singh the man of the match along with Dudic IMO and of course Boissieres.
Thanks all for the kudos. We had a plan, and it worked. But I've been on the other end of this kind of game enough to recognize the kindness of random.
Your strikers & keeper have the power to make you look like a genius or a dolt. Normally the Canadian ones conspire to make me look like a dolt (as the USA ones did to Mr. Gibbage today). It's kind of nice when they swing the other way. :)
Your strikers & keeper have the power to make you look like a genius or a dolt. Normally the Canadian ones conspire to make me look like a dolt (as the USA ones did to Mr. Gibbage today). It's kind of nice when they swing the other way. :)