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TFC 2021 Season


Big_M

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Zavaleta and Morrow were with the club at the first day of training yesterday. Doesn't seem like Altidore was (didn't spot him in the "First Day Back" video posted on the website), while Akinola was not there either. Armas did say in the presser that they were expecting Akinola to join soon though.

The only sign of Ciman in that video was a poster of him on the wall in the training facility.

TFC is apparently staying in Canada throughout the pre-season and might have a friendly with Montreal before the Forge match, whenever and wherever that will be played (no doubt it will be scheduled for the same day as the Olympic & WC qualifiers, which will probably mean TFC will have to forfeit for being unable to field 3 Canadian starters).

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3 hours ago, Gian-Luca said:

Zavaleta and Morrow were with the club at the first day of training yesterday. Doesn't seem like Altidore was (didn't spot him in the "First Day Back" video posted on the website), while Akinola was not there either. Armas did say in the presser that they were expecting Akinola to join soon though.

The only sign of Ciman in that video was a poster of him on the wall in the training facility.

TFC is apparently staying in Canada throughout the pre-season and might have a friendly with Montreal before the Forge match, whenever and wherever that will be played (no doubt it will be scheduled for the same day as the Olympic & WC qualifiers, which will probably mean TFC will have to forfeit for being unable to field 3 Canadian starters).

I think in G&M article today they said Altidore was doing his quarantine.

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29 minutes ago, toontownman said:

Disappointed to see zavaleta back. Thought this would be Dunn's year to break through. Hope he gets another CPL loan or otherwise rather than rotting, hoping to make the bench like Okello was.

Both Okello & Dunn need consistent minutes this year. They dont need to start but they are both at the stage of their development where playing time is crucial. Not sure where this leaves Fraser.  Its not often that teams sub in a CB though, unless they go with 3 at the back  so a loan is probably best for Dunn

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Worst case scenario I would hope Dunn jumps Zav to the #3 or 4 CB (depending if they bring in another CB).  And he gets 5-6 starts and some sub ins (if Armas keeps up Vanney rotation of the older CB out late in games).  Any minutes Okello get will come at Frasers expense.  I hate to say it but I am just hoping Nelsen and Priso get regular minutes if there is a youth movement this year.  DUnn, Okello, Perruza are all lower down on my list.  And If Shaffleburg and Fraser arent in the plans they should both be moved out.  No sense stockpiling these kids if you dont have any room for them.  

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5 hours ago, Bison44 said:

Worst case scenario I would hope Dunn jumps Zav to the #3 or 4 CB (depending if they bring in another CB).  And he gets 5-6 starts and some sub ins (if Armas keeps up Vanney rotation of the older CB out late in games).  Any minutes Okello get will come at Frasers expense.  I hate to say it but I am just hoping Nelsen and Priso get regular minutes if there is a youth movement this year.  DUnn, Okello, Perruza are all lower down on my list.  And If Shaffleburg and Fraser arent in the plans they should both be moved out.  No sense stockpiling these kids if you dont have any room for them.  

Well Armas was hired with the directive to play the kids, the reality is that it was always going to be hard to move out Jozy. They may also want to evaluate the roster, Atleast, Armas will want to see what he has and what is needed. He needs to figure out who fits where and who doesn’t, so I do understand the lack of activity.

TFC have to realize they’re sitting on a goal mine talent wise and can really make big money selling players if they start paying their kids, the reality is the GTA area should easily be able to match the rate of production of 90% of mls teams. But will they ? 

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4 hours ago, Gian-Luca said:

Bill Manning says that TFC will start the MLS season in Florida, becoming the third Toronto sports team to relocate there, at least temporarily. Maybe we should just relocate the whole city down there, might make things easier and allow for quicker vaccinations. 

Maybe the entire TFC roster gets its two vaccinations and can then move freely across the border.

At least that would solve the long term bubble requirement for vaccinated players.

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  • 2 weeks later...
8 hours ago, An Observer said:

In the article it says to have him playing farther up the pitch which could mean they put a Fraser or Okello in front of the defense and have Bradley and Osorio farther up the pitch?

Does Bradley have the legs to execute a high press that I am reading Armas wants TFC to play? Although I am not a big fan of Delgado would he not be better suited for that role? 

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Putting him higher up the pitch might make sense if they don't ask him to cover more ground - it was the latter comment in the video that had my eyebrows raised. They might be preferring Osorio & Delgado as a double-pivot in front of the back four (which was how they were deployed when TFC were at their most successful last year - but that was with Bradley out of the line-up altogether).

I wonder if they might have Fraser pegged for CB cover because Armas said they were trying out different options for cover there, and its tough to see how he and Okello and Priso will all fit in central midfield with the three veterans mentioned above all listed there (except when injuries & cards come into play).

The solution for me is to not start Bradley, let him and his ego come off the bench defensive cover in midfield to shore things up when needed. TFC had probably the best record in the league last year if you took the games that Bradley didn't play away - when he was in the line-up I think they were around a .500 club or even less. I don't think this merely a coincidence. Right now he and Altidore spearheading a "pressing" style sounds like a recipe for a lack of success.

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25 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

Putting him higher up the pitch might make sense if they don't ask him to cover more ground - it was the latter comment in the video that had my eyebrows raised. They might be preferring Osorio & Delgado as a double-pivot in front of the back four (which was how they were deployed when TFC were at their most successful last year - but that was with Bradley out of the line-up altogether).

I wonder if they might have Fraser pegged for CB cover because Armas said they were trying out different options for cover there, and its tough to see how he and Okello and Priso will all fit in central midfield with the three veterans mentioned above all listed there (except when injuries & cards come into play).

The solution for me is to not start Bradley, let him and his ego come off the bench defensive cover in midfield to shore things up when needed. TFC had probably the best record in the league last year if you took the games that Bradley didn't play away - when he was in the line-up I think they were around a .500 club or even less. I don't think this merely a coincidence. Right now he and Altidore spearheading a "pressing" style sounds like a recipe for a lack of success.

In the last year or so, I've been thinking Okello would make a good centreback if he has the mind for it.  Definitely has the build and mobility.  On Bradley, I agree with you, but I don't think they would put him out to pasture yet especially with the money he is making.  I wonder if Armas will have the stones to sit Bradley (and Altidore) if they can't play his brand of football.

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12 minutes ago, Ivan said:

In the last year or so, I've been thinking Okello would make a good centreback if he has the mind for it.  Definitely has the build and mobility.  On Bradley, I agree with you, but I don't think they would put him out to pasture yet especially with the money he is making.  I wonder if Armas will have the stones to sit Bradley (and Altidore) if they can't play his brand of football.

I think it had more to do with Pablo Piatti being out than Bradley being in the lineup. 

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yeah red bulls played a high press high line style..could work very well but could also be very risky specially with slow guys at the back like gonzalez..and its not the most disciplined players at the back so could be mistakes in holding the line and that could be very costly..bradley was great when he played in more offensive positions so that is an interesting idea

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2 hours ago, narduch said:

Lol Gallardo. 

TFC's off season is a bit of a running joke at this point. 

Come on be fair, they made an exciting splashy hire on a manager, and made big resignings....Zavs and 33 year old Morrow. Oh wait, they'll prob sign a couple of draft picks and release academy kids to make room for them.  YAYYY!!!!   This and the way the CDN championship is being dealt with just makes me more and more excited for the season to start.  The CPL season that is..........

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23 hours ago, Bison44 said:

Come on be fair, they made an exciting splashy hire on a manager, and made big resignings....Zavs and 33 year old Morrow. Oh wait, they'll prob sign a couple of draft picks and release academy kids to make room for them.  YAYYY!!!!   This and the way the CDN championship is being dealt with just makes me more and more excited for the season to start.  The CPL season that is..........

Let’s relax a bit to be fair there is still a pandemic hovering around, if you look closely not many teams have signed any real impact players. But I don’t get if they sign non Canadian players this board starts crying that Canadian players will not get much of a look, this year with hardly any signings doesn’t it give a better chance for Canadian players to get more playing time ? I would think yes.  Moreover, Armas is a coach who has a history of giving young players a chance so it’s actually shaping out to be an interesting season .

Edited by SoccMan
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@Beezersun
· 7m
I asked #TFCLive GM Ali Curtis about reports that the Reds may be after Colombian striker Rafael Santos Borré. "Borre is a talented player" Curtis said, declining to add anything more to that. He certainly did not dismiss the reports out of hand #MLS MLS notebook upcoming
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