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  1. #301
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    Quote Originally Posted by ag futbol View Post
    Whitecaps second best on the night. For all their plaudits I rarely see this team break down a side that's defensively set. Badly need to sort that out in the offseason.
    I wonder what happens with Rivero next season. Had a great start but faded hard. 10 goals on the season is not enough from him.

    They need a legitimate, game-in game-out scoring threat in the middle to finish crosses and free up space for their wingers (who already have a hard time finishing chances without all this extra attention).

  2. #302
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hamilton_Red View Post
    TFC is nowhere near either of those two teams. The Manneh injury was the turning point - Rivero has been a flop and Morales looks finished. Portland played a fantastic game - first to every ball - won every 50-50. Took the chances.

    We should offer Jozy for Laba though straight swap and they need a big name striker badly.
    Yet TFC beat both those teams.
    MLS, man.

  3. #303
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    some exciting games today. Some great atmosphere in every game to (well Vancouver seemed a little sub-due after going down 1-0) all the other home teams won and atmosphere looked pretty awesome. Dallas game was crazy, wow.

    Side note FC Dallas who seem to share there stadium with local high school Football teams, I could see some faint grid iron lines, and the grass wasn't perfect, not awful but you could see a bit of wear and tear on that field obviously from a football game. Can BMO field grass really with stand the Argos ( with full grown 200-300 pound men I mind you) handle the wear and tear next year?? makes me so worried about it considering we have no proof it will work next year!

  4. #304
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    Unbelievable. Every result went exactly as I was hoping. Not quite sure how to process that.

    Not too bothered about Columbus possibly winning it all. I don't hate them even half as much as I used to. Odd.
    Last edited by Brooker; 11-09-2015 at 01:15 AM.

  5. #305
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    Quote Originally Posted by james View Post
    Side note FC Dallas who seem to share there stadium with local high school Football teams, I could see some faint grid iron lines, and the grass wasn't perfect, not awful but you could see a bit of wear and tear on that field obviously from a football game. Can BMO field grass really with stand the Argos ( with full grown 200-300 pound men I mind you) handle the wear and tear next year?? makes me so worried about it considering we have no proof it will work next year!
    I noticed that too. Since our ownership adopted the hopeless offspring of Toronto sports I've been trying to see how the pitches in other ground sharing MLS cities holds up. Dallas and Houston both seem okay. Not great but okay. Better than they used to be but it's a lot drier there and they can control the dampness of the pitch. Here a good mud bowl will really mess it up. That can't be helped now but as I've seen with the other teams who share, if the staff really puts in an effort to make the pitch as good as possible for football then it will be okay. If however they half ass it then it will look like Dallas' did 2-3 years ago. I will have to wait and see. On one hand TFC acts all pro in this but we'll see how much they are all in for our experience when some storm causes it to be ripped to shit and the effort and costs to fix it starts rising. At what point does it become "Ah fuck it. It's good enough"?

  6. #306
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hamilton_Red View Post
    Heard the stat that none of the top 15 paid players in MLS are left in the playoffs. #DP's aren't worth it. Soccer doesn't work with that system - it's a proper team sport.
    Who won it all just 12 months ago?

  7. #307
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    All 4 teams have AM's that are on fire right now and DM's that control things in front of their back 4.

  8. #308
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    Just goes to show how important an away goal is, even if it comes at the cost of losing 2-1

  9. #309
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    I felt dirty rooting for Columbus yesterday.

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    Quote Originally Posted by james View Post
    some exciting games today. Some great atmosphere in every game to (well Vancouver seemed a little sub-due after going down 1-0) all the other home teams won and atmosphere looked pretty awesome. Dallas game was crazy, wow.

    Side note FC Dallas who seem to share there stadium with local high school Football teams, I could see some faint grid iron lines, and the grass wasn't perfect, not awful but you could see a bit of wear and tear on that field obviously from a football game. Can BMO field grass really with stand the Argos ( with full grown 200-300 pound men I mind you) handle the wear and tear next year?? makes me so worried about it considering we have no proof it will work next year!
    The wear and tear was acceptable, but I hope TFC brass will employ a better system to remove the gridiron lines.

  11. #311
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    Quote Originally Posted by OgtheDim View Post
    All 4 teams have AM's that are on fire right now and DM's that control things in front of their back 4.
    Funny, I noticed that DM shield as well. Time for Bez to do something about it.
    MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto

  12. #312
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    Quote Originally Posted by OgtheDim View Post
    All 4 teams have AM's that are on fire right now and DM's that control things in front of their back 4.
    There is no successful MLS team without a stud DM. I'd argue that CAM playmaker must also be part of that mix too. Pretty much every team has a playmaker, except for LA, Seattle DC and TFC that has a striker filling in as some sort of playmaker
    “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

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    Looking at the possibilities for the final on December 6 I would think that, from a marketing point of view, MLS' preferred final would be Red Bulls vs Dallas (due to market size), with Columbus vs Portland the least desirable. However any final involving the Red Bulls I believe they would be hosting as they are the Supporters Shield winners. Of course looking ahead to what else is happening on December 6 in the rest of the sports world the NY Jets will play the NY Giants on that day. So instead of having the game on Saturday when there are no NFL games MLS went and shot themselves in the foot. The only saving grace is that the Giants-Jets game is at 1 PM and the MLS final is at 4 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by QBall View Post
    Looking at the possibilities for the final on December 6 I would think that, from a marketing point of view, MLS' preferred final would be Red Bulls vs Dallas (due to market size), with Columbus vs Portland the least desirable. However any final involving the Red Bulls I believe they would be hosting as they are the Supporters Shield winners. Of course looking ahead to what else is happening on December 6 in the rest of the sports world the NY Jets will play the NY Giants on that day. So instead of having the game on Saturday when there are no NFL games MLS went and shot themselves in the foot. The only saving grace is that the Giants-Jets game is at 1 PM and the MLS final is at 4 PM.
    with MLS slotting playoff games on Sunday, I think they figured out that a lot of NFL fans don't give a rat's ass about MLS...
    “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

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    Quote Originally Posted by Yohan View Post
    with MLS slotting playoff games on Sunday, I think they figured out that a lot of NFL fans don't give a rat's ass about MLS...
    Yeah but with the Jets-Giants game on the same day MLS assured that none of the NY sport talk shows will be talking about the Red Bulls in the lead up to the final. Then again I really have no idea how New Yorkers see the Red Bulls, especially since NYCFC appeared on the scene. At least with a 4 PM start the sports bars in NY will hopefully change the channel to the game (of course if the Red Bulls don't make it this is all moot).

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hamilton_Red View Post
    TFC is nowhere near either of those two teams. The Manneh injury was the turning point - Rivero has been a flop and Morales looks finished. Portland played a fantastic game - first to every ball - won every 50-50. Took the chances.

    We should offer Jozy for Laba though straight swap and they need a big name striker badly.
    I would trade Bradley and Jozy for Dallas' speedy wingers and ACM.

  17. #317
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    I can't root for anybody in the east, I don't feel any special hate for Montreal or Columbus, I just reflexively dislike them all. They all make me nuts because they beat us, yet I don't think they look like they belong on the same pitch as the better western teams. If life were fair, SKC and Seattle would still be in it, and the two eastern teams would be gone.

    Total opposite in the west, I like everyone ex LAG.

    Dallas v Portland is a dream matchup for a purist, they really represent the best of MLS, to me.

    I saw Dallas 3-4 times, never realized that Mauro Diaz had that kind of game. Wow.
    Last edited by ensco; 11-09-2015 at 02:01 PM.
    “What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”

  18. #318
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    Quote Originally Posted by ManUtd4ever View Post
    The wear and tear was acceptable, but I hope TFC brass will employ a better system to remove the gridiron lines.
    if I see gird iron lines like that at BMO field I want my money back, not watching the sport with grid iron lines. The grass condition was watchable, but wear and tear still worries me, exspecially when you consider we have been playing on a prestige perfect pitch for the last few years. I just can't see how we get the lines off 100% when you see so many other fields with visible lines still on the pitch, even high school lines. Toronto says they have some lines that can specially magically rub off easily...I just don't see why no one else uses the same thing then if It works so well??
    Last edited by james; 11-09-2015 at 02:50 PM.

  19. #319
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ultra & Proud View Post
    I noticed that too. Since our ownership adopted the hopeless offspring of Toronto sports I've been trying to see how the pitches in other ground sharing MLS cities holds up. Dallas and Houston both seem okay. Not great but okay. Better than they used to be but it's a lot drier there and they can control the dampness of the pitch. Here a good mud bowl will really mess it up. That can't be helped now but as I've seen with the other teams who share, if the staff really puts in an effort to make the pitch as good as possible for football then it will be okay. If however they half ass it then it will look like Dallas' did 2-3 years ago. I will have to wait and see. On one hand TFC acts all pro in this but we'll see how much they are all in for our experience when some storm causes it to be ripped to shit and the effort and costs to fix it starts rising. At what point does it become "Ah fuck it. It's good enough"?
    ya but the faint lines isn't ok, I would not accept any sort of visible grid iron lines on BMO field when Toronto FC play.

  20. #320
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    stadium wise you want the MLS cup played at NYRB. That is the perfect stadium and in the biggest city (Well close to the biggest city)

  21. #321
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    Quote Originally Posted by notthesun View Post
    I wonder what happens with Rivero next season. Had a great start but faded hard. 10 goals on the season is not enough from him.

    They need a legitimate, game-in game-out scoring threat in the middle to finish crosses and free up space for their wingers (who already have a hard time finishing chances without all this extra attention).
    I find it hard to put too much blame on riverio. The amount of work that guy puts im over a game is quite something. Ever since Morales has dropped off they offer little in the way of service/support to their strikers. Hate to say it but Robinson might be to attacking football what Vanney is to defence - his adjustments rarely address underlying issues. The game plan is more often than not pound the flanks and balls over the top; It doesn't work anymore - too one dimemsiomal and team see it coming. Outside of that they count on set pieces and Manneh's athleticism.

    After a good start they heavily trended dowmward. Think changes are needed on the roster and tactically if they want to even match what they did this year.

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    So I take it the "lets bring in Robbo" calls were a tad premature?

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    Quote Originally Posted by OgtheDim View Post
    So I take it the "lets bring in Robbo" calls were a tad premature?
    He's probably further along the curve than Vanney but he also has a better structure supporting him... So the difference IMO isn't quite what it seems at first glance.

    I would have shared the Robbo much > Vanney view in the past but after moving west and seeing these guys more often i'm not so sure. One thing that isn't BS however is how much better VWFC is run compared to TFC from an operational perspective. The vibe there is much more positive towards the team and people seem genuinely happy with how the club handles SSH's etc...

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    Quote Originally Posted by ag futbol View Post
    I find it hard to put too much blame on riverio. The amount of work that guy puts im over a game is quite something. Ever since Morales has dropped off they offer little in the way of service/support to their strikers. Hate to say it but Robinson might be to attacking football what Vanney is to defence - his adjustments rarely address underlying issues. The game plan is more often than not pound the flanks and balls over the top; It doesn't work anymore - too one dimemsiomal and team see it coming. Outside of that they count on set pieces and Manneh's athleticism.

    After a good start they heavily trended dowmward. Think changes are needed on the roster and tactically if they want to even match what they did this year.
    it's a problem when you rely on one playmaker to make your offence. once Morales got injured and cold, Caps offence sucked. esp considering secondary plan was attack through flanks using inconsistent Manneh and old and past expiry date Mauro Rosales

    I have confidence that Robbo will sort out Caps though.
    “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

  25. #325
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yohan View Post
    with MLS slotting playoff games on Sunday, I think they figured out that a lot of NFL fans don't give a rat's ass about MLS...
    Little hard to take that view when The NFL is about as mass market as you get. I know MLS is niche and all but still... They need to grow and putting yourself in the same time slot means you're heavily fighting to get peoples attention against a very dominating first option.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ag futbol View Post
    Little hard to take that view when The NFL is about as mass market as you get. I know MLS is niche and all but still... They need to grow and putting yourself in the same time slot means you're heavily fighting to get peoples attention against a very dominating first option.
    MLS figures there are enough people interested in soccer over NFL. Niche market is precisely what they are going for.

    Pretty much any time slot is you go against something.
    “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

  27. #327
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    I'm not so sure niche market is the plan. They didn't get the outlays they did from the networks on the grounds of captivating small audiences, they want significant growth in audience numbers that represent the shift everyone says is coming with changing demographics etc... I understand consistent scheduling is a positive when it comes to getting people to tune in, but on those grounds why not focus on the Sunday more throughout the year rather than currently with the 800 lbs gorilla hanging around.

    The idea the NFL has no impact would appear to lack at east some substance. I can't easily link to the article since I am on mobile but espn/fox reported weekly drops in MLS viewership > 60% each during week one of the NFL. That does not suggest a purely niche audience that is immune to the broader environment.

    What is so great about these MLS TV numbers btw? I've seen a few things suggesting modest improvement, but that's hardly sounds like the type of success that says we're going to play on sunday without much regard for what else is on the dial. Heck, the nba used to have a big Sunday ticket and even they largely moved out of that with the NFL becoming so dominant.

    Perhaps some of the more media savvy posters can take a stab at this rather than us amateurs hacking about in the dark.
    Last edited by ag futbol; 11-09-2015 at 11:53 PM.

  28. #328
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    Quote Originally Posted by ag futbol View Post
    I'm not so sure niche market is the plan. They didn't get the outlays they did from the networks on the grounds of captivating small audiences, they want significant growth in audience numbers that represent the shift everyone says is coming with changing demographics etc... I understand consistent scheduling is a positive when it comes to getting people to tune in, but on those grounds why not focus on the Sunday more throughout the year rather than currently with the 800 lbs gorilla hanging around.

    The idea the NFL has no impact would appear to lack at east some substance. I can't easily link to the article since I am on mobile but espn/fox reported weekly drops in MLS viewership > 60% each during week one of the NFL. That does not suggest a purely niche audience that is immune to the broader environment.

    What is so great about these MLS TV numbers btw? I've seen a few things suggesting modest improvement, but that's hardly sounds like the type of success that says we're going to play on sunday without much regard for what else is on the dial. Heck, the nba used to have a big Sunday ticket and even they largely moved out of that with the NFL becoming so dominant.

    Perhaps some of the more media savvy posters can take a stab at this rather than us amateurs hacking about in the dark.
    http://awfulannouncing.com/2015/impr...ws-are-working

    With the 2015 regular season in the books, we can observe through the ratings this year that the new strategy worked. All three networks posted ratings gains over 2014:ESPN/ESPN2: 249,000 average viewers, up 4 percent
    Unimas: 224,000 average viewers, up 3 percent
    FS1: 197,000 average viewers, up 40 percent (versus NBCSN games in 2014)


    So it seems MLS is trying to keep its Sunday nationwide game broadcasts consistent, including playoffs. That article is worth reading for MLS TV ratings
    “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

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    Just think! In another dimension thru a black hole, on another planet TFC may be playing today?

    But not here, not yet :@(

    I am routing for the young Dallas team

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    Quote Originally Posted by Leedsoronto View Post
    Just think! In another dimension thru a black hole, on another planet TFC may be playing today?
    In a galaxy far, far away

    I'll be intently watching both matches today.

 

 

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