And why Spencer? Honestly. He's not ready.
And why Spencer? Honestly. He's not ready.
Thought Vanney made a ridiculous sub tonight bringing on Spencer in a 2 goal game in the 31st minute with Jordan Hamilton on the bench. Critical coaching error tonight. Chapman should also have started since he wasn't reportedly ill or injured like our top three.
Who gives a fuck about this result. We won the shield and we are marching towards the MLS Cup and resting players.
In fact, this result is good, it shows the players they better not start slacking.
I don't understand if Vanney wanted to throw a game by trotting out the most possible experimental lineup, why he hasn't done this in the New England game?
Everyone and their pet knew that Montreal is hugely motivated for this game, plus they are our league rivals.
Or... Vanney wants to throw both games?
Who knows...
I read somewhere today that most probably neither Seba and Jozy will start in NE.
Last edited by PizzaEatingYeti; 09-20-2017 at 09:10 PM.
Define big picture?
1. Montreal is a team that can beat us, and we want them out of the playoffs. We didn't succeed helping this cause.
2. We had an unbeaten record at home, that's gone.
3. In terms of being ranked best MLS team of all time, we could still finish with most points ever, but now at most we could finish with 74 points, which by decimal points, would be behind LAG99 by a few decimal places (if spread over 34 game season - which leads to debate. we lost the chance to make it a non topic).
If big picture is win shield, cup, and concacaf... yes, still on the table.
Hopefully, the media will stop with the best MLS team ever talk.
I am not one to read too much into a game like this as in no way was this a lineup we will see in the playoffs and frankly I think it's impossible to play close to 30 out of 34 games over an 8 month period at such a high level. There are going to be emotional let downs especially when these guys know their season is being judged by an MLS Cup as success not by a somewhat arbitrary points records and not even with a "Shield", which in NA soccer does not really define the champion of this league (BTW does any casual fan really know the "points per game" record (with or without shootouts?!) and talk about it?); if they win the Cup and have 67 points will they not go down as one of the greatest teams of all time, does 70 points radically change that narrative? Will it really affect how we play on October 30th or so? My hunch is no......Let's all take a chill pill, and not read too much into this. Would anyone here have been happy if Seba played and had a season ending injury and we win the game? We all would have freaked out and said it was stupid to chase some points record instead of trying to win a championship. If resting my top three guys (or three of the top 4?) meant losing a game and seeing what some backups can do, there are far greater calamities. We've lost 4 (?!) games all year, at least two of which were also at the end of a 5 games in 15 days stretches. If we are panicking now what do you think other teams are doing? Salivating at playing TFC? believe me other teams don't want us in the playoffs, despite a bad game here or there.....everyone is beatable, including us, however I'll take this group over any other team starting the playoffs in late October and anyone in their right mind would say the same......
Frankly the only team that even somewhat concerns me in the East is Atlanta as they have the greatest "upside" to me in terms of scoring potential and having 70,000 people in a stadium going crazy. I'm hoping they finish third and they can be NYCFCs problem in the ECSF (and not ours until at least the ECF).....looks like third is a strong possibility too based on the ease of their schedule.....
Relax.....the season didn't end tonight, or even on Saturday in NE on crappy turf which I would also not risk injury on as well for our key players.....
Last edited by tfcfans; 09-20-2017 at 09:33 PM.
The big picture is vanney knows who will step up on demand off the bench. Every player on the team would have known going into the game this is a chance to prove your worth. Some players stepped up others not so much. For the bench players this was a pressure to perform game against a team that was going to compete 100%. Come Nov/Dec I will take what was learned this game vs 3 pts from our DP and TAM players. Rickets and hassler are first off the bench. Cooper won't see any minutes in the playoffs. Spencer was so so. Just disappointed chapman didn't get a chance to show what he has in this type of situation
I also suspect that rickets just booked his flight to La via Chivas 2.0. He won't be protected and I am sure he would be picked up in the expansion draft if soley to play the same role for Chivas 2.0. He has been solid off the bench for over a season now.
Zavaletta has to go
Vanney obviously did.
It was a tactical substitution as much as it was taking off a player who was having a bad night. one bad 30 minute performance doesn't erase a season of very reliable play.
This was a shitty performance at home against our biggest rival. Having said that, we had our 3 best attacking players out, and despite our depth, the replacements we used were puzzling. Sure Osorio is one of the first of the bench, but he's no striker (as he seemed to have been in the start). He should have been in Cooper's position, with Hamilton in up top with Rickets. Spencer has a poor first touch, which might have not been as important in MLS back in 2007, but it's very noticeable in 2017. Throw in that it's a midweek match after cross-continent travel, and it's a recipe for disaster.
Zavaletta is slow, makes poor decisions, and gets beat very often. Without VV in lineup and Bradley having to assume a more offesive role his vulnerablity was greatly exposed.
Speaking of VV. He must become a dp next year or he's gone. I think this game made that very clear. Sorry to say but Jozy will have to be the expendable dp. It is just much harder to find a defensive mid like Bradley or a set play plus talented forward like giovinco.
I really think tonight showed VV is if not the best, then the most valuable player in the team. Don't think for one second every European scout in charge of north America doesn't have his name in their notes. Especially Barcelona who at one point thought he would be better than Messi
Bizarre starting lineup. Was that supposed to be a 3-6-1 ? Not sure how Spencer is chosen over Hamilton or Chapman as the first sub.
Seems like the team saved up all their out-of-character mistakes for one match. Zavaleta, Bono, Morrow, Beitashour, Bradley made some basic errors. Hopefully this match is a reality check and prevents complacency / arrogance from setting in.
Positives - Ricketts was good. Hasler and Edwards added a spark.
Chalk this one up as "It's MLS". Strange things happen.
I suggest everyone see their doctor tomorrow and ask for a chill pill.
It's a derby. Shit happens. We are the best team in the league. No one else is close.
Name a team in the history of sport who didn't face a single moment of adversity. Get over it.
Goodnight, and god bless TFC
I think we've (at least with TFC) started to move to the next stage of MLS play tactically.
In the past, teams with a physically dominant midfield tended to rule the day. Didn't matter if they were that good positionally because the ball never moved fast enough to expose the gaps in behind. But now...
Going back to Spain is hardly uprooting his family.
Anyhow, yes mls defences are mls defences. The lack of his presence tonight showed his value. That is my point. And I will stand by my assertion that if he is not paid dp money here he will take an offer in Europe.
To suggest that the best play maker in mls is not in the radar of European clubs is nonesense. European clubs spend millions of dollars a year in scouting and find talent 12,000 feet up south American mountains. And you really don't think VV is being scouted because he plays in mls?
My point is he needs dp money to stay. Very simple.