Canada Squad Vs. Iceland

Here's the 17-man squad. Notable absences (injured players omitted) - Kevin McKenna, Tam Nsaliwa, Dwayne De Rosario, David Edgar, Jaime Peters. Surprised to see Tomasz Radzinski in the mix. My squad is pretty close.

Note: match kickoff is 6:05pm Icelandic time, or 2:05pm eastern next Wednesday. Sportsnet is rumoured to NOT be picking up this game, given there is also a Blue Jays game vs. Oakland at that time. GolTV and CBC are two other possibilities.

# // Name
1 Hirschfeld, Lars
2 Ledgerwood, Nik
3 Klukowski, Mike
5 Hainault, Andre
6 De Guzman, Julian
7 Stalteri, Paul
8 Bernier, Patrice
9 Radzinski, Tomasz
10 Friend, Rob
11 Hastings, Richard
12 Nakajima-Farran, Issey
13 Hutchinson, Atiba
14 Imhof, Daniel
15 Occean, Olivier
16 Gerba, Ali
17 Hume, Iain
22 Begovic, Asmir

Still trying to figure out a starting XI. I think given the number of strikers, and out-&-out strikers at, we'll see a 4-4-2. Maybe something like this. With Dale Mitchell now at the helm, it will be hard to predict.

-----------------Friend----------Hume
Nakajima-Farran---Hutchinson---De Guzman---Bernier
-----Klukowski-----Hastings---Hainault-----Stalteri
------------------------Hirschfeld

Notes
Hirschfeld should, and barring injury, will start. I'd expect Begovic to play the 2nd half or even 30 minutes. Important to get that first cap for him.

Klukowski and Hastings are easily interchangeable at the back. With Klukowski at fullback there is a lot more offensive upside (he used to be an attacking mid unless I'm mistaken). Defensive-minded tactics may see Hastings on the flank. Hainault in the center, no doubter. Stalteri, who didn't have the best of matches with Tottenham today, seems like a lock on the right.

Hutchinson and De Guzman to share middle of the park duties as always. I'd figure Bernier will either play on the wing or in a makeshift holding role, where Issey plays up on the wing in a 4-3-3. Imhof could also start in place of Bernier.

Tricky speculation is up front. With three out-&-out strikers in Occean, Friend and Gerba, I'd only assume we'd go with two strikers to get everyone playing time. Iain Hume and Tomasz Radzinski are also strikers, but Hume is more of a supporting striker and Radzinski has slowly developed into an attacking midfield or wing player. I'd bet Friend and Hume to start, although Occean could easily given his highly impressive form as of late in the Norwegian league.

Subs
Radzinski - Anywhere in the midfield or upfront, shouldn't start due to (lack of) fitness, should make a 2nd half appearance
Gerba - Beginning 2nd half.
Occean - Ditto.
Imhof - Sometime 2nd half.
Ledgerwood - Ditto.
Begovic - I'd give him the full 2nd half, or at last 20-30 minutes to ge that first cap.

Cheers,
Jesse

Matchday 20: New York 3, Toronto 0

No comments this week really. Thought Joey Melo looked good into the midfield. Composed, didn't take many risks, no real errors. Kenny Stamatopoulos (finally beginning to remember the correct spelling of his name) looks solid between the posts. If he continues this way the club should purchase him from Tromso without a single doubt. That's something for next season - two more than capable goalkeepers at the MLS by the start of the season.

Guess what, Maurice Edu is back next week. Looks very promising for Marvell Wynne, and both Danny Dichio and Jeff Cunningham may even make it onto the pitch against the Goats.

Cheers,
Jesse

Canada Squad For Iceland To Be Named

Newly appointed men's national team head coach Dale Mitchell, former U-20 men's coach, has called for a media conference call tomorrow @ 1:45pm et. It is expected that he will name the squad to face Iceland in a friendly a week from Wednesday.

Given the match is in Iceland expect a more European based squad. My guess is as good as yours regarding the possible appearance of one Tomasz Radzinski.

My roster guess...

Goalkeepers
Joshua Wagenaar
Asmir Begovic

Defenders
Kevin McKenna
Paul Stalteri
Michael Klukowski
David Edgar
Richard Hastings
Andrew Hainault

Midfielders
Julian De Guzman
Atiba Hutchinson
Patrice Bernier
Dwayne De Rosario
Daniel Imhof
Josh Simpson

Strikers
Rob Friend
Iain Hume
Oliver Occean
Ali Gerba

Yours? I think there will be few, maybe even none, North American based players. Dwayne De Rosario may be the lone exception given how set Houston seem to be. Dale Mitchell will also come out gunning with a very strong squad I bet. His very poor showing at the U-20 world cup will have many critics waiting for him to screw up again. Dale will certainly want to prove them wrong with a convincing win.

If Lars Hirschfeld doesn't accept the call, and Josh Wagenaar is injured, I think Pat Onstad may make an appearance although Robert Giacomi may play too. I feel Begovic is a shoe-in.

The backline seems far from a sure thing. Paul Stalteri seems like the safest bet. Big Kevin McKenna is 50/50 (new team and the whole bit, as he recently transfered from Cottbus to Cologne). Richard Hastings wouldn't turn down the invitation if he received one, but it's hard to say how much his great Gold Cup performance would influence this. Attacking left-back Michael Klukowski, if healthy, seems like lock. Ditto for Andre Hainault. I can't see David Edgar not coming as he is one of the few players who doesn't start for his respective club in Europe. Tam Nsaliwa is another option. After these guys options become thin across the Atlantic, and Jazic, Reda, Braz, etc, are all busy in MLS.

Centre-midfielders Julian De Guzman and Atiba Hutchinson seem likely to man the middle of the park once again. Daniel Imhof may reappear in a holding role, as might Patrice Bernier. The latter of the two is with a new club, so he may not show. Issey Nakajima-Farran seems like a definite possibility, but I have a cut feeling he won't be there. I'd like to see the kid though. Josh Simpson will almost certainly be back in the fold on the left after an injury kept him out of the Gold Cup.

The situation at striker seems to be the easiest to guess. We'll see almost both Iain Hume, Rob Friend (very sure) and probably Ali Gerba given his Gold Cup performance. Hard to see Oliver Occean not getting the call as his form in Norway this season is second to none (some 10 league goals at last count). If only two of those four make the trip, I could see Norwegian-based Stephen Ademolu get a rare look-see. Mitchell is familar with Ademolu from his youth days.

Cheers,
Jesse

Canada-Costa Rica Tickets On-Sale Tomorrow

Tickets for the Canada-Costa Rica match a month from now (Wed, Sept 12th - 730pm @ Beemo) go on sale tomorrow to the general public. I bought my pair through the members pre-sale that ended today. Purchases can be made through Ticketmaster. Tickets go as low as $14 (slightly over $20 with Ticketmaster charges).

Comments regarding tonight's match will come later. As will possible news on the upcoming Canada-Iceland friendly next Wednesday (22nd) in Reykjavik.

Cheers,
Jesse

Canada To Play Brazil?

Rumours have emerged that Brazil may be interested in playing Canada, in Canada, on September 8th. The South-American powerhouse is in the States to play Mexico four days later. Canada plays rivals Costa Rica the same day.

Cheers,
Jesse

Matchday 19: Toronto 0, Los Angeles 0

Great match, disappointing result. Pretty much sums it up. Thought all the players played well, especially Marco Reda and Adam Braz who re-appeared and manhandled Landon Donovan the entire night. Tyrone Marshall also had an amazing match at the back. Collin Samuel looked better in the midfield, with Edu suspended for the New York match I could see Samuel in an attacking mid position. Andrea Lombardo was very unlucky not to score on a number of occasions. This kid is bound to bag against the New York Red Steers.

Cheers,
Jesse

Brennan May Play

Despite two broken ribs, there are rumours from local media that defender and captain Jim Brennan may play against the Galaxy on Sunday. That's dedication for ya!

Cheers,
Jesse

New GK(s)?

Well, I was wrong about Mr. Begovic. It seems there are two Canadian goalkeepers being rumoured at this point. Greek-Canadian Kenny Stamatopoulos, a 29-year-old veteran playing in Norway, or 22-year-old up-and-comer Josh Wagenaar, currently playing in the Dutch Eredivisie. The latter of the two was supposed to play in Gold Cup before pulling out early with an injury. Both are active members of the national team and would come to TFC on loan.

I've heard that it isn't going to be Wagenaar, but stranger things have happened.

Cheers,
Jesse

Matchday 18: Toronto 0:3 (0:1) Chicago

Toronto Football Club vs. Chicago Fire
I've been disappointed before, and will in the future again no doubt. I think that speaks for all of us, so instead of complaining I'm just going to post my player ratings and hope for the best on Sunday.

Player Ratings
Brennan 5
Monsalve 4
Lombardo 4
Pozniak 3
Marshall 3
Dunivant 3
Melo 3
Edu 3
Robinson 3
Samuel 3
Boyens 2
Dichio 2
Welsh 2

Cheers,
Jesse

TFC To Add Another Keeper

The Reds will add another goalkeeper, a likely starter to replace Greg Sutton. Our man plays in Europe. My bet - Asmir Begovic on loan from Portsmouth.

More to come about this tomorrow, as well as the "match" from today. Also injury updates, I heard a rumour that Cunningham's injury is more severe than originally thought and O'Brien will now require surgery.

Cheers,
Jesse