This team will only get better!

[mastermixer]

I just wanted to say how exciting it is to know that the soccer Toronto is playing right now will only get better. They have played the new "keep it on the ground" style for the last two games. Once they get more comfortable with where everyone is running and positioned, the passes will be more accurate and the goals will become more frequent. Vitti is just getting warmed up, and DeRo hasn't even played in the new system. Dichio is getting his 2007 legs back, and Velez is earning his spot back on the starting D.

[Ratven]

I, too, am very excited and it's night and day how my mood and I feel the mood of many others has drastically changed from doom and gloom to pure excitement

[bhoybobby]

I've enjoyed the emergence of Frei, the nastiness of Serioux (imagine him & Marshall), Robbo & Cronin play well together & the master DD & hisyoung apprentice Vitti are a joy. Those are great pluses.

My conerns are Wynne, he must have no feeling in his feet, Velez, the heart attack kid (though he's improved) Gueverra, saving himself for Honduras (don't hink he's played as well as he could). Barrett, enuff said. That & the lack of depth we have in the middle of the back.

If any one of Seriox, Robbo, or Dichio gets hurt, we're not gonna be as effective. Right now we have decent balance

[Ontario Arab]

Agreed we look good at the moment but the telling factor again as in years gone by is injuries/internationals...Im not sure we have the depth yet...Vitti looks like he could turn out to be a very good player... I am full of enthusiasm again....I hope we continue to play 3 up front, Dero should be involved in this for his playmaking ability ie Vitti Dichio DeRo or vice versa with Guevara coming forward from midfield shielded by Robinson/Cronin.......my only concern is that we are going to get caught out a lot on the counter........as our defence is not up to par.........

[maninb]

We still need a CB...sure Velez has been decent, but we all know he's a time bomb, and can single handidly lose us a game or two...and the way Serioux plays he's liable to pick a few knocks...Anybody know the status on O'Brien White?...I'm anxious to see what the kid has to offer...

[Mark in Ottawa]

My only concern is that without the reserve division how are the non starters getting any game action? Everyone needs to play to stay sharp.

And of course once DeRo returns we will have 12 starters (13 if we count Sutton) who the coaches will have to "schmooze" and keep happy.

[Detroit_TFC]

I think the reservists around the league are playing, just not in structured fixtures and not necessarily against other MLS reservists. They are playing college teams, lower division teams, etc.

[felipe]

Some thoughts..

We are playing rather well at the moment - but I'd stop short of calling it a radical change from our first few games - different factors case changes in our styles of play - for instance, the relative pressure put on the ball by differing opposition, the weather elements and the style of play by the opposition; we seem to match up well against teams that like to play through the middle, and not so well against teams that utilise their flanks more.

The current formation is looking good but will only work for as long as Dichio stays healthy - it won't work without him - I don't see a natural replacement for him up top (unless we convert Harmse to a targetplayer of course!). And I don't really see the defensive cover against a team that runs the flanks.

I'll agree about Guevera - he still looks great going forward; but he seems to be making 'token' efforts coming back; he'll get into position, but then make no real effort after that. (Watch our last game again and you'll see what I mean - its not that he's poor,it's just that he's capable of so much more).

I don't really understand the concerns about our D; we're easily the match of most teams in this league - our only real problem is we get real jumpy with about 20 minutes to go and make silly mistakes or lapses in judgemnt that don't seem to occur earlier in the game.

Anyone else think Nana looked lost up front in our last game - (justifiably so) - he had an open 40 yards ahead of him direct to goal at one point that any mid or forward would attack - and he hit a 40 yard cross field pass instead. (Unless he had direct orders to not cross the halfway line it was a puzzling decision)

I was praying Ricketts would split that double team late in the game and get a shot in - (and he very nearly did) - because I think he really deserves some good luck about now.

I'm getting real tired of the constant Barrett criticism - he's not Cunny! Its not like he does nothing else but score! If that was the case, then fine, slam him for missing chances. But the guy defends from the front, making the mids job easier to create turnovers at midfield; he runs off the ball constantly, creating space for all the more 'gifted' players. Without Barrett doing the 'donkey' work, we'd be a lot less effective as a team. Don't forget, the team isn't just giving him the ball 5 times a game in prime scoring location because he gets there by accident.

I'm anxious to read the boards Saturday night if we don't beat columbus; will the sky be falling again?

But yeah, I agree, wwe'll continue to get better - if we can stay away from our late game tentativeness.

[Yohan]

I think the reservists around the league are playing, just not in structured fixtures and not necessarily against other MLS reservists. They are playing college teams, lower division teams, etc.

that's my understanding as well

what's TFC doing in terms of keeping reserve guys somewhat match fit?

[Oldtimer]

I actually think that the key is pairing Cronin with Robbo in mid, it takes pressure off of our D.

Dero for Dichio would still work, as it did at KC.

Just as long as we keep the DM strong and avoid wing play, we're fine.

[Yohan]

I actually think that the key is pairing Cronin with Robbo in mid, it takes pressure off of our D.

Dero for Dichio would still work, as it did at KC.

Just as long as we keep the DM strong and avoid wing play, we're fine.

why limit our attack only down the middle?

one dimensional play means other teams can adjust and adapt their defence better