World Cup Daily - Canada Get Late Winner, Big Day Awaits

0:09Music

0:25Disgraceful day at the World Cup as FIFA gives us only one game. This is the World Cup Daily. My name's Elliot Smith, the Black Mentor, and Gunnar. Hello, everybody. I am coming to you not from like a holding cell, even though it might look like that, or getting my passport photo taken. I'm in a tiny recording booth in a Delta lounge at the airport, leaving what was, I have to say, a sensational day in Chicago. And here with me now is the man you're really here to hear from and see. It is the delightful Timsey.

0:52Michael Timbs:Hello, Michael. How are you? Definitely not. They are not here to—they're here for you and your husky, beautiful voice. no I'm very good thank you a life well or poorly lived depending on how you perceive how was the event obviously I'm on the west coast so I missed it but Tim I'm so excited for you to come out to one of these things because like we're so so lucky with the people that support Arsenal as you know and so so lucky with the people that listen to this pod it was such a wonderful group of people James McNicholas Gunnerblog was brilliant as he always is Tim Clark my old friend was a part of it and my old friend he is still a current friend he's just old he's an old dude he's very old and decrepit but otherwise he's a friend and then Paul was great we had a lot of fun the show went well we hung out after and watched the game so really excited to talk to you about this but a great day I feel full of love and connection but also uh of a life clearly not lived in a healthy way which is why my voice is like this so let's uh let's dive in we have the knockout rounds you want to you want to hit headline number one we do uh the headline number one I can't believe I'm saying it but canada are through to the last 16 it's it's of course history was going to be written everywhere because it's just it's a historic world cup with that many teams like there's going to be history it's the same thing south africa making it through to the knockouts and then canada now not only making it to the knockouts but progressing in the knockouts and of course it was going to happen they're the better side but at the the fact that when you actually as people in England say when you deep the situation that they are when you if you really deep it they are in the last 16 that is wild for a world cup like of course they're a home side but they're Canada like it's it's incredible that the last 16 teams of the world cup will include Canada so kudos to them I watched the game at a lovely uh house in LA for an event that I was actually uh hosting a chat and it was chaos that game it was chaos in the best way possible but um yeah i'm happy for the canadians though it's great to see like how much it means to them so yeah oh it's wonderful because i mean now the country known for more than just maple syrup and mulsing golden and hockey but also for football and poutine the poutine's quite good as well um obviously canada known for lots and lots of wonderful things uh but was it a penalty do you think

3:16so

3:18Michael Timbs:yes and no I think sure by the letter of that but I think if you know football I think you know that isn't because is he trying to kick the defender I feel like that's what it is I think it's more it is a natural running strike or no it is a penalty because I think the defender for how clumsy and maybe stupid the defender was for even trying to do that it's almost like you should get punished for just like just rash defending but then it's not a penalty because like he's there and his legs stand still so then obviously you're having to almost actively you're not going to get the ball and you're trying to kick the defender so it's like simulating a challenge you know it's it's one of those ones where I'm glad it got overruled, but I did think it technically is a penalty, but it's one of those ones where you're like, don't give it, just keep playing.

4:15I have to say, I didn't want it to go to extra time and penalties given the schedule of me having to come to this airport. My flight is delayed, allowing me to record with you, but kudos to Estakio for his lovely goal. My headline, and I'm going to move on from this game, even though history was made, and we'll come back to it probably in our stocks. Timsy, my headline is, the feast begins tomorrow or today when you're listening to this. Yeah. These are three, I wouldn't say great games. Brazil, Japan could be a great game. Germany, Paraguay could be one-sided, but Germany, I still think, have to prove their credentials to be contenders in this tournament.

4:49Netherlands, Morocco should be fantastic. So much talent on display tomorrow. So many interesting storylines. This is where I think I'm really going to do that thing where I pretend none of the world exists while these games are going on, and I'm really going to be excited by them. And so today whet your appetite a bit, but it reminded me of when the tournament started. You had that horrible South Africa-Mexico game, and then you're like, what's the real?

5:11Michael Timbs:It was fun, but also, eh. Yeah, kind of dodgy. And now we get the Feast of Football tomorrow. So how excited are you for these three tomorrow? I think it's a great day of knockout football. I think not only is it a good feast of football, it's also like up there with the most world cup fixtures going um the fact obviously we have like three games which is going to be amazing today wasn't the best in terms of quality of football fun in that obviously the jeopardy is there now for every single game so that kind of guarantees a minimum level of like uh fun and jeopardy and stuff but realistically like the quality wasn't up there whereas tomorrow brazil japan brazil kind of starting to get into their stride japan as they've proven in the in the group stages we kind of knew they would they're like a difficult team to play against they're well organized and they can cause lots of threats if you're not you know if you're not well structured and you're and you're kind of playing around with either your tactics or your starting 11 like they they can cause you trouble and then germany paraguay is fairly simple i think germany will go through but neverland's morocco another proper just World Cup clash.

6:20Michael Timbs:It's great. I can't wait for those. I fear that I'm going to miss a few of them, obviously, because I might just be okay. I might just be okay. Well, the good news is you can always watch them when you land in the age of streaming. You have to remember, when I was a kid, if you missed something on TV, you missed it forever. There was no going back and watching. That's true. And also, I can now watch them on BBC and ITV coverage rather than Fox. so as much as I love Alexi Lalas yeah you'll miss Alexi I mean to be fair though you get you get to get rid of Thierry and Zlatan you do you do miss Alexi though unfortunately um yeah it's I'm looking ahead in each day like there's not a bad day this week it's around 32 but just about every game it throws up is pretty interesting maybe one or two where you're not as excited but where I had to switch gears Timsey today as I was watching this game I kind of forgot I'm like oh yeah this is knockout the loser is out the winner goes you know like i was still in that group stage mindset so today was the day for me to shift gears into that do or die stakesy football exactly and i did i did see um i was even yes i think it was this morning or you know some uh stuff that zlatan put up or like some coverage that he said he's like now the toy it was a little bit of a bit from from fox obviously to reel the silly people in like me but he did say like this is where the tournament truly begins and and it is as as as incredible as the world cup is the best kind of fan scenes i guess you do get to see in the group stage because it's the biggest mixing of of nations of fans descending upon and it's just like just stuff going on everywhere which is amazing but then this is like the business end of the season this is like when i feel like this is when arsenal when we get to kind of march april time and we're picking up a few injuries and we're balancing four competitions still and it's you know the squeaky bum times starts to you know your buttocks get a little bit tenser because it starts to matter every wins matter throughout the season but it's almost like a mistake though timsey i keep my buttocks tensed at all times so that i'm prepared for those but that's okay yeah but i've had my buttocks tense for 30 years now and i feel like you know it's about time we've won the league i can must be quite shapely in this analogy but you know i mean where it's like it's it's this is the part of the the tournament where things truly matter there's no there's no handshake games there's no uh four draws it's just everyone's gonna have to go for it and whatever whatever strategy or way that they employ in order to to get the result is gonna be yeah it's gonna be a lot of fun fun watching but um some some great games coming up obviously tomorrow is going to be amazing but even then like on tuesday france sweden mexico ecuador is going to be a banger and obviously depending on if england get through then we play the winner of that but then it might be mexico and mexico and you're going like this might be as an english fan like the one of the toughest games we've ever had in a world cup yeah and i'm going to tell you something i don't think ecuador losing is a foregone conclusion and i'm no no absolutely not but yeah absolutely um so let's do this let's each hit a quick stock rising and then i don't think there's stock fallings we need to hit today so why don't we do this why don't we pick a quick comment about each of the games tomorrow that we want to touch on because that's really i think more important so i i think you take a stock rising i'll take stock rising and we'll move on to the games tomorrow i i would say uh stock rising just to get out of the way.

9:54Michael Timbs:Canada, their front line caused a lot of problems. Maybe don't take their chances as much as they should, but fair dues to Jesse Marsh because I know he gets some stick, but this is history and even though it is South Africa, you have to beat the team that's in front of you. So if he did, at times when you felt like they're actually just really not that good, they're a bit loose at the back, don't really take their chances, they could have lost today and it would have been a disaster and to deal with that level of pressure i know they weren't on home turf technically but to deal with that sort of expectation and deliver i think it was you you have to just say you know what however far you're getting through like you you've done a good job so far yeah i'm sorry like canada are not a storied world cup nation like this is a nation that doesn't always make world cups it's never been to the round of 16.

10:46So like, for me, it is a stock rising Jesse Marsh because he has guided this team to where it needed to get to. And it's a shame they didn't top their group because they don't get to play in Canada, but they, you know, went down to the lower 50 and they got a result. I think Jesse Marsh deserves credit. I thought the substitutions worked out. And let's just say the Estakio goal, like that is a worthy goal to win a game. They didn't finish well throughout the game, but what a finish.

11:11Michael Timbs:It was the first bit of quality in front of goal, like the whole game where like, is the 92nd minute someone just goes take a deep breath there's an open goal here just place it in the in the corner it was obviously a great finish yep absolutely all right so let's each have a word on the games tomorrow so we'll let's just take them in order brazil japan i know you're super pumped about this one so what do you want to tell me about brazil japan tomorrow i want to as much as i love i don't know i'm torn because as much as i love uh an upset and i think well some of the best moments are when there are true upsets i i do want to just see what this brazilian side because what this brazilian side can do because japan i feel like obviously there is a level there and brazil are the better side so if japan win it will be scenes and you know amazing story but realistically like with brazil and how they've improved over the three games there is potential there to go fairly deep in the tournament and it will be good to see under Ancelotti with their players and with Kunio Mark scoring with Vinny feeling like he's back to his old self there's potential there so as much as I'd love an upset I think the tournament will probably need the tournament needs Brazil to go through in terms of to have the most eyes on it and the best headlines if Norway can dispatch Ivory Coast Brazil-Norway would be a fascinating fascinating game in the next round and then obviously England could potentially face Brazil I'm slightly I'm becoming as much, I know we don't like Haaland but there's something about this Norway side, I'm kind of like rooting for them because even before the France game they were saying look, France are going to beat us but you know I kind of respect the candor it's, they're a likable team, obviously because of Martin as well but you know.

13:04Well Martin's a big part of it but I have to say that like if you step back from how much I don't like Holland, like he's kind of sneaky funny.

13:10Michael Timbs:He's just kind of sneaky funny. And like, you know, if he played for anybody else, I think I could try to enjoy what he is because he is a special player. And because he's playing with Martin, yeah, I just, like the Odegaard connection makes it easier to root for them. So I agree. I will say with the Brazil-Japan game, Japan's an interesting one because I think they pretty thoroughly outplayed Sweden. They just were unlucky not to get the win there. They thoroughly outplayed Tunisia. and then in their game against the Netherlands, it was a back and forth game where, you know, a couple of good finishes at both ends was what decided it.

13:42I can't make out how good they are, but I think it is a fascinating test for Brazil because it's a game that they will be seen to need to win. And it's a level up from what they've shown they can handle so far. I want to see if Neymar becomes an issue for this group, if, you know, the loss of Rafinha is a problem for them. it's a really really interesting moment to see if brazil's maybe more defensive more physical approach can can set them up for success in the tournament so the the next game is germany paraguay and for me this is basically i mean germany haven't been very good except in that opening game yeah they are very much in transition i don't think this is a loaded germany team but they'll be expected to get past paraguay and i think it's a it's a chance for them to make the case for their World Cup credentials.

14:32I think the big decision, obviously, Germany have is whether they're going to stick with Kai Havertz up front. I think Leroy Zane's position should also probably be in question. So what do you think about Germany going into this game and could Paraguay pull the upset?

14:46Michael Timbs:I would say, I don't think an upset per se is on the cards, but as you say, Germany haven't done that well. They haven't needed to do well. I think maybe there's an element of if they were in like a group of death, say like they would need to have performed. And maybe that does, I don't know, I'm not professional, but maybe that does do something in your mind of like, we really need to switch on now. And I think especially after that first game, it's sort of like job done. We're going to get at least a point or two and maybe get another win and we're through. so maybe there's a little bit of um not learning enough in that in the first group games of like what actually who should start and and some players have i know like sané same thing like as we were talking about before in in leading up to to the last few games like he's the fact that he's been playing for galatasaray in and out of the team and then he's just suddenly like the right winger it puts it in doubt a little bit but then he scores so you're kind of like okay well it's you know it's it's the the starting 11 doesn't really choose itself for for for germany and i don't think the games they haven't been the hardest game so it hasn't maybe forced um forced players to really perform and like make a position their own so i still think they'll have enough like they will have enough to to to get past paraguay but maybe it won't be as easy as that obviously they're they're uh group games but um and even then they've got they're probably they're going to have France in the next round, and that's just game over.

16:20I would say if the USA game is any indication, this could be a big game for the likes of Nemecza or Musiala because really what happened in the USA game, US press, Paraguay didn't deal with the press well, but the other thing they didn't do was track second-man runs. And if Germany are able to get runs from Musiala going past Havertz, that's why I think Havertz could be the right pick here to occupy defenders and those second-man runs of Musiala or Nemecha, I think they could cause a lot of problems. Havertz is one of the better pressing forwards in world football. Paraguay really struggled with the U.S.

16:53press. So I expect Germany to get through this game, and I think maybe the German narrative might be more bullish following this game than it really deserves to be, but we'll see. I'm curious to see if Kai can have a good game here because I love him, and I would like to see him thrive. So then there's the showpiece game, the best game of the day, and I feel for you who will be in England or in Europe because it's going to be taking place at an ungodly hour of 2 a.m i guess what is that 2 a.m but netherlands morocco i mean timsey this is this this has shootout written written all over it to me there could be fireworks here i think

17:28Michael Timbs:yeah for sure and i think as well they would they would be looking at like that they i think they're very well balanced sides like there's there's actually not too much uh to to kind of separate them because i don't think the netherlands have been great they've obviously done enough and they've got they haven't kept a clean sheet on the yeah i mean that they're on the whole i think they're obviously they are a better side but then i i don't know i can't help but thinking like for them they know so they've got canada in the next round you'd think you'll be able to beat them so then you're immediately looking at we're in the quarters and then anything's sort of possible like i know netherlands have been there kind of done that before in terms of progressing through to the the latter stages but Morocco are tricky man they're a good they're a good side and I think where did they did they finish second first in their group I'm not quite sure I can't remember but they finished second to Brazil yeah second to Brazil right so yeah but only on I guess would that be like goal difference right they drew Brazil and then won their two games as well in Scotland and Haiti yeah so yeah they did I mean scored one less goal conceded through but I mean even then they're uh they are a very good side and I think probably I don't know if they're more convincing obviously Netherlands did score a lot of goals but yeah I think Netherlands potential means like I'm less impressed when they when they win and when they win big than I would Morocco in a you know in a group with Brazil um so I don't know I'm not sure.

19:08Michael Timbs:He's going to be a really fascinating one. I don't know who I kind of prefer to, who I think is going to win or who I prefer to win. I guess Morocco will be more fun to see, but you'd probably expect the Netherlands to go through, I think. The Netherlands have a very balanced, loaded team on paper. If you just look at what they've got, their centre-back pairing with Van Dijk and Van Hecke should be good. De Jong, Graham, Birch and Reiners, or whoever they want to start in midfield, they've got a couple options there, should be good and balanced. Gakpo and Mullen, but finding Braby and the tournament he's having has really helped them.

19:42This is a really big test for them. I think Morocco are very good, but I think the Netherlands have a chance here to really show that they are going to be a force in this tournament. I know they started slow, but I think they can be. I know you're less convinced of them, but I think the Netherlands is an interesting one, honestly.

20:04Michael Timbs:Yeah, yeah. For sure. I mean, they are on the side. If they do, as we, I guess, predict, that they would beat Morocco, face Canada, they're probably going to win that. And then they're facing either France or Germany. France, Germany, Sweden. Yeah. That's probably the end for them, to be fair. But if they look really good against Morocco and they get past Canada, I wouldn't just be penciling France to get past them, or certainly Germany. So we'll have to see. I'm very excited for that game though because there's just so much fun talent on the pitch and the Netherlands are a team that I think on paper at least should be able to show that they can compete at the very top level and Morocco is a very stiff test so it should be a good game I think I also feel as they progress through the tournament I feel sorrier and sorrier for Durian obviously not being there just because any side will be improved when he's playing and especially when you look at Morocco obviously with their with Hakimi and their talent on the right-hand side and just thinking with him what a difference he'd make.

21:08Michael Timbs:Yep, totally agree. But the main thing, again, as long as he's fit for when preseason starts and our season starts, that's really all that matters. But you feel for him as obviously him, his brother, and how much it means to them. It's a shame. As you sort of glance around the round of 32 and look at the bracket and look at how things can shake out, Are there any other matchups here that you're really looking forward to, excited about, or potential round of 16 matchups where you're really looking forward to seeing what happens? I think so. The Portugal-Croatia, which in itself I don't think is exciting because I think Portugal should have enough.

21:46Michael Timbs:Let's hear how you rescue this one. But because then they're on the same side, obviously, with Spain and Austria, which again, in itself, I don't think is that exciting. like Spain should win, Portugal should win, but Portugal, Spain will be so much fun. I think that'll be because it's, Spain have been solid, not incredible. Portugal have been solid, not incredible, but the potential there, like the midfields of both sides is ridiculous. And I just think that'd be such a good, if they both turn up at that stage and say miraculously, Cristiano's axed to the bench and they play a proper front line, I think it will be an unbelievable game.

22:28Michael Timbs:I think that will be so cool. So those are two that I'm kind of looking at. Obviously, England as well, but we'll speak about them as it gets closer to the time. But yeah, those two I think will be quite fun to look out for. For me, obviously, I can't look past France, Germany in the round of 16. I think that just the football heritage there, even if I think France are by far the better team, You know, you see those German kits and you can play the badge like Arsenal have against United for the past few years. Like, I think that's a tantalizing matchup. I have done a bracket, by the way. And I have England losing to France in the World Cup final.

23:07So, sorry. So close, but so far. I do.

23:11Michael Timbs:I don't even think. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, I love the fact that. I don't think we get past Mexico. I don't think we get past Mexico, genuinely. as in look I do think we will get past Mexico and I want us to but Mexico have only lost twice ever in Mexico right in competitive football is that right or in Mexico City I don't think that's right it sounds right but I know the United States have won there okay okay maybe you're one of two I don't know I've been told this anyway but as in like it doesn't it kind of just it makes me think think that they are much more of a formidable opponent when they are at home at the Azteca in Mexico City the the elevation maybe does truly make a like big difference um and we haven't been convincing really at the moment like I'm obviously glad we we beat Panama and it was like solid enough like they didn't have too much but we also don't look like we don't look like we're scoring buckets of goals we maybe we don't look like we're going to concede loads either but it's it's we're kind of struggling to break opponents down and that's against panama and ghana so it's i've felt far more confident going into our games in previous tournaments of like i remember going into going into france in qatar i felt a lot more confident i was like no i think we can genuinely do these lot like i think we're with a solid side we create good chances hurricane like you can score whenever whereas similar now but we're not i don't think we have hit that rhythm yet going forward and it's it's always the same thing with england maybe we're too talented maybe we're there's too many choices that we can't find the right but eventually we have to find the right balance and i don't know what it's like i don't know how we're going to find it but i trust in tutro to kind of work things out or at least make the right changes during the game to be able to work it out which is maybe different compared to previous tournaments yeah so um i i will just tell you since you were right about a couple of things uh two losses ever in competitive football at the azteca yeah never lost in the world cup there six wins two draws the united states did win there as i mentioned but it was an international friendly so that who cares about them yeah no one cares certainly not me so um yeah i just i'm curious i I think as the competition gets stiffer, England get better.

25:42That's just how I think the squad is built, but we'll just have to see.

25:45Michael Timbs:I'm not totally sure. I also think, are we admitting that by the time it gets to the last 32 and the last 16, there are some truly incredible matchups that could be happening there. we could be getting brazil england or brazil mexico in miami in the in the in the last in the last in the quarters like that i feel so sorry for those the the poor english flesh in miami in july trying to play brazil that would i don't think that would suit some of these fixtures we get I think Argentina realistically have a great run-in. Yeah. Because Argentina, obviously, they've got Cape Verde and then either Australia or Egypt.

26:38Michael Timbs:Sure, it's not easy, but there are far more difficult opponents. Switzerland, Algeria, Colombia or Ghana on the other side of that one as well. So realistically, they can get to the quarters without facing anyone like apart from maybe Brazil or England or Mexico like it's they've landed on the right side of the draw maybe I should be thinking of it as England are on the right side of the draw but Argentina look far more comfortable playing their football in this tournament than we do like they know their system they know who they rely on and they know how to play as a front three or four. So yeah, it's exciting actually looking at the potential last 16.

27:29Michael Timbs:And I think like the World Cup has done some things wrong, but a lot of things right. Yeah, I think we're set for a very fun week and a very fun knockout round. And I'm very excited to follow it through with you, Timsy. So not much else to say about today, obviously, other than that we will be back with a main pod with Tim and Clive tomorrow. Be back with a recap of the big Monday games on Tuesday's World Cup daily. And then we'll get back into the director of football and scouting video stuff as my schedule starts to normalize. So apologies for not having any of that stuff out for anybody, but it's going to be out this week.

28:04So, Timzy, well done. Hope you enjoyed your several hours in L.A. safe flight home to Blighty. and I'm looking forward to talking to you. Well, hearing your voice on the Tuesday, Pog, which I will not be doing,

28:16Michael Timbs:and then talking to you again on Wednesday. For sure. I can't wait. I can't wait to be back on home soil for a little bit. Breathe the fresh air, the smoky, smoky air. And yeah, I appreciate it. Thank you so much. Is it still sweltering there? It's getting colder. As in, say colder. It's cooling down a little bit. It's still ridiculously hot, but it's coming down to a slightly more normal level now. Got it. Well, I am excited to follow your journey and hear your pod on Tuesday and to talk to you on Wednesday. So thanks again. Thank you, man. All right, everybody. I'm going to board an airplane and then go home.

28:51Safe flight to you as well. Safe flight to you. Thank you very much. Quite a bit shorter than yours, but that still counts. Everybody, I hope you're doing wonderful. I hope you're enjoying this journey with us. It's a bit silly. It's a bit fun. If you want really silly, Clive and I did Adam Friedland's Ringer Spotify World Cup pod the other day. You can check that out. that is a descent into madness that I think you would definitely enjoy hopefully but either way lots of stuff for you as always we love you and we will talk to you after World Cup 10 FIFA No