Match Day 8 - Seattle @ TFC Wednesday May 9 7:30 pm - Hey Ho Lets GO!

[OgtheDim]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp3zaeOyL7Q



*************
Have at It People

[ensco]

So, this game is important.

We are all still grieving the Chivas loss. But it hasn’t been that long since the 2016 final, it still galls that we lost in 2016, the Concacaf final brought it all back.

If we had won these two matches that we lost in penalties in the last 18 months, where we were clearly the better team both times.... think of what that would have been/meant ... goddammit all over again.

Seattle took something from us that belonged to us. They could have done it twice. By playing effing antifootball. Zero shots on goal in 210 minutes.

We need some catharsis. Only a comprehensive battering on Wednesday will do.

[Canary10]

So, this game is important.

We are all still grieving the Chivas loss. But it hasn’t been that long since the 2016 final, it still galls that we lost in 2016, the Concacaf final brought it all back.

If we had won these two matches that we lost in penalties in the last 18 months, where we were clearly the better team both times.... think of what that would have been/meant ... goddammit all over again.

Seattle took something from us that belonged to us. They could have done it twice. By playing effing antifootball. Zero shots on goal in 210 minutes.

We need some catharsis. Only a comprehensive battering on Wednesday will do.

Thumbs up. 👍

[Richard]

If Bradley wants to transition to CB at some point I would sign him up long term.

[Fort York Redcoat]

I'll agree that this game is important but not much more to me than getting the reds to the pussplops line and getting us back up where we belong. Seattle is struggling. To whip them isn't that big a deal but I can see how the wound is still fresh to some.

Whip em lads.

Let's Go!

[DinamoTFC]

A win is important because we need a winning streak going.

After our amazing run and historic season in 2017 and our amazing run to the CCL final this year, it boggles my mind how many Internet warriors are out there trying to say how garbage we are cause we are last place in the league and we can't catch up. And how suddenly nycfc or Atlanta or lac are the best teams in the league.

After the poor 2 to 2 tie to Chicago. I just want another 3-0 statement win to shut everyone up again and watch us take over the league.

[Hamilton_Red]

Make no mistake we broke Seattle. The team is in need of a full rebuild. While they have an MLS bauble - their real soccer fans know how shallow the value is of the Cup they won was. They were lucky and won it entirely on a defense that is now broken. I'd suspect that they are dreading this visit.

We'll put 4 past them.

[Initial B]

I'd warn everybody against expecting a blowout because, well, MLS. That and I think Seattle will be coming out guns blazing to prove they can still ball. but if TFC weathers the first 20 minutes of their assault. I think they can turn the tables and quality will prevail.

[ensco]

I'd warn everybody against expecting a blowout because, well, MLS. That and I think Seattle will be coming out guns blazing to prove they can still ball. but if TFC weathers the first 20 minutes of their assault. I think they can turn the tables and quality will prevail.

They are still quality. They are pretty strong defensively, but hopeless up front. The 2018 version of SKC the last couple of years.

I want to put four or five goals past them for reasons of cold hate. Not saying it's rational.

[Hugh Jazz]

Seattle has only scored five times this season. Great time to be missing some defenders.

[Areathrasher]

They are still quality. They are pretty strong defensively, but hopeless up front. The 2018 version of SKC the last couple of years.

I want to put four or five goals past them for reasons of cold hate. Not saying it's rational.

We need to do that to someone to make up the GD after the Houston game. May as well be the Sounders :lol:

[OgtheDim]

FWIW

https://twitter.com/JohnMolinaro/status/993500389184913408

[Canary10]

They are still quality. They are pretty strong defensively, but hopeless up front. The 2018 version of SKC the last couple of years.

I want to put four or five goals past them for reasons of cold hate. Not saying it's rational.

I would also like to beat them senseless.

[Joe Kool]

FWIW

https://twitter.com/JohnMolinaro/status/993500389184913408

Back during the CCL it sounded like Morrow was real close to coming back. Guess that wasn't accurate or he re-injured himself.

[Canary10]

Back during the CCL it sounded like Morrow was real close to coming back. Guess that wasn't accurate or he re-injured himself.

Pep Guardiola. Mauricio Pochettino. Greg Vanney. In order of player injury disclosure transparency.

[Super]

I really look forward to this game. Fridays match was a joy to watch and really lifted my hopes in terms of our Shield chances for 2018.

[C.Ronaldo]

Back during the CCL it sounded like Morrow was real close to coming back. Guess that wasn't accurate or he re-injured himself.

considering morgan was not the weakest link, im surprised they rushed him back

[ensco]

considering morgan was not the weakest link, im surprised they rushed him back

Morgan had his toughest game in that first half of the first leg, he got beat several times on dangerous plays. Plus Vanney was going for goals.

[molenshtain]

Seattle is mostly trash and they're dejected atm. Ripe for the taking.


I wonder what the lineup will look like. Do we continue to rotate on a short schedule or do we try to ride a familiar starting 11 to gain some sort of chemistry/momentum? Interesting question in the coming weeks as more games pile up and guys comeback from Injury and whatnot.

I'll say that at this point I'm so impressed with Morgan's play I'm not really thinking about Morrow coming back. As great as he was last year, Morgan has been more than adequate there and provides a change of pace on that side.

[Blindside16]

Seattle is mostly trash and they're dejected atm. Ripe for the taking.


I wonder what the lineup will look like. Do we continue to rotate on a short schedule or do we try to ride a familiar starting 11 to gain some sort of chemistry/momentum? Interesting question in the coming weeks as more games pile up and guys comeback from Injury and whatnot.

I'll say that at this point I'm so impressed with Morgan's play I'm not really thinking about Morrow coming back. As great as he was last year, Morgan has been more than adequate there and provides a change of pace on that side.

Considering we are playing on a garbage plastic pitch on Saturday, I say start the big boys for this game then rotate the squad against a New England team who are set for a nose dive at any moment.

[OgtheDim]

There isn't much team to rotate.

(That's basically what Vanney said to the journos's yesterday)

[sidvan]

Prepare to get VAR'd Wednesday with Penso as the VAR official.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/05/07/toronto-fc-vs-seattle-sounders-2018-mls-match-preview

[C.Ronaldo]

Morgan had his toughest game in that first half of the first leg, he got beat several times on dangerous plays. Plus Vanney was going for goals.

I remember Morgan making them loose their cool. He got under their skin that game. Morrow had to have said he was close to 100% for vanney to make that change.

cheyrou and raheem use to be those impact players off the bence to help score. hopefully hasler chapman and aketxe are those players now

[C.Ronaldo]

Seattle is mostly trash and they're dejected atm. Ripe for the taking.


I wonder what the lineup will look like. Do we continue to rotate on a short schedule or do we try to ride a familiar starting 11 to gain some sort of chemistry/momentum? Interesting question in the coming weeks as more games pile up and guys comeback from Injury and whatnot.

I'll say that at this point I'm so impressed with Morgan's play I'm not really thinking about Morrow coming back. As great as he was last year, Morgan has been more than adequate there and provides a change of pace on that side.

agreed. fully dependable, defence first mindset. mids dont have to worry to cover him. He balances the field well with Auro out there. But its good he scored that goal in CL, shows the other team they need to be cognizant of him moving fwd

[molenshtain]

agreed. fully dependable, defence first mindset. mids dont have to worry to cover him. He balances the field well with Auro out there. But its good he scored that goal in CL, shows the other team they need to be cognizant of him moving fwd

to an extent, sure. I think that Morrow and Morgan are similarly talented on the defensive end but in two very different ways. Morrow is positionaly really smart and, underratedly, exceptional at marking far post runners and maintaining our shape. Morgan doesn't do that marking runners bit exceptionally well, but he's really solid in the tackle and can cover a crazy amount of ground to make up for his occasional lapse in concentration.

I was referring more to their contributions on the other end. Morrow is really safe on the ball, and really, really intelligent in making runs and and being a danger in the box - you don't score ten goals in a season as a left-back if your not. My one main criticism of him is that he has trouble staying wide and whipping in any type of effective cross, to the extent that he even ever tries to. It can make the team very congested. Morgan on the other hand is the opposite, pretty much acts as a damn good chalk-on-the-boots-type winger when we're in the opposition third. Opens the middle up for our impact players. Until this season he's never really attempted to be a goal-threat.

Anyway, this is small potatoes. Both are superb and start on pretty much any team in the league. I'm extremely glad to have both of them here for the long-term.

[C.Ronaldo]

I think because Osorio has stepped up to bag some goals, we are not missing Morrow's goal threat as much. Will be interesting to see how it turns out once he's back 100%

[Joe Kool]

Too bad Jozy won't be playing. Torres and Marshall out of the Seattle line up would have been good for him since they, especially Torres played him really physical the last few times. Can't wait for TFC to put the beat down on Seattle. Fight....and win!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KQJwuIxtCU

[C.Ronaldo]

Too bad Jozy won't be playing. Torres and Marshall out of the Seattle line up would have been good for him since they, especially Torres played him really physical the last few times. Can't wait for TFC to put the beat down on Seattle. Fight....and win!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KQJwuIxtCU

fackkk
I am going to have nightmares tonight, thats for sure

[DOMIN8R]

:iamwithstupid:

:topic:


Interview: Gustav Svensson on playing Toronto FC (https://www.soundersfc.com/post/2018/05/08/interview-gustav-svensson-playing-toronto-fc?autoplay=true)

Comment at 1:20 is the highlight, IMO.

[SoccMan2]

Considering we are playing on a garbage plastic pitch on Saturday, I say start the big boys for this game then rotate the squad against a New England team who are set for a nose dive at any moment.
Lol really TFC’s record versus New England in New England is horrible even last year they lost there near the end of the season, I don’t think TFC has the luxury at this point even though it’s still early days in the season to go into games with a TFC 2 type of lineup anymore, they need to start getting points and going on a run artificial turf or not, you play your best possible starting lineup and start trying to win games no matter where you are playing before even making the playoffs might start to become a struggle never mind Supporters Sheild talk and what not.

[Auzzy]

Interview: Gustav Svensson on playing Toronto FC (https://www.soundersfc.com/post/2018/05/08/interview-gustav-svensson-playing-toronto-fc?autoplay=true)

Comment at 1:20 is the highlight, IMO.

Good bulletin-board material, I hope Vanney & Co. get wind of that quote.

Maybe van der Wiel needs to do one of his trademark dribbles up the field near the beginning of the game, and lay one of those "early tackles" on Svensson while he's up there. Gregory has no yellows yet this season; he's got one to give in basketball terminology.

Or Delgado, or Hasler. Also no yellows yet this season.

Or maybe Aketxe feels the need to test that rocket of a left-footed shot while Svensson is a few feet away?

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Considering we are playing on a garbage plastic pitch on Saturday, I say start the big boys for this game then rotate the squad against a New England team who are set for a nose dive at any moment.

Seriously, New England set to nose dive?
Maybe, but NEVER against TFC in their home!

Do you forget how horrible is TFC's record on that garbage plastic pitch?
Do you forget that New England traditionally are world beaters at home and are utter shit playing at any other place?

We need the best possible 11 to start there, and even with that, I do not expect anything more than a draw.
That would be IMO a good enough result considering our history playing there, and a win would be a huge result.

[OgtheDim]

Game time temperatures a lot like last Saturday - without the wind.

[Red CB Toronto]

Game time temperatures a lot like last Saturday - without the wind.

Looking forward to a nice evening down at the BMO tonight after the weather we have had so far this season.

[BelfastBoy]

Game time temperatures a lot like last Saturday - without the wind.

You mean Friday - the wind blew me over and caused me to fall in the stands :drinking:

[paul-collins]

Do you forget that New England traditionally are world beaters at home and are utter shit playing at any other place?

We need the best possible 11 to start there, and even with that, I do not expect anything more than a draw.

In the season perspective, the difference between 0 points and 1 is not worth damaging anyone. We play Orlando the next weekend. Let's focus on tonight, rotate through, and be fully ready for Orlando instead of worrying too much about this weekend. We can launch on a run through June...

Orlando*
Dallas
@Columbus
@Philly
DC
@Yankees*
Energy Drink*

*These are the ones I expect to be challenges

[Canary10]

:iamwithstupid:

:topic:


Interview: Gustav Svensson on playing Toronto FC (https://www.soundersfc.com/post/2018/05/08/interview-gustav-svensson-playing-toronto-fc?autoplay=true)

Comment at 1:20 is the highlight, IMO.

I can't open the interview on my computer. What's the gist of the quote?

[Auzzy]

Good bulletin-board material, I hope Vanney & Co. get wind of that quote.

Maybe van der Wiel needs to do one of his trademark dribbles up the field near the beginning of the game, and lay one of those "early tackles" on Svensson while he's up there. Gregory has no yellows yet this season; he's got one to give in basketball terminology.

Or Delgado, or Hasler. Also no yellows yet this season.

Or maybe Aketxe feels the need to test that rocket of a left-footed shot while Svensson is a few feet away?


I can't open the interview on my computer. What's the gist of the quote?

I alluded to it in my comment. Svensson was asked how they plan to deal with Giovinco. Svensson said maybe lay an early tackle on him. That's the kind of thing that Vanney & Co., and the officials, hopefully get to hear before the game.

[Canary10]

I alluded to it in my comment. Svensson was asked how they plan to deal with Giovinco. Svensson said maybe lay an early tackle on him. That's the kind of thing that Vanney & Co., and the officials, hopefully get to hear before the game.

Ahh, I see. Too bad Mavinga won't be in the lineup. He'd do that perfectly legally.

[JT Red127]

I alluded to it in my comment. Svensson was asked how they plan to deal with Giovinco. Svensson said maybe lay an early tackle on him. That's the kind of thing that Vanney & Co., and the officials, hopefully get to hear before the game.

I listen to that, sounded pretty logical no? I didnt take it as a threat or anything along those lines. Doubt the team hears or cares about that, unless someone lays some crazy cleats up tackle on Seba.

[OgtheDim]

Ahh, I see. Too bad Mavinga won't be in the lineup. He'd do that perfectly legally.

Mavinga was in full training yesterday.

[Canary10]

Mavinga was in full training yesterday.

Oh really? That's great. Would be nice to have him back!

[OgtheDim]

Reports both Dempsey & Lodeiro are out for today.

[Voodooman]

From Oliver Platt...all I got to say is YIKES.

https://twitter.com/plattoli/status/994262580318294017

[Richard]

So Jozy out for another 4-6 weeks. Time to move on after this season.

[paul-collins]

That's just dumb.

[portu]

So Jozy out for another 4-6 weeks. Time to move on after this season.
this summer*

[Joe Kool]

So Jozy out for another 4-6 weeks. Time to move on after this season.

You go have foot surgery to remove some bone fragments then jump right back into professional soccer training...yeah didn't think so. Jozy's a big part of this team and I will take the output he gives even if not there every game because it is still more goals than many players in the league not to mention the goals he creates in different ways as well. Silly statement in my opinion.

[portu]

You go have foot surgery to remove some bone fragments then jump right back into professional soccer training...yeah didn't think so. Jozy's a big part of this team and I will take the output he gives even if not there every game because it is still more goals than many players in the league not to mention the goals he creates in different ways as well. Silly statement in my opinion.
You seriously think that Jozy's output is irreplaceable? Silly statement in my opinion.

[Canary10]

You seriously think that Jozy's output is irreplaceable? Silly statement in my opinion.

How many big game goals has he scored in the past year? Quite a few.

[Graeme]

------------------Bono-------------------
--Auro---VDW---Bradley--Morgan---
-Hasler----Delgado---Aketxe---Osorio--
------------------Vazquez----------------
-------------Giovinco--------------------

With two of Mavinga, Zavaleta and Hagglund getting a run out (depending on the score)

[portu]

How many big game goals has he scored in the past year? Quite a few.
Wouldn't other players have been able to score those goals as well? I love the guy, but it's not like he's a world beater or anything. He's a good striker in the context of world football, but there are quite a few of those out there.

[DinamoTFC]

So Jozy out for another 4-6 weeks. Time to move on after this season.

jozy is the most clutch player on the team. always scores in big moments when needed. playoffs, cup finals, CCL the man has earned respect. only 28. just dumb to let him go especially he wants to stay here.

[michaeltfc91]

Lmao the guy scores the MLS Cup winning goal and is the MLS Cup MVP, but let's ship him out 6 months later. For this reason alone, he should stay here as long as he wants. Not to mention the fact that he LOVES this club, has 5 goals in 11 games this season, is a 28 year old in his prime and is a top striker in the league

A couple minor injuries per year, that's life, he's a club legend and he should stay. Also, of the 20 playoff games and CCL games that he has been on the club for, he played in 19 of them (missed 1 due to a red card) and scored 10 goals, so he has shown up in all the big games

[benito]

Also, of the 20 playoff games and CCL games that he has been on the club for, he played in 19 of them (missed 1 due to a red card) and scored 10 goals, so he has shown up in all the big games

That's a very impressive goal rate!

[oranje boven]

I cant believe I'm trying to decide ....shorts or pants tonight

[ensco]

OMG this is crazy.

Altidore has just had an insane 18 month run, in terms of clutch goals,

I have no idea how to calculate this, but some coefficient of (i) meaningfulness of game, (ii) degree of difficulty of opposition relative to your own club, and (iii) strike rate in those games, this guy would be miles ahead of Martinez or Villa or anyone you care to name in MLS.

He would be at a Salah level, miles ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo

[Hugh Jazz]

Still no defensive reinforcements. Hopefully Mavinga or Zavaleta are at least part of the 18 on the weekend. SEA's line-up looks really​ weak.

[woolly]

Does anyone have a feed? Im stuck in the US this week.

[Auzzy]

Anyone know why Hasler isn't even on the bench? Hopefully being rested for Saturday & not another injury.

[ensco]

Any reason this game is delayed?

[bigredone]

van der Wiel tackled the wheels off the Sounders bus:drinking:

[PizzaEatingYeti]

WTF, so many bad passes in easy situations...

[ensco]

Seattle are terrible. This isn’t the rock solid defending we saw the last couple of years. This is desperation by them. Preki ball.

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Fuck this shit.
TFC needs to go full in, and do not get fancy at all!

[ensco]

I stand by my statement.

First shot on goal in 4 games, and it's a goal. Crap

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Seattle has done absolutely nothing in 25 minutes, but they are up 1-0, go figure...

[notthesun]

What a nothingburger goal, we just handed it to them.

[Tdot_LFC]

Finally

[ensco]

Yet another fantastic assist from Seba.

He doesn’t get the respect that a Valeri does for creating. He makes the key pass on so many goals.

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Good enough!
Now put in 2 more goals on these deepshits, without conceeding!

[TheSloanRanger]

Only took them 2 years ....

[Amir.]

McCrary is their weak spot..bring Hernandez for Morgan and put van der Wiel on that side and he will destroy him

Chapman high work rate, strong defensively but needs to get better offensively

Morgan did nothing offensively..lost the ball very easily

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Like I said at least 2 other times: TFC desperately needs another QUALITY forward.
We are dominaiting too many games like I almost feel the pitch is goind to bend in the direction of TFC's attack, yet we have too difficult time to finalize in the final third.

We do not have now any quality forwards except Seba and Jozy, that is a fact.

[General Woolfe]

Glad we’re back in this but it’s been a pretty impotent performance from the Reds thus far. Chapman missing three sitters in the first half sums up out lack of incisiveness. It might be too early to judge him this soon, but Aketxe looks an absolute waste of money. He was supposed to be balance for Vazquez but couldn’t even force his way into the team when we needed him most during the CCL run. Tonight with Vazquez having a quiet game Aketxe should be stepping up into the playmaker role, but instead he’s nowhere to be seen. it’s like having an empty shirt out there. I know he has his fans on here but Auro fails to impresss me either. At least when Morgan gets the ball on the left he’ll put over a cross. Auro turns back into midfield far too often wasting forward momentum time after time. We would have been better retaining Beta, who looks his usual self in LAFC colours. We also look shaky at the back and the captain has to bear the brunt of responsibility for Bruin’s goal. We need much better in the second half, with much more incision in the final third. This is a game we simply cannot droppoints in given it’s a really weakened Seattle side and we’re so far off the pace with the first quarter of the season gone

[ensco]

I would like to see Hamilton go up front besides Seba for 45 minutes here. Let’s see what he's got.

[notthesun]

Vazquez off at half after getting stepped on... christ sake

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Glad we’re back in this but it’s been a pretty impotent performance from the Reds thus far. Chapman missing three sitters in the first half sums up out lack of incisiveness. It might be too early to judge him this soon, but Aketxe looks an absolute waste of money. He was supposed to be balance for Vazquez but couldn’t even force his way into the team when we needed him most during the CCL run. Tonight with Vazquez having a quiet game Aketxe should be stepping up into the playmaker role, but instead he’s nowhere to be seen. it’s like having an empty shirt out there. I know he has his fans on here but Auro fails to impresss me either. At least when Morgan gets the ball on the left he’ll put over a cross. Auro turns back into midfield far too often wasting forward momentum time after time. We would have been better retaining Beta, who looks his usual self in LAFC colours. We also look shaky at the back and the captain has to bear the brunt of responsibility for Bruin’s goal. We need much better in the second half, with much more incision in the final third. This is a game we simply cannot droppoints in given it’s a really weakened Seattle side and we’re so far off the pace with the first quarter of the season gone

True everything you have said.

Plus our defense was leaking too many goals this season, too many bad goals (I'm talking about the CCL run also), I know that there were too many injuries in the back line this whole season , but our defense is a far cry from last season so far.

[General Woolfe]

I missed Vanney at HT, is Vazquez hurt? Whatever the case Telford seems like a strange replacement

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Holy cow, the injuries are destroying us this season, just unreal...

[notthesun]

What the hell are we doing defensively? How simple was that goal?

[portu]

Shockingly poor tonight. Everyone. Vanney included.

[General Woolfe]

This is utter garbage tonight

[PizzaEatingYeti]

This is ridiculous, Seattle 2 shots on goal, 2 goals, and they have done nothing else the whole game!

[Marauder2]

What are the VAR rules? From the replay they showed he looked offside, close enough that the assistant may not spot it but VAR would have caught if for sure. I don't understand why it wasn't brought back.

[nonc]

This team conceeds howlers, just shocking goals.

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Wake the fuck up TFC, too many injuries or not, but this season this team is a shadow copy of last year's team.
Last years team would have won the CONCAACAF champs league no problem...

PS: I confess I had too many beers, but still.. I'm too upset!

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Chapman was weak today, good change...

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Nothing is working today.
Nothing...

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Fucking stupid yellow cards... for nothing, again and again!
If you are really professionals, why the fuck are you taking suck nonsense yellows???

[portu]

If you think this club has come so far as to be considered "big" then it needs to be held accountable. Recent results (and performances) have been poor and deserve an explanation.

[PizzaEatingYeti]

On a side note:
Frei is the best goalkeeper by far TFC had in it's history.
Why the fuck was Frei let to go?

[jloome]

If you think this club has come so far as to be considered "big" then it needs to be held accountable. Recent results (and performances) have been poor and deserve an explanation.


Three of our five league losses have come from Auro either being caught offside or not marking tightly enough. He was here to be a backup, but we have no central backs.

The defense being whittled down to nothing is having a bigger effect than it might appear, and it also takes MB away from being the midfield holder.

Then there's Vasquez, who seems very fragile this season.

Things aren't clicking with Aketxe, and again it's probably because he's young and hasn't been with the team long.

Basically, bring back two injured players and it's a different club.

[notthesun]

Why, why, fucking why do we have to lay an egg against the fucking anti-football coward Sounders? Anyone but them. They haven't tried to play a real match against us in years and now they're getting away with another one.

Schmetzer is slime, literally yelling at his players from the sideline to waste time.

Ref was complete garbage. And how is Hasler clearly and obviously offside against Chicago but Bwana isn't today?

We need CBs to get healthy, and Bradley needs to move back into midfield. But regardless this was a bad performance, no excuse for not beating that Sounders team at home.

[SoccMan2]

So now going into New England a place they always get hammered even last year when they were the greatest team in MLS history, this team could easily fall to 2 and 6 and slowly this season will start getting away from them, once you get in that losing mode it gets harder to get out of it.

[stegosaurus]

Why, why, fucking why do we have to lay an egg against the fucking anti-football coward Sounders? Anyone but them. They haven't tried to play a real match against us in years and now they're getting away with another one.

Schmetzer is slime, literally yelling at his players from the sideline to waste time.

Ref was complete garbage. And how is Hasler clearly and obviously offside against Chicago but Bwana isn't today?

We need CBs to get healthy, and Bradley needs to move back into midfield. But regardless this was a bad performance, no excuse for not beating that Sounders team at home.

Because MLS. Look at the Kaka joking hand to face red card and the foul earlier on Morgan that is a red in any other game.

[SoccMan2]

Three of our five league losses have come from Auro either being caught offside or not marking tightly enough. He was here to be a backup, but we have no central backs.

The defense being whittled down to nothing is having a bigger effect than it might appear, and it also takes MB away from being the midfield holder.

Then there's Vasquez, who seems very fragile this season.

Things aren't clicking with Aketxe, and again it's probably because he's young and hasn't been with the team long.

Basically, bring back two injured players and it's a different club.
Don’t think it will be as easy as that anymore even by bringing back a few of the injured players, this team is slowly losing that invincibility it had built up last year and it’s going to be hard to get it back with all this losing that has gone on so far this season.

[General Woolfe]

What a complete and utter embarrassment. It is absolutely shocking to lose to a weaken Seattle side like that at home. Tonight should lay to rest the myth of our much lauded depth. It certainly wasn’t evident tonight. If we’re honest we should admit we invested poorly in the off season. Aketxe should be put on the first plane back to Spain, the guy is a waste of a shirt. Auro flatters to deceive, the guy seems incapable of putting over a decent cross. We would have been better keeping Beta an extra season, but given we didn’t, Hasler is the better option at right back both defensively and in attack. We also need to face the fact that Hamilton, Ricketts, Telfour, and Chapman are nothing more than TFC II level.No use pretending otherwise. The same goes for the other recent call up. In fact I’d go as far as saying without Bradley and Vazquez playing at their peak we look a very average side. Even Vanney doesn’t escape criticism tonight. If Hernandez was fit enough to come on as a sub, why couldn’t he start the game and give us 60 minutes at least, allowing Bradley to play where he’s best. At least we wouldn’t have given up such a poor opener.

That is hands down the poorest I’ve seen us play in a long time and it needs sorted pronto before the playoffs and a decent seeding position is out of our reach. Oh, and if this form is down to CCL play then maybe we should forget about investing so much in a competition that is clearly skewed in favour of Mexican teams and nothing more than glorified pre-season for MLS sides

[OgtheDim]

The current starting squad is mid table. Thankfully we will get people back. That was a game where we couldn't finish. We are, with a full squad, still the best team in the east.

[PizzaEatingYeti]

OK, we got beaten by a very weak Seattle team.
We got beaten not by Seattle, but by our disfunctions on the field.

Please no more sugar coating, no more excuses after this game in interviews by the coaching staff and players.
We are underperforming big time this seasom in MLS, no matter the injuries we are dealing with.

There is needed a very serious analysis on what is going on this season.
I do not want to hear any more "we are very confident" kind of declarations from any player before the next 3-4 games.

There are zero grounds this season to be confident against any team in MLS, because we had a convincing game just against Philadelphia, which is utter shit team.

[PizzaEatingYeti]

The current starting squad is mid table. Thankfully we will get people back. That was a game where we couldn't finish. We are, with a full squad, still the best team in the east.

The problem is that I can't see getting those missing players back to be at FULL potential in under 1 month from now.
How many more points are we going to lose in that month?

[BelfastBoy]

I wouldn't even look at the standings until the end of May. We really miss Morrow and Jozy tho. Seemed like a lot of good buildup in the final third with no finish.

[notthesun]

https://twitter.com/joshuakloke/status/994397478823776256

[SoccMan2]

The current starting squad is mid table. Thankfully we will get people back. That was a game where we couldn't finish. We are, with a full squad, still the best team in the east.
Keep saying that by all means if it makes you feel better. We had an amazing season last year and one that I’m glad happened in my lifetime but this MLS regular season so far is turning into the old TFC of years gone by and just making the playoffs will be an accomplishment if they make it.

[Oldtimer]

^ that's a bit of an overstatement.
What TFC lacks is enough depth to handle so many starters out.

Bradley isn't a defender and we really need some back.

[PizzaEatingYeti]

The current starting squad is mid table. Thankfully we will get people back. That was a game where we couldn't finish. We are, with a full squad, still the best team in the east.

This whole season so far, including the CONCACAF champs league run, came down to the fact that we can't finish.
Seriously, we are as impotent up front like a 80 years old man, with all the posession we are racking up on some games.

Of course, the defense was a shadow of last years's, but that is excusable because of the injuries.

[OgtheDim]

Atlanta lost at home tonight too. NYC got thumped on Saturday. Watching them all, nobody looks better than us.

Team needs to bury chances. Chapman gets at least one of his 3 sitters in the first half and we are all talking differently.

[ensco]

Blame Telfer. Clearly he was the problem. If he scores two goals we win. ;-)

This bugged me, but mostly because every time they do a closeup on a Seattle player I want to reach through the screen and rip the effing star off their jersey. That star is ours.

I don’t understand why we can’t convert with pressure like we had in the first half. Same thing happened in the second half of the opener. Suspect the field is still a factor.

Their second goal is offside. Can someone explain why that wasn’t reviewed?

Aketxe was a bit of a hog in the second half, and can’t seem to get a hold of the ball on his shots. It's starting to get to him. It's also bugging Seba. He'll be gone in the summer if this doesn’t turn.

Finally... Seba kicking that ball in the 89th minute is just stupid and selfish.

[PizzaEatingYeti]

Atlanta lost at home tonight too. NYC got thumped on Saturday. Watching them all, nobody looks better than us.

Team needs to bury chances. Chapman gets at least one of his 3 sitters in the first half and we are all talking differently.

I agree, but how the hell can we bury any chances, if we do not have any healthy true blood class forward, except Seba?
With Jozy injured, everybody else who is a forward is one class under.

Ricketts was extremely poor this season.

[ag futbol]

^ that's a bit of an overstatement.
What TFC lacks is enough depth to handle so many starters out.

Bradley isn't a defender and we really need some back.
I think logically Aketxe was not a smart choice. Forgetting skill level but even thinking I’m terms of position.

This team needed a better backup striker (because it’s inevitable Altidore or Giovinco or both will be unavailable at points), a defensive mid for when Bradley is out, or a wide player of real quality (since teams jam us centrally all the time and the flanks are open).

Flank play tonight sucked. The lack of a true DM in midfield did us no favours, and Ricketts / Hamilton were not making any impact.

A guy who played at Aketxe’s level At any of those other positions would have had a greater impact. We made a 1+1=1.5 signing here.

[ensco]

^The development of Osorio wasn’t obvious when we signed Aketxe. Oso just flat out forced Vanney's hand, he has taken major minutes away from Aketxe.

I was thinking about this same point re vdW. I like Gregory, he is a good player, but Beita was a good player, and unlike Oso, that wasn’t a debate. Greg's not worth $700K a year more than Beita, and swapping him for Beita has a big opportunity cost (ie we could have used the dough elsewhere)

20/20 hindsight.

[BelfastBoy]

How quickly Friday night is forgotten - gotta remember it was a short week too.

[PizzaEatingYeti]

I think logically Aketxe was not a smart choice. Forgetting skill level but even thinking I’m terms of position.

This team needed a better backup striker (because it’s inevitable Altidore or Giovinco or both will be unavailable at points), a defensive mid for when Bradley is out, or a wide player of real quality (since teams jam us centrally all the time and the flanks are open).

Flank play tonight sucked. The lack of a true DM in midfield did us no favours, and Ricketts / Hamilton were not making any impact.

A guy who played at Aketxe’s level At any of those other positions would have had a greater impact. We made a 1+1=1.5 signing here.

This, the bolded part is the krux of TFC's problem this season.
We'll get back our backline sooner or later, but finishing I think will be the problem this year.
If in the summer trade window we do not get a quality forward, there are some serious questions to be asked at the management level.

[General Woolfe]

https://twitter.com/joshuakloke/status/994397478823776256
Quite frankly that is embarrassing if Vanney is trying to blame a marginal offside for tonight’s performance. We were quite simply shocking from start to finish. Blaming an offside call doesn’t change how badly we played. Vanney has to take his share of the blame for this. Putting it on the officials is classless

[PizzaEatingYeti]

^The development of Osorio wasn’t obvious when we signed Aketxe. Oso just flat out forced Vanney's hand, he has taken major minutes away from Aketxe.

I was thinking about this same point re vdW. I like Gregory, he is a good player, but Beita was a good player. Greg's not worth $700K a year more than Beita, and swapping him for Beita has a big opportunity cost (ie we could have used the dough elsewhere)

20/20 hindsight.

+1

VDW is good, but no way he's worth that much compared to Beita.
Overall he seems just marginally better than Beita.

[ensco]

Quite frankly that is embarrassing if Vanney is trying to blame a marginal offside for tonight’s performance. We were quite simply shocking from start to finish. Blaming an offside call doesn’t change how badly we played. Vanney has to take his share of the blame for this. Putting it on the officials is classless

No it's not embarassing. Why wasn’t that call reviewed? Using the iPhone like that is a nice bit of theatre.

I'll wager he learned this from Herrera. Remember? “The cops attacked my players”!

When your own room is upset, you have to go out to the press, deflect, and lay on some theatrics.

[ag futbol]

^The development of Osorio wasn’t obvious when we signed Aketxe. Oso just flat out forced Vanney's hand, he has taken major minutes away from Aketxe.

I was thinking about this same point re vdW. I like Gregory, he is a good player, but Beita was a good player, and unlike Oso, that wasn’t a debate. Greg's not worth $700K a year more than Beita, and swapping him for Beita has a big opportunity cost (ie we could have used the dough elsewhere)

20/20 hindsight.
I have sympathy for this team. If not for CCL we’re not having this conversation right now. Find me another team in MLS that can withstand losing its top 3 CB’s, it’s best fullback, its playmaker, and target man and still maintain any semblance of competitiveness.

I’m just a little miffed we’re getting further and further behind the 8 ball. Makes me resent the CCL in general and brings back all those old feelings of it being a garbage tournament that will never be practical. But damnit, it was a fun ride.

[Auzzy]

I was thinking about this same point re vdW. I like Gregory, he is a good player, but Beita was a good player, and unlike Oso, that wasn’t a debate. Greg's not worth $700K a year more than Beita, and swapping him for Beita has a big opportunity cost (ie we could have used the dough elsewhere)

20/20 hindsight.

I believe vdW cost us less under the cap than Beitashour, as we signed Grey on TAM. Now if you think that TAM would have been better spent on another player to bring in, that could be. But vdW didn't cost us $700k more than Beitashour.

Overall that game was massively annoying, on every front. I just checked the highlights: I thought that TFC had a decent shout for a penalty but that isn't shown in the highlights, same as a bunch of other contentious calls.

Unkel is awful, but lately I find the assistant referees especially bad. Some blatantly bad calls on corners/goal kicks, balls over the line not called, problems with offside calls, etc. BTW I wouldn't make a big deal about offside & VAR on Seattle's 2nd goal, because Giovinco was about the same distance offside on our goal.

[portu]

https://twitter.com/joshuakloke/status/994397478823776256
Nice to know that club management believes in the coulda, shoulda, woulda approach. Definitely makes me feel like they know how to take responsibility for a poor performance.

[ensco]

But vdW didn't cost us $700k more than Beitashour.



I'll rephrase. We could have (i) Beita and the $700K to buy down another player, or (ii) vdW.

[troy1982]

What are the VAR rules? From the replay they showed he looked offside, close enough that the assistant may not spot it but VAR would have caught if for sure. I don't understand why it wasn't brought back.

It was not a clear an obvious mistake as you have said yourself.

[stevep]

worst game i have been to in two years.

1/2 team is from the bench
field is crap
officiating is crap

so irritating to watch compared to last year

theyre trying their best but
morgan is no morrow
bradley is arguably the best midfielder in the league and he is not playing his position due to injuries
no jozy
no mavinga
no moor, hagglund or zavaletta

i keep telling myself it will get better when we get the new field and all the guys come back from injuries

[leafsman]

Didn't think I'd see a rule in sports worse than goalie interference in hockey and a catch in football but this VAR takes it. May as well eliminate it if you won't use it.

[tfcfans]

Agree with most of what was said here already --- it was a really frustrating game to watch on many levels, but to be honest I was more upset with the "compete" level than anything else tonight, a lot of walking around with hands on hips, poor first touches, giving up possession way too easily kind of stuff --- I get that the talent on the field is simply not there at the moment (we all know the list of who is not playing, and losing Vasquez at halftime surely did not help), but the lack of fire to push forward to move with the ball to create lanes and spacing and overlapping runs was marginal at best - a lot of standing around trying to create miracle plays up the middle of the field where there a ton of bodies clogging things up, or shooting from 20 yards out by Aketxe which had no chance of success.....I agree with others that yes the officiating was frustrating sometimes too, but that's not why we lost, this simply looked like a team that didn't have a whole lot of "fire" in their bellies tonight which was more disheartening to me than anything else, and frankly we were spoiled last year by a team that took very few games off in their mission to complete their quest for redemption.........sometimes in the pursuit of the ultimate goal it can motivate you to do great things (like 2016's heartbreak leading to 2017's success), but once achieved its a very different mindset to crank it up again.....not saying it can't be done, just saying that it has been shown to be tough to repeat for a reason (luck and timely/untimely injuries can also play a role too).....

[Hamilton_Red]

Well...now we have some problems to deal with. That was the worst game I've seen VdW play since moving to CB. Delgado is shot - confidence has been lost. Ricketts has fallen off the wagon.

Injury to Altidore for 4-6 weeks and Ricketts as a 4th place choice... we are really going to struggle. Giovinco isn't a sole striker and can't win this on his own. That was the worst team in the league...and we made them look tough and hungry.

For me...trade Ricketts... maybe move Delgado on...and get a striker and either a CB or Central Mid. I'm not sure that Ajer is going to make it...he is getting increasingly desperate.

Re the Delgado comment...id we were deep enough to move him onto the bench for the next 10+ games I'd rather keep him. But getting him back confident again is going to take some work.

[Blindside16]

Absolutely brutal game to watch. Delgado was brutal, Hamilton went through the motions, Ricketts has been off all year. This team needs another striker/forward of quality. I thought Chapman had a big game tonight. His work rate was top notch. Osorio is frustrating to watch at times. He has moments where he buries all his chances then he has moments where he needs a compass to find the goal. This should have been 3 points in the bag. I hope this won't come back to haunt us down the road.

[OgtheDim]

...
When your own room is upset, you have to go out to the press, deflect, and lay on some theatrics.

That's exactly what that was.

[C.Ronaldo]

Agreed Delgado was really bad today. Aketxe just doesn't feel part of the team. Id like Hamilton to get a full game before I judge him. Chapman, was defensively solid and got open often.

Why Telfer the first sub. That was an odd choice. He did get a couple of decent crosses in but he's not at this teams level

Hernandez ready for CB? Otherwise why did we sign him

[Canary10]

This whole season so far, including the CONCACAF champs league run, came down to the fact that we can't finish.
Seriously, we are as impotent up front like a 80 years old man, with all the posession we are racking up on some games.

Of course, the defense was a shadow of last years's, but that is excusable because of the injuries.

I find this bolded part funny. It was exactly the fact we can finish that got us to the final. We converted on every chance and near chance we had, at least against Tigres and America. That's how we got to the final.

[Canary10]

I still don't think we're in disaster mode, but that was a hard game to watch. Of all teams, thumping Seattle would have had a lot of satisfaction and put the exclamation mark on the fact they don't belong on the same pitch as us. But I think we're right to start questioning some club decisions, possibly over-prioritizing CCL, not keeping players healthy, etc.

Have to agree with comments on Aketxe. I've seen some really good skill from him, but really think he was the case of jumping on a player that happened to be available as opposed to a player we really needed. As others have said there were/are bigger gaps around the pitch.

Having no proper centre halves is really killing us. I don't get the Hernandez deal either, is he still not good to go? We really need Bradley back in his normal position.

Again, not disaster mode yet, but with guys a month or six weeks away, and some we really don't know the honest prognosis on since Vanney is clear as mud about communicating injury status, we're in a worrying position right now.

[samuraizero]

Where can one watch the press release after?
Cant seem to find it

[OgtheDim]

https://www.torontofc.ca/post/2018/05/09/we-have-be-quicker-and-more-efficient-greg-vanney?autoplay=true

[Joe Kool]

You seriously think that Jozy's output is irreplaceable? Silly statement in my opinion.

Show me where I said he was irreplaceable...I just said I would take his output over many other players in the league. If you are going to try to mock someone at least make sure you read the post you are mocking carefully.

[magmadragon]

So was this the first time Seattle beat us at home in regulation time?

[ensco]

^In 2009 they beat us 2-0 in our home opener as an expansion team.

[Hamilton_Red]

I still don't think we're in disaster mode, but that was a hard game to watch. Of all teams, thumping Seattle would have had a lot of satisfaction and put the exclamation mark on the fact they don't belong on the same pitch as us. But I think we're right to start questioning some club decisions, possibly over-prioritizing CCL, not keeping players healthy, etc.

Have to agree with comments on Aketxe. I've seen some really good skill from him, but really think he was the case of jumping on a player that happened to be available as opposed to a player we really needed. As others have said there were/are bigger gaps around the pitch.

Having no proper centre halves is really killing us. I don't get the Hernandez deal either, is he still not good to go? We really need Bradley back in his normal position.

Again, not disaster mode yet, but with guys a month or six weeks away, and some we really don't know the honest prognosis on since Vanney is clear as mud about communicating injury status, we're in a worrying position right now.


We are a Bradley injury or a Giovinco injury away from disaster mode.

[portu]

We are a Bradley injury or a Giovinco injury away from disaster mode.
Long-term Giovinco injury would be the end of the season at this point