Noble Okello

[Kent]

11 hours ago, VinceA said:

Doyle for sure is a Canada stan. He LOOOVES Tajon Buchanon.

I'm going to assume "Canada stan" means "Canada fan". I thought this for a while too, he was always the only guy on that site that gave any attention to Canadians. He really liked Jay Chapman as well, probably Raheem Edwards but I don't quite remember. Then Canada beat the USA 2-0 and he lost his mind and was basically talking like "how can the USA lose to this garbage" and figured he just might be tasked with paying some lip service to the Canadian fans on the site.

[VinceA]

1 hour ago, Kent said:

I'm going to assume "Canada stan" means "Canada fan". I thought this for a while too, he was always the only guy on that site that gave any attention to Canadians. He really liked Jay Chapman as well, probably Raheem Edwards but I don't quite remember. Then Canada beat the USA 2-0 and he lost his mind and was basically talking like "how can the USA lose to this garbage" and figured he just might be tasked with paying some lip service to the Canadian fans on the site.

I remember that but I took away that he was unhappy with how Berhalter set up his team in that game and was more enraged that the US allowed Canada to dictate and win all the midfield battles.

Then the 4-1 happened and all was normal in the world. Herdman was hilariously outcoached in that one, just like how Berhalter was outcoached in the 2-0 win.

[DavemTFC]

I think he genuinely likes and wants the CanMNT to do well, but can't handle them being better than the US, even for just one game. Like he could imagine Canada being good enough to get to the WC but only if, at the same time, the USMNT becomes an actual champion contender. Which is a long way from happening.

I still think he's easily one of the most knowledgeable North American soccer reporters, but that game showed how quickly he'll turn on Canada if his own NT gets embarassed

[Corazon]

I know it was mentioned by someone in another thread but Patrick Mullins goal for TFC vs Nashville a few weeks ago has been rightfully awarded to Noble Okello for his 1st career MLS goal.

Edited July 5, 2021 by Corazon

[Corazon]

I thought Okello had a decent showing tonight.  I expect to see more of him for Toronto FC in the near future as it looks like Priso injury is worse than expected.  Even more worrying for us is that Osorio was substituted tonight and left with a very heavy limp.  He did leave on his own strength at least but let's not hope it's too serious.

[Gian-Luca]

The Osorio sub was part of a triple change so looked like it was pre planned - also he seemed limped to the bench, not the dressing room. I just hope the coach doesn’t say it is not a serious injury since every time they say a Canadian TFC player is not seriously injured (Akinola, Priso) it turns out that it is. 
 

Back to Okello, TFC were poorer once he was subbed out for Delgado 

[toontownman]

Man I hope he puts it together. He needs a consistent run of games to have the chance of doing that though. 

[longlugan]

I only watched the second half but I wasn't impressed with him. He reminded me of Russell Teibert without the hustle. Watching him run back for defensive cover I couldn't decide whether his top speed is that of a glacier or he couldn't be bothered. Bradley consistently ran faster and that's saying something. With his body type he should be moving much faster. Like I said though I only saw the second half...maybe he wore himself out in the first.

[Dominic94]

I think this was his first ever MLs start and his first full 90 ?

[Corazon]

12 minutes ago, Dominic94 said:

I think this was his first ever MLs start and his first full 90 ?

It was his 3rd MLS start I believe and it was only 77 minutes today.  Although he has only played more than 45 minutes in one game before tonight.

[ag futbol]

8 hours ago, longlugan said:

I only watched the second half but I wasn't impressed with him. He reminded me of Russell Teibert without the hustle. Watching him run back for defensive cover I couldn't decide whether his top speed is that of a glacier or he couldn't be bothered. Bradley consistently ran faster and that's saying something. With his body type he should be moving much faster. Like I said though I only saw the second half...maybe he wore himself out in the first.

He has moments of dazzling skill, where he just glides past people and covers a great amount of ground with the ball. But I’m not sure he knows what he wants to be to the team and the intensity needs to go up. Particularly in the defensive third. 
 

I would agree with your assessment. He was always in a position where he wasn’t quite in the play, either offensively or defensively. He has to interject himself and make a contribution.

[gator]

There are very few footballers who have looked like the finished product this early in their career with so few professional minutes, I'm going to hope he plays well enough to get some more minutes and at that point it will be clearer what level of a prospect he is or may become!

[Kadenge]

Just now, gator said:

There are very few footballers who have looked like the finished product this early in their career with so few professional minutes, I'm going to hope he plays well enough to get some more minutes and at that point it will be clearer what level of a prospect he is or may become!

This exactly. TFC need to find out what they have in this kid and give him a stretch of games. This is the season  to do it as TFC are dead last in MLS

[El Diego]

10 hours ago, longlugan said:

I only watched the second half but I wasn't impressed with him. He reminded me of Russell Teibert without the hustle. Watching him run back for defensive cover I couldn't decide whether his top speed is that of a glacier or he couldn't be bothered. Bradley consistently ran faster and that's saying something. With his body type he should be moving much faster. Like I said though I only saw the second half...maybe he wore himself out in the first.

I am not sold on Okello's intensity, but I think you're being a bit harsh here. I remember Barco being in full flight with the ball and Okello catching up and then matching him, making him turn back. Okello's strides are so long I think he looks slower than he actually is.

In any case, I thought he was just ok. He was playing as a central midfielder, not a 10, so he was clearly being safer than he was earlier in the season.

[TOcanadafan]

11 hours ago, toontownman said:

Man I hope he puts it together. He needs a consistent run of games to have the chance of doing that though. 

With Priso injured and TFC out of playoff contention Okello better get a run of games so they see if he can start to put things together - Bradley looks broken down and Delgado looks lost so I don’t care which one he supplants at this point.

[Ivan]

24 minutes ago, El Diego said:

I am not sold on Okello's intensity, but I think you're being a bit harsh here. I remember Barco being in full flight with the ball and Okello catching up and then matching him, making him turn back. Okello's strides are so long I think he looks slower than he actually is.

In any case, I thought he was just ok. He was playing as a central midfielder, not a 10, so he was clearly being safer than he was earlier in the season.

I agree with most of this, but pretty sure I know the play @longluganwas referring to because I was thinking the same thing myself! On the whole, I thought he played better than he usually does.  He upped the intensity somewhat which is a good sign.

[Kent]

I've got no complaints with how he played when he had the ball, but as others have said his work rate needs improvement, and a consequence of his poor work rate, his position is often bad as well.

Specific plays I am thinking about are one where he was about 10 yards from the sideline (maybe 40 yards up the field) and the TFC keeper got the ball. Okello raised his hand for a pass. He had a bit of space where he was, with opponents maybe 10 yards away from him in the front and in the back. But meanwhile there was a MASSIVE hole in the middle of the park. Make a little run into that space and it makes the pass MUCH easier for the keeper, and then he'd also have a lot more space once he gets the ball.

Another play, probably happened several times. There is a turnover and he jogs back at basically a walking pace. This despite there being a man just a couple meters in front of him that should obviously be his assignment. It's like he'd rather not run just in case the ball doesn't come there, instead of hustling a bit and making a difference.

[Obinna]

Very big player who doesn't use his size. Maybe the challenge is that he's never had to use it before. There aren't many 6'5 midfielders when you're 16, 17, etc. He would have fended off youth players with ease, so he never learned what it takes to muscle players off the ball perhaps?

That's my theory to explain his lack of physicality, which is very perplexing.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Obinna

[Kadenge]

1 minute ago, Obinna said:

Very big player who doesn't use his size. Maybe the challenge is that he's never had to use it before. There aren't many 6'5 midfielders when you're 16, 17, etc. He would have fended them off with ease in youth soccer, so he never learned how to muscle players off the ball perhaps? It's very perplexing, but that's my theory.

I would agree with your theory. Youth coaches probably told him to focus on his technical skill. When I look at the progression of Osorio over the years, he upped his work rate and intensity and became a more complete player, not just relying on his offensive abilities. Hoping that Okello can do the same

[El Hombre]

2 hours ago, TOcanadafan said:

With Priso injured and TFC out of playoff contention Okello better get a run of games so they see if he can start to put things together - Bradley looks broken down and Delgado looks lost so I don’t care which one he supplants at this point.

I'm hoping that last night was the start of managing Bradley's minutes and that's why Delgado sat.  Get Okello some time with a rested Bradley as a safety valve to get him acclimated so that Okello, Bradley and Delgado can regularly rotate in and out of those two CM spots for the rest of the season.

That's what I hope will happen, but I may just be being optimistic.

[El Diego]

24 minutes ago, Kadenge said:

I would agree with your theory. Youth coaches probably told him to focus on his technical skill. When I look at the progression of Osorio over the years, he upped his work rate and intensity and became a more complete player, not just relying on his offensive abilities. Hoping that Okello can do the same

We've seen it happen with the right manager -- Coutinho becoming an absolute bulldog under Brendan Rodgers always springs to mind for me. Hopeful that Okello can get the right coaching to up this part of his game, he is such a toolsy prospect.

Regarding Osorio, I remember when he turned into an absolute hound and effective presser about 4-5 years ago. I still wonder if it was a change in mentality, or a change in endurance that allowed him to press so intensely.

[Bison44]

Or maybe Osorio got the time and experience to help round out his game.  Okello still looked a little lost, a little hesitant to jump into plays.  Funny that he sort of played like a guy who hasnt had any minutes...hmmmm????  I know some guys (Priso) jump right in and look like they belong, but some take some time to get the confidence to fit in. Hopefully they invest the minutes and he'll continue to imporve.  

[Obinna]

10 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

Or maybe Osorio got the time and experience to help round out his game.  Okello still looked a little lost, a little hesitant to jump into plays.  Funny that he sort of played like a guy who hasnt had any minutes...hmmmm????  I know some guys (Priso) jump right in and look like they belong, but some take some time to get the confidence to fit in. Hopefully they invest the minutes and he'll continue to imporve.  

This is what we all want, but the reality is that it's up to him to take the jump, just as Osorio and Priso have done. He is very fortunate now that Toronto is dead last with virtually nothing to play for, plus Priso is out injured and Fraser is out on loan. If he can't stake a claim now you have to wonder when he ever will. At the very least I hope the minutes help him showcase himself to onlookers. From a TFC perspective, I hope he can play well enough to convince the club to build around him, like they will with Priso, and move on from Bradley and Delgado, who haven't been showering themselves with glory.

I would keep Bradley around, but transition him out little by little, but I would move Delgado and get assets for the club while he's in his prime. To do that, players like Okello need to show they are more effective than Delgado, or at least fill the gap.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Obinna

[Obinna]

59 minutes ago, El Diego said:

I still wonder if it was a change in mentality, or a change in endurance that allowed him to press so intensely.

I would say mentality. He was always a fit player. I think he's improved his fitness, but I think the driver there is mentality. You have to earnestly want to press and not simply go thru the motions. There's a difference.

[Ivan]

Just now, Obinna said:

I would say mentality. He was always a fit player. I think he's improved his fitness, but I think the driver there is mentality. You have to earnestly want to press and not simply go thru the motions. There's a difference.

He is also noticeably leaner (fitter) than he used to be.