http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/stor...oronto-fc.html
My take on the team's biggest problem.
John
Toronto FC needs two centre backs now
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/stor...oronto-fc.html
My take on the team's biggest problem.
John
Another solid read John, thanks a lot!
Get any sense of whether he had any progress on even one central defender, or did it still seem like a hope and a dream?
John I FULLY AGREE with you.....
Our Defence is HORRIBLE!, we need to shore it up BIG time!!!
Enjoyable read. Would be nice to hear some names on the radar as we have heard about Vitti recently.
very hard to say. Carver and Mo are playing their cards close to their chest regarding this. I get the sense they are looking very hard.Originally Posted by BFin
What caught me off guard was Carver saying that he believes Harmse and Nana could fill in for Marco and Tyrone. I don't think that's an upgrade at all.
I think they have to get at least one experienced centre back - and probably two - before the season starts. Otherwise, they're gonna be in trouble.
John
Funny that Velez does not agree. I am shocked. In his mind he is a genius as well. To say he was outclassed last year would be kind...he looked like the kid on the short bus...
I agree with you John, Nana and Harmse are in no way ready to compete full time in the MLS, thats a pipe dream for Carver thinks that will work.
Thanks for the follow up!
I like Tyrone and Marco on a personal level - both are nice guys, and Tyrone is quite the cut up - but I just don't think they're up to the task. Marco especially is a liability.
Just my view, though.
John
i think we could do with just one experience CB addon, but you can never get enough good defenders in this league (well, any league really lol).
I think we'd be fine with just one CB too.
Either Velez, Marshall, or Harmse would be fine paired with a better DC.
Its just that any combination of those two for anything more than a stopgap sends shudders down my spine.
I'd get rid of Marshall, he's the oldest - and defiently has the more trade value, I would think.
I think, (hope) we'll see better things in the future from Velez and Harmse. It'd be easier for either of them with a 'real' partner.
I am sure they are nice guys...and I actually didnt think that Tyrone was that bad...I think he could play a role on the team...but Velez has to go...I mean really people...every time he touched the ball, it was an adventure, and he missed so many assignments it was laughable
it's a tough call. Marco is the bigger defensive liability, but Tyrone has more trade value.
If it were me and I couldn't sign two new centre backs (and I don't think the team will), I'd let Marco go.
Good read but a little harsh I'd say. Carver saying that Harmse and Nana could fill in is really just stating the only options he currently has.
Anybody that's been paying attention can see that Mo has been putting together the pieces he needs to bring in some players and we really don't know who the &*^% they are. Just like last year. I just hope they get here sooner than they did last year.
Looks like we'll again see our old friend, the closing moments defensive error resulting in an opposition goal scoring opportunity unless we get a decent veteran central defender. Mainly to run the show in the back, because Velez and Marshall are knuckleheads.
I think Marshall is good when he'd not paired with Velez, but even that being said, they aren't absolutely horrible (like, Marco Reda horrible).
I do think that with more and consistent time together they could both improve their games. I don't think they've quite been given a fair shake of things.
I guess we'll see who comes into camp in Florida.
ya I agree that the article is a bit harsh. Velez had some bad games definitely.. some real howling mistakes. But there games when he was perfectly capable (maybe he wasn't tested? I dunno..). He's a fringe starter but not awful as the article seems to suggest to me.
Marshall I actually have a higher opinion of. many times he could be a real strength out there. He's slow but smart and very tough.
I do think they could use 1 solid CB who's far and away better than Velez and Marshall. If you pair such a guy with either of them, they'll look 10x better.
I'd agree that we definitely need to add one strong CB in the off season. I'd expect that we might see Marshall moved as a way of shedding some salary and possibly gaining some bench depth. I'm sure Marshall would be welcomed by teams like SJ or Seattle.
John, or anyone who can clarify, didn't Nana Attakora-Gyan change his name to Nana Attakora at one point last season? I thought I read about that at one point...
I think that Velez has been villainized, that being said it is absolutely necessary that we sign at least one centreback that is experienced and can take a leadership role and you will see a different Velez. Hell, youll see a different defense all together. Its going to be a make or break year for him and i think we will see a noted improvement, if not he will be cut. Remember, he primarily played rightback for the majority of his career to he doesnt full understnad the responsibility that comes with the centreback position.
We were tied for the fifth worst defense in the league which means there are at least 4 other teams out of twelve that are just as bad. Im not saying thats a good thing or justifying it but for us to say that we have the worst defense just isnt true. I think that if we signed two we would have a sold play off team without a doubt. I also agree with John in saying that Nana and Harmse are not enough, yes they are good (id even argue that Nana has more promise than Harmse) and will fill Velez and Marshalls boots one day on a regular basis but they are definite not enough.
also i agree that Robbo should only be used as a CB as a last resort. It just doesnt address the problem at hand, same goes for Jimmy who in my opinion was not a good cb.
Great article John. I think if they bring in one quaility CB than it would put enough pressure on Velez, Marshall, Harmse, and Nana to raise there level of play. Keep who is playing well and trade the odd man out.
Agreed 200%.Simply put, Toronto's central defensive pairing of Tyrone Marshall and Marco Velez was dreadful last season, and their inept partnership was a major reason why the Canadian club allowed 43 goals, one of the worst defensive records in the league
I've been saying this for a long time. Our defense is dreadful. Not only in actually defending but playing out with the ball. Why launch it up field without vision just to lose possession again? Anyone with a bit of clue about the sport realizes our central defense is mediocre. I don't care that that's the norm in the league - fix it!
That and we cant clear a ball for shit
Uh, not to throw cold water on a theory, but our defence isn't dreadful.
Our defense is dreadful ON THE ROAD. At home, we had the longest shutout streak in the league. In fact, if our home defensive record had been as bad as our road one, we'd have been last in the league.
So there has to be more than just a technical/talent component to this.
Dear Marco Velez and to a smaller degree Tyrone Marshall(I actually like Marshall, but oh well) LOL
basic principles of team defence in soccer:
Delay Then Pressure
• Player nearest the ball is "the 1st Defender":
•Get the ball carrier's head down by putting him under close enough pressure to make him worry about controlling the ball and so he cannot look for passing options, but not close enough to be beaten;
The player(s) not nearest to the ball get into position to intercept all short or desired passing options; (they provide cover)
• Leave open most difficult and longest passing options as long as there is good pressure and cover on the ball carrier and his nearest passing options.
The first defender should not run straight at the ball carrier, but should come in atan angle that would force the ball carrier to pass back or to attack toward our covering defenders or toward a touchline. This makes the opponent's attack predictable and easy to read by covering defenders.
When the attacker has been contained, but still maintains possession ofthe ball, the defender would do well to force the attacker to move to the side or even backwards. By forcing laterally, the supporting defenders can gain time to recover. Once recovered, the supporting defenders can enhance their positions as they have more time to adjust. An attacker that is allowed to go forward, causes the whole team to adjust their vertical defensive positions.
If the defender can force the attacker to go backwards, the defender musttry to maintain close pressure to keep the attacker from opening up space.
The supporting defence should use this opportunity to push forward as well, compressing the attack away from it's own goal. If the on ball pressure is not there, then the supporting defence would do well not to compress as the attacker will have time and space to find and take advantage of the defensive weak spots.
The 1st defender, in applying pressure to the attacking ball-handler, should:
Delay
• Staggered stance, alternating front and back foot, feet shoulder widthapart, legs bent, body bent, on your toes (don't get flat-footed).
• Feints and stabs but do not commit until ball-carrier makes a mistake.
• Concentrate on player, not the ball, look at ball carrier's hips, not his feetor upper body.
• With peripheral vision, see the space between the ball and ball carrier. Ifthe ball gets away from feet:
Deny
• Deny the shot;
• Deny penetration by denying "through" spaces which ball carrier desires topenetrate.
• Close distance between self and ball carrier. Get close enough to forceball carrier to alter course of attack and to force his head down to concentrate on not losing possession of the ball.
• Choose angle of approach to guide ball carrier away from dangerousspace.
• Block any attempted shot.
Destroy
•Win possession by stepping between ball carrier and ball if ball gets away from his feet.
• Tackle also if the ball carrier allows ball to be between his own feet. Tacklesshould be fully committed through centre of ball carrier's position.
• The 2nd defenders, (those next nearest to the ball), are those who are marking up to close passing options. They must cover the space behind their teammate who is pressuring the ball; and if numbers are up than extra defender might decide to risk double teaming the ball carrier to win the ball.
• The 3rd defender provides Balance - the 3rd and other defenders cover deep and attacking spaces which may be used by the opponent to switch their point of attack, for example, by playing to the opposite wing.
good point. how can guys be technically good at home and not on the road??
maybe it's a product of the overall team play. for whatever reason, teams always do worse on the road (tiredness from travel? fans at other stadiums pump their home side up?). With worse team play it would leave more problems for the defense to deal with.
At home our offense was decent. When the ball is in the offensive zone for most of the game, the Defence doesn't really have much to do back there except pick up stray balls that come out too far.
On the road our offence was shite and our D was tested. And they failed miserably IMO
our biggest and easiest prob to solve with Defence is the fact we dont clear the fucking ball properly
This article is one big
QFT!!!
I disagree with John's assertation that Toronto had one of the worst defences in the league, and seeing as this is the basis of the whole article, I have to counter that defence is not and hasn't been our biggest problem.
Our concession of goals was not 'one of the worst.' We conceded less than New York, D.C United, Colorado and LA. we also tied with New England.
On the other side of the field we see our scoring record, you know, the offense. Only SJ scored less goals, so in truth our offense last season WAS one of the worst.
Velez and Marshall both had some very good games, several which I think ended in 0-0 results at home. They are both good players and can be adapted better to their roles this season. Our attack however blew shit, once Dichio took a knock on the head that is, and our midfield was sharing the ball with the other team to much.
The teamwork was poor, time and again the other teams had space to break down our offence, maraud the midfield and persistently harass our defenders.
If we'd finished half the golden chances and sitters destined for goal last season, those defensive errors, and lapses would have occured less, and meant less.
I wonder who will be the first MLS team to sign a Centre Back as a DP? With the number of goals/game, a solid DP level defender could be the difference in winning 3-4 extra games/season at least surely. *insert "don't call me Shirley" joke here* With the improvements to the midfield and our young forwards settling in after a year, a solid defender would be nice. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have a start striker scoring 4 goals/game but that's not being very realistic is it?
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote