Match Day 6 - Only Those Who Dare to Fail Greatly - TFC @ DCU Sat 16 5pm TSN

[Ultra & Proud]

Ah yes, but how????? Can we be defensively strong with Seba AND Jozy having no defensive responsibilities? I really like Jozy, but still think the team would have been better if we traded Jozy for Garber$$$ and a winger, and kept Gomez.

i hope I am wrong and we will see.

When the day comes, if ever, that Gomez can start and play 60 minutes or so effectively then I will agree. This guy has been 'getting up to full fitness' for over a year now with no injuries so what's that about?

[Hamilton_Red]

So you're saying we have neither tactics or passion? The teams that succeed have both boxes ticked. I've never seen a team with no morale win a championship. The team needs a strong spirit and good tactics. I think we have improved a bit tactically and strengthened the defence - Bradley is better in his new role. We really need to start clicking offensively - that means Alti has to contribute and Gio has to stay healthy.

we lost that game because we came into it with the wrong tactics, not because the team wasn't 'fired up', the same way the first 25 minutes against NE had less to do with intensity and more to do with a faulty tactical approach. At the end of the season what matters is points accumulation, not fiery performances that appease fans who need the team to be "pumped up" and "fighting for the badge". I've seen a lot of shit teams who had a fire in their belly. It didn't matter at the end of the day once thgey finished at the end of the table.

[PopePouri]

NYRB is not a good example or comparison. Since 2010 they have consistently been playoff contenders and won the SS twice. There is a clear, proven track record of their success and reasonable supposition that if they have a slow start or hit a bump in the road, will correct itself and not flame out. To say they only won 4 of their first 14 misses they were undefeated in their first seven games and in that stretch were 4-5-5, not a great, but not terrible start to the season. And after that they never lost twice in a row in 2015.

I think to say "we just don't know" is a bit of a cop-out. We know plenty about this team/club - they've had good starts to the season and poor ones and only made the playoffs once. To say things like "we just don't know yet" when there is plenty of information available to draw logical conclusions is avoiding reality. Especially when we know plenty about this team from last year and it's components to say the majority of the load was carried by Seba. Can we win without Bradley? Yes. Can we win without Altidore? Yes. Can we win without Giovinco? There is little, if anything, to point to that the answer is yes on that front.

Given that Seba has played most games 90 minutes, there is little evidence on how we did we without him. The only evidence we have last year was where Seba was missing for the majority of the match. Even with those games, we were competitive, scored and won (NYRB at home, Montreal at home). The other game was Seattle away, a competitive game with a depleted squad where we almost got a result.

[OgtheDim]

GAME DAY!!!!

[OgtheDim]

FWIW





They also predicted Lovitz last weekend.

[mistercorporate]

Ah yes, but how????? Can we be defensively strong with Seba AND Jozy having no defensive responsibilities? I really like Jozy, but still think the team would have been better if we traded Jozy for Garber$$$ and a winger, and kept Gomez.

i hope I am wrong and we will see.

Definitely think trading Jozy for Garber$$ and a solid DP winger would make sense (a la David Villa).

[OgtheDim]

Villa is only playing as a winger because NYCFC hasn't found that second forward for him to play off of. They would keep Villa and take Jozy in a heartbeat and play 4-4-2 or 3-5-2. I know you meant Villa as a type but don't kid yourself about how this works.

Seba needs that banging tip of the spear forward - he's not an up top guy in a 4-3-3. Jozy can play that spot. Both the coaching staff and Jozy said that was what he was going to do this season. We've had one game with him and Seba together. Lets see how this works out before the Copa break.

[ChrisFizik]

Morning all

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly" Reds are in DC. Sun is shining. It's Match Day!







Thanks for that quote RFK - I mean, OgtheDim! haha

[mistercorporate]

This lineup looks good, it would look downright formidable with a healthy Endoh.

[QUOTE=OgtheDim;1790172]

[jazzy]

This made me curious how our second threat compares to the rest of the league - all these numbers are from the MLS site for last year. Altidore had 13 goals (with no assists, which seems wrong to me but it's the official site so...) in 21 starts - as for the comparable / more productive secondary threats:

Ethan Finlay 12 G (13 A) - 34 starts
Mauro Diaz 8 G (10 A) - 24 starts
Ignacio Piatti 9 G (9 A) - 26 starts - was primary threat until Drogba arrived
Lee Nguyen 7 G (10 A) - 31 starts
Lloyd Sam 10 G (7 A) - 27 starts
Kaka 9 G (7 A) - 28 starts
Clint Dempsey 10 G (10 A) - 20 starts
Benny Feilhaber 10 G (15 A) - 30 starts

Take from this what you will.

Personally I don't think Altidore isn't an effective threat in this league - I just have a bad feeling we're not going to get much more than 21 starts from him again this year.

great points , I really like Josey but fear for his endurance . He is the answer if he could hold up just a bit better and stay healthy . God knows he's paid for it . I wish for a Finley / Kamari situation that Columbus had . Those two were well paired .

[KurtLarSUN]

What's up guys...

I usually try to do a social media Q&A before every match. Feel free to send your TFC/MLS questions to me @KurtLarsSUN on Twitter. Or, I'll check back here later and answer anything you have before the game.

The Toronto Sun's pre-game coverage ...

[mistercorporate]

What's up guys...

I usually try to do a social media Q&A before every match. Feel free to send your TFC/MLS questions to me @KurtLarsSUN on Twitter. Or, I'll check back here later and answer anything you have before the game.

The Toronto Sun's pre-game coverage ...

Hey Kurt! I was wondering, how are TFC ticket sales going for the home opener compared to this time last year. Also, how many season tickets did they sell, I heard they had 18,000 season and premium seats last year, how many this year?

[shwade]

Lovitz AAAGAGH. That boy is capable of absolutely nothing.

[Walms]

I don't really get involved with the tactile speculations till I see the formation in game........ but what about a 4-2-3-1, with Cheyrou out, I'd drop Bradly/Willy back on the defensive duty's, put Oso-Seba-Endoh in the attacking mid and Jozy up front as the target? allows Seba some more freedom to drift and play off Jozy and I think Bradly/Willy would destroy people at the back!

[KurtLarSUN]

Hey Kurt! I was wondering, how are TFC ticket sales going for the home opener compared to this time last year. Also, how many season tickets did they sell, I heard they had 18,000 season and premium seats last year, how many this year?

They had sold more than 28,000 tickets/suite seats for the opener as of last week. Not sure how that compares. I'm told they are north of 20,000 for total season seats (including suites etc.).

I'm speaking with Bill Manning today at RFK Stadium. Any questions?

[Pint]

They had sold more than 28,000 tickets/suite seats for the opener as of last week. Not sure how that compares. I'm told they are north of 20,000 for total season seats (including suites etc.).

I'm speaking with Bill Manning today at RFK Stadium. Any questions?

Ask manning what he thinks about the issues between MLS/DCU and District Ultras as well as OCB bannings

[MightyDM]

They had sold more than 28,000 tickets/suite seats for the opener as of last week. Not sure how that compares. I'm told they are north of 20,000 for total season seats (including suites etc.).

I'm speaking with Bill Manning today at RFK Stadium. Any questions?

Two:

1. what formation accommodates Jozy and Seba AND is still strong defensively ?

And: 2. his perspective on the development of the younger players that are struggling for minutes right now, like Chapman, Manella, Hagglund, Zavaletta. Are they still progressing to becoming starters in this league?

[sully]

What's his opinion on the state of refereeing in MLS

[molenshtain]

So you're saying we have neither tactics or passion? The teams that succeed have both boxes ticked. I've never seen a team with no morale win a championship. The team needs a strong spirit and good tactics. I think we have improved a bit tactically and strengthened the defence - Bradley is better in his new role. We really need to start clicking offensively - that means Alti has to contribute and Gio has to stay healthy.

No, That's clearly not what I said. I said that the appearance of passion matters a hell of a lot less than having A) good players who can consistently execute an effective plan and B) a coach who routinely gets his choices right. Everything else on top of that is gravy. This team has a ton of passionate guys who have no problem motivating themselves, so I don't know why Vanney get's that knock on him. The team clearly has a lot of good morale at the moment.

[OgtheDim]

Perquis rested - on the bench.

[Cashcleaner]

Lovitz AAAGAGH. That boy is capable of absolutely nothing.

He's on the bench according to TFC's twitter. Delgado starts.

I wish I could post it, but it's a solid Starting XI given who we can work with.

[ag futbol]

Definitely think trading Jozy for Garber$$ and a solid DP winger would make sense (a la David Villa).

I would just go the more direct route and get someone else with solid skill and blazing speed. Basically if we had a "Gio light" on the other side we'd be monsters on the counter attack and punish teams who want to key on our best player while unbalancing the field.

[ag futbol]

ICYMI: The @BacardiCanada Starting XI: Irwin; Morrow, Moor, Williams, Beitashour; Osorio, Bradley, Johnson, Delgado; Giovinco, Altidore.

What happened to Perquis??

Perquis rested - on the bench.

Aaaarrrggggg, that's frustrating.

[Alonso]

Here we go, here we go, here we goooo!!!!!!!!!

[boozilla]

Can't wait not to have to see that away kit.

[OgtheDim]

TSN stream if you want to avoid the DCU crew

http://firstrowca.eu/watch/428830/1/...oronto-fc.html

[MightyDM]

It's actually sort of a 2-4-4 if you assume the fullbacks are pushing up wide. A 4-2-4 almost if they stay home.

[MightyDM]

That was Oso! What a great little poke to Jozy! And all four were up!

[Alonso]

I'm predicting a 3-1 win for the good guys

[ag futbol]

Goal, goal, goal!!