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  1. #301
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    Italy has been in poor form since winning the Euro. They were comfortably leading their wcq group and didn’t get the results they needed.

    The exodus of older Italian players is an interesting thought. I could see some making that move.

  2. #302
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    Quote Originally Posted by OgtheDim View Post
    So no WC for Insigne. When Napoli's season ends, does he come over earlier now?
    Considering the investment TFC is making it would be short sighted to bring him in early, give him a proper off season to recover.

    Bradley will have this team around playoff spot and the season really doesn't start until late August anyway.

  3. #303
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    Quote Originally Posted by Richard View Post
    Considering the investment TFC is making it would be short sighted to bring him in early, give him a proper off season to recover.

    Bradley will have this team around playoff spot and the season really doesn't start until late August anyway.

    We just need to be in striking distance by August and then go on a run to get into the playoffs - then take that momentum into the playoffs.

  4. #304
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    Hopefully this doesn’t make anyone Bradley/ Altiore style scapegoats.

  5. #305
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    Well, here’s hoping we’ll still have a World Cup level talent on this team- Osorio.

    Who would’ve thought that one year ago.

  6. #306
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    Thanks to North Macedonia May 22 could be the new July.

    If the Italian media behaves as expected, Insigne will be here May 23 just to get some relief

  7. #307
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    Maybe if more Italian players played in MLS they’d have made one of the past two world cups .

  8. #308
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    Quote Originally Posted by barticusz View Post
    Well, here’s hoping we’ll still have a World Cup level talent on this team- Osorio.

    Who would’ve thought that one year ago.
    Amazing how things change, eh?

  9. #309
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    Quote Originally Posted by jloome View Post
    As previously noted it’s also where Pozuelo spent most of his career. He only began splitting time between the hole and wing at Genk, right before be joined us. He spent a decade as a very effective winger, mostly coming inside.

    I suspect that’s why Bob had him there in the last game. He’s not wedded to hard zones and may set up both Insigne and Pozuelo more inside and under than wide. It’s where they both generally end up anyway.
    All the Jupiler Pro matches I saw Pozuelo play in he was deep in the hole generally running the offence and feeding the fast wingers. And I haven’t liked him on the wing for us. Seems like a waste. It could be done well perhaps but I haven’t seen it yet.

  10. #310
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    Quote Originally Posted by los sonadores View Post
    All the Jupiler Pro matches I saw Pozuelo play in he was deep in the hole generally running the offence and feeding the fast wingers. And I haven’t liked him on the wing for us. Seems like a waste. It could be done well perhaps but I haven’t seen it yet.
    Agreed. With guys who are in their late 20s and 30s, what they used to do isn't always relevant. His best position is as a 10. He has other qualities but the eye test of him either playing as a wing or false 9 have not been excellent imo.

  11. #311
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    Quote Originally Posted by Canary10 View Post
    Canada would own Pulisic? Oh wait, we already do. Ha ha.
    Hahahahahahaha. Nicely played

  12. #312
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    Quote Originally Posted by PaceyWinger View Post
    Agreed. With guys who are in their late 20s and 30s, what they used to do isn't always relevant. His best position is as a 10. He has other qualities but the eye test of him either playing as a wing or false 9 have not been excellent imo.
    He was at least decent as a false 9 in 2019 right up until the MLS Cup final.

  13. #313
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    Quote Originally Posted by barticusz View Post
    Maybe if more Italian players played in MLS they’d have made one of the past two world cups .
    Hahahahahaha

  14. #314
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    Quote Originally Posted by los sonadores View Post
    All the Jupiler Pro matches I saw Pozuelo play in he was deep in the hole generally running the offence and feeding the fast wingers. And I haven’t liked him on the wing for us. Seems like a waste. It could be done well perhaps but I haven’t seen it yet.
    He looks heavy and slow to me, and his touch was really off int he Red Bulls game - I think he is still rounding into form for us. i wonder if that never ending season when he frist came to play here hasn't caught up with him in some way - minor injuries, fitness or health issues

  15. #315
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    Quote Originally Posted by los sonadores View Post
    All the Jupiler Pro matches I saw Pozuelo play in he was deep in the hole generally running the offence and feeding the fast wingers. And I haven’t liked him on the wing for us. Seems like a waste. It could be done well perhaps but I haven’t seen it yet.
    He hasn’t played wing regularly since Swansea. Still, I can’t see this team, without a proper midfield wrecker, playing with a guy in the hole. And if we get one, then one of Poz, Oso or MB becomes odd man out.

    Im not talking about him being a wide player. But in any scenario where Insigne is played to his strength, as a inverted winger, we need someone to balance the other side.

    That could still mean starting him on the right side but cheating inside, as in a pyramid. Bradley doesn’t seem the type wedded to rigid traditional zones and it suits a Centre block press.

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    With Poz, Oso and MB all out of contract at the end of the season (I think MB has a team option), there is a big opportunity to remake the entire midfield, while re-deploying a lot of financial resources to do so. I imagine MB will be back as long as he wants to keep playing, but hopefully on a lower salary. Oso is still showing he's still a great all around midfielder and with Canada set to make the World Cup, I feel TFC and MLSE will want a Canadian starter on the team. Poz could just be the odd man out.

  17. #317
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    If we make our best mid fielder (best player) by an absolute complete country mile the odd one out out of those three we're even stupider than the last two or three years of transfer and contract deals would have you believe

  18. #318
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    Quote Originally Posted by JoesphNdo View Post
    If we make our best mid fielder (best player) by an absolute complete country mile the odd one out out of those three we're even stupider than the last two or three years of transfer and contract deals would have you believe
    Problematically, when the demand is for a two-way player, he takes a hit because he's not strong defensively. Then combine that with the fact that a) one player is Oso, who really is a good two-way player and the b) the other is the Coach's son and team captain.

    So, while it probably should be cut and dried that he's on the field, the reality might be somewhat different.

    We can either play three two-way mids, which so far hasn't worked, or we can have a dedicated defensive midfielder, in which case someone has to tell the coach to sit his son.

    I think the idea of putting him underneath makes decent sense if we switch to a 433 (again, this all assume Bob won't sit Michael).

    ---------------Bono----------------
    Chung--Salcedo--Mavinga--Petrasso
    --------Osorio---DM---Bradley
    ---------Pozuelo----Insigne
    ---------------Jimenez------------

    But even if we play 5-3-2 we can invert him. He's not expected to beat guys down the touchline, he's expected to play in the danger zone around the right corner of the box.

    --------------Bono-----------------
    ----O'Neil--Salcedo--Mavinga----
    Chung--------------------------Petrasso
    ----------Osorio---Bradley--------------
    ----Pozuelo----------------Insigne
    ---------------Jimenez

    The problem with the latter is it puts a lot pressure on the wingbacks to sit back more and that seems contrary to what Bradley's playing for.

    But unless he decides to play with a true false 9 and no striker, ala Dallas with Ferreira, there's no formation he favors that features a guy sitting the hole directing traffic.

    So, accepting REALITY, which is that he's a) unlikely to sit Michael and b) unlikely to change his tactical approach completely, he has to play offset to the right, at the very least.

    And frankly, it makes a degree of sense, as Jimenez is a very active player and will be making the most of any space in the center channel.

    Of course, Bradley could decide that as he's aging, he wants Poz to be less mobile anyway, and then we end up with a 422 with a false nine (4411, effectivel). But again... who plays DM?

  19. #319
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    In, 'thank God that's over' roster news, Soteldo has only started one game in seven and according to local media is relegated to being an expensive sub at least in part because he refuses to take care of himself and parties too much.

    https://www.futboltotal.com.mx/futbo...s-uanl/2022/03

  20. #320
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    Quote Originally Posted by jloome View Post
    In, 'thank God that's over' roster news, Soteldo has only started one game in seven and according to local media is relegated to being an expensive sub at least in part because he refuses to take care of himself and parties too much.

    https://www.futboltotal.com.mx/futbo...s-uanl/2022/03
    In another former player, Gallardo is currently the leading goal scorer in Venezuela this season with 5 goals in 4 games...

    To make this relevant to our current roster... hopefully the failings of Soteldo and Gallardo means we shouldn't really be recruiting from South America unless we're going to really expand our scouting resources there.
    Last edited by noxx98; 03-25-2022 at 03:40 PM.

  21. #321
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    Quote Originally Posted by noxx98 View Post
    In another former player, Gallardo is currently the leading goal scorer in Venezuela this season with 5 goals in 4 games...

    To make this relevant to our current roster... hopefully the failings of Soteldo and Gallardo means we shouldn't really be recruiting from South America unless we're going to really expand our scouting resources there.
    It’’s interesting. For whatever reason, European players seem to settle in much easier with our club.

    Not that you can’t get good players from South America but for all our attempts, the only real home run was Matias Laba.

  22. #322
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    Chris Mavinga flew to Kinshasa for Congo DR's WCQ match today, but he didn't make the bench. His Insta has a post of him training with his left knee heavily taped. Seems he's not fit which is troubling.

  23. #323
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    Quote Originally Posted by jloome View Post
    In, 'thank God that's over' roster news, Soteldo has only started one game in seven and according to local media is relegated to being an expensive sub at least in part because he refuses to take care of himself and parties too much.

    https://www.futboltotal.com.mx/futbo...s-uanl/2022/03
    In other news, water is wet.

    Quote Originally Posted by noxx98 View Post
    In another former player, Gallardo is currently the leading goal scorer in Venezuela this season with 5 goals in 4 games...

    To make this relevant to our current roster... hopefully the failings of Soteldo and Gallardo means we shouldn't really be recruiting from South America unless we're going to really expand our scouting resources there.
    It's Venezuela, it doesn't mean a whole lot.

    I would argue that scouting in SA is a lost cause for MLS teams, nearly everyone and their dog has already been scouted down there by EU teams.

  24. #324
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    Quote Originally Posted by ag futbol View Post
    It’’s interesting. For whatever reason, European players seem to settle in much easier with our club.

    Not that you can’t get good players from South America but for all our attempts, the only real home run was Matias Laba.
    There's been other decent ones like Auro and Plata. I would like a strategy where the base is local and the extra is international. Does seem they are finally following this model.

  25. #325
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    I was hoping for Gallardo, maybe he just couldn’t catch on. He got injured, didn’t complain, just couldn’t put it together here. And as much as Vanney said he wanted wingers, IMHO he never really played football that encouraged their strengths.

  26. #326
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    Couldn't resist for old time's sake
    Last edited by OgtheDim; 03-27-2022 at 10:15 AM.

  27. #327
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    ^ok, ok…LOL

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    Here’s a thought I’ve been mulling over for a while: Is Michael Bradley now our version of Jermaine Jones? A wonderful talent that needs a team to be built around him, even when it’s not best for the team. Don’t get me wrong, I love MB, but the clock is ticking.

  29. #329
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kamp Berg View Post
    Here’s a thought I’ve been mulling over for a while: Is Michael Bradley now our version of Jermaine Jones? A wonderful talent that needs a team to be built around him, even when it’s not best for the team. Don’t get me wrong, I love MB, but the clock is ticking.
    On our current roster Pozuelo is the only player that rates having a team built around him and we certainly aren’t doing that. Be interesting to see if BB can get enough out of Pozuelo to justify him staying in Toronto.

    When Insigne arrives I could see Pozuelo playing on the right in a pyramid… though Pozuelo on the right and Soltedo on the left was like having only 1 1/2 players out there at best. And most of that was Soteldo.
    Last edited by los sonadores; 03-30-2022 at 09:44 AM.

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