Kevin Kilbane and Steven Caldwell discuss the biggest talking points from Canada’s friendly versus Iceland in the latest FanDuel Race for the Roster.
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Kevin Kilbane: Welcome to FanDuel Race for the Roster where Steven Caldwell has the weekly task of trying to predict Canada’s 26-man roster for this summer, including the starting XI for the opener in Toronto.
Let’s start by looking at the current projection the 26 for ’26 that Steven has representing Canada.
There are eight locks in the starting XI, but because of injury, only three of them played in Canada’s match against Iceland over the weekend.
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That brings us to our Form Tracker.
Of the Canadian players active in this March window, Ralph Priso is the most in-form centre-half right now. You have Priso, at the moment, on the outside of the bubble. Did you feel a little bit disappointed that he wasn’t starting the match?
Steven Caldwell: I did, I thought he would’ve got that chance to start. I thought he sort of deserved that with his club form, it would’ve been a good opportunity to see him at that level. I know he did get minutes, he came on in the game, but at that point Canada were pushing for the goal and then almost pretty quickly Tajon Buchanan was red carded.
It was a different kind of game for Ralph Priso and for any centre-back in that match, he did okay, I don’t know if he excelled in the few minutes that he played off the bench. From the start it would’ve been a better indication of how he might look if he’s asked upon in a World Cup game in the summer.
Kilbane: What about two other key positions? We spoke about the goalkeeping battle, Dayne St. Clair starting the game, and up front whether it be Tani Oluwaseyi or Cyle Larin, Cyle Larin started.
So out of Larin and St. Clair, do you think they did enough to suggest that they’re going to be starters in that opener in Toronto?
Caldwell: Did they do enough? No, did they? Cyle Larin didn’t get enough of the ball, he didn’t impact the game enough, he didn’t solidify his place in that starting XI, so, still a doubt there for me.
There’s still a battle between Larin and Oluwaseyi in terms of what profile Jesse Marsch really wants for that first game.
Then in the goalkeeper position, I thought Dayne St. Clair, it would’ve been hypercritical to be criticizing him for the goals, but he didn’t make a save again. He didn’t have that commanding performance that we’re just longing for him to have to solidify himself and I still think there’s doubt there. Who is the better goalkeeper? Who is the more calming presence behind the back four? Is it Max Crépeau or Dayne St. Clair?
This seesaw battle between these two swings back and forth again and I’m pretty sure Crépeau is going to start on Tuesday (vs. Tunisia) and he’s going to get a chance to prove to Jesse Marsch and the country, why he’s the man that should start on June 12th.
Kilbane: I think Oluwaseyi will start the game as well as Crépeau, as you’re saying there.
Two shots on target on the weekend and two goals, so it’s going to be an interesting one to see how this one goes.
