TFC 2018

[CNMNTPERUELIGIBLE 75]

44 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

Two things - recently TFC seemed to have be playing better on the road than at home (going back to the end of the regular season - the Cup Final being the exception), and on top of that I think with the ideal style of play that they want to do with all this upgraded talent they are going to enjoy playing on the lush grass in Mexico rather than the current pitch at BMO, which will be further beat up by the time you get to Wednesday.

It's somewhat illogical, I know, but sometimes you get these intuitions (although I often find by talking about them and explaining them, I then proceed to get them wrong but if I shut up I get it right so maybe now I've jinxed myself and the team.......)

I hope not!!!!... Hahaha, lmfao

[Club Linesman 536]

Thanks for taking the time to reply.  Good point -  the new talent and our style will be better able to use the field and climate of Mexico.  

No jinxes here - they will win or lose based on what they do on the pitch.  Too bad we only have two "competitive" games under our belts but let's hope the weather throws our opponents for a bit of a loop in the first leg and we can show our true quality in leg 2.  Pumped about these games!

[Macksam 1,349]

I flipped it on the game against the Crew today and I don’t get it....Van Der Wiel? Is this a fourth DP? How the **** does this league’s roster rules work and why have a cap under $4,000,000 when you put so much obscure bull **** into the mix that can circumvent said cap?

Great message they’re sending to young Canadian and American kids, “look at the multi-million dollar contracts you can get in this league....but it’s not mean’t for any of you....even if you’re worth it”

Edited March 3, 2018 by Macksam

[dbailey62 263]

37 minutes ago, Macksam said:

I flipped it on the game against the Crew today and I don’t get it....Van Der Wiel? Is this a fourth DP? How the **** does this league’s roster rules work and why have a cap under $4,000,000 when you put so much obscure bull **** into the mix that can circumvent said cap?

Great message they’re sending to young Canadian and American kids, “look at the multi-million dollar contracts you can get in this league....but it’s not mean’t for any of you....even if you’re worth it”

He'd be fifth after Vazquez.

TAM = Targetted Allocation Money

It's for use on players above the cap but not marquis DP's. The league knows more money was needed to compete with Mexicans in the CCL so they give a certain amount of TAM to each team for new contracts plus have allowed each team to pay out $4 million over two years for the same purpose if the club wishes to spend that money. 

 

[Club Linesman 536]

Missing Auro right now.  Van de Wiel little rusty. 

[Macksam 1,349]

14 minutes ago, dbailey62 said:

He'd be fifth after Vazquez.

TAM = Targetted Allocation Money

It's for use on players above the cap but not marquis DP's. The league knows more money was needed to compete with Mexicans in the CCL so they give a certain amount of TAM to each team for new contracts plus have allowed each team to pay out $4 million over two years for the same purpose if the club wishes to spend that money. 

 

Ah, so just increase TAM every year until the whole starting eleven is making 7 figure contracts, which i have no issue with at all, but just let the clubs do that in the first place without creating these unnecessary loop holes. I mean, the low cap was suppose to keep parity, but they’re essentially doing away with adding all these extra things.

[Dub Narcotic 570]

Van der Wiel's been poor for years, it really didn't seem like a standard TFC signing in the Bezbachenko era.

[Bison44 3,337]

42 minutes ago, Macksam said:

Ah, so just increase TAM every year until the whole starting eleven is making 7 figure contracts, which i have no issue with at all, but just let the clubs do that in the first place without creating these unnecessary loop holes. I mean, the low cap was suppose to keep parity, but they’re essentially doing away with adding all these extra things.

They choose to do it that way instead of a large across the board cap increase.  That way the have nots can keep salary low, while the haves can use TAM to bring in the talent that is supposed to push the league forward...maybe get some success against mexico in the champions league. 

[Obinna 4,649]

11 minutes ago, Dub Narcotic said:

Van der Wiel's been poor for years, it really didn't seem like a standard TFC signing in the Bezbachenko era.

His poor is seemingly better than the MLS average, so there's that.

Columbus were outstanding today. Plain and simple.

TFC did not look confident for whatever reason.

The body language was a concern to me. 

Didn't quite seem to believe they could win this one.

[dbailey62 263]

6 minutes ago, Obinna said:

His poor is seemingly better than the MLS average, so there's that.

Columbus were outstanding today. Plain and simple.

TFC did not look confident for whatever reason.

The body language was a concern to me. 

Didn't quite seem to believe they could win this one.

Too many new guys still syncing in. 

 

[Bison44 3,337]

13 minutes ago, Dub Narcotic said:

Van der Wiel's been poor for years, it really didn't seem like a standard TFC signing in the Bezbachenko era.

Vasquez had 2 lackluster years with Cuz Azul before coming into MLS.  I'm sure Bez thinks that there is still some good MLS seasons left in Van der Wiel the same as he thought Vasquez could flourish after struggling in Liga MX. 

[dbailey62 263]

12 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

They choose to do it that way instead of a large across the board cap increase.  That way the have nots can keep salary low, while the haves can use TAM to bring in the talent that is supposed to push the league forward...maybe get some success against mexico in the champions league. 

Yes exactly. Parity = Mediocrity. Let's the rich spend!

[Obinna 4,649]

Just now, dbailey62 said:

Too many new guys still syncing in. 

 

Yup. Columbus looked way more settled a squad than TFC.

[mpg_29 1,253]

6 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

They choose to do it that way instead of a large across the board cap increase.  That way the have nots can keep salary low, while the haves can use TAM to bring in the talent that is supposed to push the league forward...maybe get some success against mexico in the champions league. 

I don't like it. I'd prefer the cap to be around $10 million than have this patchwork salary system. Toronto FC payroll is over $20M yet 80% of the players have to fit in $4M. Leads to a pretty unequal quality on the field.

[Obinna 4,649]

4 minutes ago, mpg_29 said:

I don't like it. I'd prefer the cap to be around $10 million than have this patchwork salary system. Toronto FC payroll is over $20M yet 80% of the players have to fit in $4M. Leads to a pretty unequal quality on the field.

I don't think that is untrue.

[BearcatSA 109]

That was a needed wake up call today in preparation for Tuesday's big match.  They'll need to get their midfield marking/defensive awareness sorted in the next couple of days' training because that really killed them today.

[dbailey62 263]

1 hour ago, BearcatSA said:

That was a needed wake up call today in preparation for Tuesday's big match.  They'll need to get their midfield marking/defensive awareness sorted in the next couple of days' training because that really killed them today.

Exactly but don't show up at BMO on Tuesday as the game is on Wednesday!

[BearcatSA 109]

1 hour ago, dbailey62 said:

Exactly but don't show up at BMO on Tuesday as the game is on Wednesday!

I missed watching the live game today because I thought it was Sunday!  I guess I have to get off that early season rust, too.

Edited March 4, 2018 by BearcatSA

[Free kick 13]

12 hours ago, Macksam said:

I flipped it on the game against the Crew today and I don’t get it....Van Der Wiel? Is this a fourth DP? How the **** does this league’s roster rules work and why have a cap under $4,000,000 when you put so much obscure bull **** into the mix that can circumvent said cap?

Great message they’re sending to young Canadian and American kids, “look at the multi-million dollar contracts you can get in this league....but it’s not mean’t for any of you....even if you’re worth it”

Way over the top.    Its the guy’s first game.  In a new league, in a new continent, in a new culture.  Considering all that, i saw enough to be moderately impressed. 

Does anyone remember Chris Mavinga’s first game last year?   It was a disaster.  And yet at the end of the year, the coaching staff were touting him as the best defender in MLS.  For what its worth,  Akexte had far rougher game.  

Edited March 4, 2018 by Free kick

[BearcatSA 109]

16 minutes ago, Free kick said:

Way over the top!  Sheez.  Its the guy’s first game for crying out load.  In a new league, in a new continent, in a new culture.  Considering all that, i saw enough to be moderately impressed. 

Does anyone remember Chris Mavinga’s first game last year?   It was a disaster.  And yet at the end of the year, the coaching staff were touting him as the best defender in MLS.  For what its worth,  Akexte had far rougher game.  

Van der Weil is going to do a good job, I think.  But they do need to figure out the right personnel mix and job duties for their starting mids in front of Bradley.

Edited March 4, 2018 by BearcatSA

[Free kick 13]

9 hours ago, Obinna said:

His poor is seemingly better than the MLS average, so there's that.

Columbus were outstanding today. Plain and simple.

TFC did not look confident for whatever reason.

The body language was a concern to me. 

Didn't quite seem to believe they could win this one.

Columbus definitely played well.  Especially, their back line.  There was a point in the game (from around the 25th minute up until the half) where we started to see the kind of passing and quick ball movement that we saw last year.  

But it seemed like the Crew (who are well coached) had great game plan and capitalized on central defensive (Zavaleta and Mavinga) pairing that never played together.  

From what i was hearing from people after the game:  What i fear about this year, is that expectation may have raised to an unrealistic level.  To the point where just because TFC loses, it means that everybody played ****.  Thats not true.  They are not going to go through the whole season with only five loses and only one loss at home.  They might not finish first in the conference like last year because there was no Concacaf play last year. 

[BearcatSA 109]

7 minutes ago, Free kick said:

But it seemed like the Crew (who are well coached) had great game plan and capitalized on central defensive (Zavaleta and Mavinga) pairing that never played together.

But the most dangerous players on the field were the guys providing the service to the forwards while facing little pressure from TFC's mids:  if you let guys like Higuaín, Pedro, and today Artur have the freedom of the pitch to make plays, the best possible TFC CB pairing would still have had a workout.

I agree about your point regarding the ratchetting up of expectations.

Edited March 4, 2018 by BearcatSA

[Bison44 3,337]

I have to agree with free kick. I had higher expectations.  There were only 2 new faces in that starting 11.  And they are both seasoned pros...plus we all heard about the wonderful mexico camp they had etc.  The press has basically got them already having a better season than last year.  But in front of the home crowd, getting the silverware before the game..I didnt expect a 2-0 loss.  Oh well, long season...I guess we'll see if Vanney is as good as they tell us he is.  He has as to get a lineup that clicks quickly or it will be a dissapointing CCL flame out.  

[dbailey62 263]

3 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

I have to agree with free kick. I had higher expectations.  There were only 2 new faces in that starting 11.  And they are both seasoned pros...plus we all heard about the wonderful mexico camp they had etc.  The press has basically got them already having a better season than last year.  But in front of the home crowd, getting the silverware before the game..I didnt expect a 2-0 loss.  Oh well, long season...I guess we'll see if Vanney is as good as they tell us he is.  He has as to get a lineup that clicks quickly or it will be a dissapointing CCL flame out.  

It's too bad the CCL isn't a month later. Another half-a-dozen games under our belt will make a world of difference!

[mpg_29 1,253]

7 hours ago, dbailey62 said:

It's too bad the CCL isn't a month later. Another half-a-dozen games under our belt will make a world of difference!

Also for the sake of the field...because I'm not sure starting this early at BMO can become the norm. 

Edit: Actually come to think of it this is going to be a problem for every pro Canadian team that isn't on the west coast in the future. How is the Canadian team in CCL supposed to play home games in late Feb/early march?...

Edited March 4, 2018 by mpg_29