***********
Have at It People
***********
Have at It People
We need the 3 points here for morale..... we have an extra day of rest vs DCU and hopefully take the full points
Hopefully Vanney shakes it up a little and we have some health luck.
------------- Jozy ------------
Endoh ------- Pozo --------Chapman
--------Bradley ---- Osorio -------
Morrow – Mavinga – Moor ---DeLeon
Toronto FC,#CMNT & #CWNT, Scotland, Heart of Midlothian FC, Tottenham Hotspur FC
"The Harder the Struggle, The Greater the Reward" - @OsoJ92AWAY DAYS - CHICAGO August 2017, MONTREAL March 2018
Last edited by Ultra & Proud; 05-13-2019 at 01:10 PM.
Considering all the thoughts about strengths & weaknesses, in this & other threads...
Assuming Auro & Ciman are out...
Assuming Moor & Jozy are good to go at least the majority of the game...
I would like to see this line-up:
-------- Akinola ----- Altidore --------
-------- Pozuelo ----- Osorio --------
-------- Bradley ----- DeLeon --------
Morrow ------ Mavinga ----- Moor ----- Laryea
------------------- Westberg -------------------
Basically a 4-4-2 that can morph as needed, but needs some comments:
- Hamilton off the bench as a relatively early super-sub, for which ever forward needs a break first. (For example, let's ease Altidore into things & not over-use him right after injury.) Other important options off the bench, depending on the situation: Endoh; Chapman; Delgado.
- DeLeon stapled back as a pure DM & destroyer to shield our defense.
- This allows Bradley with a more free-floating role, which he's going to do anyway, regardless of what Vanney or anyone else tells him. But he should provide as much additional DM cover as needed. (I don't think Bradley is fast enough anymore to play as the only DM when we're facing a pacy team, and when our suspect defense needs some cover. BTW most MLS teams have some pace.)
- Depending on the game situation, width provided by our FBs; and/or one of our AMs; and/or Akinola. We suck at crossing until we get that magical winger, so I wouldn't put too much stock in width anyway. Enough width to stretch the other team, but I'm not really expecting much production out of it.
- Pozuelo & Osorio in the thick of things & creating, rather than waiting on the periphery, for build-up play by others that never happens.
- Akinola and Osorio (at least) need to press high when DC has the ball.
- Vanney really needs to lay off "the way he wants to play" for now, it has become pretty ridiculous.
Last edited by Auzzy; 05-13-2019 at 01:38 PM.
DC United isn't too good out on the wings. They like to pass it up quickly to the forwards on the break and get between the lines & go. When they can't do that, they swing the ball around hoping for a bit of individual brilliance.
Sound familiar?
They are, in many ways, a lot like us except with a better defence and a keeper who can stone cold kill a team on his own. if his team goes AWOL.
We are the underdogs but we can win this one.
We should be the underdogs & most pundits following MLS would put us there.
Betting markets are another matter.
DC found the win vs KC after many chances at goal. They will get chances Wed. We've gotta be strong and focused and consistent.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
Let me explain to you how this league works in terms of favourites and underdogs.
It is a rare thing for the home team to be an underdog in this league.
I know this for reviewing the odds of the games every week. its kind of a weird hobby of mine.
But you won't most likely believe me so you can review for yourself.
Here are the last 50 games that were played in the MLS. of these 50 games only 2 games out of 50 the home team was the underdog.
4% of the games the home team is the underdog.
https://www.oddsportal.com/soccer/usa/mls/results/
game 1 crew vs lafc on May8th
game 2 san jose vs kc on april 20th
For us to be the underdog in this game we would have to be real garbage.
Really interesting thing about this TFC vs DC game.
On Sunday morning TFC odds were 2.20 or around 45% expected winning percentage for the game.
At this point I resigned myself to the fact that TFC are garbage like everyone here thinks. I didn't want to accept this but the markets had spoken and they said loud and clear TFC is shit. If TFC was good the odds for this game should be around 1.6-1.7 or around a 60%-62% expected winning percentage for the game.
But here is where it gets really interesting, every day the odds for TFC winning the game kept going up. now the odds are on average of all bookmakers around 1.7 or 60% expected win percentage TFC will win the game.
good news TFC is not shit, we are fine, if we were a great team the odds would be around 1.45 to 1.50 or a 65%-67% expected win percentage.
note the Atlanta game with our bench players playing the odds for Atlanta winning were 1.45 or 67%
Last edited by stevep; 05-13-2019 at 08:48 PM.
Travelling note
If you take the East side of the #1 subway line - it will be closed between Bloor & Eglinton starting at 11 pm.
i.e. Don't hang around too long
http://ttc.ca/Service_Advisories/Sub...glinton-BY.jsp
Vanney said Auro is available for selection tomorrow, but Ciman won't be available for about a week. #TFCLive
Same. Glad Laurent is not massively hurt, it certainly read that way.
Being favoured to win at home in MLS doesn’t indicate whether or not our team is good or bad. Home teams are favoured in MLS because, statistically, they are more likely to get a result. Even bad ones.
Even the Revs, Quakes and Rapids are probably favoured at home, but they’re still dumpster fires.
I will turn away after 30 minutes to watch the Raps. It has to be that way. Please don’t be angry.
"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
It's basketball you can just tune in for the last 2 minutes
Reminder that this is De Leon's first game against a team he has a tatoo of who let him go.
I can picture it now...
Deleon in on goal, but gets taken out. Penalty awarded. Deleon grabs ball from Pozo’s hands, puts it on the spot, and skies it directly into Lake Ontario. Rips off his shirt revealing a DC United kit and kisses his tattoo. Ted Unkel allows it after deferring to Elfath, the VAR assistant. DC wins 6-0 with both Shrek and Deleon scoring hattricks while TFC struggles 10v12. Garber post-game interview explains new MLS exchange rate and tariff rules limiting Canadian teams to 10 players and adding an extra player to American teams playing away.