In the Stars Someday
I'll Find a Home
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5Ir...l=AdamSturgeon
*********
Have at It People
In the Stars Someday
I'll Find a Home
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5Ir...l=AdamSturgeon
*********
Have at It People
On the let’s make Lemonade, at least Bernie is rested for this game. :drinking:
Would love to see Bernie in the #9 role
If we are really going to try to believe last match was just a coaching decision...sure...yeah...let's totally start the kid who finally found a scoring boot on an incredible pass from Insigne. I expect several AppleTV shots of Bernie stewing on the bench.
In his (slight) defence, Bob left the dude on an island with practically no support. Often he’ll receive the ball in the furthest position forward and nobody comes up to hit the overlap while he’s surrounded by 3 guys.
When we are already in the final third though, I agree. He’s like allergic to doing anything but cutting in on his left foot.
I really believe Bernie would be an amazing number 9. And if we start getting more goals with him then we know our next DP can be used for a solid Mid… now will Bradley experiment with him there is a whole different story
I don't think this is over by a long shot. But if he ends out playing again, I'd prefer him as a striker. I think he wants to attack the goal, and he doesn't look like he's going to enjoy running his lungs out in Bob's system. We already had occasional issues with him not tracking to defend and not taking the open man (although like Insigne's play this weekend, if he accepts that he has to release the ball quickly in this system and not wait for best options, who knows.)
But he scored lots of goals at Fiorentina playing as a second striker. We've seen how hard his shot is, how quick his release can be. And if most of his passing is dishing the ball off from a hold-up position, he certainly seems to have the upper body strength for the role.
Its a no brainer to me to at least try it.
Speed on the wings seems to be key in this league and getting the ball into the box. Insigne does both of those, Berna not as much. So play him to his strengths. He has a killer shot, great first touch and can hold up the ball. All great things for a striker.
Announcers
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/MLS_PR/status/1663577306097414146
&
Officials
Toronto FC vs Chicago Fire
BMO Field (7:30PM ET)
REF: Nima Saghafi
AR1: Brian Poeschel
AR2: Gianni Facchini
4TH: Michael Venne
VAR: Alejandro Mariscal
AVAR: Fabio Tovar
There will be a VAR check with Saghafi involved.
FWIW
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/JohnMolinaro/status/1663572855563460609
I don’t mind Seghafi. He’s not great but not the worst.
My dread comes from whenever Unkel, Geiger, or Stott are out there. They are all so oblivious to their surroundings it’s basically just a count down until they lose control of the game.
Petrescu is bad too. Looks like he’s used to reffing children and doesn’t understand the pro game.
Okay, Bob you must reward Kerr for his performance and you can’t sit Bernie again, so please let’s see Bernie at striker and Kerr on that same wing.
Especially since poor Diomande seemed crooked. And Ayo is near pitiful (until the day he scores perhaps). Bernie and Sapong are really a reasonable rotation.
Rosted available
Oso back in training next week
Given how good Mabika has looked and how both he and Rosted are step-up defenders, we'd be in a good position to play a 343, which he's tried a few times.
--------------Johnson----------
-----Mabika-Hedges-Rosted------
Laryea-Kaye-Thompson-Franklin
----Kerr--Bernardeschi--Insigne-----
I suspect Fede might start on the bench, however. Lose your spot for a week and the other guy does better... the other guy starts. And he probably thinks Sapong is both more dangerous in the air and holds up the ball better.
Bob is so stupid we’re going to end up seeing Kerr in the middle and Bernie back on the wing
Is it that obvious that Kerr is not a 9? I think he might be a 9.
I see his speed and finishing skills. I haven’t seen the 1v1 and crossing skills of a winger. Yet.
If anyone has a cordial relationship with Davidson, Molinaro, et al., in order to circumvent any media access, distance restriction, imposed by TFC, perhaps you would be so kind as to recommend the purchase of…
https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product...p=seo-14402888
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...3eCzQ&usqp=CAU
Because it's The Chicago Fire and because this is OUR HOUSE!
https://youtu.be/_NSn5RfxoXs
Yeh, I don't think they trot out Sapong for the media avail & then leave him on the bench.
Could play a 4-4-1-1 Been waiting for that all year.
I just saw the highlights from the weekend but Chicago appeared to be playing okay and their team look motivated. Might be more of a test than we assume but otherwise a game we should win.
Feels a bit like the team that can score but will allow plenty of goals against the team that can’t score but doesn’t concede goals. Should be interesting.
FWIW, for those attending the match tonight, TFC needs to move merch! Overstocked?
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/ShopRSApparel/status/1663937631355281408
My only concern for this one is that grindy/athletic types like Chris Mueller seem to do well against us.
Off topic - anyone know of places in Barrie with Season Pass?
They had this sale last year as well. I took advantage of it to buy two authentic jerseys plus used by season member credit they gave us after COVID which I think came to around $80 total including tax. Not bad for $40 each. I would never pay the full price tag. I wonder if the new jerseys are still having all the quality problems. I will say that Real Sports are the absolute worst retailer to deal with once you buy something and have an issue with it. I have had multiple problems with them costing me money and I don't buy anything from them anymore. Buyer beware to check things out fully before you walk to the cash register. I mean REALLY check the item for defects. Even with the receipt they can be a pain in the ass.
I suspect that message got through to them. Many, many people were unhappy about that.
Tonight's going to be weird. Frank Klopas, the interim Chicago manager, I suspect is a bit like a certain former TFC manager, may he rest in peace, who was not perceived as being that "helpful" of the former manager.
He's had some personal business dealings the other party felt were less-than-honorable.
I thought he was an MLS 1.0 coach but he's been getting three goals a game out of them since Hendrickson left. Also giving up a bunch more too, though. New coach bounce there may just be that it's more fun focusing on offense than defense.
Or maybe Shaquiri's having an Insigne-esque come-to moment, where he realizes he had to up the individual play in this league to make a dent.
Chicago was having that "giving away late leads" problem under Hendrickson.
I fully expect them to go into a lead on a lucky goal & then for us to come back.
I've said in the past, I'll say it again: good kits are both streetwear and look good on the pitch. The Community Kit, for all the shit that we give it (somewhat rightly so) looks good as a white away kit with full gear, on its own, and under a dress shirt at work.
It's fine for what it is but it's a bit dull. Now our new home one is and always will be shit. That one should go down in history as one of, if not our worst one ever. I think I'd even put that away one with the blue accents or that away monochrome red logo one over it.
I used to want nice things but I see our overseers aren't responsible enough to handle that. Just do the Liverpool and have shades of the same red shirt every 2 years and get funky with the collar & trim only. Go crazy with the away one if need be because nobody cares about it.
I admit they are not as crappy as they once appeared when we first saw them. The streetwear things matters to some and I’ll admit that’s probably an important element for the club wrt jersey sales (although many won’t care).
Where these kits roundly suck (and nobody will convince me otherwise) is it doesn’t exactly mesh with the history of the club. WTF are we doing running around in Grey and black hoops as a primary kit?