Fraser Aird

[jpg75]

8 hours ago, C2SKI said:

Why not? He takes on players of similar quality week in week out. That's more than you could say for any of our other options.

Yeah and he's looked shaky a number of times he's gone up against technically skilled wingers. He's not ready defensively.

[kmouseyc]

9 hours ago, Ruffian said:

I don't doubt that there are still many questions with Aird, but who else could play there that does not have questions? Ledgerwood? He is not really impressing with FC Edmonton (still early I know). Henry? We know he has as many questions as Aird and is not a RB. Maybe give Ricketts a shot there.

I assume we will see Ledgerwood as Floro likes the vets.

Why not use Ledgerwood at Rb and Aird in front as a winger his natural position? Try different formations.

[Blackdude]

41 minutes ago, kmouseyc said:

Why not use Ledgerwood at Rb and Aird in front as a winger his natural position? Try different formations.

Because Aird doesn't start over Arfield

[kmouseyc]

7 hours ago, Blackdude said:

Because Aird doesn't start over Arfield

push Arfield up further sit Larin who has not performed at international level yet. That is also why I said try different formations.

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, kmouseyc said:

push Arfield up further sit Larin who has not performed at international level yet. That is also why I said try different formations.

So you want a right wing and a right midfielder...

[kmouseyc]

Just now, canta15 said:

So you want a right wing and a right midfielder...

not sure that is why you play with systems to fit the best 11 you have to tactically counter whatever team you are playing. Is Arfield strictly a midfielder or wing? And yeah may be you have them both on the side and overload that side and most of your attacking comes from there.

I don't know about you but I think most of these players at this level should be able to contribute from different positions.

For me anything that stops Floro from playing Henry as a right back again. I like Henry just not at right back.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, kmouseyc said:

not sure that is why you play with systems to fit the best 11 you have to tactically counter whatever team you are playing. Is Arfield strictly a midfielder or wing? And yeah may be you have them both on the side and overload that side and most of your attacking comes from there.

I don't know about you but I think most of these players at this level should be able to contribute from different positions.

For me anything that stops Floro from playing Henry as a right back again. I like Henry just not at right back.

Arfield plays on the left and is strictly a midfielder. Moving him from one side to another is one thing. Sure you have to use your best players but not if that means you are using a shit formation and playing many players out of position.

[kmouseyc]

Just now, canta15 said:

Arfield plays on the left and is strictly a midfielder. Moving him from one side to another is one thing. Sure you have to use your best players but not if that means you are using a shit formation and playing many players out of position.

A shit formation versus shite players! Arfields work effort upfront is better than Larin. I am not stuck on Arfield or Aird was just an option. Than if Arfield plays on the left then problem solved Aird on the right Arfield on the left, Dejong left back? Ledgerwood or some one capable other than Henry at Right back.

[JDub]

1 hour ago, kmouseyc said:

A shit formation versus shite players! Arfields work effort upfront is better than Larin. I am not stuck on Arfield or Aird was just an option. Than if Arfield plays on the left then problem solved Aird on the right Arfield on the left, Dejong left back? Ledgerwood or some one capable other than Henry at Right back.

I don't think Aird starts over Hoilett either.

[Guest]

20 hours ago, Big_M said:

1 hour ago, kmouseyc said:

A shit formation versus shite players! Arfields work effort upfront is better than Larin. I am not stuck on Arfield or Aird was just an option. Than if Arfield plays on the left then problem solved Aird on the right Arfield on the left, Dejong left back? Ledgerwood or some one capable other than Henry at Right back.

Your right. Fuck it lets put Atiba and Edgar at striker seeing as they work hard even though they have never played that position in their life. Sounds like a great idea!

[king1010]

2 hours ago, kmouseyc said:

A shit formation versus shite players! Arfields work effort upfront is better than Larin. I am not stuck on Arfield or Aird was just an option. Than if Arfield plays on the left then problem solved Aird on the right Arfield on the left, Dejong left back? Ledgerwood or some one capable other than Henry at Right back.

Aird doesnt start on the wing over arfield or hoilett.....

[kmouseyc]

9 hours ago, king1010 said:

Aird doesnt start on the wing over arfield or hoilett.....

that is fine but it gives you options if Hoilett or these others that you guys are so stuck on are not performing or injured.... 

[Free kick]

I watched that V cup game between Ottawa and Edmonton this week.  I also caught a few other streamed NASL matches last year.   Its not hard to notice difference in game between between the two circuits.    So, i am at a loss in understanding how a national team coach cant see the difference and conclude that the NASL might not be the best environment to pluck and recruit players from In order to have the talent to qualify for the WC. 

Edited May 16, 2016 by Free kick

[Unnamed Trialist]

5 hours ago, Free kick said:

I watched that V cup game between Ottawa and Edmonton this week.  I also caught a few other streamed NASL matches last year.   Its not hard to notice difference in game between between the two circuits.    So, i am at a loss in understanding how a national team coach cant see the difference and conclude that the NASL might not be the best environment to pluck and recruit players from In order to have the talent to qualify for the WC. 

Agreed, and even more so knowing something about Floro: he is totally on the same wavelength as Del Bosque, and Vicente DB would never bring in an MLS player, you have to 100% be playing in a top club in a top league to rate. That is why Nacho Novo never got a sniff leading scorers in Scotland: it was Scotland. Same with Soriano in Austria. Scrub leagues in their point of view, not to be considered. Like MLs.

Even though I am sure Villa could help Spain up front. They don't see things that way

So the principle is not applied here, Floro does not respect the tiers at all. I don't mind if you go for an experienced guy like Julian to have some leadership, or have some younger subs, but not your core players. The higher the level play the better. 

The player this would most directly affect is Straith, IMO.

[Vince193]

3 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Agreed, and even more so knowing something about Floro: he is totally on the same wavelength as Del Bosque, and Vicente DB would never bring in an MLS player, you have to 100% be playing in a top club in a top league to rate. That is why Nacho Novo never got a sniff leading scorers in Scotland: it was Scotland. Same with Soriano in Austria. Scrub leagues in their point of view, not to be considered. Like MLs.

Even though I am sure Villa could help Spain up front. They don't see things that way

So the principle is not applied here, Floro does not respect the tiers at all. I don't mind if you go for an experienced guy like Julian to have some leadership, or have some younger subs, but not your core players. The higher the level play the better. 

The player this would most directly affect is Straith, IMO.

Considering Floro continously calls up Piette, who plays in the 4th division of Spain, it is obvious he doesn't care at all. Any other coach would leave a guy like de Guzman at home, no matter how experienced he is.

[Keegan]

Am I missing something here?  Any other coach would leave De Guzman at home?  We are criticising Floro for calling up NASL players as if we have a choice?  

Saying Floro doesn't respect the tiers at all would maybe make sense if we were the USA and calling up NASL players but we're not. We have a limited pool and some of the players in our top 30 play in NASL.  And you can bet that when we get our Canadian league going we are going to be calling up some players from that league once in a while too.  

The important thing is that we have a competitive pool where players need to be looking over their shoulders.  This snob talk about tiers is laughable in our current situation.  If we leave De Guzman and Piette at home who are we left with for DMs?  Straith, Mannella, JGL? Sure the last two are attached to MLS clubs but in reality play USL which is a lower level than NASL.  

Edited May 16, 2016 by Keegan

[Vince193]

1 minute ago, Keegan said:

Am I missing something here?  Any other coach would leave De Guzman at home?  We are criticising Floro for calling up NASL players as if we have a choice?  

Saying Floro doesn't respect the tiers at all would maybe make sense if we were the USA and calling up NASL players but we're not. We have a limited pool and some of the players in our top 30 play in NASL.  And you can bet that when we get our Canadian league going we are going to be calling up some players from that league once in a while too.  

The important thing is that we have a competitive pool where players need to be looking over their shoulders.  This snob talk about tiers is laughable in our current situation.

In de Guzman's case for me it's more of his age. He's starting to lose his step, as it was evident against Mexico. The NASL can mask that decline due to the level. Floro though will continue to call him in until he runs him into the ground. I love the guy, but he's 34 turning 35, and he's not Atiba, who has kept his engine at 33.

[rightback]

As always, once an older guy has a poor game he's washed up while lesser players can have any number of poor games as along as they're young.  That being said, the fact that I still see de Guzman as a plausible first choice starter for Canada is worrisome. I sure hope the Spanish can develop Piette's skill up to de Guzman's level...that would be something to see. 

[Keegan]

4 minutes ago, Vince193 said:

In de Guzman's case for me it's more of his age. He's starting to lose his step, as it was evident against Mexico. The NASL can mask that decline due to the level. Floro though will continue to call him in until he runs him into the ground. I love the guy, but he's 34 turning 35, and he's not Atiba, who has kept his engine at 33.

He's regressed no doubt but no one has stepped up to take his spot.  There is no young DM in our pool at the current talent level of 35 year old De Guzman and once you add in the fact he's our most capped player, leader, experienced and has chemistry with guys like Hutch and Johnson it's a very easy call to make.

Believe me, we all wish we had a young DM in MLS or even League One who was knocking on the door but we don't.  Koffie would have been a nice addition to our pool to bridge the gap between when JDG is done and young guys like Piette are ready to step in as starters.

[C2SKI]

34 minutes ago, Keegan said:

He's regressed no doubt but no one has stepped up to take his spot.  There is no young DM in our pool at the current talent level of 35 year old De Guzman and once you add in the fact he's our most capped player, leader, experienced and has chemistry with guys like Hutch and Johnson it's a very easy call to make.

Believe me, we all wish we had a young DM in MLS or even League One who was knocking on the door but we don't.  Koffie would have been a nice addition to our pool to bridge the gap between when JDG is done and young guys like Piette are ready to step in as starters.

Ok how can you possibly leave Teibert out of this discussion. You even mention Koffie who Teibert has out performed for much of the last few seasons. He never plays the lone role, but he's very good in a two DM system.

[king1010]

14 hours ago, kmouseyc said:

that is fine but it gives you options if Hoilett or these others that you guys are so stuck on are not performing or injured.... 

sorry for being so stuck on hoilett. we should drop him 

[Unnamed Trialist]

Obviously Floro overvalues Deportivo, fair enough, and let's recognize Piette spent the first half of the year at what was then the best team in Spanish 3rd tier. But he's still a project and being tailored to fit in as such. 

Yes, I fully recognize we do not have the depth to be picky. But one thing I like, as a principle, is for players to know that if they want to be on the national team they have to be ambitious on a club level. Not conformist. And we have a lot of conformists just hanging on to lower division jobs and making do--then starting for Canada. That is a hard formula to make work.

[Keegan]

4 hours ago, C2SKI said:

Ok how can you possibly leave Teibert out of this discussion. You even mention Koffie who Teibert has out performed for much of the last few seasons. He never plays the lone role, but he's very good in a two DM system.

I think you answered your own question.  We don't play a 2 DM system with Canada, we play a 4-1-4-1.  

I like Teibert but he needs to stay healthy and become a consistent XI member.  For whatever reason no coach has ever had full faith in Teibert, he always seems to a be a tweener who is in and out of the team.  

[Ruffian]

19 minutes ago, Keegan said:

I think you answered your own question.  We don't play a 2 DM system with Canada, we play a 4-1-4-1.  

I like Teibert but he needs to stay healthy and become a consistent XI member.  For whatever reason no coach has ever had full faith in Teibert, he always seems to a be a tweener who is in and out of the team.  

Our usual three midfielders, Hutch, Johnson and De Guzman all play a defensive game.

[Guest]

I know a lot of Italian fans don't want to see Giovinco anywhere near the Italian squad just because he plays in the MLS. Many fans don't care how well you play if you are in a shit league.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Guest