Last edited by Yohan; 02-18-2015 at 06:38 PM.
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
This is a weird and interesting tournament. The African team TP Mazembe pulled out when a home-league playoff game was rescheduled at the last second, so a team of English unsigned players and some Americans called "London United" is replacing them. Koge are a second-div team in Denmark but very well funded. If there's a "should win" it's against OKC, obviously, although they do apparently have a few ex-MLS players on roster.
Apparently all the games are being streamed on the IMG site:
http://www.imgacademy.com/mls/
Last edited by jloome; 02-17-2015 at 03:31 PM.
Looking forward to actually seeing some game action.
IIRC, the feed is very.....static.
I'm actually way too excited to actually watch some Reds footy again. The whole season, really, looks killer, which is why the players are pushing the free agency issue, and the relocation issue.
Meh, the only match that matters for us in this tourney is against New Jersey, plus any playoff games against MLS teams. A win against OKC is like catching a fish from an aquarium. Then again if we lose...
Just read that the tfc website will provide a feed for this game. Probably better than those pop-up hell ones.
Anybody expecting to see much cohesion is going to be disappointed. Expect to see a lot of in an out and people getting in just enough time to be ramping up their playing capability.
Will be nice to see players touch the ball but results will mean nothing here.
Just to get in practice for the season, here's a starting line-up prediction (is Jackson back from Brazil yet?):
----------------Bendik-------------------
--Bloom--Perquis--Caldwell--Morrow--
-------Cheyrou-------Bradley-----------
-Jackson?----Giovinco--------Osorio---
-Findley?
-----------------Altidore-----------------
Lookin' good. Hope a 4th DP comes to the team, and we get Gilberto back for that Jackson/Findley spot...
Also, would love to see Hamilton, Aparicio, Delgado, Lovitz, Hagglund--and, heck, even Morgan--make an appearance in the second half.
----------------Bendik-----------------
--Bloom--Perquis--Caldwell--Morrow----
-------Cheyrou-------Warner-----------
-Findley--------Bradley------GioVinco---
---------------Altidore-----------------
I highly doubt you will see first team lineup. It should be a mix of first team and reserves
I'm going 4-1-3-1-1
-------------Bendik-----------
Bloom--Perquis--Caldwell--Morrow
------------Cheyrou-------------
Osorio---Bradley---Jackson/Lovitz
-----------------Giovinco---------
-------Altidore-------------------
--------------Bendik------------------
--Bloom--Perquis--Caldwell--Morrow
-------------Cheyrou-------------
-------Osorio--------Jackson (if here)
--------------Bradley------------
----------Altidore---Giovinco----
It's game day! Lot of excitement over a pre season game but you can change the fact that game day is finally back!!
I hope to see (even if only for a few min) how Jozy & Bradley link up going on the attack
2-1 TFC
In case anyone is curious to see who is on the OKC team
http://www.energyfc.com/index.cfm?fa=players
It's a young team. I didn't see anyone on the roster who is over 29 years of age. Maybe they'll try and use speed to counter the mountain of talent they'll be facing?
4 games to perfect our style and get us ready for the season. I expect to see players working hard to win a spot. The rest will win the bench when the season starts. Yes, it's only a friendly, and yes, it doesn't mean anything. But if we see lack of effort/passion from certain players then that's a big worry. Assistant coach said as much: it's in these games you earn your spot.
Anyone else tripping out that we are 2 and a half weeks away from our season opener?
It's the seriously not serious, not important but important game.
It's always hard to know with TFC. Usually we're told that these friendlies are not important. I don't get it. So we don't need to prepare our squad and give them maximum time to gel together before game 1? I guess not. Like I said, you never know with TFC. Failed to make the play-offs 8 years in a row. Maybe this time they'll take these friendlies (preparation) a bit more seriously. I agree it's not about the result, but we do need to see the team/shape coming together in a BIG way. Otherwise we'll be doomed when we face Vancouver in a few weeks time. 2 1/2 weeks to be battle ready!
----------------Bendik------------------
--Bloom--Perquis--Caldwell--Morrow
----------Cheyrou----Bradley---------
-------Osorio--Giovinco--Jackson
----------------Altidore------------
RPB Road Warrior. DC United 9/29/07, Columbus Chaos 3/25/08, DC Rumble 5/24/08, Montreal Madness 5/27/08, Chicago 7/12/08, Kansas City Opener 3/21/09, Columbus Smoke 3/28/09, Boston Bus Bounce 8/1/09, Montreal 1000 4/7/12 Montreal 3200 3/16/2013 Columbus Bus Breakdown 3/21/15, Montreal Playoffs 10/29/15, Montreal Opener 04/23/16, Montreal East Final 11/22/16, Chicago 08/19/17, NY Semi-Final 10/30/17, Columbus East Final 11/21/17, Montreal "Dichio Lives" 3/17/18
I imagine we would be playing with our best possible line-up (we only have 4 friendlies, so don't have much time to lose). But in the second half you may see a few other players get a chance. Either way, they have to earn their way into the squad through training. I'll be a little annoyed if we don't use these friendlies to get our best 11 to gel perfectly. That should be priority #1. Unless the plan is to begin work on gelling when the season starts?
This preseason has been very underwhelming so far.
Hopefully TFC manage to play couple more closed door friendlies before coming back to Toronto.
I doubt we will be seeing anything like a full 11 at one time.
This game is about
- minutes played towards opening day
- installing practice theory into game routines
If we see Gio, Bradley and Altidore on the pitch at the same time, that's a bonus.
I recall Vanney's saying that Jackson will join rejoin the club, upon their return to Orlando (second trip).
The above is also a fair representation of my line-up of choice.
Absolutely stoked, man! From here on out, we've got games galore to take in.
hahahha Nailed it.
I'm with you, regarding these friendlies.
Larson just tweeted this, not sure where he got it from