TFC 2014-15 Off-Season player moves/speculation/rumours/etc. thread

[Nodoubtguy]

I don't want to lose Gilberto, but our depth at the striker position should be able to withstand his departure if everyone stays healthy. We have Altidore, Dike, and Moore as target forwards, which is very solid by MLS standards.

If the plan is to play a formation with a CF, Gilberto would have been utilized on the wing, so it might make more sense to sell him and use the resources to acquire a natural winger, which is an area of weakness on the current roster.

I don't buy the depth. Jozy might be good for 10-15, Moore maybe 5-8, as for Dike.....I just want him to pass 20 minutes played this season, maybe Findley and Hamilton add one or two each.

[Areathrasher]

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2015/01...-eriq-zavaleta

Vanney's nephew, that should go down well with some

[OgtheDim]

That's a good move. More back up on defence.

Oh, he's that guy......Vanney's nephew.


A perspective on him from Chivas viewpoint- they rate him. http://www.thegoatparade.com/2014/12...cademy-indiana

[Yohan]

Zavaleta is vanney's nephew. I think he's still on GA contract

[Ultra & Proud]

We do???

If Jozy gets 10, that will almost replace Defoe. Sadly I don't see anyone else picking up Gilberto's goals

I want Gilberto to stay as much as anyone but Moore only had one less goal than him in a lot less minutes. Of course Moore's were all garbage goals but still, he can score a bit anyway.

That being said I prefer Gilberto and Altidore up top unless we can score a proven MLS forward at a good salary.

[kwhisperer]

I think this is spot on. We are very top heavy. I'd take yet another quality back if we can get one too.

I think people are thinking about replacing what Gilberto looks like he should score, rather what he actually did. Our offence can make up the difference and them some.

There are reasons why Gilberto may have to go but I don't think quality is one of them - based on last year, I think he would outscore Moore, Findley and Dike .... maybe even combined. I'd love to see what he can accomplish in his second year on a theoretically stronger squad.

[Red CB Toronto]

Zavaleta is vanney's nephew. I think he's still on GA contract

He is GA and also had the same agent as The General in Ron Waxman.

[andmat]

Gives us a little more depth, I Still think we need another older CB with more experience,

[Areathrasher]

The move is getting good reactions from non TFC peeps, which is encouraging...

Charles Boehm @cboehm · 9m9 minutes ago

TFC: Shopping for strikers in the EPL, shopping for defenders at Chivas USA. (Seriously tho - Zavaleta is a great pickup.)


Drew Epperley @wvhooligan · 8m8 minutes ago

Toronto picks up Eriq Zavaleta huh? That’s a pretty solid addition there by the Reds.


Matthew Tomaszewicz @shinguardian · 7m7 minutes ago

Bezbatchenko smart with Zavaleta. Tried and true strategy of having youngsters learn behind veterans & for spot starts against weaker teams.

[mowe]

Good signing, our CB lineup is set I think. Would've liked a bit more experience but oh well. That Goat Parade article called him a former GA player though.

[oxygenatedbrain]

Good signing, our CB lineup is set I think. Would've liked a bit more experience but oh well. That Goat Parade article called him a former GA player though.

correct...

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...e-generation-a

[flamehawk]

Iffy about the connotations of signing your nephew but I like that he is apparently fast. Will serve as a complement to the slower Caldwell and Perquis.

I wonder what the depth chart looks like for CB:

1.Perquis
2.Caldwell
3.Hagglund
4.Zavaleta
5.Thomas
6.Simonin

Or do we always pair a vet with a youngster?

[Ultra & Proud]

There are reasons why Gilberto may have to go but I don't think quality is one of them - based on last year, I think he would outscore Moore, Findley and Dike .... maybe even combined. I'd love to see what he can accomplish in his second year on a theoretically stronger squad.

You're probably right but who knows really? He could turn the corner and become legit or he could Barrett all his chances like he did most of last year.

If we do sell him then I just hope it's abroad. We don't need another ex-player tearing up the league.

[pdubs]

Matthew Doyle ‏@MLSAnalyst 15m15 minutes ago
@shinguardian I like Zavaleta a lot. "Smart" is a trait that appreciates over time.

[jabbronies]

Iffy about the connotations of signing your nephew but I like that he is apparently fast. Will serve as a complement to the slower Caldwell and Perquis.

I wonder what the depth chart looks like for CB:

1.Perquis
2.Caldwell
3.Hagglund
4.Zavaleta
5.Thomas
6.Simonin

Or do we always pair a vet with a youngster?

Perquis and Caldwell to start matches.
Bring in Hagglund/Zavaleta to finish off a game and occasionally start (shittier teams, CCL matches, congested schedule)

Always pair a vet and a youngster in my opinion.
You put two kids out there, unless they are very mature players, will be all over the place in terms of positioning.

[WestStandGeoff]

This is actually a plausible scenario. It would take approximately 200K in allocation to pay down Gilberto's salary so that he would fall into that category, as long as the extra DP slot isn't exclusively for domestics.

So what if the extra DP slot is exclusively for domestics... either Bradley or Altidore can take that spot and still leave another one open for Gilberto.

[OgtheDim]

So what if the extra DP slot is exclusively for domestics... either Bradley or Altidore can take that spot and still leave another one open for Gilberto.

The speculation is the 4th DP slot will be for domestics that are between $375K and $1 million, or so. None of our DP's hit that.

[kwhisperer]

You're probably right but who knows really? He could turn the corner and become legit or he could Barrett all his chances like he did most of last year.

If we do sell him then I just hope it's abroad. We don't need another ex-player tearing up the league.

Seems to me he'd be the second best player on the team in terms of technique and pure skill, so the upside is pretty big if he and Altidore actually get a chance together in front of Giovinco, etc. But it sounds like he's going so no point in the what if's, I suppose. I'm just not that convinced by the attacking group post-Gilberto. Some real question marks there. Whatever move they make with Gilberto, they should be able to turn it into improvements for the team in other areas.

[flamehawk]

Perquis and Caldwell to start matches.
Bring in Hagglund/Zavaleta to finish off a game and occasionally start (shittier teams, CCL matches, congested schedule)

Always pair a vet and a youngster in my opinion.
You put two kids out there, unless they are very mature players, will be all over the place in terms of positioning.

By always pair a vet with a youngster I meant whether we sit Caldwell (or Perquis at times) even when fit, just so that either Haggludn or Zavaleta plays - for that bit of pace.

[Detroit_TFC]

I like the Zavaleta move, surprised that Sounders thought he was surplus.

[Detroit_TFC]

damien perquis24 ‏@damienperquis24 55m55 minutes ago I am very happy to have signed for @torontofc and to be part of this beautiful project Let's go Toronto! All for one!


Just a note that this is the second guy coming in who has called TFC a "project". Somebody is selling a plan, it seems.

Yeah, that thought crossed my mind, too.

[Red CB Toronto]

I like the Zavaleta move, surprised that Sounders thought he was surplus.

Pretty quick, Zavaleta was at training today in Toronto.

[Ajax TFC]

@Armen Bedakian: We finally got the player you wanted from the 2013 superdraft

[ManUtd4ever]

I really like the Zavaleta acquisition, especially at that cost.

[Red I]

Yeah, that thought crossed my mind, too.

I think you have to sell it that way - a project as oppsed to a ready-made machine. TFC has a lot to prove, and the players need to know that coming in - Defoe probably saw this as a perrennial championship team or a team on the cusp of dominance, and was probably disappointed when he got here - best to be honest - this team hasn't done a damn thing, and it's going to ake some time - if you don't have the time and patience, then its not the place for you

[ag futbol]

Good move. Two vets, one second, one third year player. Barring injuries that should be enough.

Would like to see a winger and maybe a DM, but otherwise they've ticked all the boxes this offseason. Definitely deserving of kudos for that.

[Yohan]

Good move. Two vets, one second, one third year player. Barring injuries that should be enough.

Would like to see a winger and maybe a DM, but otherwise they've ticked all the boxes this offseason. Definitely deserving of kudos for that.

just a winger for me.

I think Creavalle can play the destroyer DM role, with Bradley doing much of the link up play from midfield keeping Creavalle's role simple. Creavalle's athleticism and ability to cover a lot of ground combined with Bradley should do good enough job of protecting the defenders.

[Red4ever]

So this is the guy from Man City right?

[PopePouri]

So this is the guy from Man City right?

Yes, should be decent right back depth behind Bloom.

[Super]

Man City's Zabaleta:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Zabaleta

TFC's Zabaleta:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eriq_Zavaleta