2017 Toronto FC season (aka the 2017 MLS Cup clinching thread)

[Gian-Luca]

2 hours ago, AvroArrow said:

Some interesting stats from the MLS site:

Goals Per 90 Minutes Played

Hamilton - 1.50
Ricketts - 0.74
Giovinco - 0.72
Altidore - 0.61
Spencer - 0.00

Now that doesn't therefore mean that Hamilton and Ricketts are better than Giovinco, so the stat is not by any means a solid measuring stick.  Still, it is interesting none the less.

Another interesting set of MLS-only stats: Ricketts has 7 goals this season & also has 7 starts.

AJH has an even better ratio for Montreal - 9 goals scored & 8 starts.

Edwards now has 6 assists on the year, at least 3 of which have come on goals to Ricketts. He has just 9 starts, which is the fewest (by a country mile) of any player with 6 or more assists and I would guess would be in the running for assists per minute leader.

Osorio appears to have belatedly been credited with an assist on Ricketts 2nd goal on Wednesday, but not the first. The only difference I can see in the two players is that on the second one Cooper hits the cross first time while on the first one Edwards takes a touch and then hits the cross. If that is the criteria for denying a second assist, it's an incredibly silly one.

Speaking of Cooper, it was pointed out on the broadcast that this was his first start since the last time TFC lost a game, 2.5 months. He also started the other two games that TFC lost this year in MLS play and also the game against Ottawa that they lost, which, when you don't have many starts the whole season, is a very discouraging sign for future employment with the club past this season.

[TRM]

On 18/09/2017 at 7:48 PM, Bdog said:

It's insane how I can look at the standings and not be scared of any teams we might play in the playoffs. It also helps that the west sucks this year if we make it to the finals.

 

How you feeling now? 

While it is a small sample size and you were missing Gio and Jozy that does not bode well for a deep run if one is out.

[Bdog]

1 hour ago, TRM said:

How you feeling now? 

While it is a small sample size and you were missing Gio and Jozy that does not bode well for a deep run if one is out.

Ehhhh, that game was depressing to watch but if we have a mostly healthy lineup I'm still confident. It didn't help that Mavinga and Zavaleta were out either.

Plus we're done playing on shitty football fields.

[Club Linesman]

Too many top guys out and better to get these stinker games out of the way now.  Couple of big wins coming up and then, with momentum heading into the playoffs and hopefully fully healthy, anything less than the cup will be a major disappointment.  They have clearly been the best team in the league this year and the experience of last year's final defeat should provide the necessary experience and motivation to take the Cup.

[Free kick]

Unlike Wednesday, I saw nothing wrong with tonight's performance.   On the road, TFC have won most, if not all, of the games this year when they delivered an equal or lesser performance to that.  NE were just opportunistic.  Every now and then, you lose a game like this. Not symptomatic of a trend in my opinion. 

 

 

[BearcatSA]

On ‎9‎/‎20‎/‎2017 at 8:52 PM, Gian-Luca said:

Zavaleta gave the ball away for goal #2 (and half-caused #1) but Bradley didn't help matters by not closing down Donadel - it may have been that he was worried that he would slip the ball past him to a wide open Impact player and he didn't get any help from Delgado on the play either.

Having tracked back on Piatti on the flank I think Delgado was too far away to do a whole lot on that one. 

[shamrock]

I don't understand this scheduling either. There should be at least three days between two games. Vanney is forced to rotate an already depleted team, and they still almost got away with it. Totally agree with Linesman, save it for the playoffs!

[Gian-Luca]

21 hours ago, TRM said:

How you feeling now? 

While it is a small sample size and you were missing Gio and Jozy that does not bode well for a deep run if one is out.

I think playing three games with two trips in 7 days and having 4 central defenders out through injury were bigger factors than not having those two - not helped by that crappy turf. That was a very tired looking Drew Moor that got beat on both NE goals but understandably so

[DannyFromToronto23]

if cooper gets realeased  this year how much do you wanna bet Montreal will get him ??

[Jith12]

1 hour ago, DannyFromToronto23 said:

if cooper gets realeased  this year how much do you wanna bet Montreal will get him ??

He's gonna pull an Oduro!

[DannyFromToronto23]

4 hours ago, Jith12 said:

He's gonna pull an Oduro!

And a lovitz

[jonovision]

14 hours ago, DannyFromToronto23 said:

And a lovitz

A Lovitz? Is that like some sort of sleeper cell situation where Toronto benefits from his terrible play for another team?

[Grizzly]

20 minutes ago, jonovision said:

A Lovitz? Is that like some sort of sleeper cell situation where Toronto benefits from his terrible play for another team?

Lovitz has been decent for Montreal this year. We could and should upgrade over him and Duvall as well but both are decent backup/sometime starter types of players that you need to fill a team with. Neither are on big money and Lovitz was intended to be backup to Oyongo. He hasn't replaced Oyongo but has still been pretty good as a replacement since the Oyongo injury. If Oyongo is fit we need to sign another better level right back but all of Lovitz, Duvall and Camara could stay although Camara would need to take a significant pay cut.

[jonovision]

I was a bit unfair. Lovitz has done more or less what would have been expected of him. The Oyongo injury was a big factor in how the Impact's season has gone.

[BearcatSA]

2 hours ago, jonovision said:

I was a bit unfair. Lovitz has done more or less what would have been expected of him. The Oyongo injury was a big factor in how the Impact's season has gone.

I thought he had a strong match vs TFC. 

[Grizzly]

3 hours ago, jonovision said:

I was a bit unfair. Lovitz has done more or less what would have been expected of him. The Oyongo injury was a big factor in how the Impact's season has gone.

I think the Oyongo injury is over rated as the cause of the Impact's problems this year. Oyongo was better than Lovitz offensively but not defensively and the Impact's problem has been defending especially when we have a lead. And we had that same problem when Oyongo was playing. 

[TRM]

Congrats on winning the shield tonight. Hell of a way to do it with plenty of games to spare. 

[Gian-Luca]

11 hours ago, TRM said:

Congrats on winning the shield tonight. Hell of a way to do it with plenty of games to spare. 

Well two, in our case, although I think both NYC & Atlanta failing to win yesterday meant that a draw last night would have given it to us. But always better to celebrate with a win.

A little alarming though that TFC have given up 9 goals in the last three games including 7 at home, and only one of the opponents in question is a playoff team (and a 6th place team at that). Not going to go far in the playoffs with that kind of a defensive trend. Thought Vanney was too slow with the subs and Osorio should have come on much earlier when it was obvious TFC's central midfield trio were getting over-matched by NYRB in the 2nd half.

[Free kick]

I noticed that Vanney has always been slower than most coaches in making subs.  

Another interesting thing about yesterday, was that both Cheryou and Hagglund were on the bench.  Which means that the club is relatively healthy going into the playoffs.  That is, unless something happens in the last two games. With Cheryou back, this would be the time to give Bradley some rest.  

Ricketts is proving to be a very intrigal piece.  I was one of the sceptics in past years in regards to his place on the national team. Thinking that he was just about pace.   So, i have been a little slower in coming around to recognize his value.

But i have to recognize now that that pace creates a lot a scoring opportunities. He has been scoring lately and with a bit of luck and a little  better decision making he could have had two more yesterday.  He hit the post on one and on an other play he had an ideal chance to chip the ball over the keep but opted for another option. 

[Yohan]

12 hours ago, Free kick said:

I noticed that Vanney has always been slower than most coaches in making subs.  

Another interesting thing about yesterday, was that both Cheryou and Hagglund were on the bench.  Which means that the club is relatively healthy going into the playoffs.  That is, unless something happens in the last two games. With Cheryou back, this would be the time to give Bradley some rest.  

Ricketts is proving to be a very intrigal piece.  I was one of the sceptics in past years in regards to his place on the national team. Thinking that he was just about pace.   So, i have been a little slower in coming around to recognize his value.

But i have to recognize now that that pace creates a lot a scoring opportunities. He has been scoring lately and with a bit of luck and a little  better decision making he could have had two more yesterday.  He hit the post on one and on an other play he had an ideal chance to chip the ball over the keep but opted for another option. 

It's not just pace Ricketts is using well. He also makes really good runs to put himself in position to score. Mind you, still first touch of a donkey so often he screws himself out of a goal scoring chance, but his runs have been wonderful, and he opens up space for others near or inside the box. Impressed with his footy IQ

[Gian-Luca]

13 hours ago, Free kick said:

I noticed that Vanney has always been slower than most coaches in making subs.  

Another interesting thing about yesterday, was that both Cheryou and Hagglund were on the bench.  Which means that the club is relatively healthy going into the playoffs.  That is, unless something happens in the last two games.

Although Vazquez came off injured, and he is probably the top player we don't want to see injured as he is probably the most valuable. I mean that literally, in that he's the hardest to replace in terms of the passing skill set he brings.

[Free kick]

7 hours ago, Gian-Luca said:

Although Vazquez came off injured, and he is probably the top player we don't want to see injured as he is probably the most valuable. I mean that literally, in that he's the hardest to replace in terms of the passing skill set he brings.

The team looks definitely different when Vasquez is not in the lineup.  My point wasnt so much about making a case of who is more valuable to the team but rather of who is in greater need of rest.  Bradley has played in the same week and just after returning from world cup qualifying duty.  And, as far i know, he has never once been subbbed out all year.  Vasquez, Giovinco and Altidore have often been subbed out.

[Free kick]

8 hours ago, Yohan said:

Mind you, still first touch of a donkey so often he screws himself out of a goal scoring chance,

Thats the big one.  I suspect, that if his first touch was anywhere close to what he could do with his runs,  he would be too strong for MLS. 

I remember some past comparaisons to Dominic Oduru whereby the consensus seemed to be that Rickett’s was a poor man’s Oduru.  But having seen both in the league for a couple of years, i would say, its the other way around.  

[Yohan]

So, TFC is being presented the Supporters' Shield on 15 Oct. And IMFC gets to witness it. hehehe

[Free kick]

Another interesting tidbit about Ricketts.  His stats are virtually identical to Teal Bunbury  .  Anyone remember him?

The age difference between the two is only 3 years.