Critical Report of Players (So far)

[BRed]

After watching 2 games I have concluded the following about these players. Please remember that when I'm being critical, I love TFC and I spilled a full 2L bottle of Coke after jumping like a monkey when TFC tied Columbus. Let me know what you guys thinkk.

1) Vitti. Although he has good control on the ball, he makes late decisions. He seems to be playing with his head down which is one of Ricketts problems as well. Vitti being Argentinian, probably has a nice shot so I"m looking forward to him taking a shot, that is if he's quick enough to make up his mind. I am looking forward to his set plays and whenthe game is a set match like the "La Liga" style tempo.

2)Ricketts. He seems to have crickets sitting around him because he's gone quiet. Although he has great foot control I think he has some serious mental flaws. His foot work does not work to his advantage because he does not have the speed. So the best way for him to take advatage of his skills is to make plays but unfortunatelly he plays with his head down too much. Also his shot is not anything special. I would be surprised if he finishes the season on the pitch.

3)Dichio. What can you say it's dichio! Yea he's slow and bulky but dammit does the man have character..

4)DeRo. He has added to the TFC invaluable chemisty and tactical ability. I am looking very forward as to when he gets more into his rythm. I just hope that Guava can compliment him appropriately as I have lost confidence in Barrett's ability to pass and find DeRo.

5)Barrett. This man had a good start when joinging TFC, however since he has not impressed at all. Has missed alot of good chances in the first 2 games. Has not shown the striker mentality that Carver was excited about. Also if you watch him when he mis plays a pass or shot, his head is down and he is walking back. You never see him come all the way back like Dero during cruicial moments in the match to help our the midfield. I know that's not part of his job but it displays character.

6)Smith. Get rid of him.



B

[jrey]

Agreed on all but Smith. I think he has more to show us. Having him and Wynne on opposite wings gives us powerful wing speed -- if only we used it properly.

His inexperience shines through, sure. But I think he'll get better when he sees more time on the pitch.

Ricketts looked dead out there today.

As far as Barrett is concerned. A few more games like that and he'll be seeing pine.

BTW, did DeRo suit up as an NFL kicker in the off season? How many solid chances (including a penalty) has he botched in two games? 3? 4? Adds up.

[ExiledRed]

Agreed on all but Smith. I think he has more to show us. Having him and Wynne on opposite wings gives us powerful wing speed -- if only we used it properly.

His inexperience shines through, sure. But I think he'll get better when he sees more time on the pitch.

Ricketts looked dead out there today.

As far as Barrett is concerned. A few more games like that and he'll be seeing pine.

BTW, did DeRo suit up as an NFL kicker in the off season? How many solid chances (including a penalty) has he botched in two games? 3? 4? Adds up.

Yeah, I'll call him AeRo if he sends any more into the sky like that again. Especially penalties. That was a great ball in that caused the own goal though.

[BRed]

AeRo...that's a good one

I forgot about Wynne..that guy has imnpressed me since day 1 he put the RED on. Definately my favourite player. His speed today was amazing, it was like a night and day when compared to the rest of the players. I actually feel like he's in a league of his own in terms of speed compared to MLS players. Hope he won't get snatched up by EPL team.

** Interesting question..what price tag would you guys put on a transffer fee for Wynne? Personally if I had to, I would say ..$25 million.. (compating it to Edu's 5)

[torontocelt]

I cant really figure what the heck Vitti was doing at the corner kicks for TFC. For every single one he tried to stand next to the keeper and a central defender and at times he also had has back to the player delivering the cross. I have seen players stand next to the keeper before in an attempt to put them off but Vitti was very ineffective at doing this and for me it was like having a man down at set pieces. I didn't really see anything from Vitti today except when he came in field and delivered a decent shot with his weak foot. TFC were not playing to his strengths though as the TFC midfield was largely dominated throughout which meant the front players were getting long balls pumped up to them which isn't very good when both are relatively small / poor at winning balls in the air. For what it is worth I would have had Dichio on long before he was as if you insist on playing long ball then at least have a big guy up there who can win some of them.

All in all you cant really complain as we were outplayed for most of the match so to pick up a point away from home against the champions and without two key players then all in all today's result has to be seen as a success.

[BRed]

^^ Agreed. We have to remember that we are still in our developing stages. Toronto doesn't play with any real tactical plan, they just long ball and pray. Which is frustrating to watch as an experienced soccer fan but I keep in mind that they are deveoping.

[rocker]

they just long ball and pray.

Not in the KC game.

[BRed]

Actually in KC game I was excited because I thought they were developing that sort of chemistry but today I didn't see that one bit. Hope they prove me wrong.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

I gotta say im not as high on Smith as I once was and that i could see TFC ship him out if we are given a chance to sign a better winger (whatever happened to that african cat?). Far too many give aways, hes got the speed but for some reason or another he cant hold on to that ball. He did have a nice cross or two and also had a few nice challenges.

I think Vitti did well enough as he had an injury and isnt yet game fit adn we will see ALOT more from him. I am dismayed with Barrett and Ricketts, Columbus defense was really really good (i feel like a fool for having underestimated them so) but I also feel as if they just didnt have the impact on the field that we've seen from them previously. I dont think its time to ship them out either (and im sure we will hear calls for it)

and theres no way Wynne would ever go for 25 million, try 3 or so, dudes fast but doesnt have the skill to command a fee that high.

[torontocelt]

Wynne is like Smith, both are super fast but lack any real football ability. You can be a fast as you want but if you struggle to control the ball, pass, deliver crosses etc then it really doesn't matter how fast you can run. Don't get me wrong I am not saying that they are both rubbish, Wynne is decent enough but he isn't worth $2.5 million. Toronto FC has a small squad, it would be wrong to write off any players at this point as all of them will play a part over the season. I must also say that Seriox scares me a bit. He is solid enough when he doesn't have time to think about things but when he has time he does worry me. He is a good header of the ball but a very poor passer and with the ball at his feet he seems like a bomb scare waiting to happen. I actually prefer him when he just whacks it up the pitch as it is less likely he will put himself in any danger.

[BRed]

^^ lol so true about Serioux. However diagree with the Smith / Wynne comparison. You will see Wynne during the season show his soccer IQ and control. ALthough his control is not anything to be excited about, it still is above Smith's ball contol.

[Shway]

100% agreee about Ricketts, man....doesnt he seem like hes aging on the field ever so quickly

and Johan Smith...give him sometime, just the way Cronin is getting ,
and MR. FRIGGEN CHAD BARRETT, thats the only person i will seriously bash right now, because he is trying to be rooney, and a bit of Berbatov , by his head down walking around, and not showing any tenacity,

HE NEEDS A PAY-CUT ( only if this was possible)

[edmundo]

looool r u guys somehow forgetting that guevara didnt play today lol, he was the best offensive player last week in kc and this week he was in trinidad, granted he was relatively invisible in that game today, but do keep in mind he's easily our most skilled and creative player, especially when partnered with dero, all in all i think the team did extremely well because they didnt allow a goal in open play, and got a point out of the match, next week they will be alot better with guevara and robbo back, and they will need to be cuz seattle won 2-0 over rsl tonight and montero is looking like the real deal for real

[edmundo]

ooooooo and btw barrett is beginning to remind me of cunningham more and more, i say keep smith and send barrett to the under 18 academy team for a while, they might be able to help him work on basic skills like passing, shooting, tieing his shoes.........

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

I wonder if Smith would play more consistently if had more time on the field. He started off quite poorly tonight, but had that one really strong run towards the end of the game. It’s too bad TFC doesn’t have a competition like the Carling Cup where they could give some of peripheral players better chance to show their stuff.

[Keegan]

AeRo...that's a good one

I forgot about Wynne..that guy has imnpressed me since day 1 he put the RED on. Definately my favourite player. His speed today was amazing, it was like a night and day when compared to the rest of the players. I actually feel like he's in a league of his own in terms of speed compared to MLS players. Hope he won't get snatched up by EPL team.

** Interesting question..what price tag would you guys put on a transffer fee for Wynne? Personally if I had to, I would say ..$25 million.. (compating it to Edu's 5)

Put a wink there. Some people might take that seriously haha.

I would pray for 3 million for Wynne but it would probably be less. He isn't that skilled.

[GhostPK]

Barrett.... *Plam to face - Because words just don't express....*

[J .]

2 games in... hate hate hate.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

i think Barrett being compared to Cunny is ridiculous, hes a kid and had a rough game.
He will still produce, i think people are expecting too much..
J. is right, 2 games in and hate hate hate

[ensco]

AeRo, I've got coffee coming out of my nose on that one!

re Barrett, strikers blow chances. It's OK as along as the strike rate is there. So we'll have to wait and see. Nobody in midfield or up front had a good game (ex Dichio)

[Canadian Blue]

AeRo...that's a good one

I forgot about Wynne..that guy has imnpressed me since day 1 he put the RED on. Definately my favourite player. His speed today was amazing, it was like a night and day when compared to the rest of the players. I actually feel like he's in a league of his own in terms of speed compared to MLS players. Hope he won't get snatched up by EPL team.

** Interesting question..what price tag would you guys put on a transffer fee for Wynne? Personally if I had to, I would say ..$25 million.. (compating it to Edu's 5)

The end of this post is a joke right? There is no way Wynne goes to the EPL or any other top league due to the fact that his only real skill is speed. And even if he did go there is absolutely no chance he goes for $25 million, maybe more like 2.5 million at the most.

[ensco]

The end of this post is a joke right? There is no way Wynne goes to the EPL or any other top league due to the fact that his only real skill is speed. And even if he did go there is absolutely no chance he goes for $25 million, maybe more like 2.5 million at the most.

Wynne's value has declined quite a bit.

He might have fetched $2.5 million last summer but since then, Edu and Altidore have had problems in Europe, hurting MLS values, and Marvell really hasn't had a USMNT breakthrough, which looked possible/probable last summer. Plus there's the credit crisis.

He's staying. Since selling players is good for ownership but bad for us, fine by me!

[rocker]

i'm gonna wait until we get some home games until I damn to hell Barrett and Ricketts and others.

we saw so many shit road performances in 2007 and 2008 that i can't judge guys when we've only played road games to start the season.
We have a lot of home games coming up, and last year the team could look great at home...

[torontocelt]

2 games in... hate hate hate.

I don't really understand this comment, sports players are in the spot light every time they play and it is only natural for those watching them to discuss their performances. This happens in every sport and every team, it is not a case of 'hate, hate, hate'. If everyone was to sit here and say Barrett has been great the past two games or Smith is really showing why he will one day move for $50 million then we would be lying. Even outside of sport in peoples everyday work place employees are judged on performance. Even at my work I am rarely praised if something goes well but when someone doesn't go well then by God I will hear about it.

Of course every player deserves time but for some of these guys it is no longer '2 games in', for some it is 1 or 2 seasons in and the beginning of a third. People want to not only see the team progress during that time, they want to see individual members of the team progress. If no progression seems to have been made from season to season by an individual who has struggled previously then they should expect to come under scrutiny. That is the way of sport and the way of the world, to dismiss criticism as 'hate, hate, hate' is to not fully understand the situation and to accept second best.

[MFG1]

My only dissapointment is with Barrett. Fumbles to much and seemes unsure of himself, like the poster said about being cunningham like. DeRo on the other hand is becoming the heartbeat of this team that guy is everywhere. Real clutch, robbo and dero,

[LucaGol]

A problem I think a lot of our attackers are having right now is that they are holding the ball too long.

Rohan Ricketts, Johann Smith and Chad Barrett in particular.

Pass and move, that's as simple as it gets.

Last game we were doing a lot of hold and don't move.

We need to get more lively with our attacking motions.

In KC we looked good in that regard, Columbus not so much.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

Torontocelt-
I hear what youre saying, calling a spade a spade is ok but alot of the time people give up on these players, cry about them or demand that they be traded off. A poor game is a poor game but its still a little early in the season to say that these players will never amount to anything and that they should be dropped traded etc. Thats what gets me anyways. I do like criticism and i think it has a heavy place in support but im not down with "Barrett sucks, he misses everything trade him for blah blah blah" as theres nothing really there, ya know?

[LucaGol]

Torontocelt-
I hear what youre saying, calling a spade a spade is ok but alot of the time people give up on these players, cry about them or demand that they be traded off. A poor game is a poor game but its still a little early in the season to say that these players will never amount to anything and that they should be dropped traded etc.

+1 even world stars go through spells of not being on form. Fact.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

A problem I think a lot of our attackers are having right now is that they are holding the ball too long.

Rohan Ricketts, Johann Smith and Chad Barrett in particular.

Pass and move, that's as simple as it gets.

Last game we were doing a lot of hold and don't move.

We need to get more lively with our attacking motions.

In KC we looked good in that regard, Columbus not so much.

yep i agree with this, also the passing has been off, most noticeably from Smith (when he was on) and Ricketts, im sure it can get straightened out tho

[torontocelt]

Yep I agree, like I said in an earlier post no one should be written off just yet. Toronto FC does not have a big squad and each member of the squad will have a part to play. As for Barrett, although he has missed some glaring opportunities I would be even more worried if he was not getting in the positions where has even had a chance at scoring. That can only go so far though, Barrett has been lucky in that TFC won the first game despite his misses and the point we won yesterday was all we could really have asked for from the players under the circumstances. If people think that Barrett is getting it tough just now then just wait and see what happens if he is still missing good opportunities and TFC are being defeated in games. Hopefully that wont happen but I can guarentee that the people who think that the ciritcism on him is unfair at the moment will probably be the ones who are criticising him the most if he is costing the team points.