Roster for September WCQ - News / Discussion

[Kurt-MTL]

Interesting selections; like everyone else I'm a little puzzled by the Johnson exclusion but as others have pointed out, there could be more to the story than we know. 

I think the rest looks ok for what we're presumably setting out to do (park the bus). I'm actually cautiously optimistic that we'll be able to eke out the nil-nil down there. And we have some quality in the middle with Hutchinson, Arfield, and Hoilett; as well as an obvious outlet up top in Larin so I don't think it's going to be complete one-way traffic necessarily.. 

I know a lot of people have their concerns surrounding the defense but I think it comes down to a "global" defensive effort with every player (save perhaps Larin) expected to track back and defend when needed. I'm sure Floro will be drilling them incessantly on keeping their shape and staying compact at all times; having Hutchinson there protecting the back 4 also helps.

LET'S GO BOYS!!! BRING IT HOME!!!

[mpg_29]

Osorio isn't a non-brainer call up for me anymore like it seems to be for most other people.  The team has added Akindele, Hoilett and Arfield to the player pool just in the past 1 year or so.  On top of that there is Hutchison and Johnson (yeah I know not this call up) all competing for midfield positions.  The team has changed a lot in the last year or two. I think at one point Tiebert would have been considered a "non-brainer"...now no mention of him.

I think with regards to Johnson I would guess it's injury related.

 

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, mpg_29 said:

Osorio isn't a non-brainer call up for me anymore like it seems to be for most other people.  The team has added Akindele, Hoilett and Arfield to the player pool just in the past 1 year or so.  On top of that there is Hutchison and Johnson (yeah I know not this call up) all competing for midfield positions.  The team has changed a lot in the last year or two. I think at one point Tiebert would have been considered a "non-brainer"...now no mention of him.

I think with regards to Johnson I would guess it's injury related.

 

I believe the term is "no-brainer"

[apbsmith]

9 hours ago, Yohan said:

Floro's bringing 2 guys from Unattached FC. Does he expect them to run 90 mins in Honduras?

Are the midfielders on this roster really that much better technically than WJ?

Yes both Atiba & Arfield are. That's why they play in the league they do. As physical as WJ is, Piette & Edgar are stronger and more defensive minded. 

I rate the omission mostly a fitness issues, along with travel, the heat in Honduras, his horrible defensive away performance in Mexico last game & him not being in the last camp. 

I do believe he can still be added to the roster for the home match due to injury or suspension? That could be a possibility & would make a lot of sense.

Truthfully, I am fine with WJ or JDG not starting in the middle in Honduras, but that's my opinion.

 

[aloyol]

34 minutes ago, apbsmith said:

Yes both Atiba & Arfield are. That's why they play in the league they do. As physical as WJ is, Piette & Edgar are stronger and more defensive minded. 

I rate the omission mostly a fitness issues, along with travel, the heat in Honduras, his horrible defensive away performance in Mexico last game & him not being in the last camp. 

I do believe he can still be added to the roster for the home match due to injury or suspension? That could be a possibility & would make a lot of sense.

Truthfully, I am fine with WJ or JDG not starting in the middle in Honduras, but that's my opinion.

 

I'm fine with WJ not starting in Honduras as well but he's still an important player who I would like to have on the bench in case we need him for 15 or 30 minutes at the end of the game.

[Ivan]

Too bad about Johnson.  Would have liked to see him there.  Baffled by the Dixon and Ouimette inclusions as neither seem to be doing well in the NASL.  And for those calling for Chapman over Osorio?  Really?

[aloyol]

11 minutes ago, Ivan said:

Too bad about Johnson.  Would have liked to see him there.  Baffled by the Dixon and Ouimette inclusions as neither seem to be doing well in the NASL.  And for those calling for Chapman over Osorio?  Really?

Well, after watching quite a bit of TFC this summer, I can say that I feel like Chapman might be the better prospect of the two.

Very positive player and I like his passing game and off the ball movement, very intelligent player IMO. First touch should improve.

The reason why he shouldn't be called at this point is that he hasn't been a part of the program and you don't call a player like that ahead of 2 crucial WCQ (well, we could make a similar argument for Dixon who has been to only one camp if I'm not mistaken).

Osorio, apart for one or two games (the one in MTL I think he was excellent), I feel like he's stalled lately.

[mpg_29]

1 hour ago, canta15 said:

I believe the term is "no-brainer"

Yes...I'm legally retarded before 11am.

[apbsmith]

1 hour ago, aloyol said:

I'm fine with WJ not starting in Honduras as well but he's still an important player who I would like to have on the bench in case we need him for 15 or 30 minutes at the end of the game.

I do agree with this, but I still think the "subs if we need a goal". Floro would favor subbing the wings and striker position so that makes the pool Tesho/Jackson/Haber/Ricketts/JH/Larin depending who starts.

Everyone seems to forget Floro could always bring in Andre H again and Andre H. could get robbed by a goal line clearance by their CAM if we need a goal late!

We will see WJ back in the fold very quick, I DO NOT believe it was an omission based on ability. 

What are the rules in bringing in another player as a result of injury or suspension for Matchday 6? Is that even possible, sorry for my ignorance. I know we did the Occean swap last cycle, assuming same rules apply?

Like many, I am more concerned about our backline, but hopefully "team defense" can prevail. 

The reality is only 13-14 of these 23 even see the field. I am OK with the 13-14 that will be seeing the field.

NOTE: Not saying I fully support Floro's decisions, I am simply trying to break them down for I SOMEWHAT understand them for my own piece of mind lol.

[TFC07]

There goes our chance to qualify to the Hex.  #FloroOut

[aloyol]

58 minutes ago, apbsmith said:

I do agree with this, but I still think the "subs if we need a goal". Floro would favor subbing the wings and striker position so that makes the pool Tesho/Jackson/Haber/Ricketts/JH/Larin depending who starts.

Everyone seems to forget Floro could always bring in Andre H again and Andre H. could get robbed by a goal line clearance by their CAM if we need a goal late!

We will see WJ back in the fold very quick, I DO NOT believe it was an omission based on ability. 

What are the rules in bringing in another player as a result of injury or suspension for Matchday 6? Is that even possible, sorry for my ignorance. I know we did the Occean swap last cycle, assuming same rules apply?

Like many, I am more concerned about our backline, but hopefully "team defense" can prevail. 

The reality is only 13-14 of these 23 even see the field. I am OK with the 13-14 that will be seeing the field.

NOTE: Not saying I fully support Floro's decisions, I am simply trying to break them down for I SOMEWHAT understand them for my own piece of mind lol.

Just to clarify, when I speak of Will coming in as a sub it's not necessarily to score a goal but to solidify the midfield at the end of the game or to replace an injured midfielder. I'm well aware we have better offensive subs available in case we need a goal.

[GlassCity]

 

[apbsmith]

47 minutes ago, aloyol said:

Just to clarify, when I speak of Will coming in as a sub it's not necessarily to score a goal but to solidify the midfield at the end of the game or to replace an injured midfielder. I'm well aware we have better offensive subs available in case we need a goal.

I think almost everyone feels the same way.  WJ was also pivotal in our only goal in this group. Aside from the JDG/Piette sub, floro always subs his wingers and strikers. So I feel the sentiment about a late midfield sub for WJ.  I do think he may not have seen the field in Honduras, so from that perspective the travel, conditioning, continual rehab etc didnt make sense. 

It would be nice to have some more answers or an explanation. Instead of "is what it is" from the player. Almost makes you feel like Floro accesses the situation independently.  From WJ perspective, always a true professional. 

[paul-collins]

2 hours ago, GlassCity said:

 

So, not fitness.

[king1010]

Beginning to think Floro is the one with the attitude problem and not his players....

[Complete Homer]

9 minutes ago, paul-collins said:

So, not fitness.

Bizzarre

[shermanator]

Here's Floro's explanation on Johnson:

Floro said that if a player isn’t ready to play for a full 90 minutes, he can’t be selected. And, in Johnson’s case, recovering from a broken leg, Floro was concerned that the player wouldn’t be available to go that long in a match.

He said, to be selected, “a player needs to be in perfect condition to play for the full 90 minutes.”

Floro said that, in fact, Johnson is such an important player for Canada down the road that “it’s important that he have a good recovery.”

Floro also said that Johnson is “good, honest professional. The last injury was a serious injury.”

http://the11.ca/even-if-hes-on-a-bed-we-will-take-him-floro-calls-in-injured-de-guzman-to-provide-leadership-to-canmnt/

[ThatDaveCh]

11 minutes ago, shermanator said:

Here's Floro's explanation on Johnson:

He said, to be selected, “a player needs to be in perfect condition to play for the full 90 minutes.”

This statement, even it its context, makes me so angry given he's doing the exact opposite. How can he say that when Jakovic has only registered 70 minutes in the last year, whereas Osorio has the 2nd highest minutes of any Canadian in the MLS? Floro is sacrificing actual opportunities to win these next games in favor of plugging any holes in the back-line with the 8 CBs he called up.

[Free kick]

On August 25, 2016 at 7:49 AM, theaub said:

If TFC's blocking players from the NT at this point I won't renew my seasons next year

I don't know why this notion is even being contemplated or discussed. 

[jpg75]

1 hour ago, Free kick said:

I don't know why this notion is even being contemplated or discussed. 

Yes, apparently it's still not ingrained that clubs CANNOT hold players back for World Cup Qualifiers.

[BuzzAndSting]

1 hour ago, Free kick said:

I don't know why this notion is even being contemplated or discussed. 

Molinaro tweeted that TFC did not ask for any players to be left off the roster.

[A_Gagne]

Interesting that Floro thought risking WJ's recovery wasn't worth his inclusion. And WRT the 90 min comment, complete speculation but Floro's english isn't the best, so sometimes I feel like he simplifies his statements a little to fit his vocabulary... perhaps what he's thinking/means is that if you're not fit enough to play at maximum intensity, you're probably not up to playing even as a sub at international level.

[Gian-Luca]

How then to reconcile Floro's statement on why he didn't select Johnson with the selection of Doneil Henry - does Floro think Doneil is just coming off a whooping cough?

[jonovision]

4 hours ago, Free kick said:

I don't know why this notion is even being contemplated or discussed. 

Even though it's not the case here, it's happened in the past (with De Ro)

[rob.notenboom]

Floro's comment in Sandor's article about Johnson seem to make perfect sense in isolation. But it's just not Henry that hasn't played much. Jakovic (as has been mentioned), Hoilett, Dixon (surprised to even see him called tbh) all have little or no recent minutes. I think we are seeing reinforcement of the idea that Floro has his favourites (clearly DeGuz is one ... flying him down to be a mentoring presence in the camp and during the games ... that's a new one as far as I recall) that will be called no matter what, those that may or may not be called, and those who will never be called. 

Of course this doesn't mean we are toast yet. However, I have this nagging feeling that when the chips are down, and you have to call on your strength of mentality to get you through a rough patch, if you don't have confidence in your coach (due to odd squad/starting selections) it might be just enough to tip the balance against you. I don't know that the players' confidence is eroded, it just makes me suspicious. 

And on that note, so much for my earlier tranquility. Ever since the Larsen tweet about Johnson not being in the squad, I've had a sick feeling in my stomach and it hasn't left. Cripes.