So Casal is history. So long son, we barely knew thee. Despite looking good in flashes, Casal was not getting enough time on the pitch to justify a spot on the senior roster, and all indications point to the front office looking to make a cup run this year rather than building for the future (witness the Erpen for Vanney trade). Previous notes from Goff also indicated that he wasn't adapting well to the heat, which makes him worthless for the time we need him most (mid-summer fixture congestion with the league, Open Cup, and SuperLiga).
The fact that they were asking him to drop to developmental status means that they still rate him as a prospect, but they must be considering a move for another senior roster player who will contribute significant minutes immediately. So what are we looking for? I would think the first move would be to find either a true left back or a centerback with a bit of pace and push Vanney to left back. I'm not sure he has the wheels to be really effective there, but if he can hit a decent cross and play solid defense, he's an upgrade over Gros.
It looks like some niggling hammies will keep Kpene and Namoff out of the midweek match with KC. While I've been encouraged by Kpene's play this year, I also liked what I saw out of Addlery last week and any minutes he can pick up now will only help when the Open Cup and SuperLiga roll around and start demanding roster rotation. The loss of Namoff is much more significant as KC is still a very attacking side, even with EJ missing. Though their finishing may not be quite as lethal, they've still got Marinelli prompting the attack and creating plenty of chances. Vanney on a single day of practice + inexperienced McTavish + makeshift fullbacks in Gros and probably Simms = uh oh! C'mon boys - surprise me - if TFC's shambles of a back line can keep them to one goal, then so can we!
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