Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 19, 2009 (R)

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

Both of you are correct, but Carver makes his own rules. Besides, if he were to listen to us, and the team plays well, shit, he would have nobody to scream at after the game.

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

Vitti comes in, establishes himself as our striker, we get that swagger we had in KC back, and we win going away 3-1. Cooper gets his one seeing as he didn't last week and is probably due - wouldn't it be nice to say one of our strikers was due after being goal-less for one game?! Ahh, the naive dreams of a fan!

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

Unfortunately it's just as likely that we see 90 minutes that look like the second half. I have no idea what team is going to show up.

I like your idea better but if we're not careful Dallas could get their first win of the season at our expense.

Vitti for Barrett for sure and I wouldn't be surprised to see Ricketts back in the fold.

I predict:

-------------------Frei-------------------------
Wynne----Serioux-------Harmse----Brennan-----

-----------------Robinson-----------------------
Cronin---------------------------Ricketts--------
------------------Guevara----------------------

-----------De Ro-------------------------------
-------------------Vitti-------------------------

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

Barrett without the pressure from the home fans and he'll probably be riding the bench.

if thats the case i hope Vitti is almost healthy.

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

ya, Barrett needs to sit, re-think and then come back and earn the spot that he was given.

Also:
I think Harmse did an ok job shadowing Cooper; but a little tighter this week.

Cronin is getting better, decisions are a bit quicker and cleaner. He's got a ways to go. But he's got major upside and his development requires playing time.

Ibrahim, I'd give another start. Let Ricketts sit some,more; even as a sub he accomplished nothing. Give the time to the youngster - its FC Dallas.

The little diving prick from Honduras has to release the ball earlier, make it playable and forward.

Frei is shaping up as a solid keeper; loved the way he organized the defending 3rd, controls his box very well (minor exceptions) but that'll work out as he becomes more established running the 18. Perhaps Rookie of the Year material.

Finally, what remained of my faith and trust in Carver is now lost. If found, please place in waste container.
Thanks

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

I would think that Carver will do everything he can to avoid making the right decisions.

It would not surprise me to see him starting Dichio with Ibby LOL

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

Carver could be gambling on and fixing TFC games and still screw up.

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

I just felt like throwing a scenario out there.


-------------------Frei-------------------------
Wynne----Serioux-------Harmse----Brennan-----

-------------------Robinson----------------------
-----De Ro--------------------------Cronin--------
--------------------Guevara----------------------

------------------------------------Ibby---------
-------------------Vitti-------------------------

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

See I know Barrett will start up front instead of Ibby. This was more of a wishful thinking scenario.

Also I figured Cronin wouldn't be moved since he's getting comfortable on the right side, its just that DeRo wasn't very effective on the left and maybe Cronin could do a job there? Just thinking outside the box.

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

I would go the following. This would be a more attcking lineup that would keep Dallas defense off balance.
-----------------Frei-----------------------------
Wynne----Serioux------Harmse----Brennan----

---------------Robinson-----------------------
Cronin--------Guevara------------Smith-------

-------------DeRo-------Vitti------------------

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

Smith won't do much on that left flank. He can run, but he can't run at defenders. He's been poor at crossing the ball in too. And De Ro never liked playing up top like has been suggested above when he was with Kinnear at Houston. It's very telling that we don't feel there's much depth in the roster - all the lineups that have been put forward here are slight variations of one another. Anyone know anything about the Gambian dudes on our squad? Are they match ready? Also surprised nobody is suggesting that Nana come in at the back at this time to help out.

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

DeRo can play with a player like Vitti. I disagree with Smith as I have clearly seen him play well attacking defenders and crossing the ball. He has played 5 minutes in one match and 20 minutes in the other, how much can you expect from any player who have seen that little playing time. He is certainly better than Ricketts or Ibby at that position plus if you watch all the players on our team he is one of the few who can play with both feet.

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

What are the chances that more than 5,000 fans show up for this game? I hate watching games with all those empty seats.

I fear another tie...hopefully not a scoreless one.

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

a thought experiment:

---------------------Frei--------------------------
----Velez----Robinson----Serioux-------Harmse-----
--------------------Cronin-------------------------
----Wynne----------------------------Brennan-----
--------------------DeRo--------------------------
-------------------Guevara------------------------
-------------------Barrett (Vitti @45)-------------

or

---------------------Frei--------------------------
----Velez----Robinson----Serioux-------Harmse-----
---------------------------------------------
----Wynne----Cronin------DeRo-------Brennan-----
----------------------------------------------
-------------------Guevara------------------------
-------------------Barrett (Vitti @45)-------------

...wondering whether:
Velez is reliable as full-back;
Harmse is reliable as full-back;
Cronin is reliable as defensive midfielder;
DeRo is reliable as defensive-attacking midfielder;
Wynne is an attacking threat on the wing;
Brennan is an attacking threat on the wing;
Guevara is a more attacking threat upfront (where he can pass into the net or win freekicks);
Bendtner-Barrett can start taking the chances he is finding.

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

That's a lot of questions.

My opinions:

No
No
Yes, with reservations
Yes, but not ideal
Yes
See answer #4
Its a toss-up with DeRo... if either of them decide they want to take over a game they can
and as for the last one...

See Chad Barrett's dreams

 

All this "speculation" gets tempered once someone, anyone, starts potting the sitters that are missed and squandered.

Over 4 games, by my count, we're averging 3 sitters a match; its like PKs, we just can't finish. Watch Carver put the defenders up front and the mids at the back and all will be all right.... /sarcasim off

Matchups don't get any easier than this week's. The Red Hoops are
playing poorly - VERY POORLY and are very vulnerable - pressure's on, it's a home game. Saturday's match looks better than a beaver shoot at the local wrinkle ranch populated by out of town drunken cougars begging for action...

 

For those that are calling the Dallas game an improvement should look at the stats... shots 19-10 Dallas, shots on goal 7-2 Dallas. Corners 8-4 Dallas. A team with no wins. Away. Carver calls that a 'vast' improvement from:

In the Seattle game it was 9-8 shots, and 3-3 shots on goal. Corners were 4-1 Toronto! Actually I thought TFC were a little unlucky against Seattle and looked more in sync ...

I really, really, think the Dallas game was worse. Which means I think Carver has it backwards, which means, well ...

Let me add to that ... it means in my opinion that he blasted the team unfairly for basically being unlucky, and they came out the next game and sputtered ... I think this 'blasting' is complete nonsense because they did put in the effort, and only harms a team like this, because then they feel they have to do something extra they are incapable of doing, and press ...

I think I should coach the team! I think I would be better. Ok, I would need technical help, but I wouldn't be blasting the team for being unlucky in the high winds, and then bragging about it to the media ... then next week spinning some imaginary tale about vast improvements.

 

I have to agree there. You can't just look at stats, you have to watch the way the games are played.

Seattle would have dominated in shots had they not been sitting on a two goal lead in the second half. That was by far our worst game this year along with the Columbus game.

I would argue that Toronto missed better opportunities than Dallas did. I'm not happy about it, but I'd rather have a team that can break down the other team's defense than a team that doesn't even get a whiff of goal.

 

Re: Pre-Match / Match / Post-Match Thread - Toronto FC at FC Dallas - April 18, 2009 (R)

Yea, the locals will be glued to their sets watching their team in the nhl playoffs-we had those in toronto once.