Richmond "Richie" Laryea

[Obinna]

46 minutes ago, GasPed said:

I agree - his early game performance was not good at all.  But after that, he really played well - frustrated the heck out of Bailey (although Bailey did a lot of that to himself too 😉) and was solid defensively.  And when he finally broke out on the offensive side, it was a thing of beauty.

As a VWFC supporter, I'm always "Why can't Vancouver Richie be like Canada Richie?"  I'm still asking that question.  🤔

As a non VWFC supporter, I struggle with this line of thinking. When I watch Vancouver, Richie always looks like Richie (to me), and looks like one of the team's best players (to me). Was he playing the best soccer of his career? I wouldn't say so. Was it within his typical range? Yes for me. 

I thought he was very good against Jamaica, outside the nervy first few minutes, and (once again) was one of Canada's better players on the day. 

My theory continues to be that fans are just lamenting his return as a Designated Player because of the connotations the label invokes, which to me is silly. His salary falls within the TAM maximum and he is a TAM-level player, so the fact he was in a DP spot seems to be irrlevant. 

Is there something I am missing? I assume it was better for the roster construction that he get placed into the DP spot and not the TAM spot....what's the story here? 

This is the same thing with Oso by the way. People freak out that he's a DP, when in reality it was better for the club to place him there than at a TAM spot, otherwise they wouldn't have done this.

I am missing something with both of these players? 

[BearcatSA]

Would a return to TFC, now under Herdman, be out of the realm of possibility?  And, if the negotiations in Vancouver don't pan out, then how about elsewhere in MLS?  According to some here, it would be better if he was on an American MLS team, anyways, so maybe that ends up happening and he gets the deal he wants.

In agreement with others, I felt he had a strong match after a slow start and as @Cheeta noted, his playing on the edge brings many good things in the head games department for us.  

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

Much to my consternation over the years, the Whitecaps have been my MLS team.

So I would love for the Canadians, including Richie, to stay and build something there.

I dare to dream.

[dyslexic nam]

All I know is that he is going to ball tomorrow.   Back in front of Toronto fans and he always turns it on for Canada.  I definitely expect him to put in a good performance.  

[InglewoodJack]

2 hours ago, Watchmen said:

Well, then they can get him on loan in January. He should definitely take a strong Championship team loan over a return to the Whitecaps/MLS.  The 3 Canadian sides will always be available to him, but a chance in Europe is fleeting.

I just used them because I’ve watched them the most in the championship, I don’t think he fits their mould which is young players they can sell for a profit for champ vets. I think Laryea at 29 (?) has diminishing appeal in Europe as an older player with MLS-exclusive experience. Not that I don’t think he can do it, just that you can get a similar profile player for a relatively similar price with experience in the championship whereas with Laryea, he would have no resale value. 

[Watchmen]

1 hour ago, Obinna said:

As a non VWFC supporter, I struggle with this line of thinking. When I watch Vancouver, Richie always looks like Richie (to me), and looks like one of the team's best players (to me). Was he playing the best soccer of his career? I wouldn't say so. Was it within his typical range? Yes for me. 

I thought he was very good against Jamaica, outside the nervy first few minutes, and (once again) was one of Canada's better players on the day. 

My theory continues to be that fans are just lamenting his return as a Designated Player because of the connotations the label invokes, which to me is silly. His salary falls within the TAM maximum and he is a TAM-level player, so the fact he was in a DP spot seems to be irrlevant. 

Is there something I am missing? I assume it was better for the roster construction that he get placed into the DP spot and not the TAM spot....what's the story here? 

This is the same thing with Oso by the way. People freak out that he's a DP, when in reality it was better for the club to place him there than at a TAM spot, otherwise they wouldn't have done this.

I am missing something with both of these players? 

I didn't compare Laryea to Shea, it was merely an example of players occupying DP spots on a roster when they shouldn't be. Shea wasn't a good player but he wasn't awful. The problem was that DP tag. Once the player has it, expectations (especially by casual fans) are raised. I don't think Laryea's play in Vancouver last year warrants a DP slot, whether that's from how he was used or how he fits with the team.

And he wasn't a DP in Vancouver last year, he was already in a TAM spot. If you brought him in as a DP, you'd be blocking one of the methods the team could (in theory) use to improve, while bringing him back is only a lateral move.

[rkomar]

I wouldn't blame the TAM level player for not living up to his DP slotting.  I would blame VWFC for not actually acquiring and paying a player that fits the DP slot.  The club doesn't seem to want to pay DP salaries.

[GasPed]

I do have to say, after watching Sergino Dest's performance today, I would love to see Richie play the left side against him next time we play the US.  Really really like that matchup - I think Richie could literally play him off the field.  😉 

[BearcatSA]

2 minutes ago, GasPed said:

I do have to say, after watching Sergino Dest's performance today, I would love to see Richie play the left side against him next time we play the US.  Really really like that matchup - I think Richie could literally play him off the field.  😉 

I think Davies already killed him in that WCQ in Nashville, didn't he.  He had to be subbed off early, iirc.

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

5 minutes ago, GasPed said:

I do have to say, after watching Sergino Dest's performance today, I would love to see Richie play the left side against him next time we play the US.  Really really like that matchup - I think Richie could literally play him off the field.  😉 

Do we miss him, if we draw them in March?

[GasPed]

Just now, BearcatSA said:

I think Davies already killed him in that WCQ in Nashville, didn't he.  He had to be subbed off early, iirc.

Yes, Davies has pocketed him both for Canada and Bayern and gotten him subbed off.  But I'm pretty sure Richie could get him subbed off without the substitution.  😀 

[BearcatSA]

11 minutes ago, GasPed said:

Yes, Davies has pocketed him both for Canada and Bayern and gotten him subbed off.  But I'm pretty sure Richie could get him subbed off without the substitution.  😀 

I see what.you did there 😂  Very true.

[Unnamed Trialist]

The CL win for Bayern is where Davies was burning Semedo, Dest did not play and iirc was not dressed.

He was not a bad player for Barça, given his youth, and he was not at all problematic and never behaved like a divo.

The really cool matchup vs. Dest, if anyone is interested, was Tajon-Serginho in Hamilton in qualifying. It was like they were playing their own pick up match all alone just the two of them, out near the sideline. I think it was great because they tied each other up and annulled each other, it was a great subplot.

[Corazon]

1 hour ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

The CL win for Bayern is where Davies was burning Semedo, Dest did not play and iirc was not dressed.

He was not a bad player for Barça, given his youth, and he was not at all problematic and never behaved like a divo.

The really cool matchup vs. Dest, if anyone is interested, was Tajon-Serginho in Hamilton in qualifying. It was like they were playing their own pick up match all alone just the two of them, out near the sideline. I think it was great because they tied each other up and annulled each other, it was a great subplot.

I was trying to recollect when Davies destroyed Dest for Canada and all that I can remember is that Dest stood out to me in Hamilton as one of USA's better players that game.  Him & McKennie were solid that game.

[BearcatSA]

49 minutes ago, Corazon said:

I was trying to recollect when Davies destroyed Dest for Canada and all that I can remember is that Dest stood out to me in Hamilton as one of USA's better players that game.  Him & McKennie were solid that game.

The WCQ match in Nashville.  I think Dest had to be subbed early because of an injury concern.  My recollection could be foggy, however.

[RS]

9 minutes ago, BearcatSA said:

The WCQ match in Nashville.  I think Dest had to be subbed early because of an injury concern.  My recollection could be foggy, however.

Davies also had to be subbed early because of an injury concern.

[Unnamed Trialist]

19 minutes ago, RS said:

Davies also had to be subbed early because of an injury concern.

Early? Didn't he make the pass for the drawing goal 2nd half?

[BearcatSA]

Just now, Unnamed Trialist said:

Early? Didn't he make the pass for the drawing goal 2nd half?

That's what I thought, as well.

[RS]

He went down with an injury and missed the following game (3-0 vs. Honduras in Toronto), so I'd say it was earlier than he had planned to be subbed.

[Obinna]

21 hours ago, Watchmen said:

I didn't compare Laryea to Shea, it was merely an example of players occupying DP spots on a roster when they shouldn't be. 

Got it. Appreciate that clarification!

21 hours ago, Watchmen said:

And he wasn't a DP in Vancouver last year, he was already in a TAM spot. If you brought him in as a DP, you'd be blocking one of the methods the team could (in theory) use to improve, while bringing him back is only a lateral move.

This is where I have to back up a bit and ask Caps fans.....why are they wanting to bring him back in a DP spot instead of a TAM spot?

Are they intending to pay him well over the TAM maximum of 1.6M? Because if they are planning to pay him in the vacinity of 1.6M they could just buy him down to TAM to make way for a theoretical DP, no? 

[Watchmen]

7 minutes ago, Obinna said:

This is where I have to back up a bit and ask Caps fans.....why are they wanting to bring him back in a DP spot instead of a TAM spot?

Are they intending to pay him well over the TAM maximum of 1.6M? Because if they are planning to pay him in the vacinity of 1.6M they could just buy him down to TAM to make way for a theoretical DP, no? 

The answer is that the Whitecaps don't want to bring him back as a DP. That came out as a rumour during the initial loan but I've heard from a number of people the club only wants him back on a TAM deal. If it's not a TAM deal, I don't think they'll bring him back.

[Unnamed Trialist]

I get the impression that if Gauld and Brian White were to go up to Richie in a bar, he'd figure they were waiters asking for an autograph.

[costarg]

7 hours ago, RS said:

You must have confused me with someone else, because there have been a ton of posts on this board about how terrible TFC's season has been, and I rarely (if ever) responded to them — because they're all accurate.

Pointing out how bad TFC was this year would not be news to me or anyone else with half a brain. Yet for some reason I've been painted by a few people as some half-wit defender of TFC who only exists to argue their virtues on here, as if I haven't been on this board and its predecessor since 1997, a full 10 years before that team kicked its first ball in anger.

In fact, I rarely talk about TFC on this board. Go through my comment history if you'd like. The overwhelming majority of my posts are in this sub-forum, and I actually post more in the CPL sub-forum than TFC's (or MLS' overall).

I do find it ironic that you're scolding me about not being able to take any comments that lean positively towards a non-TFC player in a thread where you literally responded to my positive Laryea comment with a completely out of left field "what about Choiniere?" post, though.

Oh, but you were doing it with "a chuckle" (that nobody could see or hear) so it doesn't count.

And I'll point out, for the umpteenth time during our recent interactions, that it was you who brought Osorio into this discussion on Laryea's thread, not I. As you seem to do in every discussion.

I'm not sure what he did to earn your ire, but me occasionally pointing out your unhealthy obsession with him isn't some pro-TFC bias.

Man - we're all here to have a good time.  Laughing at Unnamed Trialists hilarious comment isn't a personal attack.  I apologize if you see it that way.

Me adding Choiniere to your list of Johnston and Laryea being the fittest players is not against thread rules.  You getting triggered by it, is just par for the course and more proof of your exaggerated sensitivities.  

Adding Osorio as an example, also isn't a attack against you.  I'm also hard on Vitoria and Borjan's play as well as Biello's selections.  No one else seems to take those personally and you don't seem to react to those posts.  Half the people on here are commenting about how much Osorio's game has declined, how is that off-limits?  It does not take anything away from the man or what he has accomplished, it's just the life and reality of an athlete, their top years are numbered.  We want him to succeed and I hope he bangs in 3 tonight.  

However, there is no need to play the victim and take us for fools by pretending there is no bias.  We're all here as supporters, the key is to love your team, not hate the others.

Enjoy the game tonight.

[BearcatSA]

1 hour ago, Watchmen said:

The answer is that the Whitecaps don't want to bring him back as a DP. That came out as a rumour during the initial loan but I've heard from a number of people the club only wants him back on a TAM deal. If it's not a TAM deal, I don't think they'll bring him back.

I believe that is their stance on it.

Would Herdman bring him back to TFC on a DP deal?  Would another MLS team bring him in on a DP deal?  Who knows?  His agency is probably on the case exploring options as we speak.

Personally, I would love to see them find a way to push the ejection seat button on Schopf and use that cap space to high TAM Laryea and keep him in Vancouver.  I think Schuster wants that 3rd DP deal for another position, so it boils down to how much TAM he is willing to spend on Laryea and how much the player will agree to.

 

 

 

[Watchmen]

8 minutes ago, BearcatSA said:

Personally, I would love to see them find a way to push the ejection seat button on Schopf and use that cap space to high TAM Laryea and keep him in Vancouver.  I think Schuster wants that 3rd DP deal for another position, so it boils down to how much TAM he is willing to spend on Laryea and how much the player will agree to.

I'd jettison Schopf, but that's independent of a Laryea deal. For the DP spot, think they either take a stab at a striker or bring in another AM so they can play Gauld further up. So I don't think Laryea is the priority, even if I think everyone would be fine with him returning as a TAM player.