TFC 2015-2016 Off-Season player moves/speculation/rumours/etc.

[Red I]

In my opinion you build a team the way you want them to play... your tactical and you ingrain your philopsphy from day 1. None of this ameteaur "all out offense" approach. What Manning and co are doing is so refreshing.

This philsophy only goes so far (see: Aaron Winter & "Square Pegs: Round Holes"). Need Pieces there or at least easily attainable to make your vision reality. Giovinco is a great forward, but he does not track back enough to be an effective winger in a 4-3-3, even though he probably would be unstoppable there given his skill-set. Not saying this is what you are hoping for or anything, just saying playing "the way you want to play" is usually also the battle cry of a team rebuilding - the team presently is too stacked to go that route, and getting established players to play the way you want to play is never easy (See: Phil Kessel)

[Red I]

What Manning and co are doing is so refreshing.

I'm a fan of Manning too, but saying "TFC is not good enough" isn't exactly a refreshing new take on things, it's simply the state of affairs, and easily identifiable. The moves they have made are very smart though, and different then they were previously, so a step in the right direction, which is all i ask for a team that at minimum is a competitive playoff team. Little tweaks to get over the hump - no need for wholesale changes

[ag futbol]

Not Mike Babcock and not me either. (Sorry for the hockey reference) because in the end how far will that get you?

I want a product that has a belief and tactical approach that initiates winning in the long term.

In my opinion you build a team the way you want them to play... your tactical and you ingrain your philopsphy from day 1. None of this ameteaur "all out offense" approach. What Manning and co are doing is so refreshing.

I don't understand why a defense first approach still carries this weight of credibility with people - it really makes no difference which way you attack the problem as long as it's implemented properly.

What we saw last year was no more amateurish than what we've seen under some former coaches, who would park the bus in our own half even when down a goal and then bitch about deserving more even through the team looked every bit as hopeless going forward as we did defensively last year.

[TheGoodson]

I’ve been saying this for 2 seasons. Osorio is good at a bunch of little things… he can move the ball around… he can find open spaces… good team guy, hard worker… but he doesn’t exactly excel at anything. Based on my opinion, he’s not got enough or naturally skilled enough to be a playing CAM type of attacker. This includes MLS when if you look at our league most teams have a very skilled player in this role. He’s not fast enough to play out wide as a winger (if that’s your tactical game plan) and he’s not defensive enough to play as a DM. I’m not hating on the guy, but he’s easily expendable. I’m betting one of Cheyrou or Osorio is moved before March. Also if you look at Will Johnson who could be a forimdable RM - I prefer him as well. If he's starting i'm not pulling my hair out because he's not a bad player... but he's expendable. He's not starting in the english championship imo.

The first part of your comment which I bolded is why he is so valuable, to be a better defensive team we need players who can keep control of the ball, make the smart pass and open up in space to receive the ball. This is why he is not expendable, every team has these type of players that do their job and don't rock the boat. Plus he is a hometown boy which is a bonus and can be used a selling point to academy players if that they are good enough they can make the first team. TFC will more than likely play in a diamond formation due to the squad composition, so he doesn't need speed or to be technically skilled as being the tip as he will be a shuttler with Johnson.

[portu]

I’ve been saying this for 2 seasons. Osorio is good at a bunch of little things… he can move the ball around… he can find open spaces… good team guy, hard worker… but he doesn’t exactly excel at anything. Based on my opinion, he’s not got enough or naturally skilled enough to be a playing CAM type of attacker. This includes MLS when if you look at our league most teams have a very skilled player in this role. He’s not fast enough to play out wide as a winger (if that’s your tactical game plan) and he’s not defensive enough to play as a DM. I’m not hating on the guy, but he’s easily expendable. I’m betting one of Cheyrou or Osorio is moved before March. Also if you look at Will Johnson who could be a forimdable RM - I prefer him as well. If he's starting i'm not pulling my hair out because he's not a bad player... but he's expendable. He's not starting in the english championship imo.

If anyone it's Cheyrou, he has the bigger cap hit and he's 35. This is why I wanted a Cheyrou for Johnson straight swap, because now that we have Johnson we have a surplus of starting caliber central midfielders who aren't primarily defensive minded.

[Defoe]

If anyone it's Cheyrou, he has the bigger cap hit and he's 35. This is why I wanted a Cheyrou for Johnson straight swap, because now that we have Johnson we have a surplus of starting caliber central midfielders who aren't primarily defensive minded.

I actually think Cheyrou could be a capable DM/bottom of the pyramid midfielder because of the players around him. Johnson and Bradley are great defenders and we have a capable back line it seems.

Of course I'm hoping for a younger DM but that's second on my wish list after a goalie.

[portu]

Just watched Anthony Tortera and an Italian reporter throw out the following names: Padelli, De Sanctis, Sorrentino and Consigli

[OgtheDim]

Any of those guys got the same agent as Seba?

[notthesun]

Just watched Anthony Tortera and an Italian reporter throw out the following names: Padelli, De Sanctis, Sorrentino and Consigli

Keepers can play for a while, but De Sanctis is too old. He'll be 39 by a couple weeks into the season. We can't go spend all this TAM on a guy that could easily get injured and not even play much at all.

All the other names are upgrades no doubt. Consigli and Sorrentino are both a little better than Padelli, with Consigli being the younger option at 28 years old.

Problem with these guys is they're all currently starting for their teams in Serie A, excluding De Sanctis. Prying them away from their clubs mid-season might be a problem and will require a transfer fee; tilts the scales towards Sorrentino since Palermo isn't in great financial shape.

[Detroit_TFC]

If this funded by TAM, it's going to be a short deal. De Sanctis is probably would be the easiest to get. He's the backup GK for Roma, btw (4 league starts).

[Bobo]

This philsophy only goes so far (see: Aaron Winter & "Square Pegs: Round Holes"). Need Pieces there or at least easily attainable to make your vision reality. Giovinco is a great forward, but he does not track back enough to be an effective winger in a 4-3-3, even though he probably would be unstoppable there given his skill-set. Not saying this is what you are hoping for or anything, just saying playing "the way you want to play" is usually also the battle cry of a team rebuilding - the team presently is too stacked to go that route, and getting established players to play the way you want to play is never easy (See: Phil Kessel)

I don't buy into the belief that you need wingers to defend. Look around the top leagues for teams that deploy the 433, most don't require their attacking talent to track back. If you have a disciplined 3 man mid, (a destroyer helps) you are usually fine. As for Giovinco not being suitable, he spent a great deal of his time in Italy on the wing; in an ultra-tactical league. Pretty sure he can cut it in MLS.

[flamehawk]

http://www.transfermarkt.com/spieler...=alle&yt0=Show

List of out of contract keepers. Kawashima might be worth a shot.

[portu]

Any of those guys got the same agent as Seba?

Consigli

[molenshtain]

[QUOTE=Bobo;1776127]I don't buy into the belief that you need wingers to defend. Look around the top leagues for teams that deploy the 433, most don't require their attacking talent to track back. /QUOTE]

No, if you allow you're front three to not track back in a 4-3-3 you will always be overloaded on the flanks. It's imperative in a 4-3-3 for your front three to put in a shift. There's special cases occasionally where one of your wingers/inside forwards are so good that you don't want them spending too much time tracking the fullback, but that almost always requires the guy on the other side to spend even more time and energy tracking back and focusing on his defensive side to compensate.

[Bobo]

^ No more overloaded than you are in the narrow diamond, which everyone seems to like. Actually less so, since in general two wingers are going to defend more than two strikers. And if the CAM is always tracking back then it's no longer a real diamond. Whatever combination of three attackers you have, the other three mids (and fullbacks) will have to work extra hard to keep the balance. It's quite common.

Anyways, going off-topic. Bottom line, give us a proper f*cking DM to take some pressure off everyone!

[CBTFC]

I just noticed how many defenders we have...any chance we could get rid of Simonin/Hagglund/Zavaleta?

Of those 3, I'd keep either Hagglund or Zavaleta and let the other 2 go.

[molenshtain]

I just noticed how many defenders we have...any chance we could get rid of Simonin/Hagglund/Zavaleta?

Of those 3, I'd keep either Hagglund or Zavaleta and let the other 2 go.

simonin played 2 games this season and they were better than anything hagglund or zavaleta did all season.

[Graeme]

simonin played 2 games this season and they were better than anything hagglund or zavaleta did all season.

They were also better than anything Kantari did all season! I hope Simonin hasn't lost anything through injury--a potential star.

[ManUtd4ever]

Warner might be a decent option at DM. He has the speed and tenacity to get the job done and he has played a defensive role in central midfield for us in the past. Between him and Cheyrou, we have options to protect the backline.

[molenshtain]

Warner might be a decent option at DM. He has the speed and tenacity to get the job done and he has played a defensive role in central midfield for us in the past. Between him and Cheyrou, we have options to protect the backline.

Warner's positioning in the DM role is terrible to the point of us being complete unable to defend any where near competently as a team when he play's there. Having 3 of warner/bradley/johnson/Osorio running around and doing all the pressing in front of cheyrou that he can't do is probably our best option going forward this this selection of midfielders.

[ManUtd4ever]

Warner's positioning in the DM role is terrible to the point of us being complete unable to defend any where near competently as a team when he play's there. Having 3 of warner/bradley/johnson/Osorio running around and doing all the pressing in front of cheyrou that he can't do is probably our best option going forward this this selection of midfielders.

Last year, Warner filled in for Bradley as a DM for a few games and he played well. If his role is defined, I think he can do the job as well.

[molenshtain]

Last year, Warner filled in for Bradley as a DM for a few games and he played well. If his role is defined, I think he can do the job as well.

Well, I thought he was terrible every time he played that spot (and he never filled in for bradley there as i don't think there was a game where bradley played dm last season). He drift's to the ball to much and doesn't understand the zone's he's supposed to be occupying at any given moment. His defensive qualities translate a lot better to being a ball-winner with another player behind him backing him up.

[OgtheDim]

Warner played DM at least once when we went to the Diamond. He's a DM best suited to a 4-2 system. Good depth but if a young guy could be brought in to act as the sub DM, (Manella?), we should be doing that.

[bimmer]

simonin played 2 games this season and they were better than anything hagglund or zavaleta did all season.

Not quite fair to judge Simonin based on 1/2 appearances while completely ignoring Hagglund's entire 2014 season, when he was arguably our best cb.

[molenshtain]

Not quite fair to judge Simonin based on 1/2 appearances while completely ignoring Hagglund's entire 2014 season, when he was arguably our best cb.

I know. I really enjoyed hagglund's 2014 season. it was probably one of the most consistently entertaining and competent season-long performances in our history. He just regressed badly last season. if i wanted anyone to go it would be zavaleta. he's a nice guy and he puts in a shift every time he's out there, but he's not technically or athletically anywhere near where he needs to be to play this at this level.

[Red CB Toronto]

I know. I really enjoyed hagglund's 2014 season. it was probably one of the most consistently entertaining and competent season-long performances in our history. He just regressed badly last season. if i wanted anyone to go it would be zavaleta. he's a nice guy and he puts in a shift every time he's out there, but he's not technically or athletically anywhere near where he needs to be to play this at this level.

Wonder if Uncle Greg would ship him out or keep him here under his wing?

[ag futbol]

Warner's positioning in the DM role is terrible to the point of us being complete unable to defend any where near competently as a team when he play's there. Having 3 of warner/bradley/johnson/Osorio running around and doing all the pressing in front of cheyrou that he can't do is probably our best option going forward this this selection of midfielders.

Agreed - I wasn't much of a fan of him in that role either. He did best on the right side of the diamond.

Centrally he works well as a second option but I'd be tempted to see how game ready Manella is first. That guy at least seems to have the mentality of a stay-at-home DM first. Warner falls asleep at the wheel back there far too frequently.

[TFC1154ever]

Keepers can play for a while, but De Sanctis is too old. He'll be 39 by a couple weeks into the season. We can't go spend all this TAM on a guy that could easily get injured and not even play much at all.

All the other names are upgrades no doubt. Consigli and Sorrentino are both a little better than Padelli, with Consigli being the younger option at 28 years old.

Problem with these guys is they're all currently starting for their teams in Serie A, excluding De Sanctis. Prying them away from their clubs mid-season might be a problem and will require a transfer fee; tilts the scales towards Sorrentino since Palermo isn't in great financial shape.

If were going to get any goalie from Serie A that is starting in the winter time without some sort of huge transfer, that will affect their salary in the MLS, this would be the only guy I could name, just because Palermo are in such bad debt right now. He is also their captain this season.

[flamehawk]

Looks like Kenny Stam may be on his way back to Norway. http://www.fotbollskanalen.se/allsve...tt-erbjudande/

Shame, I really wanted him back.

[molenshtain]

Wonder if Uncle Greg would ship him out or keep him here under his wing?

an early move made by vanney to get guys in the locker room who back him no matter what. all coaches do it. vanney will get rid of him when he feels comfortable enough with the locker room attitude towards him.