2016 Red Team Playoff Clinching Watch (aka Toronto FC 2016 MLS season thread)

[shermanator]

Getting a 2-0 win at Red Bull Arena was not what I was expecting to start the season. Toronto FC did not look great for the first 65 minutes or so but they dominated when it mattered. Big result in a tough place to get one.

Taking off the Voyageurs homer glasses, Endoh looks like a great pick up. I've also been a big fan of Delgado going back to last year. If TFC are going to pick up solid young non-Canadian players these are examples of players I enjoy watching. 

Lovitz on the other hand, just not MLS calibre. How did he get a start? Head scratcher for sure

Was interesting to see Ashtone Morgan play as a left winger near the end of the game. I wonder if Morgan could see regular time at left wing this year?

[El Hombre]

7 minutes ago, shermanator said:

Lovitz on the other hand, just not MLS calibre. How did he get a start? Head scratcher for sure

 

I think that's the last that will happen with the way Delgado played.  Don't understand how Lovitz has hung on to a roster spot..

[MM2]

I was surprised to see him in the starting line-up and he was invisible unless he was making bad plays, TFC even lost him in the expansion draft to NYCFC and traded to get him back!

[baulderdash77]

It was a strong finish by Toronto  they were outplayed the first 60 min and then dominated the final 30.  Givinco  picked up where he left off with a goal and an assist.  He could have had 2 more as well.

 

For Canadians in the game, both Osorio and Johnson started at CM and played box to box.  They were both effective through the game.  Johnson played with his normal great motor and Osorio was better in that box to box role defensively than I remember  him playing before.  

Morgan came on and played LW after the goal as Toronto shifted to a very defensive 4-5-1 and looked fairly effective bombing forward and getting back in his 12 or so minutes.  Interesting development.

For sure Lovitz was the weak link out there.  As soon as Delgado came on for him there was good linkage between Osorio, Delgado and Givinco  up the left.  It was the turning point of the game IMO and we were a threat from there out.

Good start to the season.

 

[canucklefan]

Another game where Giovinco did everything in attack. It’s good to have a player like him in the team but TFC needs to be more a team and not depend only on one individual’s skills. Defensively, the team did a good job IMO. Hopefully the defense has improved compared to last year. Judging from TFC’s season last year, I think Vanney was a horrible tactician, specially organizing the defense, but somehow managed to keep his job thanks to Giovinco.

[jpg75]

I like the name of this thread as much as i like today's result.

[canucklefan]

3 minutes ago, baulderdash77 said:

Morgan came on and played LW after the goal as Toronto shifted to a very defensive 4-5-1 and looked fairly effective bombing forward and getting back in his 12 or so minutes.  Interesting development.

 

I must say that since his first season, except the time Nelsen was in charge, I found Morgan was always a good crosser. From the minutes he's played today, the talent is still there.

[baulderdash77]

If Morgan can show something as a wide midfielder it is really going to add to his playing time.  His contract and history with the team kept him here through 2014.  His play last year guaranteed  some more tenure but multi position versatility will cement him here for years to come.

Let's see how it progresses, but I can't remember him playing a wide midfield role ever before today.  He has the pace and crossing, but not the nifty dribbling  ability  I think.

 

[Coramoor]

19 minutes ago, baulderdash77 said:

If Morgan can show something as a wide midfielder it is really going to add to his playing time.  His contract and history with the team kept him here through 2014.  His play last year guaranteed  some more tenure but multi position versatility will cement him here for years to come.

Let's see how it progresses, but I can't remember him playing a wide midfield role ever before today.  He has the pace and crossing, but not the nifty dribbling  ability  I think.

 

He's a strong crosser with a lot of speed but I don't think he has the ball skills to be a winger, however his defensive ability makes him a solid bench choice as he can cover LB, LM/LW in a defensive situation and essentially RB with Morrow switching over, it's versatility which should give him a decent number of minutes throughout the season.

[El Hombre]

On 2016-03-06 at 4:10 PM, baulderdash77 said:

Johnson played with his normal great motor and Osorio was better in that box to box role defensively than I remember  him playing before.  

 

Speaking of Johnson's motor, maybe he's the ideal partner for Bradley in midfield: because he can run all day and break up plays, he'll be able to effectively cover for Bradley when he wanders all over the pitch.

[shamrock]

I thought Bradley played awful. His distribution sucked, maybe he's just not fit yet.

Why would anyone think Babouli won't get a lot of minutes this year? He's the perfect back-up for Gio, one of the few players that can ceate something. I bet if they'd trailed, he would have been subbed in. 

[El Hombre]

4 hours ago, shamrock said:

I thought Bradley played awful. His distribution sucked, maybe he's just not fit yet.

Why would anyone think Babouli won't get a lot of minutes this year? He's the perfect back-up for Gio, one of the few players that can ceate something. I bet if they'd trailed, he would have been subbed in. 

He can also replace Endoh or Delgado too.  He's worked on his defensive game, so he should be fine out on the wing.

[Keegan]

Really surprised Lovitz is entering his 3rd year with us now.  I've never seen anything from him to make him worthy of taking up a spot over a young player. 

[Oranje]

33 minutes ago, Keegan said:

Really surprised Lovitz is entering his 3rd year with us now.  I've never seen anything from him to make him worthy of taking up a spot over a young player.

Let alone starting against NYRB... How is Mo on the wing, I haven't seen much of him to garner an opinion?

[Ruffian]

7 hours ago, shamrock said:

I thought Bradley played awful. His distribution sucked, maybe he's just not fit yet.

Why would anyone think Babouli won't get a lot of minutes this year? He's the perfect back-up for Gio, one of the few players that can ceate something. I bet if they'd trailed, he would have been subbed in. 

Bradley was playing in front of the back four, so he was playing a different role. I think him and WJ played very well and were able to stop NYRB's attack on most occasions.

[Gian-Luca]

Re-watching the game, its apparent that the attacking prowess of the team was raised several notches once Lovitz was taken off the field. Its amazing how much one player can make a difference just by getting off the field (and it's not like he was replaced by Messi either).

 

[Unnamed Trialist]

I love this thread title, so frigging desperate, so pathetic. Are folks in TO  so contaminated with Leaf's mentality that they can  only start a thread at the start of the year with a huge goal: clinching a playoff spot?

You read all the pundits and they put TFC in the top 3 in the East. I watched the opener an thought, here is a dangerous team, one of the best in MLS. But no, their fans are all excited about trying to nab that fifth spot asap, maybe even in mid-October. Ambition knows no limits.

I'm done trolling, could not resist, because, hey, it is irresistibly, madly sad.

[BuzzAndSting]

22 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I love this thread title, so frigging desperate, so pathetic. Are folks in TO  so contaminated with Leaf's mentality that they can  only start a thread at the start of the year with a huge goal: clinching a playoff spot?

You read all the pundits and they put TFC in the top 3 in the East. I watched the opener an thought, here is a dangerous team, one of the best in MLS. But no, their fans are all excited about trying to nab that fifth spot asap, maybe even in mid-October. Ambition knows no limits.

I'm done trolling, could not resist, because, hey, it is irresistibly, madly sad.

You know that it's reference to the team thread titles from the last couple seasons? The ones started by an Impact fan? I assumed Shermenator was kind of poking fun at those titles with this one.

[Unnamed Trialist]

Just now, BuzzAndSting said:

You know that it's reference to the team thread titles from the last couple seasons? The ones started by an Impact fan? I assumed Shermenator was kind of poking fun at those titles with this one.

Went completely over my head. If that is true, then, it is a terribly self-demeaning gesture to have to look at the entire season.

I'm going to start a "Canada goes for strong 3rd spot in WCQ Semis Thread"

[Grizzly]

When things start going south for TFC this year as they inevitably always do, Trillium will get to start his thread! 

[shermanator]

4 hours ago, BuzzAndSting said:

You know that it's reference to the team thread titles from the last couple seasons? The ones started by an Impact fan? I assumed Shermenator was kind of poking fun at those titles with this one.

This. Figured I would beat Trillium to the punch this year.

4 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

But no, their fans are all excited about trying to nab that fifth spot asap, maybe even in mid-October. Ambition knows no limits.

I'm done trolling, could not resist, because, hey, it is irresistibly, madly sad.

I'm actually a Calgary Foothills and to a lesser extent, FC Edmonton supporter. I decided to support my local club as opposed to becoming a plastic Barca fan. 

[rob.notenboom]

9 hours ago, shermanator said:

This. Figured I would beat Trillium to the punch this year.

I'm actually a Calgary Foothills and to a lesser extent, FC Edmonton supporter. I decided to support my local club as opposed to becoming a plastic Barca fan. 

Shots fired!!!

[BearcatSA]

On Sunday, March 06, 2016 at 1:37 PM, baulderdash77 said:

If Morgan can show something as a wide midfielder it is really going to add to his playing time.  His contract and history with the team kept him here through 2014.  His play last year guaranteed  some more tenure but multi position versatility will cement him here for years to come.

Let's see how it progresses, but I can't remember him playing a wide midfield role ever before today.  He has the pace and crossing, but not the nifty dribbling  ability  I think.

 

He has played maybe a couple of times in a more advanced role very early in his career but since then he's been strictly an LB.  To me, he's a player who needs time and space when in possession so under closer defensive scrutiny I think his technical shortcomings get exposed.  Also, in reference to another post here, I don't see the team going with Morrow as a back up RB at all this season, with Beitashour and Bloom on the roster.  Good to see Morgan brought in in the final five minutes with the lead on the road to provide some defensive presence, and if he is able to continue to be the first choice sub in that particular context, that's good but I still don't see him starting outside of Vogageurs Cup matches this year, unless Morrow completely goes in the tank.

[Unnamed Trialist]

13 hours ago, shermanator said:

This. Figured I would beat Trillium to the punch this year.

I'm actually a Calgary Foothills and to a lesser extent, FC Edmonton supporter. I decided to support my local club as opposed to becoming a plastic Barca fan. 

Barça is my local club. And in Vancouver I walk to BC Place in 20 minutes. I support my local soccer.

[Trillium]

On 3/7/2016 at 6:34 PM, BuzzAndSting said:

You know that it's reference to the team thread titles from the last couple seasons? The ones started by an Impact fan? I assumed Shermenator was kind of poking fun at those titles with this one.

Mserson, surely you mean playing hommage, rather then poking fun!!!