Diving into a CanMNT Depth Chart to start 2022 (FT: @JJD TV)
As the CanMNT gets set to tackle a massive 2022, I kick things off by creating (and analyzing) their current depth chart, all with the help of Josh of JJD TV.
As their team continues to grow, competition for places has become as fierce as ever.
And that’s good news for the CanMNT, who despite the increased squad selection headaches that their ever-growing player pool is providing them, are probably more than happy to see the sort of movement in their depth chart that we’ve been seeing from them as of late.
Seemingly every week, a Canadian player is doing big things for their club, and more and more players are moving up the ranks to better and better teams, increasing the competition massively compared to where it was at months, weeks or even days prior.
Because of that, it makes the exercise of creating a Canadian depth chart quite the exciting one. With so much movement over the past year, most depth charts today would not resemble the ones from just a few months ago, let alone from a year ago.
So seeing that, myself and Josh from JJDTV (on Twitter @tv_jjd) decided to dive into that exercise, creating a Canadian depth chart based on right now, the beginning of 2022, to see where things are at right now for this CanMNT, while also giving us a reference point for later on in the year.
And after some intense deliberation, we finally came up with a list of over 45 players (at least 4 for each position), put into a 3-4-3, consisting of those who have either played for Canada, who are all but committed (sorry Daniel Jebbison, Marcelo Flores and company). From there, we ranked them based on club and international form, as well as where some of them were trending.
By doing that, we were not only able to get an idea of how Canada’s starting and bench depth is looking like right now, but also get an idea of what things could look like if a few injuries or absences happen, truly broadening the horizon.
It was a tough exercise, as there are many good players, some of whom play in multiple positions (making it hard to first settle on a formation, and then settle on positions for some individuals), but eventually we made it, and came up with this list.
We first went through our list on Josh’s YouTube channel, so do check that out if you haven’t already, but before I dive into things below, here’s a look at the chart we compiled.
So without further ado, let’s dive right into things, and help break down Canada’s depth chart, January 2022 edition.
The CanMNT celebrates a crucial WCQ win over Panama at BMO Field in October (Keveren Guillou) (IG: @kevereng)
Goalkeeper: Milan Borjan, Maxime Crepeau, James Pantemis, Dayne St.Clair
And to start, there’s no better place to go than in goal, where Canada has a pretty solid group of names to rely on in Borjan, Crepeau, Pantemis and St.Clair.
Obviously, Borjan is the main man here, as Canada’s #1 goalkeeper for almost a decade, but as Crepeau showed in just over a half-dozen appearances for Canada last year, Borjan’s throne isn’t as solid as it used to be, opening up all sorts of debates in regards to the future of this position.
Plus, with Borjan seemingly close to making a move to MLS, that competition could be about to get as wide-open as ever, as Crepeau has been one of MLS’s best goalkeepers for a few seasons now. To be fair, Borjan has a big edge in experience, and has played at a higher level for most of the past few years, but as he gets up there in age, you can only wonder when Crepeau supplants him, especially if they end up in the same league this year.
Because of that, it feels that while Borjan’s #1 spot is safe for the near future, Crepeau will likely take over at some point, with the likely timeline being some time after the 2022 World Cup.
And maybe by then, Crepeau will have some pretty good competition of his own, because while the other two might not be there quite yet, Pantemis has proven to be a very solid MLS-level goalkeeper for Montreal, while Dayne St.Clair has fared well in limited minutes over in Minnesota.
Both have a lot more to prove at their clubs, first, as Pantemis could be supplanted in his #1 role (and maybe even in this list) by fellow Canadian goalkeepers, Jonathan Sirois and Sebastian Breza, while St.Clair has had to fight for minutes with a very good goalkeeper in Tyler Miller, but if they can overcome that, it could also vault them into the starting conversation long-term.
So while this position is Borjan’s for now, with Crepeau waiting in the wings, the future of Pantemis and St.Clair (without mentioning Sirois and Breza) help make this a position of strength for Canada.
Right Centre Back: Alistair Johnston, Joel Waterman, Frank Sturing, Julian Dunn
But while there’s a bit more of a clear hierarchy in goal, the same can’t be said over at right centre back, where the race for spots is wide-open, as we can see with Johnston, Waterman, Sturing and Dunn here.
There’s one name that’s etched in stone, of course, and that’s Johnston, who had a big 2021 for club and country, playing a big role in Nashville’s playoff push, all while leading Canada in minutes over the course of the year. Thanks to that, he pushed to bigger heights as a professional, scoring an offseason trade to Montreal (and has attracted European interest), all while helping Canada in their endeavours at the international level.
Beyond him, though, there haven’t been many names that have gotten a chance to impress in the red and white (mostly due to Johnston’s strong play), but that doesn’t mean there aren’t options, however.
Waterman has grown into a reliable part of a very solid Montreal backline, who happen to also use a back 3, and he can pass the ball like nobody’s business, while Frank Sturing has proven to be a very sturdy defender, and has played right centre back in a back 3 for his club, as well. Because of that, that’s allowed them to earn call-ups for Canada in 2021, who are clearly keeping an eye on their progress.
But while they’re known commodities in the Canadian system, the last name here isn’t, and that’s Dunn, who has the potential to be a big riser for his country this year. Fresh off of a move to HamKam in the top Norwegian flight, the former Toronto FC man will hope to impress with his new club, because that could vault him right into the conversation at this position.
So even though he might not be established at his new club yet, with how young he is, and the level that he’ll be playing at, we could be talking about him a lot more by the end of the year.
Central Centre Back: Steven Vitoria, Doneil Henry, Manjrekar James, Karifa Yao
But shifting positions, we’ve then got the central centre backs, where we’ve got a bit more of an established hierarchy, led by Vitoria and Henry, followed by James and Yao.
And to begin, Vitoria’s pretty much a no-brainer, having established himself as a key leader of not only this backline, but this Canadian team as a whole, while Henry is a very reliable backup, and an important leadership voice, as well.
Along with the fact that they’re both playing at a high level in their respective leagues, with Vitoria very established over in Portugal, while Henry has done well over in South Korea (although not for much longer, it appears), there’s not much to argue with there, either.
After them, though, the discussion opens right up.
First, there’s the ever-present James, who despite playing at a solid level over the past few years, hasn’t suited up for Canada in any form since January of 2020, and hasn’t played a competitive game for his country since 2018.
To be fair to him, that’s mostly due to the fact that minutes have often been hard for him to come by at his clubs as well as the levels that he’s bounced around, but he’s still a very solid centre back. Just take this season as an example, where despite their struggles, he’s had some good performances for Vejle Boldklub, keeping him in the National Team discussion.
But then, there’s a name that could threaten to push James even further down the depth chart, and that’s Yao, who fresh off of a very good year on loan with Cavalry in the Canadian Premier League, looks poised to potentially carve out a role with Montreal. If he does that, based on what he showed last year, as well as the skills that he has, that could quickly push him up the ranks here, making him a player to watch at this position.
Left Centre Back: Kamal Miller, Scott Kennedy, Derek Cornelius, Zorhan Bassong
Then, rounding off the centre backs, we’ve got the left centre backs, and here we might have the best competition of any position, with Miller, Kennedy, Cornelius and Bassong completing a very intriguing list of names.
To start, Miller is currently leading the way, fresh off of a massive 2021 for both club and country, and based on how his form is trending, it will be tough to supplant the Montreal man right now.
But at the same time, Kennedy and Cornelius have as good of a shot as any to do so.
On one side, you’ve got Kennedy, who is pushing for promotion to the Bundesliga over in Germany’s second division with Jahn Regensburg, and even overtook Miller for a few months in 2021. Then, on the other, you’ve got Cornelius, who was Canada’s top centre back in 2019, and has since taken a step forward from that level, helped by a loan move to a very solid Greek league to join Panetolikos.
So while Miller leads the way in that race, he’s got very good competition from Kennedy and Cornelius, making this position one to watch. Heck, if anything, the competition is so good that we could see one of the 3, likely Miller, even start to shift to the middle more, allowing Canada to get 2 of the 3 on the pitch at once.
Otherwise, though, should something happen, Bassong is a solid potential replacement, because while he’s not naturally a centre back (he’s more of a full back), he can shift into the middle, where he’s shown well in stints for Montreal, making him an option here.
Right Wing Back: Richie Laryea, Zachary Brault-Guillard, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, Kadin Chung
Moving (slightly) up the pitch, we’ve then got the wing backs, and that’s where we come to one of the more intriguing positions on this Canadian team, headlined by Laryea, Brault-Guillard, Marshall-Rutty and Chung.
To start, Laryea is the runaway starter, and for good reason, as the Toronto FC (and soon to be Nottingham Forest?) defender has become an indispensable part of this Canadian team, both thanks to his strong two-way ability and his leadership.
After him, though, the position is wide-open, because while Brault-Guillard is an easy option at the #2 after a couple of solid seasons with Montreal (and some good cameos for Canada), there are a handful of players who could be considered.
So after strong endings to their 2021 seasons, Marshall-Rutty and Chung currently hold down this role, although the likes of Mo Farsi, Marcus Godinho and Juan Cordova could all earn shouts here.
First, there’s the youngster, Marshall-Rutty, who might be just 17, but fared very well in some stints at right back for Toronto this season, attracting European interest from some big clubs (such as Liverpool) in the process, making him one to watch for the future.
Then, there’s another promising young player in Chung, and although he’s a bit older than Marshall-Rutty at 23, after tearing up the CPL for a few seasons with Pacific, he seems destined for big things. Because of that, if he does make the move upwards that many are expecting him to make, with how wide-open the competition is at this position, that could easily vault him into the conversation to make the squad.
So with that door wide-open, it’ll be intriguing to see what this position looks like in a year’s time, because there is certainly some room for movement beyond Laryea and Brault-Guillard, especially from someone like Farsi, depending on where the former Cavalry man lands as a free agent.
Left Wing Back: Alphonso Davies, Sam Adekugbe, Mathieu Choiniere, Cristian Gutierrez
And much like we saw at right wing back, a lot of the same can be said over at left wing back, where Davies, Adekuge, Choiniere and Gutierrez make up a very intriguing group of names.
Obviously, Davies leads the way by a country mile, and for good reason, having become one of Bayern Munich’s most important players (and a World XI left back) on a team that has won everything that there is to win over the last few years. And he’s translated that over to Canada, too, helping lead the team through several key moments, showing his value as the best player in CONCACAF (and one of the best in the world).
But beyond him, there are several solid players, and one name that really emerged last year was that of Adekugbe, who benefitted massively from a move to Turkey, becoming a key part of this Canadian team as a result of that. Thanks to that, it’s allowed Canada to freely move Davies between wing back and winger, which he also plays, knowing that Adekugbe will be there to fill in, if needed.
Plus, he’s not the only option at this position, either, as Choiniere really grew into a very solid left wing back for Montreal this year, vaulting him into the National Team conversation, while Gutierrez was also one of the best left backs in MLS for Vancouver, when healthy, also putting the former Chilean youth international into the conversation.
Ultimately, while Choiniere gets a slight edge after Gutierrez saw the second half of his season derailed by injuries, the margins are razor-sharp between both of them, showing that if something were to happen to Davies or Adekugbe, the competition to replace them should be plenty fierce.
Right Central Midfielder: Atiba Hutchinson, Jonathan Osorio, David Wotherspoon, Liam Fraser, Stefan Mitrovic
But having gone through the wide areas with the wing backs, it’s important to shift over into the middle to the midfielders, where Canada has a lot of depth, and that’s reflected in the fact that we’ve got 10 players (instead of 8) across just 2 midfield positions.
So to start, we’ve first got the right central midfield position, which consists of Hutchinson, Osorio, Wotherspoon, Fraser and Mitrovic.
And leading the way is Hutchinson, who despite being just a few weeks shy of his 39th birthday, is still starting games, scoring goals and winning trophies for Besiktas, and had some very memorable performances for Canada in 2021, keeping him ahead in the depth chart as the calendar turns to 2022.
Right behind him, though, is one of Canada’s biggest risers last year, and that’s Toronto FC everyman Osorio, who as he nears his 30s, has continued to grow as a player, becoming a key leader on and off the pitch for this team. With his ability to play multiple positions, and his tactical intelligence, he’s going to remain a key part of this Canadian team for years to come, as well, be it as a starter or in a depth role.
But not far behind him is Wotherspoon, and while the St.Johnstone man will be out until the late summer/fall with a knee injury, he’s become a key part of this Canadian team after some big years in Scotland. Because of that, as well as the fact that he’s a key leader for Herdman, he remains quite high up in the depth chart, even despite his injury, and will absolutely be considered for Canada’s World Cup squad, should they qualify.
Afterwards, rounding off the right central midfielders are a pair of young names in Fraser and Mitrovic, of which we’ll certainly continue to hear more about in the future.
Fraser is a bit more established with Canada than Mitrovic, who is uncapped, and both are two different kinds of players (Fraser is more of a passing #6, while Mitrovic is a #10 of sorts), but both have a lot to bring in their respective roles for Canada.
So while they’ve got some work to do in order to claw their way into the squad, if Fraser can continue to get minutes as he did last year on loan from Toronto FC with the Columbus Crew, and if Mitrovic translates his torrid form with Radnicki Nis to his new club (rumoured to potentially be Club Brugge or Red Star Belgrade, among others), they could be a lot higher in this list by the end of the year (if not in a few months).
Left Central Midfielder: Stephen Eustaquio, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Samuel Piette, Harry Paton, Scott Arfield
And continuing the midfield discussion, we’ve then got the left central midfielders, who consist of Eustaquio, Kaye, Piette, Paton and Arfield, which much like those on the right, make up a pretty solid group.
Leading the way is one of Canada’s more underrated contributors in 2021, and that’s Eustaquio, who in just his first full year of playing for his country, held down the midfield in nearly every game that he saw the field in. Along with his strong play for Pacos de Ferreira, which has attracted some solid suitors, he looks to be the future of this Canadian midfield for the next 10 years, so don’t be surprised to see him hold down this top spot for a while.
Beyond him, though, competition is fierce.
Leading the way is Kaye, who adapted quite nicely to a trade from LAFC to the Colorado Rapids last year, continuing to put up solid performances for Canada, and not far behind him is the 2nd-most capped Canadian on this list, Piette, who also had a very solid year for both CF Montreal and the National Team.
Kaye has had a bit more of an edge recently, as his offensive play has made him a key part of this team, earning him more starts, but don’t sleep on Piette, who might not start as much, but is often a key name off the bench for a reason, often coming on in games to clean things up from defensive midfield.
But after them, things get interesting with Paton and Arfield, who are a pair of attacking midfielders playing in the Scottish League. There might be 10 years between the pair (Paton is 23, Arfield is 33), but for most of 2021, Paton looked to have clawed ahead of Arfield, a Canadian mainstay since 2015, who just wasn’t getting the minutes that he used to for Rangers.
Now, though, with a new coach, Arfield looks like a new man again, looking more like the Arfield that sent waves through the Scottish League (and in the English Premier League back in the day), putting him back in the conversation with Paton, who has remained consistent with Ross County despite their struggles.
So after a murky few years with Canada, where he denied some call-ups to focus on his club soccer, which put him on the outside looking in (hence his inclusion at #5 here), Arfield looks poised to make a return soon, although it’ll be interesting to see what Paton has to say about that.
Right Winger: Tajon Buchanan, Junior Hoilett, Theo Corbeanu, Charles-Andreas Brym
And that leads us right up the pitch, where we’ve first got the right wing, where Buchanan, Hoilett, Corbeanu and Brym help make up the numbers for Canada at a very solid position for Herdman.
Leading things off is Buchanan, who fresh off a move to Belgian giants, Club Brugge, looks poised to have a 2022 to remember, which considering how good his 2021 was, is scary. After a year where he helped the New England Revolution to the Supporters Shield, making MLS’s best XI in the process, all while debuting (and becoming a regular) for Canada, that won’t be easy, but based on where Buchanan’s trending, you just have a feeling that he’s got something up his sleeve for his 2nd act.
But while Buchanan is looking to break out, Hoilett has continued to roll along, putting a rough start to 2021 behind him, finding a new club in Reading, where he’s been very good when healthy. Along with a strong year for Canada, he’s remained a consistent pillar for both club and country despite entering his 30s, and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down.
When he does slow down, though, keep an eye on Corbeanu, who turned heads when he scored on his Canadian debut as an 18-year-old (on his first touch, no less), and had a 2021 to remember for Wolves, where he made his Premier League debut, before going on loan to Sheffield Wednesday (which he could now leave for MK Dons?).
Because of that, he’s one to watch in the future, as you just have a feeling that he’ll become a regular in the Premier League one day, something which it feels like he’s already trending towards.
Otherwise, rounding things off, we’ve got Brym, who after a few inconsistent years, has found a solid home in the 2nd division with FC Eindhoven, and while he’ll need to push up a level to work his way into the starting conversation, he still remains a good depth piece for Canada for now as he showed throughout 2021.
Left Winger: Cyle Larin, Liam Millar, Jacob Shaffelburg, Tyler Pasher
And similarly to the right wing, things look quite similar over on the left wing, where Larin, Millar, Shaffelburg and Pasher make up a pretty solid group of players.
Leading the way is a bit of an interesting name in Larin, because while he is a no-brainer starter for Canada these days, he hasn’t actually really played much on the left wing for Canada.
But despite that, due to the fact that he mostly plays there for Besiktas, where he had an excellent 2021, as well as the reality that this means you can fit both him and Jonathan David in as starters by doing so, it makes sense to put him here, at least for now. And after a year where he scored a whopping 14 goals for Canada (topping the record of 8 in a single year), becoming the co all-time top scorer for the team (a record he should soon make his own), you’d be hard-pressed to dispute that.
After him, though, we’ve got one of the biggest risers of 2021, or at least the second half of it, and that’s Millar, who after a summer move to FC Basel, took off in the fall, making him a lock in the Canadian squad these days. Because of that, expect to see a lot of him for Canada in 2022, and if he can translate the form that he’s at the club level over to his country, watch out.
Otherwise, Shaffelburg and Pasher round off this list, and they’re both intriguing names for their own reasons.
First, we’ve got Shaffelburg, who started the year slow, but found himself red-hot by the end of it, becoming a bright light on a struggling Toronto FC team, putting up some solid numbers and garnering Canadian interest in the process.
Then, we’ve got Pasher, who followed a bit of an opposite trail, starting the year on fire for the Houston Dynamo, putting up great numbers and garnering Canadian interest, before tailing off as the year went along, finishing 2021 off quite quietly.
So because of that, it’s going to be interesting to see what happens to the pair of them in 2022. Shaffelburg has the edge right now based on form, and is over a half-decade younger than Pasher, but as we saw when Pasher was in-form last year, he can be fun to watch, so if he finds that level again, this discussion will open right up again.
Striker: Jonathan David, Iké Ugbo, Ayo Akinola, Lucas Cavallini
And lastly, but most certainly not least, that leads us to the frontline, where Canada has a pretty solid group of guys, headlined by David, Ugbo, Akinola and Cavallini.
Leading the way, without a doubt, is David, and rightfully so after the year he had for Lille and Canada. Currently the leading scorer in Ligue 1, and fresh off of a 2020/2021 season where he and his side upset Paris Saint Germain, it’s been all golden for David when it comes to club football recently.
That’s translated over to Canada, too, as other than a quiet period in the middle of 2021, he’s remained consistent for his country, scoring goals for fun, quietly climbing up the all-time top-scoring ranks despite being just 21.
Beyond David, though, competition is fierce, as Ugbo, Akinola and Cavallini arguably all held that 2nd position at some point last year, showing how tight things are there.
But right now, Ugbo leads the way, and for good reason, as the new Canadian recruit has quickly impressed since committing to the country just a few months ago, faring well in his National Team debut in November, while also slowly integrating into his club football with Genk.
After him, however, Akinola and Cavallini are right on his heels after topsy turvy 2021s for the pair of them. On one hand, Akinola is looking to find his feet after a tough injury, one he sustained shortly after making his Canadian debut (and committing to the country), be it with Toronto FC or another club, while on the other, Cavallini is looking to put a 2021 to forget behind him form-wise with Canada and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Plus, with Akinola being highly-regarded as a name to watch for the future, while Cavallini has carved out a role as a key leader on this Canadian team, we’ll be seeing a lot of them going forward, making their battle with Ugbo for minutes behind David one to watch.
(And all that’s without considering what adding another dual-national like a Daniel Jebbison into the mix here could do, too…)
CanMNT head coach, John Herdman, is going to have a lot of selection headaches going forward (Keveren Guillou) (IG: @kevereng)
Looking Forward:
And there we have it - our CanMNT depth chart for the start of 2022, cultivated by Josh and myself.
There is certainly some room for debate, no doubt, but that’s the beauty of an exercise such as this one. Plus, all that shows is that the depth of this Canadian team is continuing to grow by the day, and that’s a huge reason why they find themselves where they are heading into this year.
So now, it’ll be interesting to see what this chart looks like in a few months, as the year wears along.
As Canada continues to push towards the World Cup, there’s a lot to be excited about, and that’s evident in discussions such as this one, which is one that more and more Canadians are having than ever, which is nice to see.
(Make sure to check out Josh’s video over on his YouTube channel to hear more detailed thoughts on this depth chart!).