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TFC USA
05-01-2010, 10:26 PM
We lost 2-1. Dero scored late on a PK as a 2nd half sub.

Didn't expect a win coming in and never really recovered from the 2-0 halftime deficit.

Chicago Fire are next in the league and we're at home again.

Mo still needs to go but Preki should be given a break.

marquis
05-01-2010, 10:39 PM
We were really lucky to get this close in the game - the PK was debatable and to any of our 2-3 chances RSL had 3 of their own. The game could've ended easily 5-1 or 6-2. RSL showed they can play, we just showed our usual painful to watch attempts to connect more than 2 passes together...

Belfast_Boy
05-01-2010, 11:12 PM
"It wasn't really a good effort by our group in the first half,"
"For the next game we need to come to work from the first minute. A lot of guys had played a lot of minutes and we were hoping to give some guys a rest and keep it tight, but unfortuntely we gave up the goals and that gave us a mountain to climb."

Preki's words. he fucked up. please don't do it again!

ManUtd4ever
05-01-2010, 11:14 PM
I missed the game tonight because I was at a buddy's wedding. It's shame to hear that DeRo and JDG didn't come in until we were down 2-0 in the 2nd half. I guess Preki took the NCC match more seriously than tonight's match. Hindsight is 20/20 but I don't understand why Preki didn't start DeRo and JDG to give us a fighting chance to start the match and sub for them in the 2nd half...

denime
05-01-2010, 11:23 PM
Preki gambled tonight and lost.
At least he had the balls to try something unorthodox,unfortunately defense left him hanging, not midfield or striker in the first half.

We have 7 games in next 4 weeks we better get prepared for lineups like this in the near future.

Red CB Toronto
05-01-2010, 11:27 PM
While I understand what Preki was thinking behind his first half lineup, it seems to be it really put the Reds behind the eight ball right out of the gate, playing a defensive game is not the best way to go for TFC as the Reds need to score and without DeRo on the pitch that is most likely not going to happen.

The teams needs to be proactive when it comes to running their game on the pitch, but what do you expect when you consider this was their third game in six days. I see a chance for a win come Saturday against the Fire.

mmmikey
05-01-2010, 11:32 PM
this team is too shallow talent wise to field the lineup preki did. especially in the first half, we looked like the D2 side. i can understand wanting to give some of the better players a break, but i really feel that resting JDG AND DeRo AND OBW was a little much for this lineup to handle.

credit to RSL for putting in a good performance tho.

btw.. anyone else notice how poor our team is at receiving a goal kick? it seems to usually guarantee a loss of possession lately

Jeff s
05-01-2010, 11:34 PM
We are the most boring team to watch. Slow paced, barely create any chances.

Another season relying on home games it seems...

Shakes McQueen
05-01-2010, 11:35 PM
I missed the game tonight because I was at a buddy's wedding. It's shame to hear that DeRo and JDG didn't come in until we were down 2-0 in the 2nd half. I guess Preki took the NCC match more seriously than tonight's match. Hindsight is 20/20 but I don't understand why Preki didn't start DeRo and JDG to give us a fighting chance to start the match and sub for them in the 2nd half...

He thought, and reasonably so I might add, that he could play a heavily defensive style of game, and rest our key players until at least the second half. DeRo looked gassed in his limited time on the pitch, so he clearly needed the rest.

He didn't count on us gifting them a goal early in the game, and then looking absolutely flat afterward - until it was too late.

I still don't think Preki made a mistake in sitting JDG and DeRo. It they needed the rest, then they needed the rest. This is a 30 game season, and I'd much rather have a healthy DeRo for most of those games, than have him strain something, or run himself into the ground. Preki wouldn't sit him for the fun of it.

Tough result, but it was on the road, and capped off a week in which we had two big wins already. I'm going to try and see the forest for the trees on this one, and simply hope they bounce back next Saturday.

- Scott

TFC USA
05-01-2010, 11:39 PM
Sounders 1 KKKrew 1

The Sounders play sexy football but can't score for shit.

dupont
05-01-2010, 11:46 PM
Just to make it clear... when Dero and De Guzman were on the pitch the score line was 1-0 TFC.. I can understand resting one of them, but both? It just seemed idiotic.

Blizzard
05-01-2010, 11:48 PM
Preki gambled tonight and lost.
At least he had the balls to try something unorthodox,unfortunately defense left him hanging, not midfield or striker in the first half.

We have 7 games in next 4 weeks we better get prepared for lineups like this in the near future.

Exactly. Preki is going to have to try and be as clever as possible to manage this line-up especially with Hardin out and presumably Gomez the same. We have some depth but not a lot.

Considering this was game 3 in 7 days and we were playing at 1400 metres, something had to give.

nascarguy
05-01-2010, 11:48 PM
they played the same in SC. vs rsl

LesH
05-01-2010, 11:54 PM
Originally posted by LesH: (in the pre-game thread)>

Sometimes the ice needs to be broken and TFC needs to get the first point or points on the road this season, right?

Will it be tonight, the next away game or the third away game? :flare::drum:
Well, I guess we'll need to wait till the 5th away game of the season... or the 6th.....
or...errrr...till next year maybe?

nascarguy
05-01-2010, 11:59 PM
it's week 6 and we only got 6 points! this is bull shit!!

GuelphStorm2007
05-02-2010, 12:00 AM
This was your typical Away game, They were slow cautious, and always rely on the long ball.

twistedchinaman
05-02-2010, 12:01 AM
For Preki to actually succeed with what we THINK he was attempting to do, yes we need to address some of those needs that we had cried so long for.

A true backline general.

A pure goalscoring striker.

If we can get that, this wouldn't be a risk...I still hold out a hope for a road win sometime this season (since we are going to need a few), but this isn't going to work.

AL-MO
05-02-2010, 12:05 AM
Meh. Pretty much exactly as I expected.

MUFC_Niagara
05-02-2010, 12:06 AM
it's week 6 and we only got 6 points! this is bull shit!!

We are also only 6 pts out of 1st place. I love the mediocrity that is MLS....the only league in the world where you can take 6 points from a possible 18 and still be in whith a shout!

ginkster88
05-02-2010, 12:14 AM
We are also only 6 pts out of 1st place. I love the mediocrity that is MLS....the only league in the world where you can take 6 points from a possible 18 and still be in whith a shout!

I believe "parity" is the word you're looking for.

twistedchinaman
05-02-2010, 12:19 AM
We are also only 6 pts out of 1st place. I love the mediocrity that is MLS....the only league in the world where you can take 6 points from a possible 18 and still be in whith a shout!

I'd prefer it than an oligarchy of a small number of teams always hogging the top *coughlaligacough*...or at least an oligarchy that changes on a frequent basis.


I believe "parity" is the word you're looking for.

Yep.

MUFC_Niagara
05-02-2010, 12:38 AM
I believe "parity" is the word you're looking for.

Parity breeds mediocrity....I meant what I said because the whole league is, well.....mediocre!

LesH
05-02-2010, 12:40 AM
If we can get that, this wouldn't be a risk...I still hold out a hope for a road win sometime this season (since we are going to need a few), but this isn't going to work.

We'll need minimum 8 points on the road to have any chance for playoffs, because WE WILL drop at least 8 points at home this season.

That's 1 win and 5 draws or 2 wins and 2 draws.
Playing like we are since the beginning of the season, these 8 points will be impossible to get!

ginkster88
05-02-2010, 12:46 AM
TFC will make the playoffs this year, for better or worse. I'd love to see the team do well, but the organization needs a front office overhaul as we all know. Watching Seattle tonight makes me long to have a front office like theirs back in 2007.

LesH
05-02-2010, 12:55 AM
Oh, I forget to add this:

@Preki:
Never ever say anymore in interviews (as you've done it many times in the past weeks!) that TFC always enters the games to go for a win. They are not!

Shakes McQueen
05-02-2010, 01:06 AM
Parity breeds mediocrity....I meant what I said because the whole league is, well.....mediocre!

Of course the entire league is mediocre. It isn't a world class league. That doesn't really speak to the idea of parity.

The NHL and NFL also enforce the idea of parity, yet they also still have really good and really bad teams. Parity just ensures that the really good teams won't have a strangehold on the top of the league until the end of time, and the teams at the bottom have an equitable chance to become a really good team, without bankrupting themselves. They just have to draft smart, and have an eye for trades.

- Scott

Dub Narcotic
05-02-2010, 01:08 AM
Seeing, RSL., Col and Seattle play today, we are by far the worst of those teams at this point.

DangerRed
05-02-2010, 01:23 AM
Again, was expecting a loss tonight, so I'm not choked. And whoever said this is another year of relying on home games, he's right -- this is, and always will be. We'll pull out a win or two on the road, but this season will fundamentally come down to how well we can do at home.

This was a road game at elevation at the busiest time in our schedule. It's a loss, and that's shitty, but we've got to shake it off. And we will.

Bars92
05-02-2010, 01:48 AM
I can't even watch road games anymore. Its like two different teams. Nevermind this years lineup is nothing like last years. When was the last time we even got a point on the road? Anybody know?

J .
05-02-2010, 01:59 AM
Lack of creativity in the first half and hold possession cost the game. I cant believe one of DeRo or JDG didnt start.

Gargan, Saric, Nane and Sangyang cant pass and LaBrocca is very average to say the best. Without DeRo or JDG there was no technical presence.

Yohan
05-02-2010, 02:33 AM
lol. wasn't saric suppose to be guevara's replacement in creatively department? instead, we end up with another DM

Dub Narcotic
05-02-2010, 03:26 AM
LaBrocca needs to step it up. After watching both goals on MLSsoccer.com, Frei had a terrible game, both goals were partly his fault.

DoubleUp
05-02-2010, 04:17 AM
we still need that speedy/skillfull attacking mid:michael:

Pookie
05-02-2010, 07:08 AM
He thought, and reasonably so I might add, that he could play a heavily defensive style of game, and rest our key players until at least the second half. DeRo looked gassed in his limited time on the pitch, so he clearly needed the rest.

He didn't count on us gifting them a goal early in the game, and then looking absolutely flat afterward - until it was too late.

I still don't think Preki made a mistake in sitting JDG and DeRo. It they needed the rest, then they needed the rest. This is a 30 game season, and I'd much rather have a healthy DeRo for most of those games, than have him strain something, or run himself into the ground. Preki wouldn't sit him for the fun of it.

Tough result, but it was on the road, and capped off a week in which we had two big wins already. I'm going to try and see the forest for the trees on this one, and simply hope they bounce back next Saturday.

- Scott

I'd agree with this. Many are professing that we can't play a defensive style of game and while we did go down 2-0, the players we've got this year aren't the ones that blew leads over and over. It was worth a try and if anything will be something to learn from when we need this style again.

Despite the result, the gamble almost paid off. Nane's header in the first half was beautiful. If we convert there, it's a new game. Combine that with OBW's crossbar in the 2nd, and surprisingly, the match was closer than it looked.

felipe
05-02-2010, 07:17 AM
Attakora was turned more times than a rotisserie chicken - I have never seen a professional defender turn his back to the ball more than he did.

If JDG's job was to come on - give away the ball, commit silly challenges, and look disinterested until the DeRo goal - then mission accomplished.

LaBrocca was outstanding, Saric had some of his nicest touches of the season, he's starting to look like a real find.

OBW had a good game, DeRo was awesome as always

Barrett did OK, can't really complain about Usanov or Hscanovics either

Frei was culpable on second goal

Cann is slowly being betrayed by his real lack of pace

I didn't think they were that bad - in all

Oldtimer
05-02-2010, 07:40 AM
Preki's gamble could have paid off for at least a draw if we had decent depth in the Midfield to stabilize things, however we don't have the salary cap space to pay for one.

Or do we? We're paying for Robbo to help NY be in first place, while we could have used him on Saturday. Thank-you Mr. Mo.

bgnewf
05-02-2010, 08:26 AM
http://viewfromthesouthstands.com/

Preki got it wrong. It would be worth trying this approach if we had a better club. At this point we cannot afford to leave our best two players on the bench.

Video Blog up on the site. Comments always welcome.

Beach_Red
05-02-2010, 08:28 AM
Parity breeds mediocrity....I meant what I said because the whole league is, well.....mediocre!

Right now it looks like NY and LA are running away with it.

If it keeps going like this we'll find out if it's true that a league needs "premiere" teams in the big markets to be successful.

canadian_bhoy
05-02-2010, 08:33 AM
What a snooze fest. The game played out like it was in slow motion - no wonder there was nobody there.
Do you think anyone in Salt Lake City realizes that their fan base sucks partially to having the stupidest name in the world?

I can only think of one real scoring chance we had - other than that, we were predictable, slow and not very exciting.

TFC? More like TFzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Mak
05-02-2010, 08:40 AM
We are the most boring team to watch. Slow paced, barely create any chances.

Another season relying on home games it seems...
I am an avid TFC supporter. HAven't missed a home game since inception. But we are the shittiest MLS team to watch. This is the worst TFC team in 4 years. We look like a bunch of beer league players. Give away the ball cheaply. Can't string 3 passes together. Stand on our heels. No movement away from the ball to create space. Etc. We cut our best quality midfielder in Guevera, because Preki didn't like him. Robbo had a bad season last year, filled with injuries. Again Preki cut him because he didn't like him. Now we have an overpriced DP, which we could have paid 3 quality players with that money which would have been better served. Mo has figured out in 4 years that we have a poor back line.

nascarguy
05-02-2010, 08:41 AM
LaBrocca needs to step it up. After watching both goals on MLSsoccer.com, Frei had a terrible game, both goals were partly his fault.
it was the d's fault frei not superman that we all think he is

ArmenJBX
05-02-2010, 08:42 AM
Right now, I really want Dejan Jakovic, Will Johnson and Raul. That would just make this team! :D

Mak
05-02-2010, 08:48 AM
lol. wasn't saric suppose to be guevara's replacement in creatively department? instead, we end up with another DM
Like fuck. Guevera was our best ever midfielder. JDG can't string passes like him, nor come close to scoring free kicks like him!

Mak
05-02-2010, 09:00 AM
I'd agree with this. Many are professing that we can't play a defensive style of game and while we did go down 2-0, the players we've got this year aren't the ones that blew leads over and over. It was worth a try and if anything will be something to learn from when we need this style again.

Despite the result, the gamble almost paid off. Nane's header in the first half was beautiful. If we convert there, it's a new game. Combine that with OBW's crossbar in the 2nd, and surprisingly, the match was closer than it looked.
The resting is bullshit. We are a few games into the season. Let them sit out a practice then. But the season is very, very early. They gotta be fit. I don't think Lampard or Malouda have missed a game for Chelsea this season. If they are not fir enough, then there is a problem there.

tfc2008
05-02-2010, 09:14 AM
Its week 6 and everything is all over, maybe 6 more points we take together and thats all

SHAME SHAME

CoachGT
05-02-2010, 09:28 AM
He thought, and reasonably so I might add, that he could play a heavily defensive style of game, and rest our key players until at least the second half. DeRo looked gassed in his limited time on the pitch, so he clearly needed the rest.

He didn't count on us gifting them a goal early in the game, and then looking absolutely flat afterward - until it was too late.

I still don't think Preki made a mistake in sitting JDG and DeRo. It they needed the rest, then they needed the rest. This is a 30 game season, and I'd much rather have a healthy DeRo for most of those games, than have him strain something, or run himself into the ground. Preki wouldn't sit him for the fun of it.

Tough result, but it was on the road, and capped off a week in which we had two big wins already. I'm going to try and see the forest for the trees on this one, and simply hope they bounce back next Saturday.

- Scott

Not sure that I agree, other than the result was pretty much as expected.

As a manager, your job is to put the best team on the pitch to give you the opportunity of a result. That did not happen tonight. I believe it fair to say that Preki expected to bring in DeRo and JDG for the second half, on the presumption (and it is a big one) that the game would be scoreless at the half.

DeRo and JDG are both players that have an impact on a game. They can, indivudally or together, control the flow of a game. It becomes much tougher for them to accomplish that if the game already has a flow before they step on the pitch.

Add to that the consideration above - it is reasonable to expect that they would play unless lightning struck and we jumped ahead early. Sound time management of playing time, especially for attackers, is to have them play about 60 minutes and then take them off in favour of fresh legs. That opportunity has generally been available to the team this year and it has been done. So resting them for the first half seems a little strange to me.

Take one more thing into consideration. Preki is a disciplinarian coach. JDG and DeRo do not seem like the type of players that would respond well to that type of coaching style (just my opinion there). While Preki may not sit either for the fun of it, it is a Mike Kennan-esque move to sit them to make a point. See JDG in New England. The problem is, when does making a point cross the line into hurting your team.

With one week off already in the early part of the season and a schedule that is no less gruelling than anyone elses, the time to "rest" players may be with lighter off day workouts than to sit two top caliber players and hand the game to an opponent.

Just my 2 cents.

CoachGT
05-02-2010, 09:32 AM
^ The point may have been to show JDG and DeRo that the team can function without them (I sure as hell hope this is not the case). Prekis viewpoint seems to be that every player is roughly equal on the pitch - I think he'd like 20 guys on the roster with similar skills and at the same salary. But maybe Preki learned something from this. We can only hope.

Nuvinho
05-02-2010, 09:40 AM
I have one word:

Cronin?

Actually I have more. So why not start Cronin in the midfield as well, instead of 3 fairly new players to the MLS (Nane, Saric, and Sanyang - less than a year). Do you think Cronin needs rest, he has barely played this year.

canadian_bhoy
05-02-2010, 09:42 AM
We'll see just what TFzzzz is actually made of next saturday at home to Chicago. The Seattle win was huge but they were coming off a Thursday night game and didn't play their top scorer until late in the game - plus 3 or 4 big saves from Frei were the difference between winning and losing.

Chicago could be our first home loss of the season.

spark
05-02-2010, 09:52 AM
it was the d's fault frei not superman that we all think he is

Yeah I was thinking that as well. Haven't watched the replays but the first goal if Hscranovic wasn't just standing there like an idiot, Frei probably would have been able to get to that ball. The second one, I'm not sure what you expect him to do - IMO it was on Attakora who got completely turned around - and the guy has a clear shot at the entire net from within the 18 yard box - any good forward will bury that 9/10 times.

soccerguy_778
05-02-2010, 09:59 AM
That was one of the worst games to watch this year. I am wondering if Preki even has a clue on how to coach a team. You sit our leading goal soccer and franchise player for the first half. Brutal idea

For players to say that this month is tiring due to almost two games a week that is your full time job. I am going to say that most of us on this forum go to work full time and also play in some soccer league some where in this country. I myself work 40 hrs a week and play in two soccer leagues

Anyways i said my peace
Hope we do better against the fire at home cause we need the home wins

CoachGT
05-02-2010, 10:00 AM
Part of the issue of the opening lineup may have also been that one of the newspapers printed last Sunday's lineup (speculation, not inside knowledge) before the game against Seattle. Apparently there was a verbal joust betweeen Preki and the reporter in the Monday media session (I'm sure one of our media friends can confirm). Perhaps Preki was making a point about this too.

If so, it just points to an ego the same size as many players.

Pachuco
05-02-2010, 10:07 AM
That was a seriously royal fuckup by Preki. Didn't take a genious to know that the horrendous tactics deployed in the first half weren't going to work. This isn't Inter Milan playing Barcelona Preki. You've been watching too much champions league. I can't tell you how furrious I was when I saw the lineup he put out and when I saw us sitting back waiting for RSL to come to us. What's worse if we got ball possession it seemed like Preki said clear it long, that's all that matters. Fucking house league tactics. Pathetic.

JonO
05-02-2010, 10:11 AM
I can't tell you how furrious I was when I saw the lineup he put out and when I saw us sitting back waiting for RSL to come to us.
:smilielol5:

Pachuco
05-02-2010, 10:12 AM
:smilielol5:

Really? you have nothing better to do? Do you think I give a shit about my spelling on a forum?

JonO
05-02-2010, 10:14 AM
^ Dude - if you don't think that typo is funny given what happened on this forum then you seriously need to invest in a sense of humour...

Pachuco
05-02-2010, 10:15 AM
^ Dude - if you don't think that typo is funny given what happened on this forum then you seriously need to invest in a sense of humour...

Not sure what happened on this forum, I've been off for a couple of days.

JonO
05-02-2010, 10:18 AM
Of course I can't find the thread now - but the site was "hacked" and the DNS was redirecting anyone typing redpatchboys.ca to a furry porn website... Remember: don't type angry

Edit: one of the many threads http://www.redpatchboys.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=22219

Beach_Red
05-02-2010, 10:29 AM
^ The point may have been to show JDG and DeRo that the team can function without them (I sure as hell hope this is not the case). Prekis viewpoint seems to be that every player is roughly equal on the pitch - I think he'd like 20 guys on the roster with similar skills and at the same salary. But maybe Preki learned something from this. We can only hope.


Or maybe he was trying to show that the team can't function at a high enough level without them. Is his viewpoint really that every player is equal on the pich, or every player has to buy into the system? Maybe everybody has to get the message about what their job is.

And while, as you say, the manager's job is to put the best team on the pitch to give your team an opportunity of a result, the goal this season is to make the playoffs, and maybe even to win a couple of playoff games.

We all know the league is going to be tight, by the last few games of the season there wll be a whole bunch of teams on the bubble of making the playoffs and TFC will be one of them. Maybe the lessons learned now will pay off then.

rocker
05-02-2010, 10:37 AM
I'm not really surprised with this loss.... Losing on the road, at altitude, after playing on Sunday + Wednesday is not surprising. Even with De Ro + De Guz starting, the team would have been in tough to win the game at all. At least the two toughest road sites are finished now: Colorado + Salt Lake.

Maybe you could have started De ro + De Guz and took them off in the second half, but then you'd have 2009 all over again: perhaps a lead turning into a loss in the last 15 minutes. But my guess is that the team would have still been down 1-0 at the half anyways.

And any comments about Robbo + Guevara are pointless -- TFC sucked on the road with them too.

Still Kicking
05-02-2010, 10:45 AM
LaBrocca was outstanding, Saric had some of his nicest touches of the season, he's starting to look like a real find.


I agreed with every other observation, but on this one- I'm not seeing what you're seeing.

Pachuco
05-02-2010, 10:46 AM
I'm not really surprised with this loss.... Losing on the road, at altitude, after playing on Sunday + Wednesday is not surprising. Even with De Ro + De Guz starting, the team would have been in tough to win the game at all. At least the two toughest road sites are finished now: Colorado + Salt Lake.

Maybe you could have started De ro + De Guz and took them off in the second half, but then you'd have 2009 all over again: perhaps a lead turning into a loss in the last 15 minutes. But my guess is that the team would have still been down 1-0 at the half anyways.

And any comments about Robbo + Guevara are pointless -- TFC sucked on the road with them too.

I guess you probably think DC United is about the only team TFC can get a point from on the road. You do realize that when we get pounded by teams like NE on 2 WEEKS rest then we have no choice but to come away with atleast a point when playing an arguably tougher game on the road. Geez it's not like we were playing L.A Galaxy in L.A. Come on, RSL was injured and really haven't been playing all that well this year.

Petor
05-02-2010, 10:49 AM
Geeez, Seattle tried it(resting players in first half) here last week and it backfired.
Did any TFC staff notice?
When the game started and I saw the lineup it was like deja vu but on the other foot. :P

tfc2008
05-02-2010, 11:07 AM
Tomuch talk talk on this site ACTION we have to let them know we dont stay behind suckers like this this is the 4 year promises and more worst.

ManUtd4ever
05-02-2010, 11:12 AM
The only positive that we can take away from last night's result is that Preki admitted that his strategy was flawed in his post game interview. Rest assured we will not see him employ that approach for the rest of the season...

Beach_Red
05-02-2010, 11:19 AM
The only positive that we can take away from last night's result is that Preki admitted that his strategy was flawed in his post game interview. Rest assured we will not see him employ that approach for the rest of the season...

This is the first year I get the feeling that the coach has a plan for the season (well, actually, this is the first coach I get the feeling can name the other teams in the league and understands what, "make the playoffs," means).

At least this coach isn't simply doing the same thing every game and hoping for the best. It's a long season and how it ends is far important than how it starts.

jloome
05-02-2010, 11:25 AM
Just to make it clear... when Dero and De Guzman were on the pitch the score line was 1-0 TFC.. I can understand resting one of them, but both? It just seemed idiotic.

Agreed.

jloome
05-02-2010, 11:26 AM
I agreed with every other observation, but on this one- I'm not seeing what you're seeing.

Again, agreed. Saric was invisible and Labrocca coughed up the ball constantly.

sully
05-02-2010, 11:32 AM
So was that catastrophe of a first half what we have to look forward to in a few weeks when Canada go to argentina to give them a warm up match?

koryo
05-02-2010, 11:41 AM
Given that we've played three games in six days - and that this team has no depth - resting JDG and Dero isn't a bad move. We're not going to get much on the road this year, so make sure the best XI is starting at home.

Hscanovics: the more I see of him the less I like. Ditto for Gargan & Saric. Usanov is turning into quite a dependable player for us.

Sally Mack
05-02-2010, 12:13 PM
I like saric. He's a workhorse, even if he doesn't have the most skill. Tfc's mid is soft as margarine without him. I think every team needs a midfield hard-man and he fills that role for us.

Lucky Strike
05-02-2010, 12:20 PM
Player ratings are now up: http://www.redpatchboys.ca/forums/showthread.php?p=1006957#post1006957

Darlofletch
05-02-2010, 12:39 PM
I think preki just tried to get too clever last night. I can understand trying to get some rest for de ro and jdg, and i can understand trying to play defensive and keep it tight on the road, but doing both at the same time really didn't work out.

If you're going to have a defensive team and only one person up front, then you need to be able to release the pressure by keeping the ball. Obviously long balls to Barrett weren't going to be productive often as he was so outnumbered, so you need midfielders who can keep possession and make themselves available for the defenders to pass to, then move carefully up the field to try and launch an attack with more than just one player, rather than have the only option be for them to hoof it and hope, and thus have the ball come right back at them.

He's not going to be a spectacular goalscoring dp, but surely the above scenario is theoretically playing right in to JDG's strength, that's where he should be earning the big money and playing and holding things together, so I'm mystified as to why Preki would play that tactic and not play JDG.

Darlofletch
05-02-2010, 12:44 PM
Other option is that Preki is trying to build the squad into playing within a system so he can drop players in and out without really effecting how the team plays and he thought this would be a good time to try that theory.

Didn't really work out, so hopefully in the future, unless we improve our squad which would be my first choice, he'll keep at least one of De Ro or JDG out there, as we really don't have enough class players right now to be able to drop them both at the same time.

all in all though, it's been a good week.

James17930
05-02-2010, 01:13 PM
Exactly. Preki is going to have to try and be as clever as possible to manage this line-up especially with Hardin out and presumably Gomez the same. We have some depth but not a lot.

Considering this was game 3 in 7 days and we were playing at 1400 metres, something had to give.

this is the only thing that is relevant.

We need to just forget this game and move on.

ensco
05-02-2010, 02:04 PM
Preki did the right thing by the bosses.

If you could only play your Best XI in one of the two games, the smart business move was to play them in the Montreal game.

Even if we'd had a full, rested squad, RSL would be a heavy favorite in last night's game.

supersaint
05-02-2010, 07:51 PM
We played like shite, we were outcoached and outplayed.Salt Lake are not anywhere near their top form yet, and we gave them way too much respect with our defensive formation. Our penalty was soft. Our marking at the back was atrocious, our midfield was about as creative as Prekis press interviews, and we had Chad alone upfront expected to do something.

Pachuco
05-02-2010, 08:10 PM
This is the first year I get the feeling that the coach has a plan for the season (well, actually, this is the first coach I get the feeling can name the other teams in the league and understands what, "make the playoffs," means).

At least this coach isn't simply doing the same thing every game and hoping for the best. It's a long season and how it ends is far important than how it starts.

I don't understand this mentality. The coach royally fucks up on tactics and lineups and he gets credit for changing things up? Yeah Preki had a plan last night, a terrible plan. There's no way he deserves credit for that.

I'm missing Cummins big time right about now. Atleast he played his best players available to him.

BTW - that's not the first time Preki goes out with a defensive lineup and it backfires on him. He tried that at home against an expansion team and it was all very sad. He's lucky that game we went up 10 men or it would've been the same result.

Lucky Strike
05-02-2010, 08:15 PM
^I don't understand how people don't understand rotation.

Pachuco
05-02-2010, 08:19 PM
^I don't understand how people don't understand rotation.

Right, cause that's what happened last night. Last night wasn't about rotation. It wasn't about giving guys a rest, it was pure tactics. We went in there with the mentality that we would defend and do nothing else. I understand giving guys a rest. I don't understand playing with 11 men trying to block the net in a shooting gallery.

As others have said, he could easily have rested JDG or Dero in Montreal and atleast start both games with 1 player on the field.

Heathen
05-02-2010, 08:28 PM
^I don't understand how people don't understand rotation.

You rotate when you have something to rotate with, otherwise its waving the white flag

Lucky Strike
05-02-2010, 09:37 PM
Right, cause that's what happened last night. Last night wasn't about rotation. It wasn't about giving guys a rest, it was pure tactics. We went in there with the mentality that we would defend and do nothing else. I understand giving guys a rest. I don't understand playing with 11 men trying to block the net in a shooting gallery.

As others have said, he could easily have rested JDG or Dero in Montreal and atleast start both games with 1 player on the field.


You rotate when you have something to rotate with, otherwise its waving the white flag

So why bother to have 24 guys on the roster? Let's just use a best XI for all 34 matches (and perhaps more depending on qualifying for other competitions) and they'll gradually get worse over the year as they get worn down.

I think people are confusing the sequence of ideas that went into the preparation for the match. It was:

1. We need to rest guys and use depth players because this is our 3rd game in 7 games. We're also playing at a high altitude which would take a heavy toll on the first XI.
2. We'll therefore have to be defensive to keep it close at first and then hopefully strike quick to pull out a result.

Not:

1. Let's play defensively because I think it's a good idea today.
2. Why don't we use our depth players to do this? It takes less skill to hack than it does to create offense.

In case no one else noticed, RSL went 10-1-4 (WLT format) last year at home. I understand what you're trying to advance by saying rest DeRo for Montreal and then JDG for RSL (or vice versa) and not both at once (for example). But I disagree with that philosophy, you have to make the most out of the odds. In other words, because RSL plays insanely well at home:

Do: Make sure you get at least one result by putting everything you can into it and see what you can do with the other.

Do not: Run the risk of not getting maximum points out of either fixture by essentially having a weakened team in both matches.

If 100% is playing our best XI, it's a case of 100-70 being better than 85-85. There are cases where 85-85 is a better idea, but given RSL's impressive home record, 100-70 was better to maximize the team's return. It's risk management, really.

Shakes McQueen
05-02-2010, 10:48 PM
So why bother to have 24 guys on the roster? Let's just use a best XI for all 34 matches (and perhaps more depending on qualifying for other competitions) and they'll gradually get worse over the year as they get worn down.

I think people are confusing the sequence of ideas that went into the preparation for the match. It was:

1. We need to rest guys and use depth players because this is our 3rd game in 7 games. We're also playing at a high altitude which would take a heavy toll on the first XI.
2. We'll therefore have to be defensive to keep it close at first and then hopefully strike quick to pull out a result.

We also play seven games in the next four weeks, so I suspect he was looking towards that upcoming grind as well.

I'd much rather take a tactical chance and lose an away fixture in game 6 of 30, than have a guy like DeRo strain or pull something due to fatigue.

Like LS said - there's a reason we have a 24 man active roster, and it isn't in case we lose 13 guys to injury at the same time.

- Scott

jloome
05-02-2010, 11:08 PM
Right, cause that's what happened last night. Last night wasn't about rotation. It wasn't about giving guys a rest, it was pure tactics. We went in there with the mentality that we would defend and do nothing else. I understand giving guys a rest. I don't understand playing with 11 men trying to block the net in a shooting gallery.

As others have said, he could easily have rested JDG or Dero in Montreal and atleast start both games with 1 player on the field.

The problem wasn't playing defensively, it was playing defensively with only one man upfront. Pretty hard to win a squeaker if you can't score.

Yagbod
05-02-2010, 11:27 PM
This may have been the worst game I have ever watched TFC play. I agreed with the coaching decision at first, and then recalled that they do not play mid-week and they should be playing their top line at least for the first half. I was thinking score in the 1st and hold on in the second.

Still, I like the in-game coaching of Preki. He is at least willing to take a risk.

I feel that before the 1st third of the season is over, we will win more than lose. Whether it is enough by then, who knows?

DichioTFC
05-02-2010, 11:42 PM
If 100% is playing our best XI, it's a case of 100-70 being better than 85-85. There are cases where 85-85 is a better idea, but given RSL's impressive home record, 100-70 was better to maximize the team's return. It's risk management, really.

Most apt analogy I've seen explaining what Preki tried to do.

Nobody's saying it was our best squad ever, but risks need to be taken. By putting these guys on the pitch on the road, it takes away from accumulative pressure they would've been under at BMO.

It takes a bold person to take a bold risk. Too bad it didn't work, but I would welcome a similar risk under similar circumstances... which are definitely coming very soon.

habstfc
05-03-2010, 12:57 AM
This early in the season you have to play your best 11. I know having 3 games in a week is a lot, but these are professional athletes, and hopefully their fitness shouldn't be a problem this early on. I could see that argument (resting players) half way through the season, especially when the summer heat starts taking it's toll, but for now you have to give yourself the best shot at winning every game.

Shakes McQueen
05-03-2010, 02:03 AM
This early in the season you have to play your best 11. I know having 3 games in a week is a lot, but these are professional athletes, and hopefully their fitness shouldn't be a problem this early on. I could see that argument (resting players) half way through the season, especially when the summer heat starts taking it's toll, but for now you have to give yourself the best shot at winning every game.

Giving yourself the best chance of getting the most wins possible, in the bigger scope of an entire season, doesn't necessarily mean playing your best XI in every single game.

- Scott

Beach_Red
05-03-2010, 07:26 AM
Giving yourself the best chance of getting the most wins possible, in the bigger scope of an entire season, doesn't necessarily mean playing your best XI in every single game.

- Scott


Yes, this is it exactly. Sure, you want to win every game, but realistically, how many games is this team going to win this season? The winner of last year's Supporter's Shield won 13 games.

Oldtimer
05-03-2010, 08:01 AM
In all fairness, Preki has a team that mostly didn't go through a full pre-season. He's doing experimenting now that he should have been able to do before the season started. Blame Mo, as usual, for bringing in players late.

Wooster_TFC
05-03-2010, 08:02 AM
As I said in the Player Ratings thread, both JDG and DeRo looked absolutely gassed at the end of the Montreal game. I'm sure Preki didn't intend to do that, but injuries to Harden and Garcia, and then Peterson tweaking his knee required Preki to use all his subs on injuries/precautionary measures. In a normal case scenario, no injuries happen, and DeRo and/or JDG get subbed at the 65th minute or so in the Montreal game. That didn't happen, tough luck.

As for people who are suggesting that JDG and DeRo should have started, I have a couple things to say:

1. You think the team that started could have held on to a 1 goal lead? We would have been crucifying Preki on here if he had had to sub both JDG and DeRo off at half, and we had blown a 1 goal lead, again.
2. So, you start DeRo and JDG. Now, what happens if someone gets a red card, or an injury occurs? Suddenly your options are limited because you HAVE to sub DeRo and JDG at the 60th minute or so, otherwise you risk injury.

It was a sound decision, that backfired with the result. I would have liked to have seen 2 strikers up front, Barrett and OBW, but who knows what OBW's fitness was like as he looked gasses at the end of the Montreal game as well.

As for the comparison to amateur beer leagues playing twice a week, all I have to say is HA!

levyashin
05-03-2010, 08:18 PM
:drinking:What was Preki (drinking) thinking,RSL were there for the taking with a full team to start it would have been a different result altogether.But if you recall the game went down hill when FREI completely lost a simple cross,a good shot stopper he is but for his size(6ft-3ins)he needs to learn to be a goalkeeper.Maybe it is time to see if CONWAY has rehabbed to his former self.^6 of the 12 goals this year have been headers within the 6 yd box.We as fans know that a quality striker and defender is still needed and that would take us into playoff territory,what would it take for management to give us hope in spades instead of spades to shovel the ####with.:cool: