MLS Flavors of the week: 2019 Edition

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Sombrerito, Dec 20, 2018.

  1. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    Every time I see him score, it's impressive. The dude can pick out a spot in the corners if given any time.

    He's with the U23s this camp, so I hope Berhalter gets a good look. He's not even a consistent starter for Minnesota, but that if he's really that kind of finisher, he'll be on the team sooner rather than later.

    His first two goals of this season were picture perfect long balls that he took down with fantastic skill and buried. These two were something different.
     
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  2. EXALIFTIN

    EXALIFTIN Member+

    Nov 23, 2010
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Man have to wonder if hes on the right USA roster with finishes like that, I hope hes grown from that spitting incident, looks like he can be a special player if he keeps his head on straight
     
  3. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He's been starting consistently lately. If he didn't get it done in this match he may have been sent back to the bench because his last few matches were underwhelming. But he was allowed to play through his struggles.

    He was really having them before those two goals. He was way too sleepy in acting after he got a through ball, but thankfully he was offside. And high balls he seems to have a tough time corralling.

    Once he does corral balls though he's really impressive w/ his feet for a cf. Can really carry the ball distances off the dribble and outlet. That part of his hold-up play is strong.
     
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  4. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    You mean top USMNT prospect Julian Araujo? He had just come in and stumbled into that giveaway.
    I'm excited to see how he develops. He's got the physical tools, the touch and the finishing so it seems like a lot of the rest should be something to add.

    I think a lot of people ignored him because he went to college, but he's still 20, and he's going to have 8 goals and 2 assists in about 700 minutes in MLS+Open Cup play.

    That's pretty impressive.

    (Weirdly, transfermarkt has him with nothing in like 7 USL1 games).
     
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  5. rgli13

    rgli13 Member+

    Mar 23, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    im not sure if tonights match showed more that toye should be in the (sr) national team team or that tyler miller shouldnt.

    ...jk. if toye and ferreira arent in jan camp im gonna riot
     
  6. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Incredible goals by Toye, especially considering he's right-footed. Nothing Miller could do.

    8 goals and 3 assists in 711 minutes of League and Cup action.
     
  7. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    One of the best weekends the last several years for Americans in MLS, and it's reflected by the Whoscored ratings.

    MOTM's:

    Mason Toye - 9.1 (2 goals)
    Cristian Roldan - 8.9 (2 goals)
    Jonathan Lewis - 8.7 (2 goals)
    Ryan Hollingshead - 8.7 (1 goal)
    Chris Wondolowski - 8.3 (2 goals, he's a savant)
    Matt Turner - 8

    Other standouts:

    Darlington Nagbe - 8.2 (1 assist)
    Jordan Morris - 8.1 (1 goal)
    Paul Arriola - 7.9 (1 goal)
    Jackson Yueill - 7.8 (1 assist)
    Brendan Aaronson - 7.3 (1 goal)
     
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  8. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  9. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Heath was raving about how hungry Toye is to be a star.Hungry and a little chippy and not scared to have a hit, I'm interested to see more.
    https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/09/02/mason-toye-surprises-many-not-himself-star-turn-minnesota


    Heath believes the U-23 call-up might just be the first in a bright future for Minnesota’s number 23.

    “Nobody wants to be a star more than Mason Toye, trust me,” said the Loons boss, “and he’s going to put all the hours in it takes to get himself there.”
     
  10. Papin

    Papin BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 19, 1998
    le côté obscur
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That wasn't Miller in goal. It was Sisniega.
     
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  11. Rahbiefowlah

    Rahbiefowlah Member+

    Oct 22, 2001
    Las Vegas
    1168569645638569984 is not a valid tweet id
     
  12. rgli13

    rgli13 Member+

    Mar 23, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    thanks for the correction
     
  13. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Week in, week out, you see defensive fullbacks come on to preserve a lead and do just the opposite.
     
  14. Pegasus

    Pegasus Member+

    Apr 20, 1999
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It seems every sport has a late game defensive mindset that backfires a lot. It could be more duteto the team that's behind just throwing caution to the wind and not so much about the team with the lead going so defensive but I agree that more offense can be an effective defense by keeping the ball away from the trailing team and keeping it far away from the end they need to score on.
     
  15. comoesa

    comoesa Member+

    Aug 13, 2010
    Christen Press's armpit
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
     
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  16. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He's just toying around with defenders in that video.

    ..........Ill see myself out
     
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  17. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    This has little to nothing to do with the USMNT, but I really love what Philly has built. Some kids + a slew of talented imports that fit really well together and provide a ton of depth.

    Ilsinho is a monster weapon that can't be used for 90 minutes, but bringing him on in the 60th minute is just a weapon no other team has.

    Interestingly, their highest price import, Marco Fabian, is kind of the guy who hasn't delivered and doesn't really fit.
     
  18. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Toye is on 1.4 goals + assists per 90 across league and cup action.
     
  19. comoesa

    comoesa Member+

    Aug 13, 2010
    Christen Press's armpit
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Still that' just two Americans and people want to throw Altidore out with the bath water.

    I watched a little bit of Toye this weekend. He's a standard American forward protoype. He's athletic and good at running onto balls and running the channels. He has questionable technical skill, doesn't appear to ave a strong hold up game, and seems to be a slow/bad decision maker when the next play is not obvious and he has to make the play quickly under pressure.
     
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  20. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    #2495 IndividualEleven, Sep 4, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2019
    MLS is a great for judging which players should get a foot in the door. Altidore has been given plenty of chances.

    Who are the other US forwards to score a brace of a high level of difficulty, with the off-foot? Hell, Altidore couldn't even bang an empty netter in with his left. Ultimately, productivity is what matters. So far, Toye is ahead of everyone else who has decent minutes.
     
  21. onefineesq

    onefineesq Member+

    Sep 16, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Who is on this list of standard American forwards that we've had who are 2-footed finishers like he appears to be? Takes a fair bit of technical skill to finish those shots off from the last game. And this stuff about being athletic … he is a "good" athlete. He is not a "great" athlete. He runs the channels well, but that is a skill far different than simply running past players onto through balls … like say an Eddie Johnson used to do. Seriously, this guy isn't in the same realm of athleticism as Geoff Cameron and Brek Shea were in their primes but yet there are a number of people who are just writing Toye off as an athlete. I do not get it.
     
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  22. Gamecock14

    Gamecock14 Member+

    May 27, 2010
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    I can fix it. Toye has interest from Europe.

    I do love the analysis when a kid hasn't played 1000 minutes this year.
     
  23. rgli13

    rgli13 Member+

    Mar 23, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    do you love it as much as guys who have one or two more goals in 3 times the minutes?
     
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  24. comoesa

    comoesa Member+

    Aug 13, 2010
    Christen Press's armpit
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I was touting him as an athlete. He's just generally atheltic enough for the pro game is all. Imo, the other stuff you are bringing up as a strength of his really isn't anything remarkable. It's standard for a starting forward in top 25 league. BTW, Eddie Johnson was a much better hold player than Toye has shown to be. I think when trying to project any player to a higher level you have to really look at his decision making when there isn't a clear answer on and off the ball.These type of situations are rarer in MLS but a constant in international soccer and the top 6 leagues. From what I saw from Toye, in one game admittedly, he wasn't very good in those situations. Making the obvious play, like say running into obvious gaps in the defense with slow to react defenders, receiving the ball well enough and getting a shot on goal has it's value but again that is standard stuff for a forward.
     
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  25. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's not standard stuff for a forward to turn right into a shot and pick out a corner with your weak foot from almost 30 yards. It won goal of the week.

    And his other goal was very evocative of something like Aubameyang would do. Long dribble, lay off, hard run into space, and curl into the far corner from a tough angle. Those are both really good goals.

    As far as his hold-up, his issue sometimes is physical, that he can't settle a ball while getting pushed. And they let you get away with more in MLS. He is adept at making quick, one touch decisions, or evasive moves and then outlets to maintain/advance possessions. Very slick on the ground. It's the higher balls he struggles judging, even though at times he's good in the air purely because of his height and leaping ability.

    I gotta question if you watched about 10 minutes or just came in w/ a prejudice.
     
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