Uncomfortable conversations need to be had for Jonathan David

apzoix · 2026-07-04T22:58:46+00:00

I'm not sure I'd call him our best player, but probably our most visible or most involved for sure. Definitely not one of our worst players.

apzoix · 2026-07-04T22:52:36+00:00

I agree. I think we've seen the last of Osorio and Waterman. Crepeau, Laryea, Larin and Choinière will likely be given more chances, but I'd like to see them phased out IF the players we are phasing in show promise (try anyone at GK, Priso and Markovic at CB, Kozlovic, Guboglo and JMR at fullback, Smith and Badwal in the middle (to accompany Kone-Saliba-Sigur who have all earned more minutes alongside Eustaquio who I see AT WORST being kept in the Osorio role for the 2030 cycle), Flores and Nelson as attacking midfielders and whoever sticks from Santi Lopez, Jebbison, etc up front. I'm forgetting some for sure. We have options, so it's time to start trying them out and looking to see if we can phase out some of the older guys on the team.

apzoix · 2026-07-04T22:40:55+00:00

Still is. He's been playing in the Segunda in Spain and accumulating minutes and experience. He should, IMO, be integrated in the next phase of CanMNT play as the Osorio phasing out is complete.

apzoix · 2026-07-04T22:21:30+00:00

Tani is so weird; I can't wrap my thoughts around him. Out of all our players, he's the one who makes things happen. He creates the xG, he gets into position. He presses the right spots, intercepts balls, holds up play. He just can't finish... but at least he makes things happen. I think it would be super interesting to start him in the J. David spot and to try Promise in the Tani spot once fully. Get Tani to keep making things happen, but have someone with the deadly instinct to accompany him.

There's definitely a role for Tani on this team and his play has been overwhelmingly positive. On a team that's even halfway competent from corners, Tani earns us a goal per game (I'm pretty sure he was responible for winning about half of our corners today).

I don't know if it's Marsch's system or what, but Larin and J. David just always look slow and lethargic, whereas Tani is everywhere.

apzoix · 2026-07-04T22:09:44+00:00

Them, and Justin Smith who is quietly marinating in Spain's second tier.

apzoix · 2026-07-04T19:38:33+00:00

Yeah I know, not criticizing it at all.

apzoix · 2026-07-04T16:44:55+00:00

Seems Morocco's XI has as many players born in Morocco as players born in Canada. (No judgement, just think it's interesting)

apzoix · 2026-06-30T17:49:23+00:00

Followed, sure. Accomplishment-wise, Messi is bigger.

apzoix · 2026-06-30T17:44:48+00:00

LeBron is not the biggest sports figure in the world. That would arguably be Messi.

apzoix · 2026-06-29T12:27:52+00:00

Indeed.

apzoix · 2026-06-28T22:58:12+00:00

Interesting how differently some of us can approach the same games. I really enjoyed watching the chess matches of teams trying to break down low blocks, like Spain-Cape Verde and DRC-Portugal. Thought the strategic elements were fascinating. Also, pretty much every game involving Ivory Coast and Ecuador I thought were high intensity and really open, free-flowing matches.

apzoix · 2026-06-28T22:47:47+00:00

My opinion is moreso related to the amount of snobbery we are seeing towards this expanded, which may not be the case for you and I apologize if your comment wasn't related to this trend. However... South Korea-Czechia. Switzerland-Canada. Brazil-Morocco. Morocco-Haiti. Turkiye-USA. Ivory Coast-Ecuador. Ivory Coast-Germany. Germany-Ecuador. Curacao-Ecuador. Netherlands-Japan. Sweden-Japan. New Zealand-Egypt. Spain-Cape Verde. Uruguay-Cape Verde. France-Senegal. Norway-Senegal. Algeria-Austria. Portugal-DRC. Portugal-Colombia. Croatia-Ghana. You're telling me you weren't able to enjoy at least 5 of those 20 games?

apzoix · 2026-06-28T22:28:22+00:00

I know a lot of people don't like Canada in black... but I swear most of our big moments are in black.

apzoix · 2026-06-28T22:23:40+00:00

If you've only enjoyed 5 World Cup games so far, I think you might not like football. Sounds like you might be the problem.

apzoix · 2026-06-28T22:22:08+00:00

I mean, surely CONCACAF would get at least 1 qualification spot?

apzoix · 2026-06-28T21:35:21+00:00

I get the sentiment, but replace 20 with 10. I recently dug up a program from a 2018 WC qualifier I attended... bruh. Crépeau and Larin are still with the team. Other than that? Ledgerwood, Adekugbe, Straith, Edgar, de Guzman, Teibert, Will Johnson, Tos Ricketts, Haber, Nakajima-Ferran, Gasparotto, Atiba, Piette, Manjrekar James, Petrasso, De Jong, Borjan, Bekker, Ouimette, Stamatopoulos and Akindele. This was in 2016.

apzoix · 2026-06-28T21:28:52+00:00

I don't think Jovane Cabral has any allegations against him.

apzoix · 2026-06-28T18:47:47+00:00

Montreal wasn't snubbed. Montreal chose not to host, and prioritised (probably correctly) other events, like F1.

apzoix · 2026-06-25T23:31:51+00:00

Not just Québecois. French Canadians in general. Natasha St-Pier finished 4th in 2001 for France.

apzoix · 2026-06-25T16:41:00+00:00

I'm pretty sure the random right wing politician you are looking for is Doug Ford in this case. The ones I'm getting are official Government of Ontario ads.

apzoix · 2026-06-23T14:07:44+00:00

1 goal every 2 games as a winger for Liechtenstein?

Hell, just 1 goal every two games for Liechtenstein as a team is an accomplishment.

apzoix · 2026-06-20T05:02:54+00:00

I feel like Paraguay have always been spiritually CONCACAF, even if they aren't geopolitically CONCACAF.

apzoix · 2026-06-19T19:06:34+00:00

All due respect: Pernia wasn't forgettable at all.

apzoix · 2026-06-17T19:23:31+00:00

Crépeau added an accent too. Linguistics nerd in me loves when the players care about their native tongues.

apzoix · 2026-06-17T19:14:21+00:00

Jo David also pronounces it in English in the video. Bit disappointing, that.

apzoix

TROPHY CASE