Seba in essence trailed with us earlier this season.
It did not go well, by all accounts.
Oso would be lapped up by a LigaMx team - that's why I think he's gone no matter what.
Yeah. If not in quality of play, certainly in quality of life.
If he went to Europe, I could see him ending up in, like, Portugal, or a bottom-10 La Liga team (not because he wouldn't deserve higher, but because higher teams wouldn't be interested in a 30-year-old Canadian).
While I do agree it's time to move on, at the same time he's only 35, and we need a 9 now. Why not offer him a 6m contract worth 500k or less. Maybe playing with his Azzurri friends will give him that career reigniting he needs. I have to think except for his shape and lake of minutes, he could at least finish a little better than JJ and Akinola. Heck, even just sign him till end of season to see if there is anything left in the tank that can be salvaged playing with the Italians. We need a 9 desperately and maybe he can be the bridge for a few months while Manning and Co are shopping and JJ and Akinola aren't scoring.
Also, it would give him a proper send off, while also selling out ever last seat.
Giovinco is not coming back. We had the opportunity to sign him in preseason and passed.
We're going to have to make due with Ayo and Jesus.
https://twitter.com/tombogert
Notable free agents left, which MLS teams could (technically) sign until Sept 2:
Andrea Belotti
Juan Mata
Adnan Januzaj
Cristian Tello
Diego Costa
Marcelo
Luca Zidane
Saphir Taider
Loris Karius
Hatem Ben Arfa
I'm just saying...
Is Karius better than Bono or Q? What a fall from grace, but maybe he just needs to get away from the spotlight?? Although he was loaned out, and didn't too too well on his loan spells, even at Union Berlin (who have amazingly taken over Hertha as the best Berlin football club!)
it's too bad the belotti thing never panned out, would be perfect.
The latest on Belotti is that he's waiting for Roma to offload a player, although last week they mentioned of receiving an "important" offer from another club with no further details.
Also some Twitter rumblings the current set and Belotti don’t get along. Which kiboshes this as an idea I think. But agreed, otherwise he’s the perfect prototype
https://hfxwanderersfc.canpl.ca/arti...ment-contracts
Adisa De Rosario leaves TFC academy and joins Halifax Wanderers for the rest of the season.
Should go get Antony from Ajax
Some interesting quotes from our manager and the general slant (as to be expected) is on team/roster building.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/estab...o-fc-dominance
The more I look at the last few games, the more convinced I am that Jesus is both tired and demoralized.
In Spain, he preferred to cut in from deep positions, and off centre.
That can unbalance teams in transition as defenders have to both retreat and close distance with the man theyre
covering.
Consequently, in a counterattacking side, he is very effective.
Now, he's having to learn to be effective and find space in a much more constrained area, the penalty box.
Typically, number nines accomplish this with side to side movement,
trying to shake defenders and pull them out of position. This also creates space for incoming attackers (and he's contributed indirectly to Oso goals with wide runs that accomplish this).
But he's nearly motionless in the box, he's not constantly working lateral distance between himself and his marker.
As a former wide midfielder he has likely never had to do this.
His other movement is smart enough that, if he understands just how much and how constant that movement needs to be, he'll adjust.
I hate to say it but I can see both him and Ayo becoming super subs if they don't adjust quickly.
If we spent more time in transition, ala LAFC, I can see them working out, as they can overlap at speed with LI and Bernie. But our possession is now so dominant that we're spending most of the match in the other half. So a traditional powerful forward Ala Buksa or Vasquez makes far more sense.
Perhaps he can adapt to that but great number nines --
or even good ones -- usually start pretty young.
This team needs to more transfer windows to become a dominant team in my opinion. The next window you focus on mls proven talents via free agency and the trade market. This imo should make us a solid playoff team. As realistically it’s difficult to get top talent out of Europe without paying transfer fees. Then in the summer you get your dp and compliment the roster and they will turn into the dominant supporters shield contending side
Offseason needs:
1) Starting GK
2) Backup Keeper (I'd be okay with Westberg, maybe Luka Gavran from TFC2 would be a solid backup [recent TFC2 results look good, anyone seen their games?])
3) Starting CB who can marshall the line*
4) Starting Level Midfielder*
5) Striker*
6) A Right Back to replace Laryea (loan ends June 30)
7) 4-5 Depth players who can actually contribute as subs/injury replacement starters (all positions)
8) New contract for Osorio
*one of these can be a DP
This roster is far from complete. We're too top heavy. Can these even be filled under an MLS salary "budget". Probably too much or one window too
Last edited by rydermike; 08-20-2022 at 10:10 PM.
Is it too early to start the off season player discussion thread?
“If westberg isn’t starting he doesn’t want to feature in the 18”
“Absolutely no communication between Bono and ranjitsingh, which isn’t all that different than Bono and westbergs past relationship”
Take with a huge grain of salt ^^
It’s been discussed on here how poor we are at developing keepers. What’s described above tracks with that and makes me think the coaching/culture around keepers is at best “not ideal” and at worst “toxic”
Last edited by LCD Eindhoven; 08-21-2022 at 08:22 AM.
Westberg has a rib injury.
I question carrying 3 keepers in primary roster spots - it sounds like they have been shopping Westberg and / or Bono with no takers.
A Bono not getting along with his teammates thing would not surprise me - ultimately, that would be a coaching problem that should not be allowed to fester.
I suspect Bono has asked to have his contract renewed & been told that isn't happening during the season.
Bono playing right now is the equivalent of having to play Chung & Petrasso earlier this season. A change in GK was only going to happen if they could offload that contract to somebody - baring that, the best of the 2 at the moment plays.
I still think he needs his eyesight dealt with - that goal yesterday was not caused by it but he has noticeable issues with depth perception.
Last edited by OgtheDim; 08-21-2022 at 08:30 AM.