"There are some people who might have better technique than me, and some may be fitter than me, but the main thing is tactics. With most players, tactics are missing. You can divide tactics into insight, trust, and daring." - Johan Cruyff
This is a huge start against other bubble playoff teams.
We have a lot to do, but some time and breathing room to do it.
"There are some people who might have better technique than me, and some may be fitter than me, but the main thing is tactics. With most players, tactics are missing. You can divide tactics into insight, trust, and daring." - Johan Cruyff
Despite missing 2 DPs and 2 TAM players in the opening games they are still 2-0. Tied for best season start ever. So your reaction is to cry out to Seba an call out a bunch of players who had good games?
What a strange post its as if in your universe they were blown out 5-0 at home.
It's still winter. Its early. Its important to pick up points, and not fall behind like we did last year. But no need to make judgements yet.
Team is still coming into form.
I actually am happy Hamilton is getting a chance.
Ding ding!
It’s a clearly written rule in the offiside law.. A ball received from a defender that deliberately plays the ball doesn’t create an offside offence. It does matter if the ball didn’t go where the defender wanted. He played the ball, it was no deflection.
I didn’t hear the broadcast but it’s nuts how most broadcasters don’t know the rules.
Much better turnout in the stands than I expected. Especially compared to some of the other things we saw from around the league -- and considering the time of day & temperature.
Ok, how about Scotland? I've been streaming some games where a Canadian kid, Liam Millar, might play and below maybe the top 4 teams, it's almost as bad as MLS 1.0 where teams are hard pressed to string passes together. I was actually surprised the quality was so awful but some of the stadiums for minnow teams in the SPL look like Lamport.
That’s how the rule is interpreted these days, but it should not be. An instinctive movement like the NE defender shouldn’t play someone onside; it undermines the intent of the offside rule which is to prevent a player getting an advantage by being behind the last defender and can result in absurdities like Chapman being six meters offside and being called onside. The original interpretation of this rule was that the defender had to deliberately play it ie control it and make a play, which makes much more sense and is in the spirit of the offside rule. As interpreted, now the player has to decide if the attacker is onside - if he is, trying to play the ball is the right play. If the attacker is offside, the defender needs to stop and not try to play the ball - and that decision has to be made in a split second. Impossible and against a players instincts. FIFA needs to address this quickly - according to PRO, this new (and wrong) interpretation was from FIFA (we went through this when a clearly offside goal was scored against us a couple of years ago inquite similar circumstances (except it was off someone’s head)).
Thats the trouble, it's like driving your luxury rental care on vacation and getting back to your average Joe car, do what I do abd not try to compare, I know it is tough to do, but simply don't try and compare MLS to any of the leagues that have been around for a century or more. Cheers good to see a win. This from the guy watching local soccer in St. Lucia, but still enjoying it, and in the tropical weather
In cold light of day:
Performances - Bradley immense. Osorio excellent, very creative, particularly in the first half, DeLeon very good, Moor consistent.
Hamilton and Akinola had moments. Both were in and out of the game and made some mistakes, but both took their goals well. Akinola was terrific, but Hamilton always seems to get his goals, scrappy or not. Chapman was similar - brilliant tight control, a couple of errant passes - but for the first time looked like a run of games would make him into a solid starter.
Morrow and Auro were ok. Did their jobs but that’s about all.
Makvinga a a worry: completely bossed in the first half. Ciman a worry. Boyd looks like a late game sub only.
Biggest takeaway for me was the centre back situation.
Ciman is done as a top level guy. Moor can still ball, but for how long? Friedel telling his guys Mavinga can't run? Mavinga?! Did the injuries really get to him?
Get a TAM winger, but more importantly sign a young-ish guy to compete for top level minutes at centre back.
Really promising start to the season. Yes, 2 easy teams we were up against, but we beat them both and played relatively well and we also have 11 days to get ready for NYCFC meaning Jozy will get healthy and hopefully Pozuelo and a TAM winger will be in Toronto and can get into the rotation.
Having said that, to get to the top of MLS this season, we need to solidify this back line. Whether that means our current 3 CB stay healthy all year and can get on the same page or bringing in another CB, we are still not a top defensive team. We will score goals this year, we really just have to get out defense straightened out.
Was there an update on Marco Delgado? I haven't seen / heard anything?
I'm pretty sure the officials correctly interpreted the rules. Whether the rule "should" be as stated is something that IFAB can decide to change. I actually think the rule is good as is and people just need to be better informed (it has nothing to do with the fact we benefited from it this time, it could go against us another time).
Remember in the early days of football, there was no offside rule and teams used to position a player up high to knock in goals. The game changes. There's always room for improvement.
Last edited by Oldtimer; 03-18-2019 at 08:25 AM.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
Mavinga seems like he can still run just fine, not sure what Friedel was saying. I would like to see Julian Dunn play, if not at this level loan him out asap.
Ciman hasn’t played well but people are just picking on him at this point. He didn’t cost TFC a goal and had that nice pass to Osorio.
Moor hopefully can play most of the games this year, he should be fresh after last season haha and there are a few elite CBs still playing at 35 years old.
They definitely need a winger.
Akinola deserves another start.
Bono needs to sit for a game.
Heres who I would start next game.
3-4-1-2 I think the Wolves play this formation.
GK Westburg
———Ciman - Moor - Mavinga
Deleon-Osorio-Bradley-Morrow
————Pozuelo—————-
Jozy———Akinola
Morrow was man of the match. Check the TSN game highlight reel if you doubt this. It was his best game since 2017. Didn’t he get an assist, or two? For sure, on the winner. He was dominant patrolling his wing, making numerous, accurate, crosses. And, his defence was solid.
Akinola, was next. His goal, was the kind that Auro, Chapman, Hamilton, Delgado, Osorio, have been dreaming about, for years. About time we had a dribbling attacker who could think and shoot, at the same time.
Everybody else was good at times, and not so good at other times. Moor was terrible in the second half. Mavinga was out of shape. Ciman is a joke. Chapman is, well Chapman. Deleon was good, at times, but disappeared in the second half. Wont trigger anybody again, re Osorio. All he has to do, is put on his kit the right way, for him to be a star on this team.
The rule is the same as it has been for many years; FIFA directed a new interpretation in 2017. And I can’t agree with you, it’s an absurd interpretation. Why should a defensive player simply trying to play the ball cause a player already in an offside position to be onside? Makes no sense. Listen to Caldwell on the podcast and you’ll be persuaded. They need to interpret it in the way it is written and was understood at least since the 1970’s. There is a reason Gil and Freidel went ballistic.
Last edited by MightyDM; 03-18-2019 at 08:54 AM.
I wonder if other teams in the league are banking on Ciman playing and coming up with strategy to take advantage of that hole in the defence:
https://twitter.com/NERevolution/status/1107439452685766657
Highlights show a distorted view of the game.
Osorio was absolutely dominants, along with Bradley (who was even better) - except for his hesitation in the free kick. Perhaps he was surprised; perhaps too slow.
Morrow had a brilliant moment for the winning goal - otherwise was fine but not exceptional. Although he got into excellent positions, the defenders simply showed him onto his right foot and he ddidnt and apparently can’t cross with his right foot. By the time he did cross with his left most of the time it was too late to have an impact because he had had to take time to create space for the left footed cross. Happened time and again. I like him, good player, but he needs to figure that out to have a really good game.
Last edited by MightyDM; 03-18-2019 at 09:36 AM.