On The Periphery: 4 Canadian hopefuls who performed well while CanMNT played in Copa America
Major League Soccer quietly continued along while the Canadian Men's National Team's 2024 Copa America journey stretched on and on, and a lot of depth pieces who probably would’ve liked to share in that (ultimately incomplete) dismantling of Uruguay, plied their trade with their clubs instead.
But with Jesse Marsch telling reporters in Montreal that the 26 players chosen for the 2024 Copa America were currently leading the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup roster – and that it would be up to them to maintain their positions, as such – those same depth pieces on the outside looking in? They'll be looking for any window in that they can get.
So, with all that on the table, let’s take a look at who performed best outside of our plucky 26.
Jonathan Sirois (CF Montreal)
Jonathan Sirois probably could’ve forced his way onto the squad if he made a big fuss about it.
If I were one of my country’s three professional goalkeepers starting at a reasonable level, I’d probably demand my spot on a prestigious aluminium bench. Sirois was, instead, presumably mature, and presumably a little worried about Sebastian Breza perpetually breathing down his neck. He conceded that third spot to Tom McGill – and he absolutely made the right decision.
(Another Canadian? Who could that be?)
Sirois’ start to the season was never so horrid as people made it out to be. His shot stopping numbers mostly lingered around where they ended off last season, while his distribution grew uncharacteristically conservative. The second trend has continued (which I’m partially willing to pin on Courtois’ system) - the first one has not.
Montreal’s defense went from non-existent to merely leaky during Copa, but Sirois is the reason they’re still floating around a wild card spot. At this point, he’s in the same class as Schulte and Celentano when we talk about the best young goalkeepers in MLS, even if he hasn’t been treated that way. Ultimately, a third keeper like McGill is something you do when you aren’t confident your real third keeper has a spot solidified for club. I like to think we’re approaching a point where that stops being a concern for Sirois.
Jonathan Sirois highlights vs Colorado pic.twitter.com/mOBW1v5HMT
— Andy (@andystake88) June 28, 2024
Mo Farsi (Columbus Crew)
There’s a decent chance Mo Farsi had a place on the Canadian Copa squad... if he cared to take it. He has, regrettably, never been inclined to take it.
Source🚨 There's no issue for Mohamed Farsi to represent Algeria despite playing for Canada's U-23s in Olympic qualifiers. Farsi has his heart set on Algeria and he is focused on that goal. pic.twitter.com/JZRSumksfc
— Josh Deming (@tv_jjd) April 12, 2024
It’s a shame, because he sure seems like the archetypal ultra-fluid wingback that could fit Marsch’s system like a glove. He’s been that for Wilfried Nancy since he beat out Julian Gressel for a starting spot towards the end of last year’s cup run. Prospective international affiliation aside, his development has taken a pleasant, predictable path. He’s a better version of the blazer he was at Cavalry, which is a better compliment than it seems - he never really ‘adapted’ to a higher level - he just kept doing what he’s always done remarkably well.
And that’s contributing offensively from deep positions. For a Columbus team that wants to slowly overwhelm the opposition, Farsi possesses that perfect explosiveness that hems other teams in their own third. His best attribute is still his ability to shuttle the ball up the pitch, but his instincts off the ball are all good. He makes crafty little runs to receive possession upfield and slowly push the game towards the other net. He’s a threat to leave you in the dust, and a threat to arrive late in the box should he be left unmarked.
Farsi thuds it home! 🔨
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 7, 2024
Columbus ahead by three. pic.twitter.com/0pY8Z9IWEu
It’s not hard to imagine Marsch using him how he used Laryea. Algeria have two years to stop snubbing him, and really, a call-up isn’t so far-fetched as we’d like to think. This isn’t a Tani-Nigeria-type situation; last month, in a World Cup Qualifier, Algeria subbed on a Ligue 2 veteran at right-back in hopes of tying the game late against Guinea.
My money is on Algeria extending him a cynical cap against a Somalia or Botswana. If not, well… here’s to hoping.
Raheem Edwards (CF Montreal)
Edwards has something of a reputation as an MLS journeyman. His inclusion with the CanMNT has been strange and scattered - he got his first two caps in 2017 under Octavio Zambrano. John Herdman threw him a paltry fifteen minutes in his first game as manager. He was subsequently left off the team until he returned, on the periphery, just before the World Cup. His only minutes came in that Bahrain friendly you probably barely remember. He’s been on six teams in seven years, this being his second stint with Montreal.
The narrative I’ve always heard is that he can bomb forward, but that he gradually loses the trust of managers on the defensive side. My eyes agreed and my palms are sweaty whenever I watch him - it felt so obviously true that I haven’t bothered to check the numbers until now. The numbers, to my astonishment, say that he’s been essentially the same player the whole time.
That is, a competent wingback, both ways. Montreal fans haven’t run him out of town yet, probably because he’s tallied 4 assists in 15 appearances - 3 of them during this international window. Weighed against other wingbacks and stay-at-home back-four fullbacks alike, his defensive numbers are… good? Like they’re pretty good. There’s nothing wrong with them.
The only theory that resonates with me, that I just came up with, is that he’s frustrating in that way a talented, overly ambitious winger can be frustrating. Edwards goes into a lot of tackles, and as a result, he ends up with a lot of successful tackles on his resumé. But he also loses about half of them. He has a way of drawing attention to attackers ghosting past him that a more conservative player still concedes under a guise of steadiness.
The part about him bombing forward is true, though. He can do that.
Raheem Edwards ➡️ Ruan
— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) July 14, 2024
1-0 CF Montréal au Stade Saputo 🤩#CFMTL pic.twitter.com/2Jb9HJ0CR7
The truth is, Sam Adekugbe hasn’t been WCQ Sam Adekugbe in a long time, even pre-injury. The way Kyle Hiebert stayed plastered to the bench for Copa America, you have to wonder whether Edwards will get another shot next window.
James Pantemis (Portland Timbers)
It was Pantemis' name I blurred out earlier, by the way.
I don’t think people realize it’s not totally certain whether Max Crepeau will have the starting spot when the Timbers play this Saturday. You should never enter the business of overreacting to a slew of clean sheets, but managers with their jobs on the line might not be so conservative.
Pantemis has never consistently stopped shots above expected - until this season, where he made the decision to be the best Canadian keeper in the league. He’s a little overeager to boot the ball up the field, but the Timbers generally shield him from distribution responsibilities, and a lot of goalkeepers, at every level, are a little overeager to boot the ball upfield.
On one hand, it’s hard to imagine Crepeau riding pine after doing what he did at Copa - Phil Neville probably isn’t sitting over a keyboard, tsking at his league-only FBref numbers. On the other hand, Portland are 5-1-1 since Crepeau flew away, with three Pants clean sheets.
Captain Underpantemis and an amazing defense 👏#RCTID pic.twitter.com/IXi04te8MT
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) July 14, 2024
I don’t know whether it’s real, and I won’t pretend to. Pantemis might very well get the opportunity to prove that it is.
