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Toronto FC changes for 2013


Loud Mouth Soup

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Sounds like Califf has already signed. TFC's backline looks not half bad with Morgan, O'Dea, Califf and Eckersley, along with Henry and Hall (who I'm not a big fan of as a starter) as depth.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/12/14/picking-califf-tfc-finally-get-veteran-leader-backline

Yes that will be TFCs strongest backline in their existence. I am not the biggest Eckersley fan but playing beside a strong CB pair can really make a FB look a lot better just like playing beside poor CBs can make a FB look very bad. Both Eckersley and Morgan should benefit a lot by just having their own jobs to worry about and not having to constantly cover for the CBs. It is strange it took TFC 7 years to figure out that the way you build from an expansion/crap team is to solidify the defence first but that is one step in the right direction for next year.

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Yes that will be TFCs strongest backline in their existence. I am not the biggest Eckersley fan but playing beside a strong CB pair can really make a FB look a lot better just like playing beside poor CBs can make a FB look very bad. Both Eckersley and Morgan should benefit a lot by just having their own jobs to worry about and not having to constantly cover for the CBs. It is strange it took TFC 7 years to figure out that the way you build from an expansion/crap team is to solidify the defence first but that is one step in the right direction for next year.

Califf is a slower CB. O'Dea isn't a fast CB either. Morgan and Eckersley often get caught far up the field. This will create situations where two slow CB's are left to defend against quick forwards. Califf was good in Philly when he had a fast CB paired with him in 2011. In 2012, when he didn't, it didn't go very well.

While he's definitely an upgrade from last year, I'm far from convinced the arrival of Califf will make this TFC defence stingy.

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Add to that Frings will probably be put in front of them, and that's a potential weakness through the middle.

Maybe a 3-5-2 with a quicker player in the middle of O'Dea and Califf? Don't know who you'd put there though...

____________Koevermans____________________

^______________________Hassli_____________^

|__________________Silva___________________|

Morgan______Dunfield______Frings_____ Eckersley

________O'Dea____Stinson?____Califf___________

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Add to that Frings will probably be put in front of them, and that's a potential weakness through the middle.

Maybe a 3-5-2 with a quicker player in the middle of O'Dea and Califf? Don't know who you'd put there though...

____________Koevermans____________________

^______________________Hassli_____________^

|__________________Silva___________________|

Morgan______Dunfield______Frings_____ Eckersley

________O'Dea____Stinson?____Califf___________

As it stands at the moment, TFC have the same problems as last year. Getting over run in the midfield, which will overwhelm the defence. They NEED a better midfield. For one thing, there is no width to the team. Plata and Lambe aren't the answer to the wings.

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Add to that Frings will probably be put in front of them, and that's a potential weakness through the middle.

Maybe a 3-5-2 with a quicker player in the middle of O'Dea and Califf? Don't know who you'd put there though...

____________Koevermans____________________

^______________________Hassli_____________^

|__________________Silva___________________|

Morgan______New Central Mid______Frings/Dunfield_____ Stinson/Eckersly

________O'Dea____Henry____Califf___________

Fixed.

Like Soccerpro stated above, I think we need a solid central midfielder.

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You can't count on Frings for a full 90, so Dunfield is part of the DM rotation and I don't think Plata & Lambe hold up for a full 90 either. So we're really still short on midfielders. Like I sad, Ledgerwood & hopefully a draft pick could fill in and put us in a lot better shape.

-------------------Frei--------------------

Eckersley---Califf-----O'Dea----Morgan

---------------Frings/Dunfield------------

XXXXXX-----------Silva---------Lambe/Plata

-----Koevermans--------Hassli----------

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Califf is a solid pickup for TFC. Should provide O'Dea a quality partner. Though hopefully we get to see Henry get a lot of playing time to.

I never saw him play too much at RB, but he has hasn't he?, maybe he can take Eckersley spot?

Henry---Califf---O'Dea---Morgan

could that work? It would be nice to see the Canadian out there, though Henry probably better suited for the Centre from what I have seen of him.

I think ledgerwood would be a solid upgrade to for the midfield.

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Califf is a solid pickup for TFC. Should provide O'Dea a quality partner. Though hopefully we get to see Henry get a lot of playing time to.

I never saw him play too much at RB, but he has hasn't he?, maybe he can take Eckersley spot?

Henry---Califf---O'Dea---Morgan

could that work? It would be nice to see the Canadian out there, though Henry probably better suited for the Centre from what I have seen of him.

I think ledgerwood would be a solid upgrade to for the midfield.

It will be:

Morgan-Califf-O'Dea-Ecks

Henry as backup

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Califf is a solid pickup for TFC. Should provide O'Dea a quality partner. Though hopefully we get to see Henry get a lot of playing time to.

I never saw him play too much at RB, but he has hasn't he?, maybe he can take Eckersley spot?

Henry---Califf---O'Dea---Morgan

could that work? It would be nice to see the Canadian out there, though Henry probably better suited for the Centre from what I have seen of him.

I think ledgerwood would be a solid upgrade to for the midfield.

He seemed alright at RB. Defensively, which is what matters most, Henry was capable.

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He seemed alright at RB. Defensively, which is what matters most, Henry was capable.

I don't think Henry is a right back, I'd prefer him to be 3rd choice centre back for next season. I'd love it if we could get rid of Eckersley and his god awful deal but that's obviously not happening.

This is the general feeling I get from the situation.

I almost think it would be a good situation if TFC could drop Ecks and have Henry at RB and 3rd choice CB, Rochat played the same sorta role for the 'Caps over the past 2 seasons though it was LB and 3rd choice CB. Maybe draft a guy like Joe Franco for some depth.

Though I'd like to see the Caps pick him up.

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20th for Hall? Ouch.

I think one of the two high picks will fight with Henry to be the 3rd choice centreback.

I think we need to groom a striker to take over from Hassli & Koevs after the season; besides which they're never both going to be happy.

We also need midfielders b/c right now we can't even really field a team with the mids we have.

I guess there's a pervasive depth problem but CB isn't our biggest weakness at the moment. Maybe you just draft for talent & fill in later.

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On the RPB forum they're estimating that we have about $550k of space left to fill out the roster with 7 spots. If we do draft 2 GA players, we should be able to have just over $100k/player for 5 other players. That should afford us some pretty reasonable depth. This list also has Henry, Morgan & Silva in our 20-30 spot so we could also have academy players in a few of those spots too but that won't help us much this season.

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