The best quotes from Jesse Marsch on CanMNT advancing in Copa America | VAMOS! Presented by Degree
Jesse Marsch has gotten some time to reflect on Canada’s 2024 Copa America performances during this six-day layover between matches, before Les Rouges face off against Group B winners Venezuela on Friday.
Here's what he had to say:
On tactical clarity
Marsch was pleased overall with the sum of results, but still somewhat reserved.
"I think the tactical clarity in these matches has been really good," Marsch said. "Even in hot circumstances.
"We feel like we can be better around the goal. We can convert some of these half chances into big chances and some of our big chances into goals.
"If you've followed my career... the goals are usually a lot easier and a lot more often, and usually we're fighting to keep clean sheets." Marsch said. "It's a little bit nice that we're more stable defensively, and I know with our offensive power that we're going to create chances and the goals are going to start to come."
He also touched on the oft-criticized lack of production off of free kicks.
"I think we can be better off set pieces," said Marsch. "Better runs and better winning of duels in the box.
"But overall, I'm really pleased with the group in so many ways.”
On Canada advancing to knockouts
Then came the part where Marsch had to walk that fine line between unabashed smiles and nervous little glances.
"I recognize it's a big accomplishment [to advance], and an accomplishment that wasn't going to be easy," he said. "I hope that back home, people are inspired by the team. I think to really inspire them, we need to have more big moments where we score big goals - where we have real moments to celebrate.
"We're enjoying our time together. I think the group has really grown over time... the tactical nuances and sophistication has grown and it's given us a chance to be successful.
"There's confidence in this group that we can keep pushing in this tournament and that we're not done yet.”
On Canada's physicality
Sometimes, narratives take a while to assert themselves, and it seems like this one finally has. Coaches Fossati and Gareca, of Peru and Chile respectively, each insisted that Canada are a physical team, and physical in such a way, ideally, as to get the attention of the referee.
Uruguay had the highest Aggression% in the Copa América 2024 group stages: tackling, pressing, or fouling 27% of their opponent's ball receipts within two seconds
— StatsBomb (@StatsBomb) July 4, 2024
The USA had the lowest Aggression% with 15%#CopaAmérica2024 pic.twitter.com/lw96N9JSlV
We got this graphic earlier today, which isn’t wholly surprising given Marsch’s penchant for pressing.
“We wanted to understand... what playing South American opponents is like," Marsch said. "The physicality, the savviness, the gamesmanship - all these things we couldn't be naive [about].”
“We have to stay disciplined but also understand how to handle referees, handle opponents, win duels [all] without crossing the line.”
Going into the Chile game, Canada had a number of players on yellow cards, where a second would result in a quarter-finals suspension. Alphonso Davies, Moise Bombito and Alistair Johnston were among the players to pick up yellows, but none of them had previously.
"Typically the referees in this tournament hand out a lot of yellows," Marsch said. "We've shown real experience for a young team... in many moments, we've looked like the experienced team and we've played with intelligence.”
Venezuela, meanwhile, will be missing one of their top players in Darwin Machis, who picked up two yellows during the group stage.
On preparing for a different kind of match
We weren’t certain we were playing Venezuela at the time of the press conference, but it’s hard to imagine the message has changed much.
"We need to score more goals," Marsch said, "[But] the focus will continue to be strong defensively, because the way you move on [in knockout football] is to not give much away.
“We’ll continue to be aggressive in our own way. And we'll continue to press teams and counter-press teams, and with the ball, play confidently. But certainly, there will be en emphasis on not giving anything away
"Every match has been an away match for us, and so we've had to stay stable, we've had to stay confident and in moments where teams are throwing a lot at us, we've been mature and we've been strong.”
