2024 General TFC/MLS Banter (no transfer/roster discussion)

[ensco]

I actually 100% agree with Joseph. We aren’t as good as our record. Plus injuries are going to kill us, guaranteed.

But still. We are a decent middle of the pack team, and in this league, that puts you in the mix.

and that, thanks be to all deities, is not something any of us believed a month ago.

[FiveThreeTwo]

This may be an unpopular position, but the single biggest reason for our changing fortunes right now isn't John Herdman, it's our new spine of Debyi Flores and Kevin Long…. It's just that this is a league in which you can win a lot of 1-0 games with a really good defence and bulwark midfield, and not many teams seem to have realized it.

I guess that’s where I was trying to go with that tangent lol. By xG numbers and sexy attacking stats were overachieving, but we aren’t scrambling on Defense and holding on for dear life when we’re shoved in, we feel fairly composed like it’s part of the game plan, and definitely aren’t overachieving on defensive structure and ability atm. We’re playing and passing out of the back or intentionally entering more low blocks and then getting ball wide or up top to the owusu to hold up play when trying to transition.

I just think overall American pundits don’t give anyone north the border the time of day post Giovinco era. If Flores was signed in Seattle or Atlanta or Cinci they’d be writing analytics tweets on his coverage of the field, duels, tackles, defensive stats and calling him a budding hier to Alonso after 3 games lol. And they definitely don’t see or respect a game plan where just being organizationally rock solid on Defense is a strategy to win (Schmetzer started his career if it when we ran against them and he was just starting out but somehow now unless you attempting to game xG stats ur team sucks).

But yeah, comparing to last years shenanigans lol these are good topics lol, can’t complain where we are atm

[jloome]

I just think overall American pundits don’t give anyone north the border the time of day post Giovinco era.

They didn't during, either.

In our Treble year, Doyle repeatedly picked us third in the power rankings.

It's very rare that anyone there has had a good word to say even when we're winning.

[SenorDingDong]

Home match vs Atlanta with no Deybi Flores will be interesting to see what happens.

[jloome]

Home match vs Atlanta with no Deybi Flores will be interesting to see what happens.

I think Longstaff will slot in. Be interesting if Almada and Giakoumakis are both out.


Meanwhile, Bogert likes our tactical set:https://youtu.be/XfUvHFxRGJU

[James17930]

They didn't during, either.

In our Treble year, Doyle repeatedly picked us third in the power rankings.

It's very rare that anyone there has had a good word to say even when we're winning.

Weibe and Gass have always liked us ... I wonder if Doyle goes more anti-us just to be contrarian.

[Canary10]

This may be an unpopular position, but the single biggest reason for our changing fortunes right now isn't John Herdman, it's our new spine of Debyi Flores and Kevin Long.

I mean... that's a bit trite, as I believe Herdman IS driving the change and they wouldn't be here if he hadn't taken over.

But ultimately, players win games, not managers and we had no spine for the last three seasons.

This is bang on. The spine of the team needed work for years. Glad Herdman recognized that.

[ag futbol]

This may be an unpopular position, but the single biggest reason for our changing fortunes right now isn't John Herdman, it's our new spine of Debyi Flores and Kevin Long.

I mean... that's a bit trite, as I believe Herdman IS driving the change and they wouldn't be here if he hadn't taken over.

But ultimately, players win games, not managers and we had no spine for the last three seasons.

Once Drew Moor left and Michael lost his second gear, we were fucked. Once Mark Delgado left, we were REALLY fucked.

We've had lots of seasons without much offensive punch. But we were never as bad as we were last year, because at the least, we had a defensive midfielder who occasionally gave us hope, or a defensive pairing that was working, or a hot keeper.

But the last three seasons we've had NO SPINE. Teams could just run through our midfield and set up in our end, then low block us going the other way.

Herdman recognized that immediately and his first three major player moves were for two DMs (Longstaff is more a wrecker than an eight, I think) and a veteran centre back.

Osorio and Coello just aren't mobile enough on the cover. Flores is a pure wrecker, a guy who spots where the pass is going before it gets there and cuts it out, or arrives to shut down the recipient before he can take a step. None of our other midfielders do that well.

Long's read is superior. We got pulled apart by a practised offensive set against Charlotte that would've left Copetti in alone behind our deep back line.

Long read it from 30 yards away, broke position and ran behind his own line to cut out the pass. None of our other players had even SEEN it.

The biggest knock on MLS right now is the disparity between attacking and defending. Everyone is spending their money on young attackers they can sell on. But that means a team with a defender who is great at reading and reacting often has an immediate advantage.

I think Herdman has sussed this league out and reacted with tactics and selections designed to work specifically in MLS, and that's the catalyst. But the addition of the right pieces is why we're doing better. All the "buy in" in the world, and we still only have two goals after three games.

It's just that this is a league in which you can win a lot of 1-0 games with a really good defence and bulwark midfield, and not many teams seem to have realized it.

I can’t disagree with any of this. I would note though, through the first few games I have seen guys sprint back on the counter like their life depends on it. They’ve made some big plays and saved us defensively.
I think that buy-in has definitely been important but not the primary factor in our success. Whether Herdman can keep this level of commitment long term is hard to know.

I agree that we’re over achieving at the moment. They really have to solve this goal scoring issue up top. Maybe with Spicer and Laryea active team speed starts to create more openings. But I still don’t know how we get around spending the money on a real striker.

It seems preposterous to go this far and stop here. The “striker by committee” concept is highly annoying.

[SenorDingDong]

I get the feeling Herdmann knows fully well we need a top striker. Most other gaps on the team have been addressed.

[jloome]

I get the feeling Herdmann knows fully well we need a top striker. Most other gaps on the team have been addressed.

He's setting them up ala Nottingham Forest before Taiwo got there, when they'd play with Johnson and another wide forward ahead of a false nine. The wingers cheat inside constantly and are just forwards with license to use space.

It's why he prefers wingbacks. He doesn't intend on crossing the ball -- it will all be entries from the two most dangerous spots, at the top corner and via the touchline.

SO effectively, right now, Insigne and Bernadeschi (or whoever plays that spot on the right) are our strikers. Prince's job is to occupy people, dish the ball off, hold the ball up and press. I think he fully expects the Italians to hold up the bulk of the scoring.

The thing is, we've seen at Forest that even that system works better with a target man who can also score.

[MikeForbes]

The best tournament in world football returns to Toronto.

Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/TorontoFC/status/1768306422247202832?s=20

[OgtheDim]

A Sunday night game @ 8 on a long weekend....

[jloome]

https://www.telemadrid.es/deportes/A...314054500.html

Madrid site doing a Coello story.

[los sonadores]

https://www.telemadrid.es/deportes/A...314054500.html

Madrid site doing a Coello story.

Cool.

[Yohan]

This weekend's MLS games are free on AppleTV

[Canary10]

Once again no Gio Reyna in the Forest starters, on the bench or even listed as injured. This greatest American player in history will be in MLS in 2-3 years.

[los sonadores]

This weekend's MLS games are free on AppleTV

Thanks for the tip.

[jloome]

TFC 2 leading Philly Union 2 1-0 at Halftime on a late Jesus Batiz goal.

[MikeForbes]

Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/GlennCrooks/status/1771178296828477941?s=20

[ag futbol]

Team has two players from England on trial and is looking at some players from the Honduran national team. Source: Twitter.

[Canary10]

Team has two players from England on trial and is looking at some players from the Honduran national team. Source: Twitter.

Hmm, anyone have leads?

[Red CB Toronto]

Great to see, should really ad a great vibe to BMO for this David vs. Goliath match up. Looking forward to it.

Check out this tweet at [URL="https://twitter.com/truenorthfoot/status/1771195525208961500"]TrueNorthFoot ⚽️🇨🇦 on X: "The Simcoe County Rovers are aiming to bring over 2,000 fans to the #CanChamp clash against #TFCLive 🔵 Nearly halfway there, the general public hasn't even had a shot at purchasing tickets yet. “The likelihood of accomplishing this historic milestone is great” https://t.co/t50noabVwb" / X (twitter.com)[/URL]

[jloome]

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/360-v...ls-season-pass

We made the Irish dude's list of "must watch" teams this year. Go figure.

[jloome]

The nephew started for LA tonight. He's baaaccck!

Still... he was really good. Scored a goal, blocked a couple of good chances.

[Mr. Inbetween]

Interesting position/premise thread involving PRO, MLS and TFC from an Ontario, Canada, labour law perspective…

Check out this tweet at [URL]https://twitter.com/TheLawofWork/status/1771888352788172941[/URL]

[OgtheDim]

Ooooooo........that is interesting. I read through the ESA every couple of months for work and didn't think of that bit.

I also remember the MLB attempt to lockout that failed in Toronto.

[JonO]

Interesting position/premise thread involving PRO, MLS and TFC from an Ontario, Canada, labour law perspective…

Interesting that he gets PRO wrong (although that could be an autocorrect thing). More interesting that the article seems to have been pulled??

[OgtheDim]

And the lockout is now over...agreement ratified.

[Mr. Inbetween]

MLS club local nuances. Found this interesting also…

Check out this tweet at [URL]https://twitter.com/TheLawofWork/status/1771684711783354525[/URL]

[Mr. Inbetween]

And the lockout is now over...agreement ratified.

Some details, according to ESPN/JCarlisle…

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/...d-2030-sources