Come up to York for game, it is a great time, much better than trying to tolerate the steam, MLS Next Pro broadcasts are crap. I haveOriginally Posted by leedsandTFC
been up to TFC II games many times, love them, it is very interesting hearing all the instructions from the bench and communication on the field.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
So maybe now we trade Blessing for a striker or sell him and sign a striker?
Pearlman will prob be sent to TFC 2 that will opened up a roster spot.
Blessing will likely be dealt for some GAM in the next window. Got a feeling he'll stick around to be midfield cover until Servania returns.
Only opens up a roster spot if he goes on a full year loan to TFC2, which I don't see them doing just yet. If he goes down temporarily, it doesn't open a spot. Don't see why he would agree to the deal just to get sent back to MLSNP for a full year. Probably would've tried out CanPL for first team football instead.
I can’t keep track of the all the roster spots, but wouldn’t he occupy a homegrown player spot on the supplemental roster? If so, I’m not sure sending him to tfc 2 would open up much…
You may be right; in the sense that it offers no cap relief. Maybe that roster spot or ‘space’ is the prize and will be fought over between the likes of Pearlman and Stefanovic as well as some others for first team, max 4 match call ups, rotation minutes? It is a long season, with congestion, as well as, load management to mitigate Lower Body FCs. There could be ample opportunity for TFC2ers staying primed in Next Pro.
LOL. I honestly thought we hired Sean. When I read the news about us hiring Longstaff, I had to researched about it, didn't even know there was another Longstaff playing for Newcastle.
Well, I hope this guy is good.
If it pleases the Court of RPB Supporters, in the matter of Olivier Giroud For TFC, I plea the following…
Based on only one pre-text… that Bernardeschi is with TFC for this full season; given likely disruption/post Euro participant focus of transfer activity.
IMO, of the obvious free-transfer availabilities, OGiroud may make the most immediate sense. From many perspectives; he checks enough of the professional analytic, experience, mentality, personality, commitment and financial cost/marketing boxes.
-Still performing on the pitch while allowing mentoring; this season so far at 24 matches, 12goals and 8 assists.
-Team first character; leader/captaincies.
-Leagues play pedigree; even SerieA.
-Championships and individual achievement awards pedigree.
-Class ahead of Insigne and Bernardeschi; certainly would command their respect.
-Short term #9 solution/transition given age; 18 months contract w/club option for another year.
-Manageable financial commitment; probable DP get for USD3to4M.
-Easy marketability; a personality.
-Besides French, speaks English and Italian; possibly some Spanish.
-Expressed desire to come to MLS.
-TFC/Toronto is an ideal destination candidate; cosmopolitan city and great family life.
-Depending on ACMilan’s Scudetto contention, he just may be available at MLS window closing of 23APR24; otherwise 18JUL24.
-With send-off chance to arrive after a Derby della Madonnina match on 21APR24.
-Will fit in attitude wise; gritty like Yeye and Laryea.
Dude will be 39 years old next season.If it pleases the Court of RPB Supporters, in the matter of Olivier Giroud For TFC
Based on only one pre-text… that Bernardeschi is with TFC for this full season; given likely disruption/post Euro participant focus of transfer activity.
IMO, of the obvious free-transfer availabilities, OGiroud may make the most immediate sense. From many perspectives; he checks enough of the professional analytic, experience, mentality, personality, commitment and financial cost/marketing boxes.
-Still performing on the pitch while allowing mentoring; this season so far at 24 matches, 12goals and 8 assists.
-Team first character; leader/captaincies.
-Leagues play pedigree; even SerieA.
-Championships and individual achievement awards pedigree.
-Class ahead of Insigne and Bernardeschi; certainly would command their respect.
-Short term #9 solution/transition given age; 18 months contract w/club option for another year.
-Manageable financial commitment; probable DP get for USD3to4M.
-Easy marketability; a personality.
-Besides French, speaks English and Italian; possibly some Spanish.
-Expressed desire to come to MLS.
-TFC/Toronto is an ideal destination candidate; cosmopolitan city and great family life.
-Depending on ACMilan’s Scudetto contention, he just may be available at MLS window closing of 23APR24; otherwise 18JUL24.
-With send-off chance to arrive after a Derby della Madonnina match on 21APR24.
-Will fit in attitude wise; gritty like Yeye and Laryea.
No, would be my vote.
I don't care how well he's still playing. For $3-4M a year, we can get a Joseph Paintsill, like Galaxy just did. 31 combined points in the Belgian league last year, including 17 goals from the wing, Obafemi Martins-like speed.
We need to start buying foreign players who are going to produce big numbers and sell for big numbers.
Re: Nicksoen Gomis
"The Star understands that United did not command an up-front fee from the MLS side for the defender but will receive some cash once he has played a certain number of games for Toronto, while a sell-on clause has been inserted into the deal that took him across the pond to protect the Blades' interests in case he becomes a success."
https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/sheffield-united-financial-details-confirmed-after-french-youth-international-makes-bramall-lane-transfer-move-4537043
I understand and do not disagree with you in any re-build sense. Yet, is that the Hernandez and Herdman mandate? Or is it something else? My concern is from the perspective of how best to facilitate the/both Italians now. I would not mind a Paintsil on TFC. Though, is he not more of a RForward or RWinger? Certainly an ideal sort to replace Bernardeschi. My thinking is how to best balance and engage the Italians. It has not worked with lower tiers like Jimenez, nor MLS well versed maybe has beens like Sapong. The jury is still even out on an Owusu as a filler/stop-gap. I am not sure an exceptional young-ish baller will work better with them; besides we have Kerr for that role already, don’t we? I just think a peer with the right experience, in and for the short-term, may be the way to go given the club’s circumstances.
Last edited by Mr. Inbetween; 03-04-2024 at 03:07 AM.
A smart organization would never even think about trying to build anything around two players who were already proven to fold at the first sign of pressure and haven't shown enough consistent quality and commitment to have anything built around them. For me, they're luxury pieces. You build the rest of the team to be a solid unit and then those two are just extra pieces that could provide that little bit of potential game breaking flair that can turn a match on it's head (like yesterday).
I'm with you on concept. My only concern with Giroud is with his age and how players that age are susceptible to drop off the edge of a cliff skills wise. Take a younger Seba for example. If they've had extensive looks at him and decided not to sign him at a very low cost ... he's probably done. On concept though, we have a Mazeratti and a Ferrari like it or lump it. Both have shown they have the ability to play a leading role if we're to turn things around but neither of them are natural born top goal scorers. They have to play to their strengths and in doing so shouldn't be relied on to lead the league in scoring. We've got them signed for the foreseeable future. They ain't going anywhere soon so I think we've got two choices ... double down and sign a bonafide striker or sit on what we've got and not get the most out of the Italians and all the money we spent on them. We have NO strikers on our squad that meet the criteria of "bonafide" striker. To put it in context, If we have any desire to get back to MLS Cup glory, the best of the bunch we have right now still isn't better than a Toisant Rickets type who was our super sub / backup forward back in the day. He chipped in a few goals as could Kerr or Prince but he was no Jozy or Seba. The extra bonus is that if we have a good enough striker he'll also free up space for the two Italians so that they can chip in with a few goals. I mean look at yesterday. How many chances did we have? How did Prince not hit the net on that header? If we don't take the chances we get and sometimes those chances are only one or two in a game, a win like yesterday quickly becomes a tie or a loss. We need a goalscorer who'll bury most of the headers from the six yard line etc. ...
Last edited by buddies; 03-04-2024 at 11:55 AM.
I would sign a Giroud type only in July, and only if we are a contender, and only if that is the need.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
Can't see Herdman wanting even that route. I think his list of players he would like is already quite lengthy.
If we get a striker in the next few months, it'll be a dude who always finishes his chances but is either stuck behind someone great or in a lesser known league. I suspect the mix of south/Central American talent and English reliables is going to be an ongoing theme.
One thing I would note from yesterday that was apparent: Owusu's off-the-ball movement is MUCH better than the other strikers. That's why he's playing, I think.
He's the first striker we've had since Jozy who routinely fucks with the central defenders when the ball is away, by trying to push them apart with back-and-forth drifting, dipping behind their back shoulder etc.
That shit is all really important to creating space for himself or other players in the box and in the past, our strikers have done none of that. Yesterday, he was really working t hem, making both central defenders keep an eye on him constantly.
I think he's clearly streaky. He was finally given the starting job in Germany at the start of 2022/23, and he blew it, went ten games without a goal and was benched. Then the guy ahead of him got injured with nine or 10 games left, and he scored eight goals in a few weeks. Everything he touched went in.
So he's probably a confidence striker. WE need to get him rolling but then he'll probably start burying those gilt chances regularly. I know some of his finishes last year were well harder than that one.
No idea on Giroud but disagree (I think?) on general point.
Herdman loved sprinkling in grizzled vets on the CMNT. Atiba. Vitoria.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
Building a team to compliment or in spite of the Italians is a fine line that seems like the same end-game to me.
That's because of the thin (and young) talent pool for Canada though.
Totally different at club level and also when talking about a 39 year old who would eat up a DP spot.
A way I could have stated it better.
Similar but the difference is that if they both retired this winter or magically found clubs to buy them then the team would still function fine in their absence as they're a luxury on top of a decent team playing a system. By building to them, then losing them, would mean overall team play would suffer and for sure we'd get older & slower again and have more cap problems.
The team should be built for when they're gone anyway. No retooling short cuts this time.
Wait. What? Where is the genius with humility I enjoy so much? You are one of only two so far… Are TFC not contenders? Are TFC not finalists? Based on an earlier rationalization offered by yourself on TFC’s ultimate legendary standing this season, I had an hour long esoteric discussion with my son on the merit of placing an interesting bet given the Leicester-esque odds offered.
So far, including preseason, we’ve scored 6 (?): Two each by Insigne and Bernie, Ayo got one and Coelo the other. Sounds like what’s in store at least until summer - the Italians first and then some production from here and there. Unless Kerr takes a step forward or Prince begins to score. Oso’s been unlucky not to get one, he seems the most likely of the mids to score from time to time. Richie should help as well, scoring, crosses and those cut backs into the middle.
P.S. Forgot about Longstaff in the midfield… I’d expect a few from him as well once he’s match fit. Both him and Coelo should produce assists, certainly.
Last edited by los sonadores; 03-04-2024 at 04:44 PM.
We played two very tough teams damn close to even, played with heart, got some breaks.
We were not the better team in either game and could very well have zero points today. I would still be happy.
We are going to come back to earth. But we are somewhere in the mix, baby!!
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/TorontoFC/status/1765045909417492927?s=20
Good loan. He showed real potential at USL One level. Canadian manager too.
But neither match had us doing our usual bunkering for dear life for an extended period and not being able to complete a progressive pass. We looked a lot more composed even when under real pressure, minus a few minutes near the end of the NE match.
yeah owusu occupies defenders better than any striker we've had since jozy, i agree.
hopefully if he scores one then more will follow because he does a lot right.
This is what ive seen from him last season. He is very good at keeping defenders constantly moving and thinking. His mind is always thinking of how he can hamper the lines of defenders and how to mess them up when they're trying to attack him.
The only drawback of him has been his streakiness. But again, it's all been about letting him play every single game... He needs to play every day or else he falters and loses interest.
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