Making the best of our current steaming pile for the last two games

[jloome]

Hey all,
I'm gonna suggest there's a fair degree of likelihood our current manager, despite his own pedigree, can't tell an MLS-level player from one in the NCAA. WHo knows, maybe it's specifically because of the level he played at. Either way, he's demonstrated time and again that he thinks Aaron Maund has the positional, tactical and technical ability to start in MLS.

I'm going to propose that we have some decent players on this team. It's just hidden under a pile of steaming management horseshit. For example, I think this team would have been more competitive against NY, night and day:

----------Kocic--------------
Eckersley--Cann--O'Dea-Pasher
Dunfield---Stinson---Morgan
---------Johnson------------
-----Lambe---Silva---------


A diamond plays to our strengths: Johnson is good at holding up the ball and can create space, and has awicked shot from outside the box. Lambe can finish and is hard to strip, and Silva combines elements of the two. All three are better playing inside than out, and are far and away our most talented offensive players (with Hassli and Koervermans out).

Meanwhile, Pasher showed against Liverpool that he can play left back at this level, and morgan will both give us a bit of width when needed and some speedl; Dunfield and Stinson can concentrate on sitting back and defending, with one of them coming forward as needed to support the attack at the top of the box.

In defence, Cann's biggest problem has been he needs a solid tackler next to him because even though he has some technique, he's got slow feet. But he's good in the air and marks OK; with O'Dea to rein him in, he'd be fine.

I would give dollars to donuts this is a much more competitive team than the one we fielded, with just a couple of changes.

[narduch]

Overall I agree with your post. Just a few points.

-TFC has 3 matches remaining (home to DCU + Montreal, away at Columbus). Plus a 4th match against Santos Laguna.
-Pasher would have to be signed to a contract to play.

I'm of the belief that Mariner only plays his guys. Those are the guys that will most likely be back next year. Players like Cann, Stinson, Cordon, Makabuya, etc. will not be back.

[nonc]

i'd be disappointed if we took more than 1 point, otherwise Mariner will be given a parade.

[narduch]

i'd be disappointed if we took more than 1 point, otherwise Mariner will be given a parade.

I don't think the results matter either way for Mariner at this point. Whether we win all 3 or lose all 3. He will be back.

[[NBF]]

I agree with the formation you have their JLoome, but I disagree with the players you've selected to play up front. As well as Morgan playing as a midfield, and lets not forget the obvious addition of the "lunchbox" in the midfield. Pasher, is a decent TFCAcademy player but he has yet to play a game in MLS, so I wouldnt put too much confidence in his one game vs out of shape Liverpool Reserves.


Using the 4-3-1-2:

----------------------------Frei-------------------------
---------------------------Kocic-------------------------
Eckersley--------[X]----------------O'Dea---------Morgan
----------------Henry---------------Emory---------Pasher
---------------------------------------------------------
--------[X]----------------[X]-------------[X]-----------
-------Stinson-----------Maund--------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------Silva---------------------------
--------------------------Avila---------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
-------Lambe----------------------------Johnson---------
------Amerikwa---------------------------Plata-----------

[Section 117]

Pasher can't play for the main squad in an MLS game as he does not have an MLS contract. Plus I wouldn't want to subject him to the tatical genius that is Mariner. He would destroy all knowledge that he has of football and secondly Mariner does not rate ANY Canadian player with the exception of the best box to box midfielder in the game Terry Dunfield

[Ajax TFC]

My favourite lineup with our current available players would be:

Kocic
Eckersley - Henry - O'Dea - Emory
Stinson
Cordon - Avila
Lambe - Silva - Morgan

Of course Avila will be released in the off season, so there's no real point but I would absolutely love to see this lineup. Two fast technical wingers, Henry partnered with a good CB, Ecks where he belongs, Silva as a withdrawn striker, and I absolutely loved the Cordon - Burgos - Avila midfield in the reserve game vs Columbust at the beginning of the season, so this is the next best thing IMO.