Thread for the T&T vs Cuba U-20 Game (30-Mar-11).

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

Game ending Cuba 1-0 T&T. Better luck in 10 years.  

this clown have my head tief..I now reach home..  game end 0-0 right?

[ZANDOLIE]

Game ending Cuba 1-0 T&T. Better luck in 10 years.  

this clown have my head tief..I now reach home..  game end 0-0 right?

  yes...don't study it.

Simple, the midfield is poor at retaining posession. And when they inevitably loose the ball they do not comitt to tackles and force errors. There was little creativity beside Winchester.

Cordell Cato is a very good player, not as creative as Winchester but more in the mould of a holding midfielder.  He can dribble, is very fast, tackles very well and can hold on to a ball. In Mexico 2009 he was our best player hands down IMO and running them Central Americans ragged. But Vranes insists on sticking him in the forward line. He small but I feel if he is in the middle he could play a similar role to Leston Paul.

The back line handled Cuban pressure easily but needlessly...the mids were just giving the ball under any little pressure and could not get it back until the defenders disposses the Cubans high up and gave it back to the mids and the cycle was repeated. If we survive and make it through Vranes must find a strong midfielder anchor and a creator, and force these guys to support each other with every touch of the ball.

The ability is there, but the performance near the final third is so poor that Britto and the forward line barely had a sniff of the ball.

[Bakes]

replay shows keeper just got his foot on it

Kick save... and a beauty!!

Made #9 on SportsCenter Top Ten plays of the day.

[madness]

i think they need to be more goal hungry in the last 15mins on the game. i fine, they keep the ball fine but need more creativity in the mid field. so good luck guys

[Tallman]

The back line handled Cuban pressure easily...

Ah find we right back, Weslie John, turned over the ball on too many occasions, especially in de first half. Most of de time he would bypass de midfield, and try to play a long ball to de forwards, which almost always failed.

One thing I noticed with our national U-17 and U-20 keepers is dat dey doh get much distance on dey goal-kicks. Seems to be an issue of technique.

[Deeks]

The back line handled Cuban pressure easily...

Ah find we right back, Weslie John, turned over the ball on too many occasions, especially in de first half. Most of de time he would bypass de midfield, and try to play a long ball to de forwards, which almost always failed.

One thing I noticed with our national U-17 and U-20 keepers is dat dey doh get much distance on dey goal-kicks. Seems to be an issue of technique.

True dat. But the mid-fields  were hiding. So seeing that our defence are not great at bringing the ball especially from our half, they hitting it long. But John did not have a bad game though. Now at times Bateau did come back and get the ball. When he did the build up was much better until they lost it in the final 3rd. But overall they did not play that bad. I find they were more composed than I have seen other yute teams. But that performance was against Cuba. They will have to definitely step it up against Mex. I like the idea that they were taking shots from far, even though many were high and wide. Bateau at mid is not bad. He has a good size. He need to ship out. It would have been nice to have Jake Thompson on this team. His speed would have been an asset. I find our guys have pace. Good luck guys.

[Tallman]

The back line handled Cuban pressure easily...

Ah find we right back, Weslie John, turned over the ball on too many occasions, especially in de first half. Most of de time he would bypass de midfield, and try to play a long ball to de forwards, which almost always failed.

One thing I noticed with our national U-17 and U-20 keepers is dat dey doh get much distance on dey goal-kicks. Seems to be an issue of technique.

True dat. But the mid-fields  were hiding. So seeing that our defence are not great at bringing the ball especially from our half, they hitting it long. But John did not have a bad game though. Now at times Bateau did come back and get the ball. When he did the build up was much better until they lost it in the final 3rd. But overall they did not play that bad. I find they were more composed than I have seen other yute teams. But that performance was against Cuba. They will have to definitely step it up against Mex. I like the idea that they were taking shots from far, even though many were high and wide. Bateau at mid is not bad. He has a good size. He need to ship out. It would have been nice to have Jake Thompson on this team. His speed would have been an asset. I find our guys have pace. Good luck guys.

Their first touches need to be better, otherwise when dey meet ah team dat gives dem less space, dey go be giving up possession regularly. Meet de ball instead of waiting fuh de ball. Corners were not bad, but free-kicks were wasted. I feel de team capable of much better performances.
Jake Thomson too old.

[PATRIOT]

Agree with Tallman... Cuba gave us waaay too much space which we did NOT take advantage of... Mexico won't! Hopefully with Mexico already guaranteed a place and us just needing to not lose by more than 3  goals, we mght catch a break, BUT we have to step up if we do progress. There were some positives tho, GK is decent and as someone posted we not afraid to tae shots from outside... transition play out of defence is a bit limited, can't fault the work ethic tho! Was Winchester carrying an injury into this game, if not, he should have started, looked very lively and seems to a good prospect to play just behind the main striker(s).

[Deeks]

I thought the coach could have bring on Shadon earlier. But I think our mid field need to do more in the center if Shadon is to be a threat. He can't do it alone. I need to see Bateau against Mex. to get a full assessment . He could be one for the future.

[ZANDOLIE]

The back line handled Cuban pressure easily...

Ah find we right back, Weslie John, turned over the ball on too many occasions, especially in de first half. Most of de time he would bypass de midfield, and try to play a long ball to de forwards, which almost always failed.

One thing I noticed with our national U-17 and U-20 keepers is dat dey doh get much distance on dey goal-kicks. Seems to be an issue of technique.

True dat. But the mid-fields  were hiding. So seeing that our defence are not great at bringing the ball especially from our half, they hitting it long. But John did not have a bad game though. Now at times Bateau did come back and get the ball. When he did the build up was much better until they lost it in the final 3rd. But overall they did not play that bad. I find they were more composed than I have seen other yute teams. But that performance was against Cuba. They will have to definitely step it up against Mex. I like the idea that they were taking shots from far, even though many were high and wide. Bateau at mid is not bad. He has a good size. He need to ship out. It would have been nice to have Jake Thompson on this team. His speed would have been an asset. I find our guys have pace. Good luck guys.

Their first touches need to be better, otherwise when dey meet ah team dat gives dem less space, dey go be giving up possession regularly. Meet de ball instead of waiting fuh de ball. Corners were not bad, but free-kicks were wasted. I feel de team capable of much better performances.
Jake Thomson too old.

Is how much generations of T&T footballers failing to do this now? It doh have nobody that could attemp to address this from the ground up?

Despite all this seeing that Cuba beat this team (more or less) in T&T at U-16 to win the CFU championship you can argue they have improved a lot. But them fellas need to ride out of T&T REAL FAST and join A-League, League 1, Kazahkstan, wherever...the period of rapid skills development is over for them. But its real competition for places on a roster, and persevering in a foreign land that will usher in that sense of URGENCY in their play to fuel the skills they already have.


Vranes spends a lot of time looking at players, but he seriously needs to find a midfield conductor and a creator. I want to see him push Bateau and Cordell Cato into mid with Winchester unleashed in midfield. And continue to look high and low under every rock to pull in quality players back home. And perhaps one or two U-17s.

[Socapro]

The back line handled Cuban pressure easily...

Ah find we right back, Weslie John, turned over the ball on too many occasions, especially in de first half. Most of de time he would bypass de midfield, and try to play a long ball to de forwards, which almost always failed.

One thing I noticed with our national U-17 and U-20 keepers is dat dey doh get much distance on dey goal-kicks. Seems to be an issue of technique.

True dat. But the mid-fields  were hiding. So seeing that our defence are not great at bringing the ball especially from our half, they hitting it long. But John did not have a bad game though. Now at times Bateau did come back and get the ball. When he did the build up was much better until they lost it in the final 3rd. But overall they did not play that bad. I find they were more composed than I have seen other yute teams. But that performance was against Cuba. They will have to definitely step it up against Mex. I like the idea that they were taking shots from far, even though many were high and wide. Bateau at mid is not bad. He has a good size. He need to ship out. It would have been nice to have Jake Thompson on this team. His speed would have been an asset. I find our guys have pace. Good luck guys.

Their first touches need to be better, otherwise when dey meet ah team dat gives dem less space, dey go be giving up possession regularly. Meet de ball instead of waiting fuh de ball. Corners were not bad, but free-kicks were wasted. I feel de team capable of much better performances.
Jake Thomson too old.

Is how much generations of T&T footballers failing to do this now? It doh have nobody that could attemp to address this from the ground up?

Despite all this seeing that Cuba beat this team (more or less) in T&T at U-16 to win the CFU championship you can argue they have improved a lot. But them fellas need to ride out of T&T REAL FAST and join A-League, League 1, Kazahkstan, wherever...the period of rapid skills development is over for them. But its real competition for places on a roster, and persevering in a foreign land that will usher in that sense of URGENCY in their play to fuel the skills they already have.


Vranes spends a lot of time looking at players, but he seriously needs to find a midfield conductor and a creator. I want to see him push Bateau and Cordell Cato into mid with Winchester unleashed in midfield. And continue to look high and low under every rock to pull in quality players back home. And perhaps one or two U-17s.

I think this team is limited by the skills/experience of the coach! Maybe Vranes has reached his level and can do no better with these players as there is a lot of raw talent there for him to work with?!

[ZANDOLIE]

Very possible the coach is the limiting factor. But now that you mentioned it, switch Vranes and the US/Mexico coach. How much further would they get, given the same preparation opportunities that Vranes got? Vranes has definitely improved this team from Corneal with more or less the same quality of opposition. But you can't tie a horse foot and expect him to win a horserace. So no matter who the coach he will never get the full potential from these players because of the substandard training they have recieved for the last 6-8 years relative to even mid-tier CONCACAF opposition.

Case in point...we have a very strong generation of U-14s coming up. But when you watch them play its clear their skill level is well below par of their industriousness. Them yutes running up and down like dogs after a frisbee but is pur kick and hope football they playing. At this age they should already be competing against top CFU and Central American counterparts. But in reality by the time they turn U-20 all the oportunity to develop top notch skills will have passed and we will be calling them shitongs. All that raw ability will lie unrealized in the dirt of the Aranguez savannah

[Fyzoman]

The back line handled Cuban pressure easily...

Ah find we right back, Weslie John, turned over the ball on too many occasions, especially in de first half. Most of de time he would bypass de midfield, and try to play a long ball to de forwards, which almost always failed.One thing I noticed with our national U-17 and U-20 keepers is dat dey doh get much distance on dey goal-kicks. Seems to be an issue of technique.

Hear nah dis have to be poor coaching right??? How much time over the years yuh see TnT teams doing this  consistently, i does be asking mehself if de coaches doesn't be seeing de same thing we seeing....defenders does just be giving away de ball right through, right through!!!

After all de hope i had for dis team, i feeeling bad now...we just ha to hope Mexico eh hit we more than two or three (?), but then even when we advance, what???

Imagine men STILL talking bout speed of play (ah mean de lack therof i.e.) in dis day and age...dis TnT football thing eh easy nah!!!

[100% Barataria]

The back line handled Cuban pressure easily...

Ah find we right back, Weslie John, turned over the ball on too many occasions, especially in de first half. Most of de time he would bypass de midfield, and try to play a long ball to de forwards, which almost always failed.One thing I noticed with our national U-17 and U-20 keepers is dat dey doh get much distance on dey goal-kicks. Seems to be an issue of technique.

Hear nah dis have to be poor coaching right??? How much time over the years yuh see TnT teams doing this  consistently, i does be asking mehself if de coaches doesn't be seeing de same thing we seeing....defenders does just be giving away de ball right through, right through!!!
After all de hope i had for dis team, i feeeling bad now...we just ha to hope Mexico eh hit we more than two or three (?), but then even when we advance, what???

Imagine men STILL talking bout speed of play (ah mean de lack therof i.e.) in dis day and age...dis TnT football thing eh easy nah!!!

Pub fotballat best, this is what you see at non-competitive levels, the easiest thing you could do apart from directly handing the oppoition the ball, says alot about the level.  No showing of the midfield in open spaces, no attempt to keep possession. Yuh know how much time I quarrel with defenders on meh corp side fuh playin dis way, kick and hope football