Match Day 2 - TFC @ NER Sun March 3 - 2:08pm I gotta learn to slow down

[OgtheDim]

Something new from chemistry




************

Have at It People

[Bushmancan]

No Vrioni, red card against DC, so wont be playing against us.

[SenorDingDong]

I think Insigne will sit this one due to the turf if Herdmanns comments are accurate

[Oldtimer]

I'm hoping for a point from this game.

[Mikmacdo]

A point would be great here. I think only 1 team won on the road this past week. Beat Charlotte at home in two weeks is a must though.

[SenorDingDong]

A point would be great here. I think only 1 team won on the road this past week. Beat Charlotte at home in two weeks is a must though.

I suspect this will be Herdmans plan. Getting a point on the road and wins at home is a recipe for big success in MLS.

[MikeForbes]

I honestly don't think the Revs are a very good team. I think if they play the same way they did against Cinci there is a chance they can get a win. I just worry about the shit turf NE play on.

[SenorDingDong]

I honestly don't think the Revs are a very good team. I think if they play the same way they did against Cinci there is a chance they can get a win. I just worry about the shit turf NE play on.

Yea I'm sure Insigne won't play for this one so hopefully Kerr is back.

Maybe will see Cash finally. Weird signing that one...

[Fort York Redcoat]

Agreeing with a draw is a win. Let's do this!

[jloome]

Maybe will see Cash finally. Weird signing that one...

I would not expect it. I understand he's had trouble keeping up with the pace of play.

They like him, but he's seen as a project.

[los sonadores]

I would not expect it. I understand he's had trouble keeping up with the pace of play.

They like him, but he's seen as a project.

Sounds, for a valuable under 21 spot, like a mistake that they hope will come good. I suppose the bright side is that we now have Rubio and Herdman as well, rather than just Hernandez with his stats and without a proper scouting system. The main acquisitions so far that are a product of the input of all three seem on the mark.

I’m guessing, in that other under 22 spot, Ayo has until the summer to show something more on the pitch.

[jloome]

Sounds, for a valuable under 21 spot, like a mistake that they hope will come good. I suppose the bright side is that we now have Rubio and Herdman as well, rather than just Hernandez with his stats and without a proper scouting system. The main acquisitions so far that are a product of the input of all three seem on the mark.

I’m guessing, in that other under 22 spot, Ayo has until the summer to show something more on the pitch.

I think they took a statistical flyer, as you note, but the leagues are very different and he's been growing and learning a different type of football, one that is more English -- more team based movement, less traps and triggers.

That shit is really hard for some young players to figure out.

I think Ayo needs to lose some muscle mass to improve his quickness. He's a tank, but his quick first step isn't as quick as it used to be.

Part of the issue, though, is that we're building for an offence that is based on quick penetration and short passing to open up much closer looks, which are higher percentage. Herdman's definitely not a fan of wide balls in to towering defenders.

So if strikers are even a little off the pace, they become almost dead weight until the ball is in the box, on the offence -- important defensively pressing and sometimes holding the ball up, but mostly poaching, looking to clear up junk.

I figure any one of them could come good for that. But clearly we need a fast, strong TAM/DP level striker.

[barticusz]

Sounds, for a valuable under 21 spot, like a mistake that they hope will come good. I suppose the bright side is that we now have Rubio and Herdman as well, rather than just Hernandez with his stats and without a proper scouting system. The main acquisitions so far that are a product of the input of all three seem on the mark.

I’m guessing, in that other under 22 spot, Ayo has until the summer to show something more on the pitch.

If this is true, which I have to think is the case, since he has barely played - what a horrible signing. Our DP's aren't good enough and both our u22 are a complete waste. Dear lord.

[ag futbol]

I think they took a statistical flyer, as you note, but the leagues are very different and he's been growing and learning a different type of football, one that is more English -- more team based movement, less traps and triggers.

That shit is really hard for some young players to figure out.

I think Ayo needs to lose some muscle mass to improve his quickness. He's a tank, but his quick first step isn't as quick as it used to be.

Part of the issue, though, is that we're building for an offence that is based on quick penetration and short passing to open up much closer looks, which are higher percentage. Herdman's definitely not a fan of wide balls in to towering defenders.

So if strikers are even a little off the pace, they become almost dead weight until the ball is in the box, on the offence -- important defensively pressing and sometimes holding the ball up, but mostly poaching, looking to clear up junk.

I figure any one of them could come good for that. But clearly we need a fast, strong TAM/DP level striker.

My observation of Akinola is his read of the game is slow. Physique could change but it’s not going to suddenly make him effective.

[Blindside16]

Agreeing with a draw is a win. Let's do this!

I will consider a draw with no long term injuries on that garbage pitch a win

[Marcus]

I agree with Jloome and am in turn concerned that César Meylan has only worked with national teams where you're with these athletes for a short period of time. It's mostly just keeping them sharp while their clubs design the bulk of the fitness routines. Building a quick first step or reshaping any physical trait is months of work and should have been a part of the offseason training assuming Herdman expressed how he wanted to play and Meylan correctly assessed where Ayo was starting from.

I think they took a statistical flyer, as you note, but the leagues are very different and he's been growing and learning a different type of football, one that is more English -- more team based movement, less traps and triggers.

That shit is really hard for some young players to figure out.

I think Ayo needs to lose some muscle mass to improve his quickness. He's a tank, but his quick first step isn't as quick as it used to be.

Part of the issue, though, is that we're building for an offence that is based on quick penetration and short passing to open up much closer looks, which are higher percentage. Herdman's definitely not a fan of wide balls in to towering defenders.

So if strikers are even a little off the pace, they become almost dead weight until the ball is in the box, on the offence -- important defensively pressing and sometimes holding the ball up, but mostly poaching, looking to clear up junk.

I figure any one of them could come good for that. But clearly we need a fast, strong TAM/DP level striker.

[jloome]

If this is true, which I have to think is the case, since he has barely played - what a horrible signing. Our DP's aren't good enough and both our u22 are a complete waste. Dear lord.

They haven't given up on him, he just hasn't stepped up to compete with the others yet. They're hoping Herdman's magic rubs off on him a little but I imagine if he doesn't make any impression in the first few months of the season, they'll look to loan him out, get him competitive minutes.

[ag futbol]

If this is true, which I have to think is the case, since he has barely played - what a horrible signing. Our DP's aren't good enough and both our u22 are a complete waste. Dear lord.

Yeah, I don’t entirely want to judge here (as there’s still some story to be written) but this feels like it didn’t hit the mark.

Hopefully, it serves as a cautionary tale from experimenting in some of the more squirrelly international markets. Not everything is a hidden treasure trove just because players from a certain region have less recognition globally.

[barticusz]

Yeah, I don’t entirely want to judge here (as there’s still some story to be written) but this feels like it didn’t hit the mark.

Hopefully, it serves as a cautionary tale from experimenting in some of the more squirrelly international markets. Not everything is a hidden treasure trove just because players from a certain region have less recognition globally.

I think Jloome mentioned in a different post that they're hoping to see some progress from him over the coming months. I hope that is true, we cannot be wasting a u22 slot on a project. If Ayo and Cash are not regular contributors on this team by the summer, we need to make changes.

[Mikmacdo]

I think Jloome mentioned in a different post that they're hoping to see some progress from him over the coming months. I hope that is true, we cannot be wasting a u22 slot on a project. If Ayo and Cash are not regular contributors on this team by the summer, we need to make changes.

The U22 hit rate seems very low. Look at ATL last year they had to loan us Ibarra because no one would take any of their other u22 players.

Hopefully MLS makes some changes after seeing how many failures there have been. Its just weird the team can pay a massive fee but they have to find a player who will take a fairly small salary in comparison to the fees. Maybe bump it up to 23 and the salary should be up to max tam.

We did try to sign Theo Corbeanu so we must be still looking for a third u22 player.

[Bushmancan]

I am so pissed off at the past two year’s decisions. Not even really upset with workload management for LI for this and subsequent games. And, no issues from a marketing benefit of acquiring Insigne (i do like him) but the scouting and subsequent management was so pathetic. Imagine if Shaff was still with us ( he would have been getting a ton of playing time with LIs injuries) and when LI healthy, he would have learned from a very good mentor (even if their styles are different) Eventually, we could have sold him for a lot more or grew a very capable first string LM/LW. One more example of the Manning failure - why is he still here (not letting this one die). BUT happy for Shaff.

[Mikmacdo]

I am so pissed off at the past two year’s decisions. Not even really upset with workload management for LI for this and subsequent games. And, no issues from a marketing benefit of acquiring Insigne (i do like him) but the scouting and subsequent management was so pathetic. Imagine if Shaff was still with us ( he would have been getting a ton of playing time with LIs injuries) and when LI healthy, he would have learned from a very good mentor (even if their styles are different) Eventually, we could have sold him for a lot more or grew a very capable first string LM/LW. One more example of the Manning failure - why is he still here (not letting this one die). BUT happy for Shaff.

We had Nelson at the time though who was ahead of Shaff and we ended up selling him for 1 million.

[jloome]

We had Nelson at the time though who was ahead of Shaff and we ended up selling him for 1 million.

Shaff was already the better player then. Not as technical but a much better read of the game, more speed, better finisher, probably as good a passer.

Bob didn't sell him because of his value, he sold him because he wouldn't play ball and switch to left back, and he wanted his players to be multi-positional. Utterly asinine decision. You can't teach speed.

They've both done pretty well since leaving.

The U22 hit rate seems very low. Look at ATL last year they had to loan us Ibarra because no one would take any of their other u22 players.

Multiple cases of this in the last three years at NYFC, Orlando, Salt Lake. I think they're using the u22 system to take "flyers" on guys who might turn out to be a good sell on.

The hit rate is way too low. You have to figure fairly soon agents will realize it's bad for their clients to go into this league blind, as a prospect.

[Mikmacdo]

Shaff was already the better player then. Not as technical but a much better read of the game, more speed, better finisher, probably as good a passer.

Bob didn't sell him because of his value, he sold him because he wouldn't play ball and switch to left back, and he wanted his players to be multi-positional. Utterly asinine decision. You can't teach speed.

They've both done pretty well since leaving.

Bob was awful but I actually agreed with him playing nelson over shaff. Shaff is one dimensional and can really only play one position. Hardly any teams use left footed left wingers these days because they are predictable. Nelson is ahead of where Shaff is at the same age.

[rydermike]

Even though Shaff was one-dimensional, playing him out of position is a terrible move. If you didn't want him because he wasn't multi-positional, play him in his best spot to try to raise his value. Playing him out of position, made him look worse.

[jloome]

Bob was awful but I actually agreed with him playing nelson over shaff. Shaff is one dimensional and can really only play one position. Hardly any teams use left footed left wingers these days because they are predictable. Nelson is ahead of where Shaff is at the same age.

But Shaff isn't really a winger, he's an inverted wing forward. He spends as much time attacking goal as he does providing.

And he's two-footed.

we used him predictably. That doesn't mean it's all he has.

Getting rid of a young Canadian forward with sprinter speed who can finish stands as one of the dumbest personnel decisions this club has ever made.

Jayden added basically nothing at MLS level.

[CBTFC]

Any viewing parties/watch parties happening anywhere?

Or anyone know of bars or restaurants that have Apple TV/MLS seasons pass that would put the game on?

[ag futbol]

But Shaff isn't really a winger, he's an inverted wing forward. He spends as much time attacking goal as he does providing.

And he's two-footed.

we used him predictably. That doesn't mean it's all he has.

Getting rid of a young Canadian forward with sprinter speed who can finish stands as one of the dumbest personnel decisions this club has ever made.

Jayden added basically nothing at MLS level.

I wasn’t opposed to playing Nelson (as painful as that was at times) but Shaff should have seen more time.

Same thing applied to Laryea btw. How many different ways was he used when playing for Canada yet Bob couldn’t come up with anything other than playing him as a RB or on the odd occasion, a RCB in a back 3.

[Oldtimer]

Any viewing parties/watch parties happening anywhere?

Or anyone know of bars or restaurants that have Apple TV/MLS seasons pass that would put the game on?

All of the places that used to cater to us are either gone or changed.

If there isn't baseball on, you could try the Left Field Brewery. They might change a screen for you.

[Bushmancan]

All of the places that used to cater to us are either gone or changed.

If there isn't baseball on, you could try the Left Field Brewery. They might change a screen for you.

Speaking of which, Is Left Field going to be our new destination pre & post game?