Curtis still has to prove himself IMO. Nothing in his history suggests that he's the ideal GM. He just was available when Bez bailed to go home.
He's also pretty powerless as a GM. It's clear that Manning calls the shots about setting goals for Vanney and deciding if and when he's going to be replaced. Maybe he's just here to complete the deals decided by others? Not sure he's doing a good job even on that front.
Last edited by Oldtimer; 07-05-2019 at 08:36 AM.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
Just a reminder that not many deals have been done yet for this window that doesn't open until Tuesday - and we did one of those. We have no clue whether the other deals being announced are equally like the Gonzalez one in that they just didn't get over the line before - but its not unheard of.
Judge in a couple of weeks.
Question
With Fraser's passing stats showing near perfection.
Is there value in selling him at this young age?
Using the money to buy cap space for a striker and develop/wait for another closer to Bradley's retirement
Players like Fraser are very very rare. If anything, at this rate, he's sold to Europe in 2020 - before is just too early.
Fraser hasn't played enough to build his value. We'd be selling prematurely. I don't know what he'd go for right now but if he keeps this up it won't be close to what he's worth in 2-3 years.
Moreover, Bradley is gradually slowing down/getting old, and Fraser is a ready-made replacement. Plus he's on our Supplemental Roster as a Homegrown Player and so he doesn't even count against the salary cap. Why give that up now?
I will say I find the thought of Bradley returning from the Gold Cup and Fraser being demoted back to the bench depressing. I think maybe we should bench Delgado and have Bradley return to the #8 role he used to play for us back in 2014/2015.
Bradley is quality. Let's not forget that. The goals he scored early doors when we needed him showed he still has it. i think we would have won last night with him on the pitch.
Interesting potential selection headaches. Oso, Bradley and Poz have been fixtures; Fraser, Deleon have earned playing time as has Schaffleberg (after he recovers from all the kicks he took last night). Thats six midfielders.
I'm trying to sound like a person watching the rest of the league where most teams have done nothing but the supporter base is waiting to roast the braintrust until after the trade deadline.
I agree with the 2 week sentiment - if nothing by the 23rd, I'm wondering what is going on.
The shaff needs playing time but not necessarily starts
Would love to see him off the bench, blowing by players. He needs to work on using both feet and (like the rest of the team) taking some shots. Not everything is a cross, a few times he should have slotted a pass or two. A player like this would benefit from some time in lower league Europe. Portugal told us Hamilton wasn't the real deal, guess they were right.
Nah he wasn't trash in that role, the team was just poorly constructed and had no defensive presence behind him when he pressed up. If Fraser becomes that permanent fixture I think it could work well.
Fraser is clearly good enough to start regularly, we should try to make it happen.
You’re spot on in this series of posts.
Fraser could be a good candidate for a European transfer if he keeps it up, but it’s far too soon and he’d need to see more minutes here. No use pawning him off for peanuts at the moment.
He’s definitely shown himself suitable in the DM role, which is a good problem to have. The only two things I see are:
1. He succumbs to the TFC goalkeeper curse,
2. We now need to figure out what to do with all these midfielders.
It’s a “good” problem to have, but in MLS even these happy problems can lead to bigger issues when you try to resolve them.
I wish someone would come out and let us know what they see for the future of the team, because there doesn’t seem to be a clear direction. We’ve seen a few bright points during the international non-break, but taking in everything TFC has done since the cup win leaves me wondering what the actual intention is...
Fraser needs to play in Montreal - needs to feel that intensity oozing out of both the opponent's and his teammates. If he wants to be the man back there, he needs to do that in a hostile environment a bit more then an away game to a US crowd that doesn't really care about who the opponent is.
If that means sitting Delgado, so be it.
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
Not that is my place but perhaps its time to move Delgado along. He's stagnating here and perhaps we can flip him for something worthwhile; even if its a little cap room. Fraser has proven he is capable. How a system with Bradley and Fraser will work should certainly be interesting.
Well last night we played what amounted to a 2-3-5 (took me back to the 70's) so .
No signings? No rumours?