CCSG Player Ratings: Matchday 21 vs. Vancouver FC
If you didn’t get some flashbacks to 2022 from that performance, I’d question how closely you’ve followed this team. The 1-0 scoreline flattered Vancouver, both in that they really did not look like they had the wherewithal to break through the ATO back five, and in that they somehow managed to concede only one goal thanks to the frame of the goal and a couple of timely clearances. There are still plenty of structural things that I think will cost us dearly in fixtures against the teams we are fighting with for the CPL regular season title, but against sides that haven’t shown a penchant for technical attacking play, the 5-4-1 we’re rolling out is sturdy along the edge of the 18-yard box. As such, we need to temper our expectations for the most important fixtures that remain in the final quarter of the season, but I don’t see why we shouldn’t be able to take three points from our matches against the teams fighting for the final playoff spot. That said, the lads did well to hold on to the lead throughout the 90 minutes. Given what happened last week against Halifax, it was important that they did not wilt in the most important minutes of this game, and they held strong, as they needed to.
#9 Samuel Salter
(6.6): Starting as the lone striker for the first time since June 15th against York, Sam Salter’s best chance fell to him in the 10th minute, where he dragged a weak footed effort just wide of the far post. In the moment, I was debating whether or not he should have worked the one-two that Dani Morer was clearly anticipating with his entry pass, but ultimately realized that either decision would have been perfectly acceptable. The rest of his work was perfectly acceptable for the game state as the lone striker. The pass accuracy could have been better, but him being able to win duels against his opposite numbers were a vast improvement on the performance from Del Campo last week against Halifax. While I’ll get on to this a little later, perhaps it’s time to take a look at the in-form goal scorer as the penalty taker, as he’s never missed from the spot in the Canadian Premier League. There may be a first time for everything, of course, but he’s got a proven track record, and we’ve not been converting those chances when we get them.
#19 Rubén Del Campo
(6.4): Speaking of not converting chances, the agony that went through the over 7,000 at TD Place Saturday night when Rubén Del Campo’s 84th minute effort struck the base of the far post could be heard across the country. Combine that with his missed effort minutes earlier, which was much further away from the goal having slashed at it with his weak foot, and the Rubén Del Campo of 2023 is starting to creep back onto the pitch. Hard working, getting opportunities, but not converting. It’s not time to panic quite yet, as it hasn’t even been a full two games since he last found the back of the net, but the fear is certainly bubbling deep inside that our golden boot contender may not end up finding the back of the net in these last seven games.
#10 Ollie Bassett
(6.2): Maybe it’s not an attitude thing anymore, or maybe it never was. The fact of the matter is, even when I was frustrated with Ollie last year, he was still finding a way to impact the game positively, whether from open play or from set pieces. This latest run has seen even that fall off completely. The penalty miss marks his third miss of the last four he’s taken, after never having missed previously prior to the final game against Pacific last season, and the corners continue to pale in comparison to the delivery being provided by Dani Morer and Ilias Iliadis. From open play he isn’t driving play anymore, and his lack of pace down the wing takes an important element away from the counterattack. I will say, he managed to win more than half of his ground duels in this game, a marked improvement from some of the other weak performances he’s had this season, but that’s not Ollie’s most important element to this team. It’s nice to have, but it needs to be accompanied by more dynamic and confident attacking play. The penalty was the way to start regaining this confidence, but another miss leaves me perplexed as to how exactly he’s going to refresh his mentality through the final quarter of the season. For all I’ve said about Ollie in recent weeks, he’s still vital to this team’s structure, and when he’s at his best the team is elevated beyond most of the CPL, it’s just that he hasn’t been at his best for a long time.
#34 Manny Aparicio
(7.3): I have been down on Manny recently, that much has been clear. However, when he impacts the game like he managed to on Saturday, this team clearly elevates to where it was at the beginning of the year. Some might look at the 61% pass accuracy and be immediately put off, but I would rather focus on the dirty work that he did to disrupt the Vancouver midfield three, despite being a part of a midfield two for the entire game. Sure, there may have been space for Vancouver to operate in as a result of the gameplan, but Manny being able to cover so much ground closed that space off quickly and shut down many promising attacks before they started. The three tackles he won from four attempts and two interceptions as part of his team-leading ten defensive actions speak to his involvement. Adding on to that was a 9/15 success rate in duels, well above his season average. Once again, matching up against a midfield three in a two is always going to be difficult, but the work Manny puts in allows for that matchup to not feel as overwhelming when he’s on his game. Against Vancouver, he was just that, and a vital reason the Eagles weren’t able to generate many opportunities. And all that without mentioning the heroic clearance off the line that prevented Manny’s fourth goal of the season.
#21 Alberto Zapater
(6.8): While Manny was everywhere, racking up defensive statistics, Alberto Zapater took up his usual role as the anchor in and amongst the chaos that was occurring around him in the middle of the park. The 39-year-old featured only for 59 minutes, but still provided tremendous value to the team both through his distribution and defensive play, just as he’s done since he joined the side last July. Defensively, he won three of four duels, made an interception, and won the only tackle he attempted. Not gaudy numbers by any stretch, but with Manny being so involved in those respects, a midfielder anchored to an area to mark out runners is far more valuable alongside a midfielder whose focus is winning the ball back. On the attacking front, Alberto was successful on five of his six attempted long balls and made seven passes into the final third, demonstrating a progression with the ball that hasn’t always been asked of him when we were playing in a back four, where he would drop between the two centre backs when in possession. If he’s only going to be appearing for 60 minutes at a time going forward, these are the 60 minutes I hope we’ll see in the final quarter of the season.
#33 Abou Sissoko
(7.1): The more the season has gone on, the more impressed I’ve become with Abou Sissoko. Sure, there have been off games here and there, but the vast majority of his play has been solid (to great) in a variety of roles in the midfield and defense. Saturday night he was asked to start on the right wing and was then moved to the middle when Zapater was substituted, and he excelled in both areas. Going forward, his biggest contribution was winning the penalty in the 53rd minute, but he was able to win two other free kicks, and fired off a couple of shots himself, one being saved by Callum Irving shortly after the penalty miss as he tried to poke it past him after being played through by Ilias Iliadis. On the other end of the ball, his usually solid play was maintained, winning more ground duels than he lost, winning both tackles he attempted, and intercepting the ball twice, both in and around the halfway line to kickstart attacking opportunities. At times I’ve questioned if shifting Sissoko around so frequently has been the best strategy, but his ability going forward is growing and he’s proving to be more useful in the final third than I had anticipated. He’s not going to light the scoresheet on fire, but adding another threat to this arsenal is required to continue to challenge for the title through the last quarter of the season.
#11 Gabriel Antinoro
(NR): Another short stint at the end of the game for Gabi didn’t produce the level of execution that we know he can. It’s always a welcome sight to have him on the pitch given his energy late in games, but that needs to result in something soon, especially given Kevin dos Santos is set to return before the end of the season and the u21 minutes requirement will be met with Tyr Walker set to start at centre back through the rest of the season. More interceptions and fewer inaccurate passes will do great to work his way back into regular rotation.
#13 Ballou Tabla
(6.8): The game state when he was subbed on really favoured the talents of Ballou Tabla, and that he didn’t manage to find a goal contribution with how much he was able to do in the final third after he was substituted is wildly unfortunate. The threat that he posed to Vancouver’s defence is one that he hasn’t posed in a long time in the CPL, and if this is the moment that helps him rebuild his confidence to be the player he was in 2022, I’m all for it. That said, I’m still not sold on him being put in the starting XI, there was some discontent with him not taking up his defensive responsibilities, and he continues to be slow getting back in transition. All in all, it’s hard to argue with three created chances in roughly 30 minutes of time on the pitch, along with three shots and four touches in the opposition box. This is much closer to the Ballou of old, and I hope he stays here.
#6 Liberman Torres
(NR): I was unsure about Liberman coming onto the pitch with fifteen minutes remaining for an effective Abou Sissoko, especially as he hadn’t seen any game time since the previous home game nearly a month ago, and yet he managed to hold the fort well in crucial moments. His pressure on the ball extended maybe a little farther up the pitch than I would have liked given the necessity of structure to hold off the Vancouver attack, but he won both his duels and tackles so it’s hard to argue he was ineffective. If Liberman is set to be the closer in midfield, and this is what he can bring for the rest of the year, I’m all for it.
#22 Matteo de Brienne
(7.2): With the rumours swirling about a potential move to Sweden on the cards for the 22-year-old, turning in good performances in the stretch run is going to be vital for Matteo. Fortunately, against Vancouver he managed to do just that. Sure, the stats might not jump off the page, as I’ve noticed frequently over the course of this season, but the eye test certainly makes up for it. The block he made was vital given the amount of space Ayman Sellouf had been given had the top of the box for his shot. Those stats also don’t account for his block on the offside Wero Diaz chance in the 80th minute either. The lack of a goal contribution for Matteo since the 7-0 win in the Canadian Championship feels more indicative of the role he’s been tasked with playing than any inability for him to capitalize on opportunities. Though, if you told me at the beginning of the season that Matteo wouldn’t have a goal with seven games remaining, I’d have been shocked.
#96 Ilias Iliadis
(7.4): How someone can score two olimpico’s in three weeks is baffling to me. How someone could have feasibly had three in one match, is unfathomable. The set piece delivery from Ilias Iliadis has been a welcome addition to the attacking arsenal for this side, and with the potential threat of a direct corner pulling defenders onto the line and off of marking attackers, there’s room for Iliadis to prove his worth even further by getting the ball onto Amer Didic’s head in the final two months of the season. Outside of that though, Iliadis has thoroughly proved my skepticism wrong in these last three games. The role might not be what he envisioned, but he is still fulfilling it well and providing a sturdy backbone for the team to build from alongside his two centre back partners. Only completing three of eleven long balls may not be the best, but that one of those three was one that found the feet of Abou Sissoko for one of three big chances from Atleti in this game shows that having the ball at his feet should be something we can look to in the flow of play as well as from set plays. Five defensive actions don’t quite reach the level of his partners, but what Ilias provides has set this team up well in recent weeks. Whether that is the system or the opponents will be tested when we play our competitors near the top of the league, but for now I’m happy to have him doing what he’s doing.
#55 Amer Didic
(7.6): There’s a reason we sing about Amer’s magic hat. Another week, another perfect record in aerial duels, and this time only needing two headed clearances as the ball was kept in front of him for most of Saturday night. In addition to the usual stuff from Didic, he also managed a spectacular 80% success rate on ten attempted long balls, an area that has been somewhat inconsistent the rest of the season. Didic being able to find the right passes in possession is something that I’ve harped on at times this season for being too predictable, and as a result putting ATO on the back foot as opponents cut them out. Add on 8 defensive actions, and you have another day at the office for Amer Didic. It’s really nice to be able to write so joyfully about our massive centre back again, he’s worth more to this team than any other player in my mind, and if I had to cast a golden scarf vote right this second, he’s who I’m giving it to.
#4 Tyr Walker
(7.4): Tyr Walker is going to be the poster boy for this club going forward. More than the successes of Ballou Tabla or Ollie Bassett, having a genuine, homegrown youngster emerge to play and eventually move on to a higher level of the sport is going to be the model for a plethora of young men in this city to pursue football. Having a 20-year-old demonstrating this level of poise defensively is going to have suitors lining up for him. It might not be as flashy as Kwasi Poku emerging as a goalscoring threat, but confidence in your central defenders is equally as important because you have to avoid conceding goals as much as you have to score them. Tyr won all of his duels, had five clearances, and two interceptions, and all that without committing a single foul. He’s only had one yellow in nearly 700 minutes, and that is what makes it so impressive to me. All of his best attributes allow him to defend without fouling, and while he still needs to improve on the ball, there are so many good things to see that it can be put to the back of our minds as we watch this kid grow before our very eyes.
#8 Dani Morer
(7): One on one against Elage Bah in this game, Dani Morer was not able to get past the young defender making his first start in his hometown. Normally, for a right back playing as advanced as Dani was, that would pose a serious problem. Fortunately, he was still able to find plenty of space and manage to create chances by cutting inside and finding spaces elsewhere in the Vancouver defence. Only winning two of eleven duels is certainly indicative of the issues he’s had with the physicality of this league, especially if he’s isolated on the wing in one-on-one situations. That’s amplified further by the three fouls he committed. However, Ayman Sellouf didn’t do much of anything in this game, and that’s because of Dani and Tyr working together to keep the dangerous Vancouver winger at bay. Being forced back to right back because of Twardek’s injury isn’t allowing Dani to show his best attributes, but he’s still incredibly effective going forward. With fewer defensive responsibilities now that Twardek is set to return, and a possible move back up the pitch on the cards, hopefully we can see the dangerous Morer crosses that have given defenders fits all season.
#2 Zachary Roy
(NR): Perhaps circumstance is the only reason that Zachary Roy is seeing game time at this juncture, and it’s not as if he’s raking in the minutes either, but it’s still good to see him get opportunities more often than he had in previous games. The final action of the game being his tackle to dispossess Ayman Sellouf and still win the throw-in was a pleasant sight to see given how few truly joyous moments he’s offered in his three years with the club.
#29 Nathan Ingham
(6.8): All he needed to do was make one save, and he managed to do it this week. The newly-shaven Nathan Ingham marshalled his defence well on Saturday and earned another clean sheet for his troubles. While the ball may have slipped slightly as he made the save on Olivier Rommens’ effort, he recovered well to avoid any potential embarrassment that may have ensued. Ultimately, these are the nights you want as a goalkeeper, your defense making sure you don’t have to be the hero, and a 0 beside the opponent’s name when the final whistle blows. It’s nothing spectacular, but it’s exactly what we all needed.
With this result, ATO have equaled their home win total from the past two seasons. TD Place has notoriously been a sore spot for this team, and in general, they’ve played better here this season than they had previously. Of course, the recent results don’t quite bear that out, but the start of the season held so much promise in front of the home fans. The three remaining home fixtures come against three of the four teams in the bottom half of the table and represent opportunities that need to be taken if this team is to claim their second CPL Shield. The away fixtures are certainly daunting, and as such need to be handled expertly, but at home we need to be walking away with maximum points, especially as Forge have three remaining home games only having dropped five of a possible 33 points at Tim Horton’s Field. To be able to win those home games though, we need to take our chances when they come. ATO left too much room at the table by not converting when they could, and the solid structure of the team proved to be enough to hold out for the three points on Saturday. There’s a tough road ahead, hopefully the boys are prepared.
About Patrick
Having joined CCSG in 2022, Patrick started his footie career playing at the age of 4 and began watching the pros around the same time. While the first pro team he supported was Manchester United, as soon as Atlético Ottawa came to town, he was immediately on board. His wealth of footy knowledge has been a constant asset, along with his role as caretaker for Atléti Wikipedia pages.
