Guilt for winning the Shaff trade?Originally Posted by leedsandTFC
Guilt for winning the Shaff trade?
i mean he's an integral part of an attack that has scored 8 goals in 9 games.
he's doing alright but i think some are overstating how good he's been.
I think they're doing the same "good club" thing we did when we sent Shaff there so he wasn't wasted on the bench. Sappong lost his starting spot, he is in a contract year, and he has been good for them so they're giving him a chance somewhere else to earn a contract. Nobody was letting him do that at his full $550K hit so they ate some $$$ but also get a little relief as well.
Third goal today in seven starts. He's doing a damn sight better than any of our forwards, other than Bernadeschi, and in less minutes too.
Which he wouldn't have been, given that Insigne has already missed multiple games. He's two footed, too. He could easily have been Bernadeschi's late sub as well. Add in subs, starts and cups and he'd have seen plenty of time.
Bob just didn't rate him. He basically damned him with faint praise in his "explanation" quote when he said he'd get a chance at Nashville to run up the wing and put crosses in.
I don't think he's a very solid judge of talent if he couldn't recognize a goal scorer. Who thinks he'd have fewer goals for us than Ayo and Kerr?
You had really good insight. Yes he fits Bob's system and if first games are any indication he looks like a good short term pick up.
Now the comment about Shaff:
I respect your opinions, but I can't really agree with this. It's an interpretation not a fact that BB does not rate him. Secondly he did not do very well for TFC, maybe his chemistry with the players was different here, and I think that's actually what Bob was alluding to. Finally, while there are a number of things I don't like about Bob Bradley, if there's one thing he's noted for, it's as an evaluator and developer of young talent.
About Shaff & BB
BB indicated more then once that with Insigne there, Shaff wasn't going to get to play the position he needs to play - left forward. Better to send him somewhere he would play then leave him here.
BB NEVER said he didn't rate Shaff as a left forward - he just isn't Insigne.
did well to score today but hes become firmly a sub there starting one of the last five in league
At the game. Very impressed with Coello, played very well in the DM role, with solid passing, and all the players seemed to trust him (no one looked off passing him the ball as sometimes you'll see with young players). Having threats on both wings made a huge difference with the two Italians. Kaye made several giveaways so early in the first 5-10 minutes, a couple weeks after his 95% passing game, something has to be up there. Sapong played very well opened up alot of channels (unfortunately I missed his goal as I was stuck in the food line) team seemed so much more comfortable with Hedges at the back. Bob needs to use him subs earlier. Waiting until 90+2, you could tell the mid was tired at the end.
The fire alarm delay was funny. They let off so many fireworks pre-game that you couldn't see the pitch for the entire anthem and pregame, that I'm not surprised the alarm went off. I guess they'll drastically cut down on the fireworks pregame from now on.
Edit: Had meant to post this in the Game day thread. Oops
Last edited by rydermike; 04-30-2023 at 08:41 AM.
I think he gives youth players a chance. A developer of youth talent? I think that label feels a bit overdone based on recent history.
The Fire Alarm certainly made for an interesting start to the evening. Alonso has been quite impressive since getting the call up from the first team. He has a bright future.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
It seemed like those ridiculous official smoke bomb explosions set off the alarm. Can’t we ditch those things? Isn’t the game and the supporters and fans response to the game enough?The Fire Alarm certainly made for an interesting start to the evening. Alonso has been quite impressive since getting the call up from the first team. He has a bright future.
Last edited by los sonadores; 04-30-2023 at 03:06 PM.
Hugo Mbongue scored forTFC2
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/TorontoFCII/status/1652818101421977602
It’s interesting to consider that MB and Oso are looking like bit players in the midfield right now. That’s a lot of wage for two players that aren’t a lock to start every game possible. I know I’m jumping to conclusions, one good game doesn’t determine much, but I dare say that the mid against NYCFC had one of the best showings so far this year. Hopefully the young players continue to show their worth, especially after last years season long debacle.
Osorio hasn't been his usual self this season, but the last of a consistent role for him hasn't helped (for example, the time he got played more on the wing). Reminds me of the time Marky Delgado was looking terrible under Armas who was playing him as a RW when he most clearly was not that. Now that Insigne is healthy and we seem to have found (with a one game sample size) decent striker in Sapong, I'm hoping Osorio can settle into a groove. I really like what Servania has given (and Coello too). My fear is that both those guys will find themselves in a bench role if BB remains committed to his trio of MB, MAK, and Oso.
Probably it’ll be a bench role for those guys when the other three are healthy.
Osorio missed a lot of training camp and played anyway from the start of the season. Not surprising that he wasn’t sharp to begin with and then, also no surprise, he looked not great when soon after he ended up on the wing. That’s something of an indictment of Ayo who got some time at training camp on the wing and then had a shot there when Insigne was injured.
But Oso looked very good with Canada so I’d be surprised if he has lost anything of his game. If he’s totally fit and playing in the midfield he should be very good.
Michael Bradley will start every game he's fit for, we need to be realistic
Oso might find his place at risk for sure though I really think he'll turn his form around yet. Maybe being dropped would be a kick up the ass to get him going?
I’m not going to claim Osorio is playing great. He certainly always plays his ass off in a contract year and seems to start at the bottom of the mountain again the year after. But let’s at least acknowledge the guy occasionally gets plugged into a bunch of undesirable spots that don’t suit his skill set because every manager uses him as a utility player at times . Bob had him covering LI’s spot a few games. That was always going to be a challenging assignment for him.
Show me how he plays now with our preferred starters healthy. I’d start him over Kaye any day of the week.
I don’t think that has been his main issue. There’s a fitness and/or motivation problem with Oso this season which I do not quite understand myself. If you take a look back at some of the goals we’ve conceded, you’ll be sure to find footage of him not picking up his man or tracking back at a pedestrian pace. The body language in concerning and doubly so for a DP.
I don’t think calling him a DP is warranted. He’s a TAM player we’re calling technically using the DP spot on temporarily to provide cap relief.
I agree he’s not playing his best. Am I long run concerned? Not overly. Really no reason to believe he won’t bounce back at some point.
Yeah, I agree with all of that. And given how so many of us have watched his development over the years it would be strange not to trust him. If he’s playing in his position and there isn’t a physical injury or lack of fitness it’s difficult to believe he won’t be at least good.
I don’t think the question is probably whether either of MB or Oso is motivated. My guess is it’s probably a question of fitness, nagging injuries, and maybe age. I doubt either of them would be in danger of losing their starting spots if completely healthy.
Osorio is 30 - age should not be an issue.
Who gets dropped then? Coello for MB and Servania for Osorio? MAK isn't going to get dropped.
Servania has solidified himself in the squad now, hard to see dropping him.
Plus a mid of Oso - MB - MAK is quite slow.
I was referring to the effect of injuries combined with age.
Don’t know, that’s kind of my point, I thought Coello, MAK, and Servania look like the best setup so far.
Becomes a different issue when you have higher money sitting on the bench though. Nothing to do with the actual play from the players but we know that will factor into it.
Why can’t MAK be dropped? That feels no less artificially constrained than any of the other choices.
For me Servania has solidified himself as the only must have starter. He’s the legs none of the other guys have and doesn’t make many errors. Everyone else should be fighting for their spot.
We should all be laughing though, as all our talk of choices, our midfield on the weekend was essentially selected for us as a result of injuries. And we’ve had similar conundrums earlier in the season.
In the off-season I’d look to move on from some of Bradley, Kaye, or Osorio. We’d be better off adding one really, really good mid and a cheap young healthy (but perhaps not as skilled) depth player, rather than have these 3 guys all on moderate-to-high salaries.
The main reason I don't see MAK getting dropped is he is kind of our only real defensive minded midfielder, outside of MB... but MB Can't run anymore. Osorio is an attacking mid, he really doesn't play any defense.
I see MB and Coello as sharing one spot. They both are great and calm on the ball and then moving it forward. But if we are looking toward the future shouldn't Coello get the start and MB comes off the bench?
MAK or Oso are not getting dropped because BB doesn't seem them as less effective then the options.
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