Today's News, Friday, Sep.18

[denime]

Mornin'





TFC TV.






MLS Preview and Prediction: Toronto FC vs Colorado Rapids


Vanney Doesn't Mince Words


Crooks: Greg Vanney Foolishly Rips Yankee Stadium After Loss To NYCFC







TFC/MLS related blogs




SUNSHINE









Terry Fox Run 2015 - Support Team RPB

http://www.terryfox.ca/rpb

More info

[Wagner]

Mornin' D.


Terry Fox Run is just 2 sleeps away.

[scooter]

mornin d

hopefully tommorow will be a goal fest the team should be up for it

[Initial B]

That crooks article has some very telling things to say about the state of MLS defensive lines:

In my assessment, there is not a single group of backs in MLS that is adequately effective on both sides of the ball. The poor defending techniques and the lack of tactical awareness on the defensive side has been astonishing at times — while the inability to work out of pressure and build an attack has been equally alarming. This leads to direct play and the bypassing of the midfield, and matches are determined by second-ball madness rather than a coordinated attack.Comfort on the ball requires technique and awareness. I’ve taken a meticulous look at MLS matches and have attempted to identify the players who scan the field to establish their defensive organization or look around to impart information for their first touch in the attack. Those players — Gio, Robbie Keane, Benny Feilhaber, Clint Dempsey, Javier Morales, Jacobson — are in the minority. When you combine that lack of awareness with limited technical skills, the result is a less than favorable product. Without ambiguity, I am depicting the elite level.
Remember, Don Garber has a quest for MLS to reach the echelon of respectability garnered by the English Premier League, La Liga and the Bundesliga by 2022. That pursuit remains a delusion as long as players like Josh Williams are starting at the back for a playoff-bound team. (Williams was released by NYCFC and picked up by Toronto FC. He has started their last six matches.)

MLS has a lot of work to do to get into the "top league" echelon.

[Richard]

The defensive problems in MLS is not surprising, good defenders are quickly scouted and brought into the top leagues while every other league basically gets the scraps.

I think part of TFC's problem over the years is banking on the defenders they bring in to be world beaters and stop everything just because they play as a CB, its like if the organization plays FIFA and thinks if we just slot in two players were good to go, its a team game.

Also I think Garber is delusional if he thinks MLS will be a top league by 2022, its not at all attainable. To start with I've seen nothing that is even remotely addressing the major referee problem MLS has and that takes years of development to raise the standard overall.

Unless he's got billions laying around the talent level of MLS will never reach anything close to the top without a major bump in homegrown player talent.