Playoffs and V-Cup.
I'd also like to see an absolute spanking of someone at BMO 5/6-0
Playoffs and V-Cup.
I'd also like to see an absolute spanking of someone at BMO 5/6-0
Playoffs
V-Cup
Be at least average in play compared to MLS long-term averages (win 50% of home games, tie 25% of home games, win 25% of away games, tie 25% of away games).
Finish ahead of Montreal
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
I'm gonna be a little more realistic and keep my feet on the ground for now....
Even with all the new "superstar signings", we will take time to gel as a new team. With Morrow, DeRo, Defoe, Gilberto, Jackson, and Bradley, that's over half your first 11 new since last season. They all may be better players, but they won't play "instantly" like a play off team.
That being said, I think we will obviously improve since last season. But I will be conservative and say that we will improve by 20 points over last season, but that may "only just" put us around the knockout round of the cup. A 20 point improvement though, is a MASSIVE improvement in one season!
So, I don't think we can quite say that "playoffs or bust', but still, a 20 point increase in one season would be a huge improvement in the MLS.
Totally agree. For all the talk of the same "core," we have a very different starting XI than last year. I think we have to be really cautious of what to expect early on in the season.Originally Posted by T-boy
In the voice of De Ro, "definitely!" I've been saying this all up and down the boards. So crucial. for me.
Unfortunately, the "Nelsen out!" talk will start right after we go behind 1-0 in the first half in Seattle.
I know, and I was saying a while back that's BS. You just can't integrate 5 or 6 players into the first team that easily. Look at Spurs who tried to do it. They still look pretty flat.
It's also entirely possible and likely that Defoe and Bradley take a while to adapt to the league as well. Pretty common for high profile DP's to take a season to adapt to the league. Gilberto might take time as well.
Yeah totally.
Honestly, I expect to not suck out of the gate, but not be great. I expect some mixed results. I think we'll hit our stride a few months in, possibly even after the WC.
Playoffs and lots of goals.
Agreed on this. I think we might struggle on the road start of the season, especially with some new players who aren't used to the major amount of travel involved in the MLS. I expect us to win some early games just on the enthusiasm of some new SSH's and some full stadiums chanting at their "new hero's". If we can keep mid table by the start of the world cup, I then expect us to kick on and start getting more points, especially on the road, from August on and we might then pick up enough points for the play offs.
Does anybody know if any MLS team has "improved" by more than 20 points between two seasons?
I think San Jose improved by 28 points the year they won the Supporters Shield from the previous year (from memory). That's a lot. (Ha, I was right. Pretty good memory. DC improved by 19 that year, Vancouver 15).
Last edited by Canary10; 01-16-2014 at 04:38 PM.
Respectability within the league and city. Respectable finish in the MLS table for the year. Definitely expect the CCL again...no reason not to. More games of me leaving BMO happy than not happy.
We're talking about record levels of improvement from one season to the next just to make the playoffs.
Portland improved by 23 last year. Think that was the highest; Colorado 14.
To put it in context, we'd need probably need 21 to be confident of making the playoffs.
Min and MAx.
The same.
SCORE
IN
EVERY
HOME
GAME.
I'll get my Coat.
NORB.
(do the double over the L'imp-act would also be a nice bonus)
NOTICE: Wager with STB: OVER 2 shots on goal in the First half wins a Pint at HT.
Oh...one other key indicator of a successful season for me....my wife not telling me after any games "why are we paying for this?"
The Quakes improved by 28 points the year they won the supporters shield.
Thanks for doing the research Canary!
So yea, I think we need to be realistic - going from a 29 point team to a playoff team (minimum 49 points) in one season is going to be an extremely tough task! We would need at least 20 extra points on 2013, and probably 25 points to be safe in the playoff picture.
So, can we REALLY say that we have to make the playoffs in 2014? I think some people have to check their expectations a tiny bit!
That being said, I obviously do hope we reach the playoffs, but I wouldn't flip out and fire Nelson if we went from 29 points to 47 within a season and just missed out the playoffs. 29 points to 47 would be a massive improvement!
Playoffs is a tough ask, but its a necessary one.
That is the goal. Has to be. Every season.
Do that or the coach gets fired and we go at it again in 2015.
Anyways, the turn around potential in the team as it currently sits is probably the biggest in MLS history. What other team has brought in 1 proven DP level forward, 1 proven DP level DM, a well scouted forward and a former MVP (gosh I hope he doesn't screw things up but he is a good player) in an off season? And its not like we were uncompetitive in matches last season.
If any team can do this big a turn around, this is the one.
Gotta hope.
Oh, the potential is definitely there, but needs to be tempered with a realistic view. Most DP's take time to settle into the league. DiVaio and Henry for example both had pretty average first seasons. As mentioned above, putting together a bunch of new players takes time for them to gel.
Yeah, head vs. heart stuff this.
^^For sure.
All I want is to go to BMO with the belief that the team can win on any given day like years 2 & 3. For shameful chants to be eliminated like the "_ minutes of shame" everytime they indicate the amount of extra time. To havent the sentiment that the ship has been turned.
Put perfectly.
Bradley started in MLS and his dad was the coach of the Red Bulls at the time, I think. He was here for two seasons before going to Holland. I don't think Defoe will need any time to start scoring. But the travel rigors will mean a slow down at some point that we shouldnt' all go apey over.Originally Posted by bradIt's also entirely possible and likely that Defoe and Bradley take a while to adapt to the league as well. Pretty common for high profile DP's to take a season to adapt to the league. Gilberto might take time as well.
I think 2014 is about something other than results, although if I get what I want, results will follow.
I want one thing only.
I want to stop being envious of other teams and their fans
I'm tired of not competing properly for players (looks like that isn't an issue any more! hope the cure doesn't wreck the club long term!). I'm tired of watching bad soccer, whether in person or on TV, when TFC plays. I'm tired of seeing an RSL play a Dallas and seeing a great game, as if it were in a different league than ours, and feeling cheated that we get those so, so rarely.
That's all I need.
"There are some people who might have better technique than me, and some may be fitter than me, but the main thing is tactics. With most players, tactics are missing. You can divide tactics into insight, trust, and daring." - Johan Cruyff
Although I agree with ensco to an extent, this year has to be about tangible results on the pitch, given the state of the franchise going into this off season, and the financial commitment of the new ownership group.
I don't expect TFC to be strong out of the gate due to the lack of cohesion among the top end players of the roster, but I expect the team to compile a respectable record in the first half of the season and remain within striking distance of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. In the second half, if the team can avoid injuries to our core players, I expect TFC to surge in the standings, and for the team to establish itself as a top 3 team in the conference. If we fail to make the playoffs, it will be a failure of epic proportions; far worse than in 2009.
As for the CCL, I can't help but feel that anything less than an appearance in the group stages would also be considered a massive disappointment, based on how our roster measures up with Montreal and Vancouver. We're not necessarily ready to slay the top Mexican clubs yet, so under the revised format, a 2nd place finish in our group would be respectable depending on the draw.
You know how much the league has changed since Bradley was here.
both players are going to need to adapt to playing with lower calibre teammates. Defoe is going to need to learn to create his own space and not rely on his teammates creating space with off the ball runs and will have to learn to deal with lesser service.
Bradley will ill adapt quicker I think, but he's going to have to adapt to the fact that he's not going to have the same sort of options to pass the ball to that he is used to.
Out of curiosity - what makes you think Defoe will hit the ground running when most other DP's take time to adjust?
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