“This was School for Us”

“This was school for us” were the choice words of Canadian head coach Stephen Hart after Canada were thrashed 5-0 by Argentina. It was the first Canada game broadcast on television in almost a year and was Canada’s first friendly against an established soccer world power since the game against Brazil in 2008 and even that was a weakened Brazil squad. It was also the first time for me watching a Canada game at a Voyageurs meet-up (albeit one of three people). So I was really looking forward to it, I wasn’t under any allusions the game would be anything other than an Argentinian win, but the game we saw though was just damning from a Canadian perspective.

There was no one on the pitch who was even close to Argentina’s level. Argentina barely had to do anything going forward as everything was given to them by either Stalteri, Hainault or Hastings all of whom were disgusting at the back. The central midfield three pairing of Johnson, Ledgerwood and Imhof could not keep the ball to save their lives. Rob Friend up front by himself must have had three touches all match. De Rosario who has been absolutely clinical in the MLS this year did nothing against the stronger Argentinians and Simpson played in some terrible crosses on the few chances he got.

Going into the match I was looking forward to the experience as a supporter to see Canada against a world super power at its best and hoping the squad would gain something from the experience. But I don’t think myself or the team got anything out of it.

I wasn’t that upset during the match, but the more I thought about it the worse I felt about it. If we can’t even string together three passes against the top teams in the world how the fuck do we expect to beat the States, Mexico, Honduras and the lot in qualifying. Maybe I’m being a little too negative, but it just left me feeling hopeless about the next few years, I hope the Venezuela game acts as a bit of a boost for the supporters. Canada have now gone five matches without scoring and from what we’ve seen very few scoring opportunities in these matches.

As for the players it must have been just as much of a shot to their confidence. In past years De Guzman at least may have been able to compete with the physical Argentinian midfield, but looking at his performances with Toronto FC recently I don’t know if that would be the case any more. The players must know that at the moment technically they are no where near as good as they need to be in order to qualify for the World Cup. Just look at the three teams who qualified for the World Cup from CONCACAF. Who is our answer to the real class players of CONCACAF, Donovan, Dempsey, Suazo, Blanco even new up and coming guys like Vela for Mexico.

This game just made me feel more hopeless about the national team since 2008′s World Cup qualifying debacle. We really are decades behind. If this was school for us as Hart said it was a bit like trying to teach calculus to a grade two. Pointless, frustrating and a waste of time.