I’ll be honest. It doesn’t make much sense to devote this week’s column to the Toronto FC-FC Cincinnati away tie coming up this Saturday. One, there is a mountain of #content on the way from WTR HQ, and two — and perhaps most importantly — this is a must win if there ever was one. No questions. No excuses. Go down there and get it done.

Instead, I’ll switch gears to another match coming up this weekend, in the church on the Lakeshore, no less: the first leg of Canada vs. Cuba in the new, and beyond confusing Nations League ver 2.0.

#CANMNT will kick off their 2019-20 Concacaf Nations League campaign against Cuba at BMO Field on September 7! Be there!



TICKETS ️ https://t.co/leMso2h9W1

SQUAD https://t.co/IBDBsTmdZ0#CANMNT #CNL pic.twitter.com/w7FjZhdEEF — Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) August 28, 2019

Our very own stats man, Martyn Bailey, has tried to explain, several times, the format, ramifications, etc. as the CANMNT gear up for this tournament. I’ll speak only for myself here: it hasn’t stuck. I’m so confused.

But I’ll be there come Saturday, if only to see my pick as TFC newcomer of the year, Richie Laryea, fulfill a life-long ambition to don the Canada shirt. I’m all about narratives.

Oh! And the CPL got it’s first call-up! This is pretty great too:

Our boy lookin’ sharp in the #CanMNT gear pic.twitter.com/76pPwSuP95 — Cavalry FC (@CPLCavalryFC) September 4, 2019

So I’ll be there, but I certainly won’t know all the ‘whys’.

Easy to read guide full of easily distinguishable colours.

There couldn’t be anything complicated about this #CanMNT https://t.co/4R0KTH5c85 — Fort McMurray FC Edmonton Supporters (@fc_fort) September 5, 2019

I know it’s a a four-match group, so despite home-and-home ties, it’s points over aggregate. I also know it’s a six-match tournament between USA, CANADA, and Cuba... okay then. And I know these points are very valuable towards World Cup Qualification, so that’s a thing.

I also remember much smarter football minds than I frothing at the bit when these format changes were first announced.

Where’s the disconnect, then? Most of this sounds pretty good, and yet, the response across the interwebs has been mostly very negative.

So, here’s my homework for WTR-Land:

What is going on here? Is this objectively a better pathway for Canada than what came before? Worse? How? What do we think of Canada’s chances on Saturday and the remainder of the Tournament?

Also, for bonus points, check out the full broadcast of yesterday’s Special Footy Talks Canada Soccer Rally. John Herdman just spitting truths:

THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST...

... is a bit of fun that runs on word association. A bit of “League”, a bit of “Canada” and some fun stuff I’ve been listening to on the regular.

Some choice cuts in there, but as always, if I’ve missed any zingers, please let me know in the comments and I will rectify my mistakes.