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

[gator]

I'm not a big fan of Cooper and never happy about a player from a CONCACAF rival brought in to take a spot that a Canadian was getting some time at, he may however be a decent option at Right Wingback if he can hold up the defensive end of things! I don't think he has been all that good in the midfield and certainly would prefer Osorio or Chapman playing there!

[Keegan]

3 hours ago, Macksam said:

Ricketts making a case for a Gold Cup call up.

He's a guarantee to be called anytime he's available 

I don't think anyone in the history of the CMNT has won as many caps in a 6 year span 

[baulderdash77]

Ricketts is an automatic call up.  There's really no debating it.  He's a loyal veteran who's in form and in his prime.  

Against a CONCACAF minnow he may even get a brace.

 

[shermanator]

Ricketts doesn't have to make a case for anything. Other players need to make a case to displace him from any MNT roster.

[Club Linesman]

3 hours ago, gator said:

I'm not a big fan of Cooper and never happy about a player from a CONCACAF rival brought in to take a spot that a Canadian was getting some time at, he may however be a decent option at Right Wingback if he can hold up the defensive end of things! I don't think he has been all that good in the midfield and certainly would prefer Osorio or Chapman playing there!

When he arrived I thought he might give us some offensive spark but his decision making is absolutely horrible (yesterday tried to dribble from the end line and gave the ball up 10 yards from goal instead of blasting it out) and I was watching him walk back up the field in the last few minutes in a one goal game as Minnesota charged up the field.  Every other midfielder on the team would have busted a nut trying to get back, especially the Canadians - grit and all that.

[Macksam]

5 hours ago, BearcatSA said:

Armando Cooper:  where swift ball movement comes to die.  

It's like somebody told this asshole its a rule to make 3 unnecessary step overs before passing the ball off to another teammate.

[shamrock]

Vanney has really built a winning-machine here. These couple of weeks with midweek-games, weekend-games and barely anytime to rest players, he's done everything right. It looks like he doesn't just have 12 or 13 players in form, but 19 or 20.

Of course there will be times this year where not everything is going their way, but this bodes very well for the rest of the season. Very impressive. 

[rightback]

I like Will Johnson as a player but losing him for Vazquez was a big upgrade for the team in general. Also, when the likes of Cheyrou can't get on the field, you've got some serious depth. I hope TFC gets into the Concacaf Champions League to see how this team stacks against better competition. 

 

[Unnamed Trialist]

Agree that TFC has a lot of depth, and creativity not just up front. Plus tactical variations, they can play direct and physical, or direct and more finesse. Having Bradley and Vazquez pairing the only question is: why can't you control the game a bit more to avoid being scored on so (fairly) easily? 

[Keegan]

5 hours ago, shamrock said:

Vanney has really built a winning-machine here. These couple of weeks with midweek-games, weekend-games and barely anytime to rest players, he's done everything right. It looks like he doesn't just have 12 or 13 players in form, but 19 or 20.

Of course there will be times this year where not everything is going their way, but this bodes very well for the rest of the season. Very impressive. 

He's definitely managed a bit better than he did earlier in the season when he put Endoh at right wingback... 

Still, I have to question some of his decisions on Saturday.  Starting Hernandez who had food poisoning and Giovinco who was carrying a knock was an unnecessary risk and it put us down to 1 sub by half time.  Start Giovinco and take the risk sure but we had two players on the bench in Morrow and Zavaleta capable of playing centre back so why even bother with Hernandez?  I'm sure those two were fatigued but hardly as tired as a guy with food poisoning, come on.  We ended up playing with 10 and giving up the lead.  

That decision almost ended up costing us points and against a good team it probably would have.  

[Rheo]

Ouch, Seba out for 3 weeks and Hagglund for 8-12 weeks.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/tfcs-giovinco-3-weeks-hagglund-miss-8-12-weeks/

[Bison44]

Now Vanney will get a real test.  Its a long season with players in and out of form, missing with injuries and the gold cup coming up.  I dont think Vanney is some the whiz kid the media has been painting him lately.  

Good news is, now there is a few less options on the bench maybe this will give hot prospect, fan favorite and local boy Spencer a chance to get into the lineup.  We are all pulling for you!!  

[Ruffian]

29 minutes ago, Rheo said:

Ouch, Seba out for 3 weeks and Hagglund for 8-12 weeks.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/tfcs-giovinco-3-weeks-hagglund-miss-8-12-weeks/

Too bad there isn't a Canadian CB on the team that may have gotten a chance. 

 

1 hour ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Having Bradley and Vazquez pairing the only question is: why can't you control the game a bit more to avoid being scored on so (fairly) easily? 

They are tied for 3rd for least goals against while having played more games than teams with the least goals against. I think they have done a good job of avoiding being scored on.

[Gian-Luca]

1 hour ago, Bison44 said:

 

Good news is, now there is a few less options on the bench maybe this will give hot prospect, fan favorite and local boy Spencer a chance to get into the lineup.  We are all pulling for you!!  

I know you are joking here, but I actually worry that they will take this opportunity to give No-Goal Spencer an opportunity before they give it to Hamilton, even with Hamilton having made the bench a few times this year. I expect they will both start in the Voyageurs Cup matches coming up.

Hagglund's injury is unfortunate particularly when it was his own teammate who inadvertently injured him - but in addition to Moor coming back, I certainly liked the look of Mavinga a lot more the past couple of games than earlier in the season. With Morrow able to play on the left of a back three and the emergence of Edwards and the re-emergence of Morgan from injury, I could see Morrow playing in the back three a lot more over the upcoming matches.

If Osorio is also out for a while (depending on what the Doctor says), we might even see Camargo get a call up for some MLS games.

[Big_M]

Camargo spent the last two games on the bench in usl. No place for him in the first team

[Unnamed Trialist]

1 hour ago, Ruffian said:

They are tied for 3rd for least goals against while having played more games than teams with the least goals against. I think they have done a good job of avoiding being scored on.

Ok, I'm wrong. They just seemed vulnerable vs. Minnesota, don't know why. It was still end to end, they could have tied it, there was no control. But I suppose you are right about overall stats, that is important. 

Mind you, Minnesota plays this very open style which is killing them most of the time, they score a lot and receive a hell of a lot more. So I guess that infects rivals, including TFC.

[Free kick]

To some,  who follow TFC from a distance,  it may sound strange saying this. But the loss of Hagglund may be felt more than the absence of Giovinco.

[Ruffian]

19 minutes ago, Free kick said:

To some,  who follow TFC from a distance,  it may sound strange saying this. But the loss of Hagglund may be felt more than the absence of Giovinco.

Hagglund is important but I think as long as Zavaletta is there and Moore is back then they can put Morrow or Mavinga in Hagglund's spot and still have a decent back 3.

[dyslexic nam]

On 5/14/2017 at 0:01 PM, Macksam said:

Ricketts making a case for a Gold Cup call up.

Others have already rebutted this, and I may be missing some degree of implied sarcasm about the need to make a case, but I try to defend Ricketts whenever the opportunity arises.  He is tied as Canada's 5th all time scorer with 15 goals, and has played less games (55) than lots of the other guys on our top 10 list - plus he is the only active player is in that conversation.  He may not be everyone's idea of a complete footballer, but there is no way a goal-shy country like Canada leaves him home unless he is injured.  As far as I am concerned, even if Larin starts putting up some great numbers while wearing red, Ricketts is still an auto-call for every CMNT game/tourney in the forseeable future.  

[1996]

Was never a Ricketts fan but I'm converted now since he has joined TFC, he is really enjoying playing for TFC I think he said in an interview that's it's the happiest he has been since turning professional. He is not an everyday starter but I think Vanney just has the knack on knowing when to play him and how much, the MLS has really helped his career and definitely deserves a spot on the Gold Cup team, it's a no brainer.

[rightback]

13 hours ago, 1996 said:

Was never a Ricketts fan but I'm converted now since he has joined TFC, he is really enjoying playing for TFC I think he said in an interview that's it's the happiest he has been since turning professional. He is not an everyday starter but I think Vanney just has the knack on knowing when to play him and how much, the MLS has really helped his career and definitely deserves a spot on the Gold Cup team, it's a no brainer.

Agreed, I used to dread watching him play for Canada, but hard work and persistence have paid off and he's found the right level and place for his talents. A great story.

[shermanator]

Update on Osorio

 

[Shway]

With how common this whole heart thing has been coming up in recent times. ....I wonder how much players youth/amateur/professional who don't have access to the level of analysis/tools to diagnose these issues. 

 

 

[shermanator]

Looks like keeping Osorio out of the lineup for the last 10 days was more precautionary than anything. He could play tomorrow, although perhaps they'll give him a few more days off?

 

[Club Linesman]

With the three must start rule for the Canadian Championship - who do you think gets the nod tomorrow night and is it even possible that TFC might even start more than the minimum?  I would think Edwards, Ricketts and one of Osorio or Chapman.  Any chance Morgan sees the field?