We're in a good place

[Pookie]

I wouldn't worry about that rumour. I'm assuming you read the one from sportsmole? They are a 'headline' site not a news site lol

Sure. And a few MLS stars go on loan in January. Just playing what if.

[LFC8]

Cmon. We were 20 points out of the playoffs last year!

Lol i know it's a BIG jump to make the playoffs but we didn't have Defoe, Bradley, Morrow, Gilberto etc. on that team. Times are a changin Ensco! We are no longer the basement dwellers and i smell playoffs!


This was how i felt about the team last year after every game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7fjDS0jKiE

Now i`m a bit more optimistic

[PAOK17]

It's a confusing process, so let me attempt to clear it up.

There WILL be a Voyageurs' Cup next year. The only difference is that unlike previous years where the winner of the V Cup qualified for that same year's CCL, going forward the winner will qualify for the following year's CCL.

So the winner of the 2015 V Cup will qualify for the 2016/17 CCL.

This leaves a one year gap where there is no tournament to decide the entrant into the 2015/16 CCL. So as a one-time fix, the top MLS team will qualify for next year's CCL.

Just to add, we are basically complying with how other summer leagues (MLS included) go about determining their representatives for the continental tournaments (which tend to be winter based).

For example, the Danish Champion of 2015, will play in the 2016-2017 UEFA Champion's League.
Likewise, the MLS Cup Champion of 2014, will play in the 2015-2016 CCL.
The Canadian Champion of 2015, will play in the 2016-2017 CCL.

The only reason it looks funny to us to wait an entire year is because the Voyageurs Cup is a short tournament that has been over before the new CCL has started.

[JavierMartini]

Third in Points per game after seattle and NER. not too shabby

[MightyDM]

What I want to be is Seattle, Portland , RSL, possibly Vancouver ... teams that play attractive soccer and are contenders. Given where we were, it was a 2-3 year project even with Leiweke's ability to unlock $100M for the project.

I didn't think we were on track 4 weeks ago, but now I am just not sure. I mean that in a good way, I see many positives - the ability to close out games, Bez moving internationals for decent domestics, Nelsen starting to finally look like he might have a tactical clue after all...

I don't need us to make the playoffs this year, and I still don't think we will. I think we will fade in the summer, my gut says we're just not playing well enough to sustain this. It's a tough league, we were so bad last year, and objectively we are not that much better this year ex Defoe and Bradley (which will not be enough over 34 games) ...

But maybe we are on track after all. I can live with missing the playoffs if we keep improving.

Kind of fair. And Pookie's latest is not nearly as harsh and negative as usual. It's all a work in progress, with some signs of progress, agreed by both of you, and by most of us. But isn't it great to watch Defoe score and to see us win, even if we know we aren't good enough yet? That second goal versus Columbus was incredible. And it was for us, not against us.

[pdogg]

This is the best explanation of WHAT is happening. Now, WHY is it happening??

1. Expansion of the tournament at a later date. Right now we have to determine the NCC champion by a certain date - June 1st ? -for the CCL entrance. This limits the # of rounds.
2. Better weather for our colder climate friends.

thats my two guesses.

[Fort York Redcoat]

My best guess is that the powers that be wanted to move NCC from late winter/early spring to summer/fall, with the CCL starting in the subsequent MLS Summer season.

Summer/fall is when the CCL tournament is actually played so the 'gap issue' came into play creating the need for the one time qualification to the tournament from the MLS standings this year.

If this is the case, TFC or Vancouver (not giving Impact a chance at this point) could potentially be competing in CCL, MLS, and NCC all at the same time next year.

A temporary congestion so that they could move the tournament to their preferred spot in the season.

Your question still stands though.... what is better about Summer/Fall qualification vs Winter/Spring qualification ?

My only guess is that Edmonton/Montreal/Toronto/Ottawa can barely host suitable games outdoors during these times of the year (Winter/Spring) vs having the tournament in the later stages of MLS/NASL where there is better weather and potentially more hype for the tournament from the MLS and NASL faithful. Also they can now stretch the NCC tournament out over the MLS and NASL season with good weather for as long as they want. ( ie. may to november where as before they were limited to march to may)

1. Expansion of the tournament at a later date. Right now we have to determine the NCC champion by a certain date - June 1st ? -for the CCL entrance. This limits the # of rounds.
2. Better weather for our colder climate friends.

thats my two guesses.

Thanks Gentlemen. Although I won't enjoy the change as it happens I'm really just happy the tourneys aren't going away.

[Canary10]

What I want to be is Seattle, Portland , RSL, possibly Vancouver ... teams that play attractive soccer and are contenders. Given where we were, it was a 2-3 year project even with Leiweke's ability to unlock $100M for the project.

I didn't think we were on track 4 weeks ago, but now I am just not sure. I mean that in a good way, I see many positives - the ability to close out games, Bez moving internationals for decent domestics, Nelsen starting to finally look like he might have a tactical clue after all...

I don't need us to make the playoffs this year, and I still don't think we will. I think we will fade in the summer, my gut says we're just not playing well enough to sustain this. It's a tough league, we were so bad last year, and objectively we are not that much better this year ex Defoe and Bradley (which will not be enough over 34 games) ...

But maybe we are on track after all. I can live with missing the playoffs if we keep improving.

We're simply not going to play like Seattle, Portland, RSL and Vancouver with Ryan Nelsen as the head coach. That's just not the style or tactics he's implementing. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, as most of those teams bleed goals.

None of us can predict the future obviously, but I think this team gets stronger over the course of the season rather than fades. Just having Bradley back will be a big boost. And the more time they play together the better they will get. We used to have teams that would get walked over in the midfield. With Bradley, Jackson, Caldwell, Henry, etc we have guys with steel who push people around. That's going to win more often than not.

[Canary10]

Third in Points per game after seattle and NER. not too shabby

Second.

[CBTFC]

Been just over a month since the last post in here, and I'm interested on hearing how/if people's opinions have changed.

But when it comes down to it, stats matter most. We currently sit 3rd in the East, and have 2 games in hand on the Revs, and 3 in hand against every other team in playoff positions.

Yep, I still feel we're in a good, and possibly even better, place than when I first posted this.

TFC!

[BuSaPuNk]

I'd change the title to were in a FUCKING great place. One of the best points per game in the league, games in hand to jump higher and games in hand to bury teams below us.
Were great, we have to really take advantage of these games in hand.

[Bantamfan]

we have to really take advantage of these games in hand.

That is they key. Make those games
in hand count. 3 points in the bag is better than a game in hand.

[QBall]

I would feel better if we can get others on the team to score some goals. While I am grateful for what Defoe has done our current fourth highest goal scorer, Issey Nakajima-Farran, was traded away two months ago. Considering he only had two goals for TFC I would hope that someone on the team would have passed him by now. My heart skips a beat every time Defoe gets up slowly from a tackle or if I see him running/jogging with even a temporary limp.
As for where we are in the standings we are perfectly placed. We are starting to become out of reach of teams like Philly and Chicago, who are trying to keep pace with those in a playoff position, while gaining ground on SKC and DC.