Rise Higher

1. How would you evaluate this year for the team?

Laura: Overall, I feel like this year was a good step forward for the team. Canada faced opposition from every continent and played different styles of opponents, which bodes well for the World Cup next year. I thought their showing at the Arnold Clarke Cup was outstanding, despite placing third. (A draw against England, a win against Germany, and a loss against Spain is nothing to sneeze at.) In April, I was not particularly impressed with the matches against Nigeria—Canada should have easily won those—nor the match against South Korea, where the team felt disjointed. Apart from Julia Grosso’s coming out party as one of Canada’s new offensive weapons, the CONCACAF W Championship was not this team at its best. The latter half of the year was much better, even including the loss to Brazil. The team performed well, and we were able to see the debuts of players who may prove to be pivotal in 2023 and 2024. 

I believe the latter part of the year has forced Canada to adapt with a number of starting players out of the lineup due to injury. While that may be painful to watch on a human level, I appreciate that we’ve seen the team adapt, and adapt well. In a tournament setting where rest is incredibly important, building multiple partnerships is key, and the injuries have allowed us to see different pairings on the pitch.

Meg: It’s been a very positive year, barring the CONCACAF championship final. The aim before the World Cup is clearly to resolve attacking issues. This year, the team has transformed into a much more dynamic, free-flowing team that can actually score goals, whilst still relying on defensive strengths as their bedrock. Two wins against Australia on home turf, as well as wins against Germany, Brazil and a draw against European champions England are all results to be proud of at this stage of preparation. The task for the next six months is to keep this up and ensure we can continue to score goals whilst retaining clean sheets—and to do this against top, top competition. Narrow losses such as those the team had against the USA and Spain are the results we now need to eliminate.

2. Where do you think the team needs to improve?

Laura: I’d like to see a complete, ninety-minute performance from this team. Priestman has said it herself: this team has long stretches performing at its best, but I don’t think we’ve seen a complete performance from this team in 2022. The performance against Germany came close, but I have nightmares about the second Nigeria match. A quick “switch-off” can cost the team a match, much like it did against Brazil. Once we have our starting XI back (which I pray happens for the SheBelieves Cup), I want to see sustained pressure and solid defending for ninety minutes. 

Molly: It’s the same as it has been for the past few years—finishing. Janine alone created 61 chances this year, yet we only scored 24 goals (27 including the Brazil games she was absent for). I do think bringing back Evelyne Viens will help—she showed what she is capable of in the October window and with her club team. At times we look almost frantic in front of the net: someone will take a shot, and other players won’t know where the ball is. 

3. Who is your player of the year?

Laura: I voted for Janine Beckie, and I’m sticking to it. She led the team in chance creation, tied for second in goals (3) and was second for assists (4). What stood out to me was her selflessness: she played in multiple different positions—sometimes in the same game—which gave Priestman lots of options when choosing substitutes. Impressively, Beckie did all of this while spending approximately fifteen months in season. While she may not have played as much for club as she would have liked, Beckie still won two trophies with Manchester City and Portland Thorns. 

Molly: Kailen Sheridan. I think she got overlooked for POTY, which is so disappointing–I think keepers in general get overlooked. She stepped into the starting keeper spot and hasn’t looked out of place. Along with helping her club team to the semi-finals, winning the NWSL Golden Glove, Best XI, and Golden Glove at CONCACAF Qualifying, Sheridan had an impressive year.

Meg: This is a tough one as I think a lot of players had very good years, but with no particular stand-out. I’ll copy Molly and say Sheridan for her all-round play for club and country, with shoutouts to Beckie for her versatility, Grosso for her improvement, and Buchanan for just generally being one of the best centre-backs out there.

4. Who is your most underrated player of the year?

Laura: Sophie Schmidt. After Schmidt was left off of the initial 18-player roster for the Olympics, I didn’t know how she would continue to fit into the national team picture. I think what we’ve seen is a player use that initial exclusion as a fire to be better. Schmidt had an impressive year with the Houston Dash, nabbing MVP honours from the club for the 2022 NWSL season. In limited minutes with the national team this year, she had two assists and one goal. Her leadership is invaluable, both on and off the pitch, and the noticeable improvement in her game since 2021 is a testament to her dedication and skill.

Molly: Janine Beckie—if you just look at the conversation around her making the final three for POTY for Canada, you can see why. Janine is one of our most consistent players, always putting in the work and playing any position asked of her. You can always see her talking to the other players, guiding them, and getting them into position. She may not be scoring at the same rate she did a few years ago, but that doesn’t mean she’s not important to the team. She created 61 chances this year—61! While she didn’t play much near the end of the season for the Thorns, she spent 15 months in season, so it was understandable she took a step back. She had three great assists for the Thorns in all competitions (the Hina Sugita assist is just gorgeous) and always made a difference in the game when she got subbed on.

Meg: I’m going to throw a curveball here and say Jayde Riviere. She may not have played much this year due to injury, but her absence was felt in such a way that I personally did not realise until the last few months how integral she had become to the team. I don’t see another full-back challenging for her starting spot assuming she comes back soon, and for a 21-year-old with no professional experience, that’s pretty damn impressive.

5. Who is your most improved player of the year?

Laura: Jordyn Huitema. Moving from PSG to OL Reign was a brilliant decision. With more regular playing time, we’ve been able to see just how her play has developed, and how influential she can be. With two goals and two assists in the NWSL, and one goal and five assists for Canada in 2022, I think we’re seeing Huitema become a great goal-provider. She is more self-assured, and as her partnerships develop on the pitch—I loved her partnership with Evelyne Viens against Brazil—I think we’ll see her on the scoresheet more and more.

Meg: Julia Grosso. She’s been absolutely immense for Juventus and has quickly become one of their best players, which is pretty insane for a player who was a bit of a surprise selection for the Olympic roster just a year and a half ago. 

Molly: I will say Adriana Leon has stepped up this year—a lot more than she has in the past. She was the joint top scorer this year with 5 goals, scoring the only goals in Australia and adding another one against Brazil. Bev said recently that Leon needs to prove she’s un-droppable, and I think she’s showing that. With Deanne and Nichelle out, she is going to have more opportunities to show what she can do, and I hope she delivers.

6. What are your expectations for the World Cup?

Meg: Semi-finals should be a realistic target. This team has the ability to win the whole thing, but as is always the case in a World Cup, the competition is so fierce that it’s hard to say that winning is the only result to be proud of. As long as the team puts in the kind of impressive performances we know they’re capable of, even if they end up being knocked out by a Germany or an England later down the line, there is little shame in that. This team simply needs to be able to put up a fight—as they have proved they can over the past year and during the Olympics.

Laura: Quarter-finals, at least. Canada should easily top the group, meaning a favourable match-up in the round of sixteen. (Provided England wins Group D, Canada should beat China/Denmark/Play-off winners.) From the quarter-finals onwards, anything can happen in tournament football. 

Molly: I will go with Laura and say at least the quarter-finals. We should top our group which means facing one of China/Denmark/the play-off winners in the round of sixteen (providing England tops their group). Canada should and can beat any of those three teams—from there it might mean facing France who Canada hasn’t played since a 1-0 loss in March 2020. Canada will need to put in some full 90s, but they have the ability to get wins against any of the potential quarter-final teams.

7. Which players need a solid 2023 season to solidify a spot on the WC roster?

Laura: Since FIFA has decided to FIFA and only allow 23 spots on the roster, there isn’t space for everyone, even with Deanne Rose and Nichelle Prince most likely ruled out due to injury. Gabrielle Carle and Bianca St-Georges will look to push for a solidified roster spot as both Jayde Riviere and Allysha Chapman are set to return from injuries. Clarissa Larisey, while bright in her few appearances, will need to impress in the few international windows left—especially if Deanne Rose makes a return before the World Cup. Simi Awujo will also need to earn decent minutes and showcase her talent if she’s looking to dislodge a seasoned midfielder from the roster.

Meg: Jade Rose: I don’t think Bev will take four centre-backs in a 23-person roster, especially as Quinn, Schmidt and Carle (if they get in) can deputise there. I do think Rose has a legitimate shot at getting in over Zadorsky if she can make herself undroppable over the next few months. 

Simi Awujo: Simi has the advantage of Canada’s lack of young midfielders; other than Grosso, Fleming and Quinn, there hasn’t been anyone else who has staked a claim to a squad spot in that area for the future. From her past performances, all Simi needs to do is keep up what she’s been doing; after the aforementioned three, plus Scott and Schmidt, she seems the natural next name on the list. 

Clarissa Larisey: The unfortunate injuries to Deanne Rose and Nichelle Prince will open up plenty of opportunities for Larisey to impress over the coming months. Furthermore, with Prince almost definitely out for the World Cup and Rose questionable, there are forward spots up for grabs in a pool that would have been far more difficult for Larisey to push her way into had those two been fit. The absence of those experienced wingers also comes with massive responsibility, and that is something Larisey will have to show she can handle also—a good showing at the upcoming SheBelieves Cup would illustrate that the newcomer can handle a step-up in competition.

Molly: With Nichelle Prince and possibly Deanne Rose out, there is a spot open that Lacasse or Larisey can grab. Both have been great for their club teams, but have yet to fully replicate that for the national team. With 15 caps already, Lacasse may have her spot secured; however, I want to see more from her during the SheBelieves Cup in February. With 15 caps and only one goal, I’m still waiting to see her at her best for Canada like she is for Benfica. I don’t think we have seen enough from Larisey yet, but she has shown moments of brilliance and could grab the last spot on my roster. 

8. Your current 2023 WC roster.

Laura:

GKs: Kailen Sheridan, Sabrina D’Angelo, Lysiane Proulx

DFs: Kadeisha Buchanan, Vanessa Gilles, Jayde Riviere, Ashley Lawrence, Gabrielle Carle, Bianca St-Georges, Shelina Zadorsky

MFs: Jessie Fleming, Julia Grosso, Quinn, Desiree Scott, Sophie Schmidt, Simi Awujo

FWs: Janine Beckie, Christine Sinclair, Adriana Leon, Evelyne Viens, Jordyn Huitema, Cloé Lacasse, Clarissa Larisey

Meg:

GKs: Kailen Sheridan, Sabrina D’Angelo, Erin McLeod

DFs: Kadeisha Buchanan, Vanessa Gilles, Shelina Zadorsky, Ashley Lawrence, Jayde Riviere, Allysha Chapman, Bianca St-Georges

MFs: Jessie Fleming, Quinn, Julia Grosso, Sophie Schmidt, Desiree Scott, Simi Awujo

FWs: Christine Sinclair, Evelyne Viens, Jordyn Huitema, Janine Beckie, Adriana Leon, Deanne Rose, Cloé Lacasse

Molly: 

GKs: Kailen Sheridan, Sabrina D’Angelo, Lysiane Proulx

DFs: Kadeisha Buchanan, Vanessa Gilles, Jayde Riviere, Ashley Lawrence, Gabrielle Carle, Shelina Zadorsky, Bianca St-Georges

MFs: Jessie Fleming, Julia Grosso, Quinn, Desiree Scott, Sophie Schmidt, Simi Awujo 

FWs: Janine Beckie, Christine Sinclair, Adriana Leon, Evelyne Viens, Jordyn Huitema, Cloé Lacasse

**Deanne Rose if fit, if not, Jade Rose