Post-match: Revs Reserves vs. Toronto [R]

So much for Saint Manzo

 

Looks like we had a bunch of guest players in the house. Will be interesting to see if they are the usual suspects or if we have a few trialists. Although I suppose it's a bit late in the season to haul in random college grads.

I'm not very concerned with the Reserves poor record. For example in this game Toronto fielded veterans like Cunningham, and Harmse. On our side Doug Warren was the only vet and of everybody else only Knighton and Thompson had a full season of MLS under their belt prior to this season. Not everyone will pan out, but there is strength in numbers.

Good to see Valentino back on the field.

 

I just hope Thompson isn't hurt too bad. Left with ice on his shoulder.

 

Definitely agree about Valentino.

It didn't look like the guest players were trialists - they were the "usual suspects", although they didn't play badly.

We were extremely short-handed for this one - particularly with Thompson going off and no Fernandez.

He continues to show a smoothness and polish to his game, but he needs to learn a more pragmatic approach - find ways to be effective, any way you can. He is still looking for the chance to dribble by the last defender, find the perfect cross, get hit in stride with the right pass at the right time. Those things are great, but unlikely to happen often, particularly in a rough and tumble reserve game.

I think the perfect model for him is Dube. Dube got an unexpected opportunity and had to get out there and do the dirty work, hold the ball up, lay it off, look for scraps. Once he did that, he made it easy for Nicol to keep putting him out there, he developed some confidence and is finding the space and opportunities to make and be part of "plays".

My impression is with Nicol/Mariner, first you have to prove that you won't hurt the team by being out there (by defending your position and supporting the players around you) and then you can focus on making the team better.

Manzo is very young, and that seems evident in the little things (you can see the frustration when things don't go his way). I think he's got the skills to be very good, but the question to me is whether he's going to be willing to do "whatever it takes" to move up the depth chart and whether he's still going to be here in a couple of years when he really starts to mature.

... and his arm in a sling. Looked like his family was there for the game and they were all shaking their heads after the game.