I think we are the best team in the mls

[trane]

It came to me yesterday, after almost ten years of bitter disappointment at our overall performance season in and season out, it downed on me yesterday in a game that we should have won, in which we under performed, but I truly think we are the best team in the MLS.

I know, it seems crazy, but despite our defensive mistakes, which still happen to often for my likeing, we have the best defense in the league. We have the best CDM. We have a quality mids to play with him, and we have decent depth. Our CBs are very solid by MLS standards, and we have to solid FB, not perfect, I find Betashour to be mistake prone defensively, but solid overall for this league, and on top we have the best SS/10 CF/9 ( although he is number 17) in the league. Giovinco is the best player in this league no doubt, Altidore, is as good a pure CF/Target man as it gets, he could have scored more goals this season, but his tactical awareness his passing, chips, and assists are all top notch, and he is clearly on a scoring run.

When you are as solid as it gets in the league in team defense, have what is a commanding mid by league standards, and you have two offensive stars that we have ( supported by allot of decent attacking play by the mids) you have the makings of the best team in the MLS.

Funny it is these three games which we played at home and did not win that brought this in too focus, because we were far from perfect, without our offensive start and yet we where able to grind out results in each game. We should have gone at least 2-1, but when we were behind, we found a way to get back, and yesterday until we went down a man, I was confident we would find a way to win, and when we went down, I was never afraid we would lose. I think I can finally say we do not deserve butter, we have butter. We need to go deep in the play offs, or this is all for not, and I think we should have done better, but we are finally good. Which makes us the best in a league were average wins.

Having said that there is room for improvement and we should have easily picked up another 15 points this season, if we were just a little better on both sides of the ball.

[Alonso]

It came to me yesterday, after almost ten years of bitter disappointment at our overall performance season in and season out, it downed on me yesterday in a game that we should have won, in which we under performed, but I truly think we are the best team in the MLS.

I know, it seems crazy, but despite our defensive mistakes, which still happen to often for my likeing, we have the best defense in the league. We have the best CDM. We have a quality mids to play with him, and we have decent depth. Our CBs are very solid by MLS standards, and we have to solid FB, not perfect, I find Betashour to be mistake prone defensively, but solid overall for this league, and on top we have the best SS/10 CF/9 ( although he is number 17) in the league. Giovinco is the best player in this league no doubt, Altidore, is as good a pure CF/Target man as it gets, he could have scored more goals this season, but his tactical awareness his passing, chips, and assists are all top notch, and he is clearly on a scoring run.

When you are as solid as it gets in the league in team defense, have what is a commanding mid by league standards, and you have two offensive stars that we have ( supported by allot of decent attacking play by the mids) you have the makings of the best team in the MLS.

Funny it is these three games which we played at home and did not win that brought this in too focus, because we were far from perfect, without our offensive start and yet we where able to grind out results in each game. We should have gone at least 2-1, but when we were behind, we found a way to get back, and yesterday until we went down a man, I was confident we would find a way to win, and when we went down, I was never afraid we would lose. I think I can finally say we do not deserve butter, we have butter. We need to go deep in the play offs, or this is all for not, and I think we should have done better, but we are finally good. Which makes us the best in a league were average wins.

Having said that there is room for improvement and we should have easily picked up another 15 points this season, if we were just a little better on both sides of the ball.

Totally agree.

Their have been so many unnecessary lost points over the course of the season that if the team tightens up these small minor details we would be walking away with the supporters shield easily.

Next year, that has to be the goal. Build on this great season and strive for the highest potential for this team which is to walk away with the supporters shield.

I can't believe how far we've come in two seasons.

I can't wait for the champions league! So much hope that TFC can be the first MLS team to come away with the greatest trophy in CONCACAF in my opinion. That is a true cornerstone of a club that wants to make waves in international football.

I think we'll make a good run in the playoffs.

[Onyx]

little worried that we peaked to early. MLS playoffs is all about getting hot at right time.

last win vs a +.500 team was RSL two month ago ... that being said we have only played 2 +.500 in last 17 games, most of our games vs west were early in season.

[trane]

I am not worried, if we stay relatively organized game in and game out, and get Giovinco back and in sinc with the team, we can go far. We should go far.

[trane]

And concaf will be very exciting next year.

[DinamoTFC]

Giovinco , Altidore , Bradley, Irwin, Johnson, cooper , Cheyrou all healthy come playoff time. It's gonna be an exciting time.

[Onyx]

And concaf will be very exciting next year.

i don't know, mls squads are dressing their usl squads due to scheduling. vancouver only had a few thousand for their game on wednesday from what i saw streaming part of the game.

[greatwhitenorf]

Good of you to dig up something negative, comme d'habitude.

We were all soaring away with misplaced optimism after seeing Toronto FC take first place on Wednesday in front of a lively stadium full of adoring fans.

[OgtheDim]

i don't know, mls squads are dressing their usl squads due to scheduling. vancouver only had a few thousand for their game on wednesday from what i saw streaming part of the game.

That's not what Manning does. And Vancouver's season is dying.

[ensco]

I don't think we have a "commanding mid". Agree on the rest.

I think we are one of 5 or 6 pretty evenly matched teams at the top. Any of them could win.

I think LAG and Seattle are probably a bit better than us (based solely on watching highlights, I haven't seen them play much). Seattle post Sigi is on fire.

[ag futbol]

I think we have the best back five in the league and the best individual player. "Defensive mistakes" should be taken in context. We make a lot less of them than most teams.

We are a top team. The best in MLS? I'm not ready to say that until the team wins a few more big games. For all its criticisms post season will be a good measuring stick.

[Fort York Redcoat]

This is the best thread on the board.

[Initial B]

The best team in MLS? I'm not so sure. There are some holes but the team itself is pretty well balanced this year.

One of the best teams in MLS? Without question. TFC is now an elite team.

[Cashcleaner]

We're definitely one of the best squads in the league, but overall team performance does flux up and down with each passing week. When we are fielding our optimal squad with everyone healthy, we are undoubtedly MLS Cup contenders. Whether or not Vanney can keep everyone focused and in-sync will be a huge factor in how our post-season goes. Because of that, I'm not too keen on this little slide we've been on. Not ready to throw in a towel, but I can say I'm not disappointed with the results from some of the last few matches.

I'll sum it all up with yet another tired cliché: TFC has all the tools to win a championship, but the question is how well they will be utilized.

[FRANKIE65]

This is the best thread on the board.

This is the BEST comment on the board.

[TFC Tifoso]

funny this comes up....

I was just listening to Counter Attack with Janusz Michalek (sp??) and Tony Meola (I believe) on Sirius/XM last night on my way home from work, and Janusz was saying that he believes TFC has actually been overachieving this year, and gave most credit to Vanney on it.
His quote was something along the lines of "he is not perfect but Vanney has come a long way and is getting the most out of this team."
Also mentioned how it helps to have a guy like Giovinco, but its 11 men on the field.....

Like some have said, I think we're among the best 4 or 5 in MLS, but because of the nature of the league, its difficult to deem any one team as best.....I think MLS teams can be put in 4 distinct categories...
1) Good teams
2) A player or 2 away
3) Needs some work
4) Not good

We're firmly in category 1 imo.....

[TheGoodson]

How nice is it that we can say after years of suffering and putting up with garbage on the pitch and stupidity from the FO regarding prices that we can know say we are legitimate cup contenders...

[Initial B]

The results this year also seem to validate the truism that you need to give a coach three international transfer windows to build the team he wants to use with his style. I think we can now compare Aaron Winter, Ryan Nelsen, and Greg Vanney to see how each fared with their 3 windows. I feel a bit bad for Winter since he had Mariner actively plotting against him and couldn't bring in all the players he wanted, but he still didn't get buy-in from the players and lost the room after a while. However, Vanney has definitely gotten the most out of the players he (or Bez) has acquired.

[trane]

funny this comes up....

I was just listening to Counter Attack with Janusz Michalek (sp??) and Tony Meola (I believe) on Sirius/XM last night on my way home from work, and Janusz was saying that he believes TFC has actually been overachieving this year, and gave most credit to Vanney on it.
His quote was something along the lines of "he is not perfect but Vanney has come a long way and is getting the most out of this team."
Also mentioned how it helps to have a guy like Giovinco, but its 11 men on the field.....

Like some have said, I think we're among the best 4 or 5 in MLS, but because of the nature of the league, its difficult to deem any one team as best.....I think MLS teams can be put in 4 distinct categories...
1) Good teams
2) A player or 2 away
3) Needs some work
4) Not good

We're firmly in category 1 imo.....

This is what dawned on me, we are a good MLS team, and when I say commanding MID, it is mostly because of Bradley and it is by MLS standards, PLUS we have Giovinco and Altidore which puts us above the crowd.

This is all in relation to the MLS reality, which has improved even since TFC started.

[TFC Tifoso]

This is what dawned on me, we are a good MLS team, and when I say commanding MID, it is mostly because of Bradley and it is by MLS standards, PLUS we have Giovinco and Altidore which puts us above the crowd.

This is all in relation to the MLS reality, which has improved even since TFC started.

gotta agree with what you say trane.....we are definitely up there with the top 4 or 5 teams in MLS....any one of which can be the "best" on their day....

[Redcoe15]

We're the best if we get Seba back!

[CBTFC]

Even at a full, healthy starting 11...I feel that we're still a step or two behind Dallas. They have that all around team chemistry going this year.

[molenshtain]

Even at a full, healthy starting 11...I feel that we're still a step or two behind Dallas. They have that all around team chemistry going this year.

We pretty easily handled Dallas in the one game we played them, and IIRC both teams were full strength. Dallas is really good at beating up on bad opposition and disorginized teams because they have a really good system and great depth. They never go deep in the playoffs because their best 11 is never that great at the end of the day.

[Onyx]

We pretty easily handled Dallas in the one game we played them, and IIRC both teams were full strength. Dallas is really good at beating up on bad opposition and disorginized teams because they have a really good system and great depth. They never go deep in the playoffs because their best 11 is never that great at the end of the day.

Dallas is way, way better at home, although the change to fall climate might substantially lower this home field advantage during the playoffs.
going down there in 40C weather in summer and get a result is almost impossible.

[backbeat]

We pretty easily handled Dallas in the one game we played them, and IIRC both teams were full strength. Dallas is really good at beating up on bad opposition and disorginized teams because they have a really good system and great depth. They never go deep in the playoffs because their best 11 is never that great at the end of the day.

i still think we're a true AM short of a top-of-the-table team - but i have to say we're very close and a fun team to watch, especially when Seba is healthy...saying that it will be interesting to see Seba with Cooper

[james]

I don't think we're the best, but we are better then most teams when Giovinco is on the field. However thing with MLS is so many teams are so close. Even top teams are just above the .500 mark (yes using American like terms, most of us know them). And even the lower teams are often just a few games below the .500 mark. There usually is not the big gaps you see in many Europe leagues between the top and bottom clubs, for better or worse, there often is not the stand out clubs in MLS like in other leagues, anyone can win the MLS Cup come playoffs. You just need a few good games at the right time.

[Redcoe15]

Best teams don't surrender a goal two minutes after scoring the opening goal. Just sayin'!

[DinamoTFC]

We're a one man show. We're nothing without Giovinco.

[Yohan]

Best teams are clutch when it counts and don't choke. TFC chokes and never clutch.

[Hamilton_Red]

Yeah putting up this discussion topic - that is going to hurt. We are above average with Giovinco and we are not a playoff team without him.