Oh...sigh...Canada

Y’alright mate?

This week Canada managed a 3-nil win over Puerto Rico in a World Cup qualifying match. On a personal level, Canadian football has always held a certain strangeness bordering on contempt. Before you jump to conclusions, keep in mind what the lover of football has to deal with in Canada: Gerry Dobson and Craig Forrest, the Canadian Soccer Association, the MLS, Toronto FC, a consistent failure to qualify for the World Cup, as well as underachieving in the Gold Cup, and the prevalence of puck jockeys who bash the game.

Anyone who did watch the game should have noted the complete lack of intelligent football on behalf of each team. Sloppy passing and low-percentage balls were the norm, and unimaginative play seemed to be the game plan. Add to that the lack of pressure on the ball and it was hardly the quality one expects to see in Brazil in 2014, let alone a side that might have potential to even reach the finals.

It’s also worth noting that each of the Canadian goals, while coming in open play, were scrappy at best. Rather than being the result of creative play or incisive passing, they seemed to rely on a combination of purely wishful balls being sent into the area and sloppy defending. Is there something to be said for scoring scrappy goals? Absolutely. Any good team needs to be able to capitalize on mistakes, and at the very least force their opponent into conceding them. Yet relying on mistakes as a matter of an attacking platform seems somewhat adolescent, and at best reminds me of the hockey mentality of getting the puck towards the net and hoping.

The solution lies in a more fluid concept of attack, one in which ball possession combined high-percentage passing/shooting and a work-rate that inspires constant pressure. If they can’t sort out a better way to score goals, it’s going to take a lot of charity on the pitch to even gain a glimmer of hope in making it to Brazil.

As for my Gerry Dobson reference, here are two gems from the Canada broadcast that he felt fitting to share with the viewing audience:

“Canada is playing a 4-2-2,” and “That was a foul so it will be a goal kick.”

Well on Mr. Dobson, apparently broadcasting takes little more than a marginal understanding of football...well on.

Cheers,

The Footy Fox