TFC 2021 Season

[Free kick]

8 minutes ago, Metro said:

Actually, I see it differently.  While he has struggled with Toronto this year, with Canada, he's played more like he did last year for the club.  I presume it has something to do with the subpar coaching that has been taking place in Toronto this year. 

He has indeed played well for Canada.  I am not disputing that. 
my point was that, for TFC, he has looked good to ordinary.  But last year he was an MLS best 11.  And his play reflected that.   So the point i am making in the bigger picture is that Its not just the american players who are having an off year for TFC,  its the whole team of veterans.  Including veteran canadians and the internationals like Pozuelo.  

Edited August 19, 2021 by Free kick

[Gian-Luca]

I don’t think Laryea is having an off year individually, I think he is being asked to do too much because so many other players are having off years. By playing striker last night he has now played pretty much every position on the field barring keeper, d-mid and CB. Maybe they will try him in those positions too before the season is over the way things are going

Edited August 19, 2021 by Gian-Luca

[Mikmacdo]

The whole team looks like shit. Soteldo was elite in brazil last year, Poz is looking way worse this year and the same goes for Richie. ITs hard to look good on a team thats in the basement. 

[Free kick]

I am also not yet convinced that Soteldo is an upgrade from Piatti.

Recall,  Piatti was on TAM contract and by the sounds of it he wanted more money.   They went with Soteldo and used a DP slot for him.   Sure he is flashy,  but has he been more dangerous or effective than Piatti?   Personally,  I dont see it.  

[narduch]

Didn't see it posted.

On the broadcast they mentioned Mavinga was missing due to 'personal reasons'. I wonder if he is transfering out.

And Jozy needs surgery and is likely done for the year.

[El Hombre]

27 minutes ago, narduch said:

Didn't see it posted.

On the broadcast they mentioned Mavinga was missing due to 'personal reasons'. I wonder if he is transfering out.

And Jozy needs surgery and is likely done for the year.

Mavinga's daughter was in the hospital.  He'll be back for the next game.

2 hours ago, Free kick said:

He has indeed played well for Canada.  I am not disputing that. 
my point was that, for TFC, he has looked good to ordinary.  But last year he was an MLS best 11.  And his play reflected that.   So the point i am making in the bigger picture is that Its not just the american players who are having an off year for TFC,  its the whole team of veterans.  Including veteran canadians and the internationals like Pozuelo.  

I think the difference is that Laryea is being asked to play on the wing more.  All last year, he was playing RB or LB.  He was able to effectively overlap and run at defences.  If you move him up to wing, a lot of that attack is lost and opposing defences can key in on him.  He's strongest when he plays on the backline and has more space to run at the opposition.  I think that is why you are seeing a difference in his performances this year as compared to last year.

[Mikmacdo]

1 hour ago, Free kick said:

I am also not yet convinced that Soteldo is an upgrade from Piatti.

Recall,  Piatti was on TAM contract and by the sounds of it he wanted more money.   They went with Soteldo and used a DP slot for him.   Sure he is flashy,  but has he been more dangerous or effective than Piatti?   Personally,  I dont see it.  

pablo is injury prone and on the wrong side of 30. he also had ayo up top for most of the season and a better team/coach. soteldo looked great when ayo was healthy. 

[Free kick]

17 minutes ago, El Hombre said:

 

I think the difference is that Laryea is being asked to play on the wing more.  All last year, he was playing RB or LB.  He was able to effectively overlap and run at defences.  If you move him up to wing, 

Yes,  this is very true.  I had observed that earlier in the year and it was one of things i didnt like about Armas‘s tactics.   Laryea is defeinitely more dangerous playing RB or LB.  

[Free kick]

13 minutes ago, Mikmacdo said:

pablo is injury prone and on the wrong side of 30. he also had ayo up top for most of the season and a better team/coach. soteldo looked great when ayo was healthy. 

Piatti was a good ball striker who was the only guy who could threatend to score from outside the box.  And defenders had to respect that so that would open opportunities and create gaps that the forwards could exploit. I thought he (Piatti) was brought in because that was something lacking the prior year.  Now that he is gone, that problem has returned.  

Edited August 19, 2021 by Free kick

[nfitz]

On 8/17/2021 at 11:08 PM, Gian-Luca said:

They have and can sign foreign players to TFC2 or American NCAA draft picks. I think Ruffian's point that since Ontario (and the GTA especially) is such a huge hotbed for producing soccer talent, how have TFC not been able to produce a single Canadian keeper that has played significant 1st team in 15 years of being able to draw into that talent pool, particularly as they have the ability to do so with their academy for much of that time. It is a head scratcher, and while I can possibly put drafting Peter-Griffin Donkey ahead of Dayne St. Clair down to the team being run by Americans who over-value American talent, I'm not sure I can explain TFC's inability to develop a keeper out of the rich GTA pool that way. It suggests that there is something wrong with TFC's keeper development.

Is it a developmental issue in Ontario? Are we seeing Ontario keepers playing elsewhere in major leagues?

[canuckgbp]

I am not sure if Omar should be allowed on the field anymore. Big pylon. On $1,055,936.00 btw. 

[Bison44]

27 minutes ago, canuckgbp said:

I am not sure if Omar should be allowed on the field anymore. Big pylon. On $1,055,936.00 btw. 

Bad attitude...not much heart shown in the first half......and Mavinga has been gone for several games for personal reasons???  What the heck in going on there??  

[canuckgbp]

1 minute ago, Bison44 said:

Bad attitude...not much heart shown in the first half......and Mavinga has been gone for several games for personal reasons???  What the heck in going on there??  

His daughter had a seizure so he has been at the hospital and such. 

[El Hombre]

If TFC see something in Singh, they need to send him somewhere to get games.  Not ready for MLS.

[canuckgbp]

Strange that Julian Dunn can't get a look. Singh isn't ready, but many of the veterans have fallen off a cliff, so why trot them out? Rocco Romeo looks good in the CPL on loan, so is he behind Singh? Seems like there is no developmental strategy here. 

[OhCanadaOhBaby]

Can some explain why the boot in the face wasn’t a red card? Genuinely I thought a reckless dangerous high boot was a red but I guess that is not always the case? 
 

Apart from that, this is so painful to watch. Feel for Singh because tonight wasn’t his night but he had also sorts of trouble. The midfield also as a whole looked so discombobulated. It’s like they had never played together. Really hard time connecting passes and on top of that Miami has been really solid getting back with numbers to defend, meanwhile TFC defenders are giving up after losing possession with their numerous loose touches. 

 

[El Hombre]

7 minutes ago, canuckgbp said:

Strange that Julian Dunn can't get a look. Singh isn't ready, but many of the veterans have fallen off a cliff, so why trot them out? Rocco Romeo looks good in the CPL on loan, so is he behind Singh? Seems like there is no developmental strategy here. 

Completely agree.  Singh has had some chances this season and hasn't really blown the doors off.  Now you know and now you can see what Dunn is made of.

[canuckgbp]

I am not a capologist... however

Bono -$482,000

Westburg -$ 289,000

Silva - $67,000

$838,000 on 3 keepers... no Canadians in the pipeline. Does this make any sense? 

[El Hombre]

Longer term, this is what I think TFC needs:

1 - Solid leadership at CB to partner with Mavinga.  They need a gamer there.  Someone that can run the back line and bring along younger players.  Someone like CFM Camacho, but who isn't a turnover machine.  Let him play with Mavinga but bring also mentor the younger replacements (Dunn, Singh, Romeo).

2 - Veteran box-to-box CM.  Someone to replace Bradley who is no longer an everyday starter.  I think you can pair someone like this with Okello or Priso.

3 - Striker.  Yes, injuries have hurt but Altidore is not a solution going forward, haven't seen much from Achara that shows he can lead the line and not completely sold on Akinola.  Perruzza not ready to feature yet.

The spine of this team is past its prime and needs to be addressed.  Bringing in Soteldo and Lawrence didn't really ever address the real needs of this team.

[baulderdash77]

24 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

Bad attitude...not much heart shown in the first half......and Mavinga has been gone for several games for personal reasons???  What the heck in going on there??  

Mavinga’s daughter almost died this week and is in Sick Kids.

[El Hombre]

Also, not sold on Soteldo.  Not a fan.

[baulderdash77]

I think Soteldo consistently overdribbles by a few seconds.  He brings the ball up a lot but then it kinda dies on the wing.

That being said he’s often like the only guy brining it up.

TFC are a mess this year.  They need a major overhaul.  Upgrades at CB, Striker and a replacement for Delgado and Bradley are really needed.  Priso or Okello could fill one of those roles but another is necessary.

When you need upgrades at CM, CB and Striker the spine of the team just looks weak.

[dyslexic nam]

I just watched (some of) the game on PVR.  Holy shit they look terrible.  Singh was just plain bad, but Gonzalez was no better.   He was just as responsible as Singh for that display IMO.  The amount of money being spent on his contract is absolutely crazy given what they are getting back from him.  I don’t know who makes the decisions about contracts etc but they should be held accountable.  I understand that many of these guys were the same ones that were so competitive a couple of years ago but in 2021 this team is just not built to win.  In fairness, injuries have had a big impact on available personnel but the folks on the field just are not good enough - and it’s not even close.  

[rkomar]

The team looked pretty bad in that last game, but I thought they were pretty good in their previous two losses.  They didn't look like the last place team in the league in those games.  I don't think the majority of players have suddenly forgotten how to play or aged out of form since the end of last season.  They just look messed up mentally.

[Metro]

14 hours ago, baulderdash77 said:

I think Soteldo consistently overdribbles by a few seconds.  He brings the ball up a lot but then it kinda dies on the wing.

That being said he’s often like the only guy brining it up.

 

I'm having an endless debate with a friend of mine where I DO believe he is capable of playing at a DP level but the lack of support from his teammates is really killing his game. 

One example was last night in the first half when he was able to create space for himself at the top corner of the box but when he looked up to see who was making the run, all his teammates were staring back at him, marked and motionless.  For me, that's just poor preparation from the coaching staff.