CCL: Santos Laguna @ Toronto FC First Leg Pre-Match/Match Thread

[117]

I'm thrilled they're at this point. I won't be disappointed with any outcome. I would OBVIOUSLY love to advance. I would selfishly love to see a win at BMO. But losing 8-nil would not take away from this great experience we've had this (CCL) season.

The rainout against Vancouver, and then the come-from-behind win in the NCC final.
The rainout against Dallas, only to be dashed the next day.
Taking a lead on Pumas at home.
Needing a win in Dallas, and earning it.
Rogers Centre majesty.
Thriller in LA.

Having said all that... anyone can beat anyone on any given day. But remember, there's a pretty big difference between how Cruz Azul and Pumas may have approached a GROUP STAGE game at BMO, and how Santos are sure to approach a SEMIFINAL game. They will not be sending a team of subs to Toronto. There's no strategy for group stage points here. It's all out win. And we'll see their best, be assured of that.

I'm thrilled to have the chance to watch in person on the 28th!

COME. ON. YOU. REDS!

[Stouffville_RPB]

Has anyone got their "follow up communication" regarding tickets this morning?

[Fort York Redcoat]

Has anyone got their "follow up communication" regarding tickets this morning?

If so, anybody, post in here:

http://redpatchboys.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=31142

It shouldn't be long now!!

[Stouffville_RPB]

If so, anybody, post in here:

http://redpatchboys.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=31142

It shouldn't be long now!!

Ahhh thanks

[Roogsy]

Here is a question that I don't think has been asked before.

Does TFC making it this far help the Canadian slot in the CCL overall?

Like UEFA, better play means better positioning in the bracket. I am hoping making it this far means we get consideration of some sort for the next CCL draw?

Yes please?

[ManUtd4ever]

Here is a question that I don't think has been asked before.

Does TFC making it this far help the Canadian slot in the CCL overall?

Like UEFA, better play means better positioning in the bracket. I am hoping making it this far means we get consideration of some sort for the next CCL draw?

Yes please?

At best, it might allow for the NCC winner to be granted automatic entry in the CCL group stage as opposed to the current format in which a preliminary qualifier is mandatory.

[Yohan]

Here is a question that I don't think has been asked before.

Does TFC making it this far help the Canadian slot in the CCL overall?

Like UEFA, better play means better positioning in the bracket. I am hoping making it this far means we get consideration of some sort for the next CCL draw?

Yes please?

highly doubt it

kinda silly for a federation without its own first division league and only 4 professional teams to get 2 spots

[Roogsy]

I meant maybe getting dropped later in the tournament as opposed to qualifying through Central America.

[Yohan]

I meant maybe getting dropped later in the tournament as opposed to qualifying through Central America.

in new format, there is no more qualifying rounds... right?

8 groups of 3 teams, only group leaders advance

[Roogsy]

Ugh...they're always changing it. Kind of hard to keep up.

Got a link on the structure of the tourney? The Conconcaf website is so poor, it looks like a high school project.

[Yohan]

Ugh...they're always changing it. Kind of hard to keep up.

Got a link on the structure of the tourney? The Conconcaf website is so poor, it looks like a high school project.

wikipedia is your friend... rookie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012%E2..._League#Format

[Roogsy]

Thanks, that's great.

I can't believe how fast the 2012-2013 edition begins right after the 2011-2012 champion is declared. No wonder the NCC is such an abbreviated tourney.

[__wowza]

Thanks, that's great.

I can't believe how fast the 2012-2013 edition begins right after the 2011-2012 champion is declared. No wonder the NCC is such an abbreviated tourney.

it's a shame the seasons are so different, id love that they ran CONCACAF qualifying in the offseason.

[Yohan]

it's a shame the seasons are so different, id love that they ran CONCACAF qualifying in the offseason.

brrrrrr.... winter is cold

[__wowza]

brrrrrr.... winter is cold

id rather catch a game or two or three at BMO during the winter versus our boys playing for the VC/group leg during middle of the season and the group stage at the very end!! no way does this help any of the MLS teams invovled in the tournament!!

youre telling me that with all of the south and southern american teams involved there isnt a possiblity that CONCACAF can swing it to play away games in the south/peru/mexico during the dead of winter?

[Yohan]

id rather catch a game or two or three at BMO during the winter versus our boys playing for the VC/group leg during middle of the season and the group stage at the very end!! no way does this help any of the MLS teams invovled in the tournament!!

youre telling me that with all of the south and southern american teams involved there isnt a possiblity that CONCACAF can swing it to play away games in the south/peru/mexico during the dead of winter?

i don't think i want to repeat the impracticality of trying to play in middle of winter. it's been repeated ad nauseum

[McBrace]

[pekduck]

say.. banner time?

[TorontoPat]

It will be sweet to see the Mexican supporters shutout.

[JamboAl]

Just an observation, I was at the Impact-Santos Laguna match 3 years ago (obviously, as a neutral) and was surprised to see many of their fans wearing Club America, Chivas and UNAM shirts. And quite a few of them as well. I remember the Pumas and Cruz Azul game seeing much the same thing. Since this is getting to the later stages, are there going to be contingencies for "away support"?

This also might be a good practice run for BMO Field security when the Hondurans come.

[__wowza]

i don't think i want to repeat the impracticality of trying to play in middle of winter. it's been repeated ad nauseum

agreed, but i wouldnt be surprised to see a shift in the timing of the tournament or the league shifting games around with the last two games of the group stages (sept 25 - 27 / oct 23 - 25) running parallel with the last 3 weeks of our regular season.

if it's near the end of the season, the league would have limited time to swap games around, especially seeing as how.. holy fuck.. i just checked.. the MLS finals are on DECEMBER 1st!?

[jazzy]

agreed, but i wouldnt be surprised to see a shift in the timing of the tournament or the league shifting games around with the last two games of the group stages (sept 25 - 27 / oct 23 - 25) running parallel with the last 3 weeks of our regular season.

if it's near the end of the season, the league would have limited time to swap games around, especially seeing as how.. holy fuck.. i just checked.. the MLS finals are on DECEMBER 1st!?

hoy vay....a potential full year of TFC....,...this city may wake up yet,..

and potential for being broke....,...potential for amazing year...SERIOUS!

[Alonso]

call me crazy but I think if we score more goal than they do we will win.....

if we do go up a goal or two we should keep going. step on their throats! I hate when teams sit back. did barca do that last week? unless it's a small team v giants I hate that crap. wé deserve to be there just as much as them.


anyone get the email about seats yet?

Youz crazy!!

[cmonyoureds]

sorry if it's already posted elsewhere but anyone got the inside scoop on pricing for this one?

[Bobinhood]

Que sera sera, were going to wembley:


Hey LA LA
theres something you need to know
Were going to Tokyo
Hey La La

Hey Santos Santos
Your ok in Mexico
But we're off to Tokyo
Hey Santo Santos

Everybody now.....

[Jeffro]

Que sera sera, were going to wembley:


Hey LA LA
theres something you need to know
Were going to Tokyo
Hey La La

Hey Santos Santos
Your ok in Mexico
But we're off to Tokyo
Hey Santo Santos

Everybody now.....

Love it, stuck in my head already! Post this up in the chants section!

[Blowing Bubbles]

in new format, there is no more qualifying rounds... right?

8 groups of 3 teams, only group leaders advance

so there are 4 Mexican teams and 4 US teams. The question is - who has to sit on the fucking grenade and get a Mexican team in the group stage? Does the Canadian champ get "seeded" better than say the winner of the Open Cup?

The way I see it - the 4 Mexican teams should each get their own group, then the MLS Cup champ, SS winner. So that's 6 of 8 groups.

Who headlines the last 2 groups - Canada, US open or MLS Cup runner up?

It's not the end of the world if the Canadian champ draws say the weakest US team, but still, if they seed 8 clubs then 50% chance of drawing a Mexican team which is AIDS

[Alonso]

id rather catch a game or two or three at BMO during the winter versus our boys playing for the VC/group leg during middle of the season and the group stage at the very end!! no way does this help any of the MLS teams invovled in the tournament!!

youre telling me that with all of the south and southern american teams involved there isnt a possiblity that CONCACAF can swing it to play away games in the south/peru/mexico during the dead of winter?

Play the VC during the off season... BCE Place, Olympique Stadium, and Skydome.

Plastic turf for all! (and alleviate congestion)

I know...

















Edmonton.



Who cares?

[Alonso]

so there are 4 Mexican teams and 4 US teams. The question is - who has to sit on the fucking grenade and get a Mexican team in the group stage? Does the Canadian champ get "seeded" better than say the winner of the Open Cup?

The way I see it - the 4 Mexican teams should each get their own group, then the MLS Cup champ, SS winner. So that's 6 of 8 groups.

Who headlines the last 2 groups - Canada, US open or MLS Cup runner up?

It's not the end of the world if the Canadian champ draws say the weakest US team, but still, if they seed 8 clubs then 50% chance of drawing a Mexican team which is AIDS

These are some good points...

I think its valid given the Montreal impact going to the quarters as an Nasl side and TFC to the semis that a Canadian team get top seeding in one of these groups without a Mexican team.

[mowe]

so there are 4 Mexican teams and 4 US teams. The question is - who has to sit on the fucking grenade and get a Mexican team in the group stage? Does the Canadian champ get "seeded" better than say the winner of the Open Cup?

The way I see it - the 4 Mexican teams should each get their own group, then the MLS Cup champ, SS winner. So that's 6 of 8 groups.

Who headlines the last 2 groups - Canada, US open or MLS Cup runner up?

It's not the end of the world if the Canadian champ draws say the weakest US team, but still, if they seed 8 clubs then 50% chance of drawing a Mexican team which is AIDS

Pot 1: USA 1 & 2, Mexico 1 & 2, Honduras 1, Costa Rica 1, Panama 1, Guatemala 1

Pot 2: USA 3 & 4, Mexico 3 & 4, Canada 1, El Salvador 1, Costa Rica 2, Honduras 2

Pot 3: Caribbean 1, 2, 3, El Salvador 2, Panama 2, Guatemala 2, Belize 1, Nicaragua 1

With the caveat that US and Mexican teams can't be in the same group. Meaning Canada's team can only be drawn in one of the four groups with a US or Mexican 1 seed, so still a 50% chance of drawing a Mexican team in the group stage.

The new format screws Canada because whichever group they're in is automatically the group of death. But other than that I still think it's a huge improvement by cutting the number of pre-knockout stage games from 8 to 4.

You could argue that Canada deserves a 1 seed over say Guatemala but having only a 4 team, 4 game competition to determine the rep probably works against us. Maybe TFC's performance this year and a request by the CSA will make CONCACAF change their mind.