Liam Fraser

[Gian-Luca]

Mentioned this in the MLS forum but will bump it here - scores at the end of the half to give the MLS homegrown team a 1-0 lead over Tigres in the the Homegrown All-star game

[Gian-Luca]

A nice composed, if wide-open, finish:

https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2018-07-31-mls-homegrown-team-vs-tigres-uanl-u20/details/video/165458

He also seems to have gone to the same barber as Osorio, at the same time.

Edited August 1, 2018 by Gian-Luca

[A_Gagne]

3 hours ago, Gian-Luca said:

Mentioned this in the MLS forum but will bump it here - scores at the end of the half to give the MLS homegrown team a 1-0 lead over Tigres in the the Homegrown All-star game

Great goal by Liam... Melvin' stock certainly certainly didn't rise though. 

[Gian-Luca]

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/08/01/toronto-fcs-liam-fraser-believes-homegrown-team-showed-future

[BearcatSA]

16 hours ago, Gian-Luca said:

A nice composed, if wide-open, finish:

https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2018-07-31-mls-homegrown-team-vs-tigres-uanl-u20/details/video/165458

He also seems to have gone to the same barber as Osorio, at the same time.

He kept his head but that one should be put away, shouldn't it?  Even if he missed, according to the vaulted Audi Index, he still would have earned +100 for a shot on goal inside the box.

I only saw the highlight package but he looks to have had a poor giveaway which led to a great chance by Tigres.  I hope he had a solid performance otherwise.

[Gian-Luca]

2 hours ago, BearcatSA said:

He kept his head but that one should be put away, shouldn't it?  Even if he missed, according to the vaulted Audi Index, he still would have earned +100 for a shot on goal inside the box.

I only saw the highlight package but he looks to have had a poor giveaway which led to a great chance by Tigres.  I hope he had a solid performance otherwise.

It should be put away but he's not known as a goal scorer and we've seen many MLS strikers - many not very good ones - or other midfielders not known for finishing, including some of his club teammates, get a rush to the head and blast that straight at the keeper or well over the bar.

He only played the 1st half and the giveaway was his only bad moment IMO- the MLS commentary team, including the suddenly-controversial-on-this-board-these-days Bobby Warshaw were highly complimentary of his play on the broadcast. I felt that he did a lot of nice cross-field balls and switching the point of attack (or the defensive break-out, as the case may be).

Edited August 1, 2018 by Gian-Luca

[El Diego]

31 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

It should be put away but he's not known as a goal scorer and we've seen many MLS strikers - many not very good ones - or other midfielders not known for finishing, including some of his club teammates, get a rush to the head and blast that straight at the keeper or well over the bar.

He only played the 1st half and the giveaway was his only bad moment IMO- the MLS commentary team, including the suddenly-controversial-on-this-board-these-days Bobby Warshaw were highly complimentary of his play on the broadcast. I felt that he did a lot of nice cross-field balls and switching the point of attack (or the defensive break-out, as the case may be).

(Disclosure: I didn't see the homegrown match)

Fraser's range of passing is unquestioned. I would go so far as to say that he has the best range of passing on TFC, bar maybe Giovinco (although he doesn't get to show it off enough). Vazquez is certainly a better passer overall, he is more creative and quicker, but if given time to look up then Fraser is possibly the best TFC has in terms of hitting his spot.

If he can put together the other parts of the game (positioning, quickness, etc.) then he will be a very interesting player.

[BearcatSA]

43 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

It should be put away but he's not known as a goal scorer and we've seen many MLS strikers - many not very good ones - or other midfielders not known for finishing, including some of his club teammates, get a rush to the head and blast that straight at the keeper or well over the bar.

That's true, but we'd probably see some similar downplaying of it if it was scored by a guy not rated by the supporters here.  He kept his head and did a nice job on it.  Glad to hear that he had a strong match.

[Snowcrash]

I thought Fraser had a very strong game against Portland yesterday, subbing out in the second half.  He's a better passer right now than Bradley and never seems rushed with the ball when under pressure.  This resulted in a few turnovers but with experience, he'll learn.  He's almost a Cheyrou clone in that he just sees the field so well but there isn't that level of physicality or quickness that stands out.  

I think he needs to spend the offseason  reshaping his body with a trainer to just squeeze that extra step into his game and he'll be on another level.  

[BearcatSA]

10 minutes ago, Snowcrash said:

I thought Fraser had a very strong game against Portland yesterday, subbing out in the second half.  He's a better passer right now than Bradley and never seems rushed with the ball when under pressure.  This resulted in a few turnovers but with experience, he'll learn.  He's almost a Cheyrou clone in that he just sees the field so well but there isn't that level of physicality or quickness that stands out.  

I think he needs to spend the offseason  reshaping his body with a trainer to just squeeze that extra step into his game and he'll be on another level.  

His range of passing is good and he's confident in playing the ball forward on the deck (which is huge, in my books).  He might develop into  a Michael Carrick-type of player.  With experience, hopefully he'll develop his defensive awareness and positioning to overcome his lack of pace.  He should be able to tone that bigger frame into a stronger foundation so that he can turn out of and/or outmuscle an opponent while in possession in a 1 v 1 situation during an opposing team's upfield press (I like that skill in holding mids and with JDG, Hutchinson, and Bernier, we've had guy who cultivated that particular skill and became very good at it.)

 

 

[El Diego]

On 7/12/2018 at 4:05 PM, El Diego said:

The more I watch him, the more I like him.

This continues to be true. Thought he was quite good last night playing in a midfield 2, although certainly his best position is at the base of a midfield 3. He wasn't perfect by any stretch, but didn't look out of place. Talent wise he's NT material for Canada already imo, but he needs a lot more minutes to perfect his role at higher levels.

[SpursFlu]

Its always impressive when a 20 yr old and maybe your biggest player is taking your set pieces. Im very excited for this player. Reminds me of Eric Dier. As a Caps fan, thanks for nothing last night Vanney. Ridiculous decisions

Edited August 30, 2018 by SpursFlu

[Obinna]

Agree with all the praise he is getting....Fully deserved!

But someone has to say it: failed to track on the Timbers first goal, a goal which changed the complexion of the game.

[Snowcrash]

Fraser is a prime example of a young player who would have wasted his career going the NCAA route.

[Yoginess]

Liam can look as slow as Molasses sometimes but I really liked what I saw from him last night. I hope he goes some more minutes this season, it's not like Bradley has been perfect.

[BearcatSA]

3 hours ago, Obinna said:

Agree with all the praise he is getting....Fully deserved!

But someone has to say it: failed to track on the Timbers first goal, a goal which changed the complexion of the game.

Also didn't track back quickly enough on the play where Armenteros, arriving late,  blasted it into Bradley's chest.  That was the one that stood out more to me but didn't get punished.  Obviously still learning his craft so he can file that away into the mental Rolodex for next time.  He demonstrated lots of other good things out there. 

[Obinna]

4 hours ago, Yoginess said:

Liam can look as slow as Molasses sometimes but I really liked what I saw from him last night. I hope he goes some more minutes this season, it's not like Bradley has been perfect.

What I really like about him is the improvement in his composure, specifically when his lack of athleticism puts him in tough spots.

It's the type of thing you see in mature players who have lost their legs with age. You know, manipulating your body shape to buy yourself some extra space and whatnot.

Anyways, he's young so for him to show those things now is exciting, plus he's only 20 so perhaps he physically matures in the next few years, but if not he seems to already have the intelligence and skill to compensate.

Edited August 30, 2018 by Obinna

[Gian-Luca]

6 hours ago, Obinna said:

Agree with all the praise he is getting....Fully deserved!

But someone has to say it: failed to track on the Timbers first goal, a goal which changed the complexion of the game.

I thought that was true as well although in the post game presser Vanney didn't mention him at all as being the cause of the first goal but mentioned about 3 or 4 other players.

Still, the team looked worse when he was taken off. His passing in the attack was more accurate than Bradley's would be (Bradley played well as a CB through most of the game then played poorly when he was moved into Fraser's spot). I would have kept him on the field and not wasted a sub with bringing Zavaleta on and gone for another striker at that point.

[Yoginess]

Was at the Caps vs TFC game last night and Liam was the best player on the park for me. He was effortless spreading the ball around and was the lateral connective tissue for Toronto. 

I haven't watched a lot of TFC this year (actually none) but liked the way he played the position. Send Bradley to some American team. 

[gator]

1 hour ago, Yoginess said:

Was at the Caps vs TFC game last night and Liam was the best player on the park for me. He was effortless spreading the ball around and was the lateral connective tissue for Toronto. 

I haven't watched a lot of TFC this year (actually none) but liked the way he played the position. Send Bradley to some American team. 

That's how it looked on the big screen, he was so smooth and accurate with his passing and positioned himself very well, if he continues to impress I would say Bradley and his DP contract would be expendable!

[lazlo_80]

he had a good game for sure. He could still be a little sharper in the final third but good bounce back from a rougher game the week before. I really don't know what to make of Toronto FC this year.

[An Observer]

I love his passing but sometimes I think he needs to take his intensity up a notch or two. If he could do that, he would be fantastic.  It seems to me that he needs to get his fitness up so he can cover more ground especially on the defensive end. 

[baulderdash77]

Bradley is in decline at this point and TFC need to develop a controlling CM to replace him or sign someone at the end of this season.

Maybe it can be Fraser but I think they will probably go external for that move.  

[Bdog]

I thought Fraser looked great last year whenever he played despite 2018 TFC being a shitshow. 

I can’t see why Delgado keeps getting starts when he has been awful since missing that sitter against Chivas. Fraser and Bradley should be out there together but Vanney never seems to want to try anything new. 

[danninho]

I’d also like to see Bradley and Fraser out there together, perhaps as the 2 mids sitting in front of the back 4 in a 4-2-3-1. They can each take turns stepping forward in the attack spraying passes around while the other sits back to support the defence.

Delgado is a workhorse and is competent but doesn’t offer much else.

Edited June 2, 2019 by danninho