Fraser Aird

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, BuzzAndSting said:

Comparing two players solely on the league they play in is short sighted.

If i'm not mistaken Ledgerwood was complaining about how Canadians barely get any chances on Canadian teams, which is why he went to the NASL. Is Aird not Canadian? Is their a possibility Aird got chosen over Ledgerwood by the Whitecaps because Aird is better?

Edited March 8, 2016 by Guest

[BuzzAndSting]

Just now, canta15 said:

If i'm not mistaken Ledgerwood was bitching about how Canadians barely get any chances on Canadian teams, which is why he went to the NASL. Is Aird not Canadian? Is their a possibility Aird got chosen over Ledgerwood by the Whitecaps because Aird is better?

Or maybe cheaper? What are the specifics of Aird's loan deal? Do you know?

Thanks for cementing my point. 

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, BuzzAndSting said:

Or maybe cheaper? What are the specifics of Aird's loan deal? Do you know?

Thanks for cementing my point. 

Yes because an all star player like Ledgerwood has high salary demands that no one in the MLS could meet and if Ledgerwood is that much better than Aird seeing that they needed a starting RB surely the Whitecaps would splurge a little extra cash (assuming he wanted more) to get a proper starting RB unlike Aird.

Edited March 8, 2016 by Guest

[Ruffian]

7 minutes ago, canta15 said:

If i'm not mistaken Ledgerwood was complaining about how Canadians barely get any chances on Canadian teams, which is why he went to the NASL. Is Aird not Canadian? Is their a possibility Aird got chosen over Ledgerwood by the Whitecaps because Aird is better?

There is also the possibility Aird was chosen over Ledgerwood because of his future upside not current quality.

[BuzzAndSting]

7 minutes ago, canta15 said:

Yes because an all star player like Ledgerwood has high salary demands that no one in the MLS could meet.

It's bothersome to me that at every opportunity you make disparaging comments about a national team player. Do you understand what the Voyageurs are?

Edit: I love how you changed you've edited your comments.

Edited March 8, 2016 by mserson

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, BuzzAndSting said:

It's bothersome to me that at every opportunity you make disparaging comments about a national team player. Do you understand what the Voyageurs are?

Edit: I love how you changed you've edited your comments.

Lol if you actually payed attention to what i changed in the first comment i changed the word "bitch" to to "complain" big deal. And the second comment i just added another point prior to seeing your message.

[Guest]

Just now, canta15 said:

Lol if you actually payed attention to what i changed in the first comment i changed the word "bitch" to to "complain" big deal. And the second comment i just added another point prior to seeing your message.

I would have edited this comment again for spelling mistakes but then you would be all up my ass about it.

 

Also as for the point of being a bad voyageur. I am just defending Aird who some people this is overrated and a "pylon" unlike Ledgerwood. 

[BuzzAndSting]

2 minutes ago, canta15 said:

Lol if you actually payed attention to what i changed in the first comment i changed the word "bitch" to to "complain" big deal. And the second comment i just added another point prior to seeing your message.

I am paying attention and that's why I mentioned it! If it's not a big deal why bother changing them?

[Guest]

Just now, BuzzAndSting said:

I am paying attention and that's why I mentioned it! If it's not a big deal why bother changing them?

Bitching seemed rather harsh.

[BuzzAndSting]

1 minute ago, canta15 said:

I would have edited this comment again for spelling mistakes but then you would be all up my ass about it.

 

Also as for the point of being a bad voyageur. I am just defending Aird who some people this is overrated and a "pylon" unlike Ledgerwood. 

Taking shots at Ledgerwood is not defending Aird. And I never said you were a bad V, I asked if you knew the V's are about. We're supporters, not  supporters only with certain players playing. No matter who represents us we support that.

[Guest]

On 2016-03-06 at 6:04 PM, IceCreamMan said:

Starting for the Whitecaps today at RB but is getting eaten up by Piatti early on. I think he's showing why it will be Ledgerwood or Ouimette in March. 

 

19 hours ago, jpg75 said:

I can't imagine Ledgerwood getting pyloned like Aird did on the opening goal.

 

17 hours ago, Coramoor said:

they are both better defensive players than Aird, so I could see both of them handling Piatti better

They aren't shots i am just proving a point like those above.

[BuzzAndSting]

1 minute ago, canta15 said:

 

 

They aren't shots i am just proving a point like those above.

Those are parts of organic discussion. You obviously have a hate on for Ledgerwood when you factor what you've written about him in other threads.

[Guest]

Just now, BuzzAndSting said:

Those are parts of organic discussion. You obviously have a hate on for Ledgerwood when you factor what you've written about him in other threads.

What did i say about him in other threads? I am just stating Aird is better and the Whitecaps probably see that too. I thought he performed well in recent games but believe Aird would be a slight upgrade.

[Keegan]

I watched about 50 minutes of the Whitecaps match and Aird definitely looked poor defensively.  The other Whitecaps defenders weren't great at times either though.  

 

[C2SKI]

He got skinned and few times, and was questionable it his positioning at others. Not overly surprising to me considering it's a new position for him, and he was playing against better opposition than he's likely ever faced before.

He also had 5 or so interceptions and 4 accurate crosses. Both difficult things to teach, requiring a sense for the game, and a certain amount of technical ability. His athleticism and engine are also nice attributes. That's what he can provide in that position.

Now whether his upsides outweigh the  growing pains is a question for the manager. And I for one will wait and see if he can sort his defending out in time for Mexico before passing judgement on selection.

[Unnamed Trialist]

I just want to say I am all for Aird succeeding, eventually, at Whitecaps. And Sam. But more Sam, sorry. And if we find someone else not Canadian does the job better, then that guy. We used to have an Iranian (American).

What also bothers me is that his coach did not even prep him, I mean, aren't you supposed to warn him to hold back and be cautious against a top dribbler. So part of that performance, for me, was Robinson's.

As for Canada, whoever Benito thinks is most reliable defending, let the attack come from somewhere else. Or the other side.

[Complete Homer]

21 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I just want to say I am all for Aird succeeding, eventually, at Whitecaps. And Sam. But more Sam, sorry. And if we find someone else not Canadian does the job better, then that guy. We used to have an Iranian (American).

What also bothers me is that his coach did not even prep him, I mean, aren't you supposed to warn him to hold back and be cautious against a top dribbler. So part of that performance, for me, was Robinson's.

As for Canada, whoever Benito thinks is most reliable defending, let the attack come from somewhere else. Or the other side.

We don't really know what Robinson had to say. He strikes me as competent, I doubt he wouldn't have warned Aird.

 

Aird looked exactly like a young winger tasked with playing right back with very little experience there would. I suspect that, having seen him in preseason, whitecap management must know where he's at in the transition and is either willing to give him time or feel they don't have a better option, otherwise he wouldn't have started the home opener. I suspect we will see more of him, hopefully he improves. 

Edited March 8, 2016 by Complete Homer

[Obinna]

@Unnamed Trialist I'm excited for Fraser Aird more than Sam Adekugbe. I am glad we have both, but I believe that Aird has more talent. He has attacking instincts that Sam Adekugbe doesn't have. To me, Adekugbe's game is similar to Morgan's (he has pace, a good left foot, but not much else). 

I'm curious, why is it that you want Sam to succeed more than Aird? Is it because he's under contract at Vancouver, do you like his game better, or do you have something against Aird because you feel people overrate him due to his Rangers affiliation?

Edited March 9, 2016 by Obinna

[TRM]

First of all it was Piatti. Second if you need to be told to be careful and/or hold back when Piatti is on your side of the field then you aren't ready. Face it, he got skinned a couple of times and it cost us. He got much better at dealing with Piatti in the second half. So hopefully a quick learner. We really don't have anyone else better defensively unless you move Parker to RB and then we lose offensively.

That said he shows that he does have an almost complete game and completed 35/43 passes, 2/4 in open play crosses, 2 key passes, 4 interceptions & 8 recoveries. So now we get to see how fast he can learn to defend and improve his judgement. Maybe Fraser can channel YP Lee during games 

Edited March 9, 2016 by TRM

[Obinna]

http://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2016/03/08/fraser-aird-march-8

Thoughts from the man himself.

Sounds very confident. Sounds like a man who wants to improve. Sounds like a man who expects to be in the conversation for a CMNT place this month. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

11 hours ago, Obinna said:

@Unnamed Trialist I'm excited for Fraser Aird more than Sam Adekugbe. I am glad we have both, but I believe that Aird has more talent. He has attacking instincts that Sam Adekugbe doesn't have. To me, Adekugbe's game is similar to Morgan's (he has pace, a good left foot, but not much else). 

I'm curious, why is it that you want Sam to succeed more than Aird? Is it because he's under contract at Vancouver, do you like his game better, or do you have something against Aird because you feel people overrate him due to his Rangers affiliation?

Before his injury Sam was very solid, doing well, both ways, and for quite a few successive games. So I have seen more of what he can do than of Aird, who has not even seen regular playing time in pro football. He is still a project, Sam is not.

 

[jpg75]

18 hours ago, canta15 said:

Thats why ledgerwood is playing in the MLS right?

Ledgerwood isn't playing in MLS because he's a 31 yr old journeyman coming off a serious knee injury and we don't know his salary demands. Aird is turning 21, he has his future ahead of him. The league each of them are in currently is not solely based on their current level of play. That said, i believe Ledgerwood is better at the RB spot overall and for sure he is better defensively. This is the second time i have seen Aird play at RB (the Ghana match was the first) and the second time i have seen him get beat multiple times on the dribble by the winger he is covering. At this point in time Fraser Aird is better suited to be playing the wing, not RB.

Edited March 9, 2016 by jpg75

[Oranje]

13 hours ago, Obinna said:

@Unnamed Trialist I'm excited for Fraser Aird more than Sam Adekugbe. I am glad we have both, but I believe that Aird has more talent. He has attacking instincts that Sam Adekugbe doesn't have. To me, Adekugbe's game is similar to Morgan's (he has pace, a good left foot, but not much else). 

I'm curious, why is it that you want Sam to succeed more than Aird? Is it because he's under contract at Vancouver, do you like his game better, or do you have something against Aird because you feel people overrate him due to his Rangers affiliation?

I find that Morgan is more of a LW instead of a LB because his strengths are getting to the touchline and whipping in crosses and he really lacks defensive positioning leading to last-stitch tackles/fouls. Morgan's best season IMO is when he had Koevermans up front to knock in his crosses, but that was also the period where TFC was letting them in just as quick (not all Morgan's fault by any means). I think Morgan and Aird would be similar players, not Adekugbe.

[Unnamed Trialist]

Poor guy, we are really hitting him hard. Me included. Mind you, if he improves, then Canada will benefit.

I think if we play very conservatively at the back and with our defensive mid/s, and we keep their wing attack out wide, then we are fine. It is better to get beat down the wings than down the middle, let them run past whoever we have all day down the sideline, who cares?

I think this is what Floro thinks too, to a degree. The point is to take away their chances in the middle, above all. And keep tight and together. 

 

[Obinna]

3 hours ago, Oranje said:

I find that Morgan is more of a LW instead of a LB because his strengths are getting to the touchline and whipping in crosses and he really lacks defensive positioning leading to last-stitch tackles/fouls. Morgan's best season IMO is when he had Koevermans up front to knock in his crosses, but that was also the period where TFC was letting them in just as quick (not all Morgan's fault by any means). I think Morgan and Aird would be similar players, not Adekugbe.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one my friend. 

In my opinion, Morgan is definitely not suited to play as a left winger. Just because he can get to the touchline and whip in a cross does not mean he is suited to play at LW. For a second just consider Tissot; a player who started as a LB and has transitioned into a useful LW. Can he get to the touchline and whip in a cross? Absolutely, but there is much more to his game that you need to play higher up the pitch. He has tools that Morgan doesn't have. When Tissot plays at LW, he actually looks like a winger. Morgan looks uncomfortable; he looks like a wing back who is playing out of position (because he is - in my humble opinion). Morgan is just way too predictable to play higher up the pitch. He is a one trick pony who doesn't appear able to mix it up. 

For me, Adekugbe is very much the same as Morgan. He has pace, gets to the touch line, delivers balls into the box. I can see that he may have something that would allow him to develop into a Tissot type player, but at this stage of his development he is very left foot dependent and relies on beating players on the outside. There is really not much else he does offensively and unlike Tissot, he doesn't look comfortable further up the pitch either.

Aird is COMPLETELY different. His instincts are offensive. I have seen a willingness and ability to cut inside to beat his man. I have seen a player who is confident in tight space (something I don't see from Morgan and Adekugbe). I have seen a player who is much more complete.

@Unnamed Trialist sees Aird more of a project than Adekugbe; for me it's the other way around. Aird looks like a player who has played upwards of 70 professional matches. Adekugbe has played maybe 20 (or 30 if you count USL) and it shows. The level of the Scottish 1st and 2nd division is low and even the Scottish Championship is not a high level, but it is all professional and it's the reason Aird is much less of a project of a player than Adekugbe. There is no doubt in my mind about that.

It is natural given the gulf of experience between the two (and they are the same age to boot). Aird played at a low level but Rangers are still a big club. They promoted twice and he was a part of that. The pressure, the expectations of Rangers promoting, the crowds at Ibrox of 30 and 40 thousand he played in front of at every home fixture; all of that is valuable and meaningful and meaningful games take players out of the "development" phase. Adekugbe doesn't have that experience YET.

Edited March 9, 2016 by Obinna