According to footballcritic.com he has played CB only once in his last 50 matches. He's played LB 38 times and left-mid 11 times.
https://www.footballcritic.com/domen...positions/6608
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According to footballcritic.com he has played CB only once in his last 50 matches. He's played LB 38 times and left-mid 11 times.
https://www.footballcritic.com/domen...positions/6608
Interesting. Transfer market has him playing CB almost exclusively this season. Has anyone here actually watched any of his games this season and can confirm where he’s playing?
https://www.transfermarkt.us/domenic.../spieler/44136
almost exclusively cb this season? they have 5 of his 16 games at LB and 1 at LM
seems like he plays mostly at LB when they play a back 4 and mostly in the middle of the back 3 when its a back 3
Given the wonky data sources I'll defer to the eye witness. So, he's a CB.
I was already with jloome - this would be a curious move as a LB, and we could actually use a left back right about now. But a 36 year old left-footed CB on a 2.5 year TAM deal? Hmmm.
Genoa's getting relegated. Criscito has another year left on his contract. But if they're playing in Serie B, he's taking a significant pay cut. But even at a reduced wage, Genoa would probably be happy to get him off the books next year. So basically, Criscito is looking for a gig. The long arm of Andrea D'Amico extracting his quid pro quo? Or the savvy scouting of Bill Manning scoring an under the radar coup?
Has to be a 3-5-2 doesn’t it? Or at least the option of playing 3-5-2 more often
Sure but how do you survive until July?
I’d think you’d have to play the form you plan to play when Insigne arrives. If it’s 3-5-2 then we’re likely dead.
This is why I think that Criscito might be a LB. Training suggests there’s no sign of a 3-5-2 being developed and LB is a position of need. I’m not sure we have people for a back five either.
I just like to think about how the pieces fit before I buy into rumors. I get the Insigne connection but that’s a lot of money just to bring a friend and I don’t think they’d do that. If the plan isn’t LB I may start to think this is fake news. If it doesn’t fit you must acquit
Teams play multiple formations in-game and throughout the season. 3-5-2 isn’t an entirely radical departure from some of things we are trying.
The midfield 3 of Bradley-Osorio-Poz would fit the formation. We’ve already seen Shaff on the Left and JMR on the right. Both those players strike me more as wide players in a 3-5-2 than true fullbacks.
And I guess the obvious one is in one of the pre-season clips with Bradley taking about the team he specifically mentions having the ability to go 3-5-2. That’s not to say they use it all the time but it’s clearly on his radar.
Its clearly a 4-3-3 to start the season as that was the formation in at least the last three friendlies if not all of them...even the ten outfield players were the same except for the last minute change of marshall in the last one...just a question mark at keeper as bradley said himself
GK; Shaffelburg Mavinga Salcedo Marshall; Osorio Bradley Pozuelo; Nelson Jimenez Kerr
I love the balance of experience down the spine of that formation and youth on the wings where pace is needed. Still don’t understand how some can look at that formation and think we were better off last season.
Something tells me Priso & Okello will be starting more than people think.
I'm leaning towards Manning very much doing that. I think they've told Criscito that at his age he's a backup or rotation player but they're going to compensate him well. The reason is that there's some sort of real estate purchase deal involved in this as well, as D'Amico mentioned the pair of them getting into real estate together in Toronto and having an opportunity there.
So Criscito coming along to keep Insigne from getting homesick was probably part of the package all along. I think to a far lesser degree he's employing the same logic with Kadin Chung and McNaughton. I don't think Chung really interests them as much as a guy who they think is sort of MLS ready but was overlooked, but if McNaughton isn't getting much playing time, they need someone familiar and friendly here to keep him from becoming unsettled.
It's an old strategy they used to use in the Premiership all the time, albeit mostly in the nineties. Bring in a star player but bring a fellow countrymen, as adapting to England after any Latin country as a home was quite difficult. They liked to buy in pairs.
Manning's theory is probably that as long as Criscito accepts a reduced role, we get a highly skilled roleplayer and backup and he gets a settled star player.
Typical Toronto, always a real estate angle.
Great post. I agree McNaughton is probably the one they think they can convert and they are just taking a flyer on Chung.
There are a lot of prospects on the roster right now, it will be interesting to see who works out. My money is on Priso (although that’s not much of a prediction at this point), Petrasso, and Kerr. JMR gets sold before we see any real true brilliance. I’m sort of doubting Okello comes through. Although I never saw what Kaye offered either until he left and I am very much eating my hat on that one.
I think I am the least excited about JMR just because it feels like he is one and done here. We really need him to come good this season though if they are gonna rely on Chung to be his primary backup.
Your post is pretty solid but I doubt they convinced Criscito to take a reduced role or sold him on a backup spot. I simply don’t see that part happening at all regardless of getting to roll with his bestie for some good money too. This is why I’m questioning if this rumor is real
YOu could be right. They may also have made it nebulous to placate him, as in "we'll expect you to compete for a starting role" which is a standard line from a lot of managers who want to keep their options open. It sends all the right messages to him without actually committing to starting him regularly.
Just went down 1-0 in the closed-door final friendly against SKC. They're in the 79th minute.
Don't bother with the MLS dudes preview
The MLS dudes are sooooo overly focused on Ayo Akinola that they completely underrate Jesus Jimeniz - they don't consider him a starter. That & they remain, as always, overly focused on last year results.
So we drew 1-1 with KC, 89 min equalizer from Hugh Mbongue, who I believe is Ralph's younger brother? Any deets on him fellas?
It’s probably to some degree the overall league’s USA bias/reason for being (and we continue to have our big share of Americans in management and on the field). But at least Seltzer called Jimenez the #3 “under the radar signing”. The MLS website is a lot harder to find things than previously. If you don’t see them in a day or three, they seem to disappear. Haven’t seen the preview yet.
Beezer had a little bit about him here: https://torontosun.com/sports/soccer...in-89th-minute
Also a little in here from Mike Munoz on Hugo from before last season: https://www.wakingthered.com/2021/5/...-a-new-outlook
Highly rated 17 year old, one to watch for the future.
Jordan Hamilton lacked talent and all jokes aside, Mullins brought more to the team outside of that passport. Chapman had some ability, but his best position was as a 10, which is a DP position in MLS. His workrate and defensive ability was never enough to take Delgado or Bradley out of the lineup.
Hamilton had talent. I think they gave up on him too quickly. He had 11 goals in 58 games, or something like that. But if you look at his goal per minute it was more impressive as he was usually coming in late.
He seemed to me to have intensity issues -- he looked pretty laid-back at all times -- and blew a few finishes with poor concentration. But he was very young when we let him go.
Re.: Criscito To TFC
By my assessment, and some accounts, Criscito and Destro were likely the first pieces in this puzzle, then followed by Insigne. IMO, a lead- gift born and strengthened from that engagement. I don't know about an Insigne/Criscito real estate connect to TO but IIRC there may have been a Di Cuollo connect via MLS/NY between him and a Ciro Immobile and Insigne real estate venture in that city according to his agent.
I do not have a sense from preseason what BB is doing with formation/s.
Recent history at LAFC suggests in game morphs from starts predominantly involving a 4-3-3 or 3-1-4-2.
In an interview he has telegraphed a respect for Mancini tactics; lots of pundit analytical breakdowns on Mancini, but for me simply at start a 4-4-3 with elite game morphs into a mid press 2-5-3 and an attack of 2-3-5.
For now, IMO there is a sense by some that BB will be about implementing 'Possession, Pressing & Personnel Football' at TFC. This description seems correct and best to me. It would explain most of the context for the current TFC on-goings. I really enjoyed this 'in the weeds' article by Kieran Doyle-Davis at American Soccer Analysis which offers support for the position and really encapsulates the premise. By the way, IIRC, within this article he provides an assessment with analytics argument that Westberg was/is still better than Bono; ouch!
https://www.americansocceranalysis.c...-and-personnel
IMO, Criscito, for the first 18 months will be more active/participatory than not and then, depending, will transition out with more platooning. IIRC he does play Centre-Back but in a three and always as a Centre-Back Left, I cannot recall if he has recently played the Centre Centre-Back in a three or in a two or four the Centre-Back Left. Otherwise, in a four at back he plays Left-Back. I think Left-Back is his current preferred position. I agree his addition is puzzling because Mavinga is here; perhaps, or eventually, rotation with or depth for Mavinga. However, if BB goes with a Back-Three I do not see Criscito or Mavinga playing Centre-Back Right; nor do I see Solcedo there. Solcedo in a Centre-Back Three should be at the Centre. Accordingly, there may be a greater likelihood that BB goes with a hybrid 4-3-3 with in game morphing to a Mancini press and attack with Criscito at Left-Back. In this set-up Solcedo should be Centre-Back Right and Mavinga at Centre-Back Left.
With Criscito as the Left-Back, in that formation, in a mid press and with Insigne typically dropping deep defensively on that side, any link up between the two would be easy. It seems to me this is what those two players may desire; the chance to often play/interact on the pitch with one another. There must be an agreement by TFC or at least an accommodation in principle by BB to try it. I do not believe Criscito is coming just to be a role model leader but ride the bench; even if he is old and getting out of Dodge- SeriaA (Genoa) like Insigne.
I can remember the year Kaye started playing for the senior academy side. I use to go to those matches at Downsview. He played as a forward, both out wide and centrally. He definitely stood out on that team. Then when TFC2 was formed, we all got to see him play at leftback, which just didn’t work. I wasn’t surprised to see him have a pro career but definitely surprised by the type of player he turned into.
Disagree on Hamilton. That kid could actually finish. The issue was he never worked enough to round out his game.
Chapman, I think could have legit turned into something special but as you point out, didn’t put the work defensively so that took away his option of being a box-to-box player. Leaving that aside, he sat around waiting for his chance too long. To me, that’s primarily what ruined his career. After that one standout season he had with limited minutes, he should have been forcing the issue with management. Instead he floated through key years without a real opportunity, which would kill any career.
Houston Dynamo 2 signed Talen Maples. Was our 2021 draft pick, played with TFC2 last year, and was in TFC's pre-season camp this year.
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/houstondynamo2/status/1495141194845802503
Hopefully both Hamilton and Chapman find success this year.
I got some news to share though...
It is friggin' game week!