Rise Higher

A note to start: as I’m writing this before the Czech Republic friendly on Friday, a lot of this could change and there’s no real way to predict this roster yet. With the exception of a handful of players, an awful lot is riding on these next two friendlies. I love all these players and any criticisms are not intended to be personal.

Goalkeepers

Likely picks: Labbé, Sheridan

Potentials: McLeod, D’Angelo

Bev Priestman has recently stated that the number 1 goalkeeping spot is “wide open” which is unsurprising considering the wealth of options she has to choose from. Steph Labbé, Kailen Sheridan, Sabrina D’Angelo and Erin McLeod have been called up for this month’s friendlies, and it is difficult to predict which of the four will find themselves left out of the squad — including reserves — altogether.

The two most likely contenders for the 18 are Labbé and Sheridan. Labbé’s 75 caps mark her as a steady, experienced keeper who can be relied upon to put in a solid performance. It is 25-year-old Sheridan, however, who seems the more likely option to get the regular start. In her four years at NJ/NY Gotham FC (formerly Sky Blue), Sheridan has established herself as one of the best goalkeepers in the NWSL, winning the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup Golden Glove and multiple Save of the Week awards. Sheridan’s youth also works in her favour, with Labbé likely to retire after the Olympics, leaving her as the de-facto no.1 for the future.

Centre-backs

Likely picks: Buchanan, Zadorsky, Gilles

For central defence, Priestman finds herself in a difficult but envious position; with Vanessa Gilles impressing in Kadeisha Buchanan’s absence over the past few months, the default pairing of Buchanan and Shelina Zadorsky is no longer her only option. Gilles was arguably Canada’s best player in their SheBelievesCup match against the United States, making an incredible 20 clearances, only seven less than the rest of the team combined. In the April international window, she made her mark once again, with a brilliant recovery run against the lightning-quick Lauren Hemp.

Buchanan has been — and remains to be — a brilliant asset to the team, but her experience within the squad may not necessarily ensure her the starting spot. This is not to say that Buchanan deserves to be dropped from the squad (far from it), simply that there are tough decisions for Priestman to make here when it comes to which centre-backs will get the start.

The clear (and likely) answer is for all three to make the final 18, and for Priestman to decide on her chosen pairing in the next few friendly matches. Whilst the squad may not necessarily need a backup centre-back, as Quinn is able to cover that area, such a situation is not ideal, as it leaves Canada limited in midfield selection. Additionally, there is always the option of a back three — something which we could see Priestman try over the next couple of months.

Full-backs

Locks: Lawrence

Likely picks: Chapman, Riviere

Potentials: Carle, St Georges

In the full-back position, Allysha Chapman and Ashley Lawrence are the obvious go-tos, and it is almost certain that both players will make the 18. The question arises in the position that Lawrence will primarily be playing, and the ways that this may open up spots for another fullback.

In a starting XI (4–3–3) with Lawrence in midfield, the obvious choice as a replacement right-back is Jayde Riviere, who has deputised the role for many years now and has shown herself to be reliable despite her young age. In the event that Priestman does elect to use Lawrence primarily in midfield, that leaves Canada without a backup full-back. In this area, she has two players to choose from: Gabrielle Carle and Bianca St. Georges.

Carle is the more internationally experienced of the two players, with 23 caps spanning the past six years. Recently, the Quebecer has been given more of a chance to show what she can do, playing the full 90 against Wales and contributing to the team’s clean sheet. A stellar season with the Florida State Seminoles also works in Carle’s favour. St. Georges, who has not yet had her first cap, is the less likely of the two, though her impressive performances for the Chicago Red Stars may stand her in good stead if she can replicate this form in the upcoming friendlies.

There is no doubt that Priestman will evaluate both players over the coming months. For now, it seems the slightly safer bet to assume that Lawrence in the right-back position would be the sensible option, particularly in big matches, though this remains unpredictable and I would not be surprised to see either make the roster in the end.

Midfield

Locks: Fleming

Likely picks: Quinn, Scott, Schmidt

Potentials: Listro, Stratigakis, Grosso

An absolute lock within this roster can be found in Jessie Fleming, one of the brightest young talents out there, and a mainstay within the Canadian midfield. Her efforts across all 270 minutes of the SheBelieves Cup did not go unnoticed, as the 23-year-old ran herself ragged in an attempt to find the goals the team ultimately could not find. Despite a relative lack of playtime at Chelsea, the influence of such high level training and competition has only improved her quality at an international level — for evidence, see the absolute banger she scored against Wales. There is a zero percent chance she will not be making the Olympic starting XI, unless Priestman decides to self-sabotage.

Based on selections and performances over the past few friendlies, Quinn can also be considered an almost certainty for the roster. Their strength not only defensively but in attack — demonstrated perfectly by a sublime ball to Rose in the Wales friendly — enables Priestman to deploy a multitude of options in that third midfield spot, in the knowledge that Quinn will be able to adapt their play as necessary to accommodate their teammates. Quinn’s versatility extends past their ability to play any position in midfield; they deputised at centre-back on multiple occasions in Rio, and could be called upon again if Bev chooses not to bring all three natural centre-back options.

With her wealth of experience and leadership both on the pitch and behind the scenes, Desiree Scott seems next in line on the list of preferred midfielders. Whilst Priestman may elect to move towards younger players long-term, Scott remains a great option and may be required to settle down any big game nerves. Though she may soon find her spot challenged by the many midfielders receiving their first call-ups, it seems unlikely that this will take place with the Olympics so soon, and Scott’s 121 minutes played across the last international window demonstrates the team’s continued reliance on her.

Outside of these three more obvious choices, the midfield selection becomes a little muddled. Whilst Sophie Schmidt may previously have been a shoe-in for the squad, her lack of game-time over the last window — especially in comparison with her veteran counterpart Scott — may suggest that her regular midfield presence is coming to an end. Certainly, if she does make the squad, it seems that she will no longer find herself in the starting XI, especially if Priestman does choose to deploy Lawrence in midfield. That said, Schmidt has excelled for the Houston Dash recently, and for her not to get the call-up at all would be surprising, especially considering the lack of other options in that area. In addition, Schmidt offers a reliable, calm presence that may not be achievable for some of the younger midfielders coming through just yet. In such a high-pressure tournament with a tight turnaround, this quality could prove invaluable.

With an 18 player roster, it would make sense for Priestman to take at least five midfielders, even if Lawrence is able to play in that position, which leaves one spot for a bit more of a wildcard. Priestman’s three options come in the form of Julia Grosso, Jordyn Listro and Sarah Stratigakis. Grosso holds the most experience of the three, with 21 caps in four years, yet has largely been used as a back-up, with not a great deal of chances to properly impress. Her 20 minutes played across the last five friendlies indicates that she may no longer be a realistic option.

Both Listro and Stratigakis received their first call-ups under Priestman; to bring either one with so few caps would perhaps be a bit of a risk in such a high stakes environment. That said, talent will always usurp experience, and Priestman must plan for the future with Scott and Schmidt now into their thirties.

Forwards

Locks: Sinclair, Beckie

Likely picks: Prince, Rose, Viens

Potentials: Huitema, Leon

Another two locks come in the forward position: Christine Sinclair and Janine Beckie. As the captain and the world’s top international goalscorer, there is no way the former could ever miss out, whilst the latter has formed an essential part of Canada’s attack since joining the squad in 2015. Sinclair has shown no signs of slowing down, recently becoming only the third player to reach 50 goals in the NWSL.

A lapse in form for Beckie during the SheBelieves Cup was rectified on rejoining Manchester City post-international break, and she finishes the league campaign with 0.57 goals per 90 minutes played. Outside of goalscoring, Beckie has recently spoken about her intentions to play more of a role in setting up goals, evidenced in her performances in April, where she bagged an assist against Wales and played a key part in the opening goal against England. Both goals involved a linkup with striker Evelyne Viens, and this is a budding partnership that Priestman is likely to wish to exploit in the coming months.

In terms of other strikers that Priestman may wish to take, her primary options would likely be the aforementioned Viens, and youngster Jordyn Huitema. Before Viens arrived on the scene, Huitema would have been Sinclair’s de-facto backup in the centre-forward position, but this may no longer be the case, with Viens scoring a goal in each friendly in the April international window. Huitema, on the other hand, failed to score or assist, and was generally unable to impact either game despite starting against Wales and being used as a substitute against England.

The issue for Huitema appears to be confidence, probably due to a lack of regular playing time for French champions Paris Saint-Germain. With the likes of Diani, Katoto, Baltimore, Bachmann and Bruun ahead of her in the pecking order, it is understandable that she has struggled to really make an impact at the club. It doesn’t help that Huitema has not yet established herself as a reliable goalscorer against higher ranked sides, with her 13 goals coming against Costa Rica, Cuba, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Jamaica. She will need to prove herself in the upcoming friendlies — something she is in the best position to do at this moment in time, having recently scored in PSG’s final match and subsequently won the league.

Of course, Priestman taking both Huitema and Viens is a realistic option, and if Huitema does perform well this international break, it would make sense to include her as an alternative option up front. Viens, at this point, seems almost a cert for a spot; 11 goals in 14 games for Paris FC accompany her 2 goals in 5 appearances for the national team, and she has also looked dangerous for Gotham FC of late. The question is whether Huitema is a reliable enough goal-scorer to justify taking three centre-forwards — hopefully, she will prove herself to be on Friday.

Lastly: with Beckie likely taking the starting position on the left wing, who will join her on the right? This spot is pretty much a three-horse race, with Nichelle Prince, Deanne Rose and Adriana Leon all experienced wingers who have been relied upon on many occasions. If Bev does decide to take six defenders, five midfielders and five forwards, this would leave only two roster spots. So who misses out?

For me, the most likely candidate to miss out would be Leon. Her season with West Ham has not been her greatest, though playing for a team battling relegation is arguably a tougher task than many other national team players face. That said, Leon has only had one goal and one assist in all competitions, a poor showing not only in comparison to her Canadian teammates, but in comparison to other attacking players for West Ham. In addition, Leon’s recent injury — which ruled her out of the April friendlies — will not have helped her cause, especially if Priestman is looking to maximise chemistry between players ahead of the Olympics.

Though Rose has not had her best season as a senior with the Florida Gators, she performed well across the April international break, calmly slotting the opening goal past Wales. Rose also has past Olympic performances on her side; in 2016, she scored the first and assisted the second goal in Canada’s Bronze medal match, at just 17 years old. Both of these factors may edge things in Rose’s favour.

Prince, on the other hand, should be considered very close to a lock at this point. In the last international window, Priestman used Prince as an impact sub against England, choosing to start Rose instead. Prince used her limited playtime to prove her quality, pressuring Bardsley into a goalkeeping error and sealing the win for Canada. Prince has also upped her game for the Houston Dash of late. Though always a consistent winger for the club, she has shone particularly brightly in her past few games, frequently setting up chances that, unfortunately, are not always taken by her teammates. With a striker like Viens, however, Prince should find her assist tally ramping up on an international level, and may well secure the starting position on the right wing come July.

So what next?

As detailed above, there are many pressing queries which Priestman will need to address before selecting her 18 player roster. Where will Lawrence play, and how does this impact the rest of the team selection? Who will the starting centre-back pair be, with three brilliant players to choose from? Is it worth taking three centre-forwards and, if not, is it Huitema or Viens who will make the cut? The answers to these queries and many more will become more apparent this weekend, but one thing is for sure: Priestman sure does have a wealth of talent to choose from.

Note: Matheson and Agnew have not been included in this article as they are highly likely to be ruled out due to injury.