Jason de Vos' blog: Advice to Mo: Fill the holes without breaking the bank

[johnmolinaro]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/2009/01/advice_to_mo_fill_the_holes_wi.html

[Roogsy]

These articles from the CBC are solid, both Jason's and Nigel's.

The Globe really screwed the pooch when they decided to drop Ben. They are now solidly well behind CBC in soccer coverage, which in this town is precariously thin. Good on CBC for sticking with it and giving soccer the coverage it deserves while still being able to maintain their hockey coverage, which we all know is their bread and butter. It makes you wonder why the other media aren't able to diversify themselves as well, but who cares? CBC has my support for it's dedication to soccer.

[rocker]

De Vos should suit up... mo probably wouldn't mind seeing him play for $100000 :)

[Roogsy]

LOL! He could've probably still played in the Championship if he wanted to continue playing.

[Super]

He's right, we do need help in our defence. But it's miles behind the help we need up front. Unless we're trying for a series of 0-0 games? I'm not so naive to think that our current offence won't offer up another goal-drought in the new year.

[Super]

To illustrate my point, last year, we condeded 43 goals. Only 7 teams conceded less goals than us. That's right, 7! Out of 14! If our scoring had been decent we would've made the play-offs. However it wasn't to be, we scored 34 goals - the worst record in the entire league.

We finished overall 12th place.

People still think our defence is the problem?

[Beach_Red]

He's right, we do not help in our defence. But it's miles behind the help we need up front. Unless we're trying for a series of 0-0 games? I'm not so naive to think that our current offence won't offer up another goal-drought in the new year.

I can't decide which is worse, a goal drought or losing games in the last five minutes...

[mclaren]

I first saw de Vos for the first time a long time ago playing for one of my local clubs Darlington. He easily stood out back then and you could see he was destined for bigger and better things. Could probably do a steady job for TFC today.

[Yohan]

To illustrate my point, last year, we condeded 43 goals. Only 7 teams conceded less goals than us. That's right, 7! Out of 14! If our scoring had been decent we would've made the play-offs. However it wasn't to be, we scored 34 goals - the worst record in the entire league.

We finished overall 12th place.

People still think our defence is the problem?
If it wasn't for Sutton standing on his head in so many games, TFC's goals against record would have been so much worse.

We need CB help. Badly.

[Beach_Red]

If it wasn't for Sutton standing on his head in so many games, TFC's goals against record would have been so much worse.

We need CB help. Badly.

Experienced CB help - those last minute goals were extra bad because you could feel them coming, you could see them develop, there was just no defence.

Now, if the team had been up by one instead of just tied...

[Shakes McQueen]

Experienced CB help - those last minute goals were extra bad because you could feel them coming, you could see them develop, there was just no defence.

Now, if the team had been up by one instead of just tied...

EXACTLY the point I was going to make. Our problem wasn't number of goals conceded, it was when and how they were conceded.

We could have picked up a pile of extra points last season, if you added the ones from games we lost, or drew in stoppage time alone.

We need someone who can command our defense, and stop them from becoming so disorganized, or watching the ball, when the pressure is on. A marquee CB would do that.

Someone kidnap Carles Puyol, please.

- Scott

[T_Mizz]

Anyone else for the first defensive DP? I think now with Ricketts, Robbo, Guevara and DeRo serving up easy goals for Barrett goals won't be the problem, let's not forget that DeRo, Guevara and Ricketts are all also able to score themselves

[flatpicker]

Anyone else for the first defensive DP? I think now with Ricketts, Robbo, Guevara and DeRo serving up easy goals for Barrett goals won't be the problem, let's not forget that DeRo, Guevara and Ricketts are all also able to score themselves

I will admit that I feel pretty good about our forward positions right now.
But I would still want another quality striker in there.
I don't want to be too dependent on Barrett. And Dichio can only do so much.

But I would not spend DP money on a defender.
I agree with the article that it just isn't necessary.
Good MLS defenders can be had for much less money.

[T_Mizz]

I will admit that I feel pretty good about our forward positions right now.
But I would still want another quality striker in there.
I don't want to be too dependent on Barrett. And Dichio can only do so much.

But I would not spend DP money on a defender.
I agree with the article that it just isn't necessary.
Good MLS defenders can be had for much less money.
You misunderstand me, how much do you think Cannavaro will want?:D

[ensco]

DeVos is not up to date about Davino, he's not available, he signed with Puebla in the Mexican Primera

[Yohan]

But I would not spend DP money on a defender.
I agree with the article that it just isn't necessary.
Good MLS defenders can be had for much less money.
problem is not paying the defenders, but actually finding quality defenders

[Super]

EXACTLY the point I was going to make. Our problem wasn't number of goals conceded, it was when and how they were conceded.

So you're satisfied with 34 goals scored? Maybe if we had an extra goal in those games we wouldn't have lost points in overtime. Also, because of our poor offense we ended up getting hammered time and time again because we lost the ball as soon as we built up an offense.

Strengthen our defence, sure, but I fail to see how 34 goals should be considered acceptable. Even with a great defence and a bit of luck we wouldn't crack the top 6. But sure, that's enough for the play-offs, I guess.

Also, for the record, it's not like other teams didn't give up points in overtime.

[jloome]

DeVos is not up to date about Davino, he's not available, he signed with Puebla in the Mexican Primera

And he's old and slow. He got schooled repeatedly last year; in fact, he had such an up-and-down year I'm surprised a Primera team would sign him, resume notwithstanding.

[olegunnar]

So you're satisfied with 34 goals scored? Maybe if we had an extra goal in those games we wouldn't have lost points in overtime. Also, because of our poor offense we ended up getting hammered time and time again because we lost the ball as soon as we built up an offense.

Strengthen our defence, sure, but I fail to see how 34 goals should be considered acceptable. Even with a great defence and a bit of luck we wouldn't crack the top 6. But sure, that's enough for the play-offs, I guess.

Also, for the record, it's not like other teams didn't give up points in overtime.

I agree with you.

I think part of the problem with some people is they haven't noticed that MLS is a scoring league. it's a 3-1 4-2 league and not a 0-0 1-0 league.

Averaging a goal a game is our biggest problem. Both 2007 and 2008 seasons were lost when we had our goal droughts.

[Roogsy]

It's not one or the other...it's both.

The adding of DeRo is not a complete solution to the offensive woes, but it's a start. It doesn't mean that Mo won't keep going, but at the same time we can't completely dwell on the offensive part either.

TFC would ALSO be in the playoffs if we finished off half the games that we gave away in the final 5 minutes. That's a defensive problem. It needs to be addressed just as much as the offensive issue.

[Super]

^ Exactly. Unless we bring in a striker from outside the MLS we'll likely start the season with Dichio, Barrett and Ibrahim as our strike-force (with all do respect, none of them have proven that they can score 10+ per season). The strikers worth 15+
goals a season in the MLS will NOT be coming our way -- unless we're willing to trade A LOT their way. That leaves one option: DP striker. People say that no one wants to come to Toronto because a) it's the MLS, b) it's Toronto, c) we have shit turf and d) our winter is cold. But you throw 3 million at a player worth 2 million and we'll have our striker. Money talks, bullshit walks.

Unless, of course, MLSE is not willing to pay the cost. But that leaves us back to square one, and will that be enough?

[Super]

It's not one or the other...it's both.

The adding of DeRo is not a complete solution to the offensive woes, but it's a start. It doesn't mean that Mo won't keep going, but at the same time we can't completely dwell on the offensive part either.

TFC would ALSO be in the playoffs if we finished off half the games that we gave away in the final 5 minutes. That's a defensive problem. It needs to be addressed just as much as the offensive issue.

Absolutely. Although I would say that if you take all the draws we had some of those HUGE chances we had may not have been missed by a DP striker, and then we also would've been in the play-offs. I'd say Angel on our team would've probably added 12 points. I don't think any defender would've.

But I would put it this way: defensively we need help. Offensively we DESPERATELY need help, BIG TIME!

So like you said it's not one or the other. It's both.

[Stryker]

If we had to lose I'd rather it be 4-3 than 1-0.
Guess you could call that Galaxy syndrome.

Anyway aquiring DeRo was a big step towards a potient offence.
Now we just have to find a consistant finisher for him and Guevara to feed those sweet passes to.

[Beach_Red]

^ Exactly. Unless we bring in a striker from outside the MLS we'll likely start the season with Dichio, Barrett and Ibrahim as our strike-force (with all do respect, none of them have proven that they can score 10+ per season). The strikers worth 15+
goals a season in the MLS will NOT be coming our way -- unless we're willing to trade A LOT their way. That leaves one option: DP striker. People say that no one wants to come to Toronto because a) it's the MLS, b) it's Toronto, c) we have shit turf and d) our winter is cold. But you throw 3 million at a player worth 2 million and we'll have our striker. Money talks, bullshit walks.

Unless, of course, MLSE is not willing to pay the cost. But that leaves us back to square one, and will that be enough?


This is right. The problem is MLSE (or any other owner) spending 3 million for the 2 million dollar player - but I agree that's the most likely way to get one here. Which is probably why they'll wait till the season starts.

Barrett is pretty close to 10+ goals in a full season, though, especially on a better team. Still, I'd rather have a proven scorer than hope Barrett has the season of his life.

[Super]

The way I see it, if NYRB has $2 million to bring out Angel, then certainly we have $3 million to pay someone of the same caliber. All this talk about Toronto and how no one wants to play here. Load of BS. If you make it worth their while they'd go to Nunavut and play. Why else do so many stars (heck, even Figo thought about it) go to leagues in Saudi Arabia, UAE or whatever. For the parties? It's all about cash. And this is where we should show our advantage of having sold out games.

[T_Mizz]

Just throwing this out there but 3 mil could buy us two very good (much better than MLS) defenders