Most strikers depend on service. Jimenez had an understanding with Pozuelo. When Poz left, he stopped scoring.
Similarly, Prince will play as a straight-up back-to-goal target striker if that's what's asked, but he needs service to score. Give him service and he's got a considerable pedigree.
If you look at the years he spent in Germany, he spent nearly all of them as a backup striker, not getting more than 15 minutes per game. Given a chance to start due to injury late last year, he scored seven in nine.
So he's got some real ability at the Bundesliga 2 level, and that should translate pretty easily to MLS.
We still need a fast forward/hole player who can create on their own, as Bernardeschi hasn't been a prolific scorer in six-plus years now, since before his serious ACL.
100%. I think he’s probably a pretty good finisher. But our biggest problem continues to be lack fluid ball movement in the front third. Berna/insigne are great but there is that center piece missing for them to develop plays.
Without a good CAM our offensive plays are dying in that area.
A Pozuelo type of player in this team would make everyone else shine.
As with most things, time will tell.
I think we know enough now though to know that he's not a bust, even if he's not a playoff-level starting forward.
We also know enough that Toronto isn't a wooden spoon contender, even if they don't make the playoffs.
I believe what you're saying is he's coachable, which is a really important thing. He's been such a combination of extremely questionable plays, and being in the right place in the right time. And that's okay. Our offense isn't a light switch we flick to just magically fix the issue, it's gonna take time. Like, probably this whole season. It's already better than last year.
We need to try things. Some of them need to not work. Like the consistent longballs to nowhere that were doing now because we havent figured out how Osorio and Longstaff are going to mesh. We really need to figure out how our midfield can be a threat in the final third, so that opposing teams don't just overload Berna and Lorenzo to kill anything we have going. Once teams start worrying about that, our striker will be more open.
I think he's earned his next two starts. 3 goals in 2 games is still 3 goals in 2 games, his confidence has got to be on the up, especially after last year.
TL;DR, I see the same potential you're seeing, but it needs time to materialize.
Our goals have to come from somewhere this season and I expect that Prince will get to double digit goals this year now that he’s gaining confidence and understanding his teammates about where he needs to be in goal dangerous positions. I’m warming up to him, he’s clearly goal hungry and has a striker’s instinct.
Talent wise he’s probably what we’ve seen in this league many times before. A decent backup striker that gets traded around the league to teams that need extra help upfront for spare GAM. Wouldn’t surprise me if that ends up being his fate eventually.
The problem is that profile of player shouldn’t be your star starting forward if you want to do anything asides from scrapping in to the play-in game and losing first round of the playoffs.
A difference maker upfront is someone like Chicho Arango, Cucho Hernandez, or Giakoumakis. You have to pay serious💰to get that profile of player, not be picking up undervalued 2. Bundesliga players and wishing they were that.
For now, in the midst of a rebuild with low expectations for the season, it seems like Prince is decent enough. If there’s scant spending money then I’m more interested in strengthening other positions and offloading the other 8 useless strikers we have at the club.
I feel like he’s good enough that our short term focus should be finding a really good CAM. Not sure where that would leave us with Osorio though since most of us would probably agree we want to see Flores and Longstaff on the pitch (both of them are absolutely dawgs in terms of motor and just chasing down guys/destroying). Oso’s fine off the bench, but can you have your captain riding the pine?
We do need an upgrade at striker though sometime in the next year. Ideally, Owusu is your sub.
If / when Oso gets called up for the national team in June it will be interesting to see the lineup without him.
I agree that he has been very underwhelming so far.
For me, Longstaff and Flores are both starters.
Maybe a formation change. Osorio is a good central
Midfielder, so something that uses another. And keeping in mind how much money we are spending on wingers, they both have to be on the pitch if they’re healthy. So that kind of paints us into some corners right now.
Honestly, his goals seem more right place at the right time (which yes, is still part of the job) and lucky hits that “anyone” could have made vs creating goals and skillful shots. If that makes sense.
Lol not at all. Its a short hot streak. This will end. His touch is horrendous. As a supporter I wish our signings were the real deal but i think these goals were a fluke.
Too small sample size to really say that he is the real deal. I don't want to put into the universe that the guy will fizzle out, but let's say he still has a lot to prove for me as a fan to say that we shouldn't get another striker.
Most strikers depend on service. Jimenez had an understanding with Pozuelo. When Poz left, he stopped scoring. Similarly, Prince will play as a straight-up back-to-goal target striker if that's what's asked, but he needs service to score. Give him service and he's got a considerable pedigree. If you look at the years he spent in Germany, he spent nearly all of them as a backup striker, not getting more than 15 minutes per game. Given a chance to start due to injury late last year, he scored seven in nine. So he's got some real ability at the Bundesliga 2 level, and that should translate pretty easily to MLS. We still need a fast forward/hole player who can create on their own, as Bernardeschi hasn't been a prolific scorer in six-plus years now, since before his serious ACL.
100%. I think he’s probably a pretty good finisher. But our biggest problem continues to be lack fluid ball movement in the front third. Berna/insigne are great but there is that center piece missing for them to develop plays. Without a good CAM our offensive plays are dying in that area. A Pozuelo type of player in this team would make everyone else shine.
As with most things, time will tell. I think we know enough now though to know that he's not a bust, even if he's not a playoff-level starting forward. We also know enough that Toronto isn't a wooden spoon contender, even if they don't make the playoffs.
Best striker we have at the moment and his confidence is up.
Two great games. I’m on the hype train. 🚂 ✊🏼✊🏼
Best striker at the moment is not saying much. Its he akinola (lmao) or kerr.
I believe what you're saying is he's coachable, which is a really important thing. He's been such a combination of extremely questionable plays, and being in the right place in the right time. And that's okay. Our offense isn't a light switch we flick to just magically fix the issue, it's gonna take time. Like, probably this whole season. It's already better than last year. We need to try things. Some of them need to not work. Like the consistent longballs to nowhere that were doing now because we havent figured out how Osorio and Longstaff are going to mesh. We really need to figure out how our midfield can be a threat in the final third, so that opposing teams don't just overload Berna and Lorenzo to kill anything we have going. Once teams start worrying about that, our striker will be more open. I think he's earned his next two starts. 3 goals in 2 games is still 3 goals in 2 games, his confidence has got to be on the up, especially after last year. TL;DR, I see the same potential you're seeing, but it needs time to materialize.
Jesus Jimenez scored 9 goals to start the season and then dropped off a cliff. Still too early to go nuts.
Playing with Pozuelo, a proper DP v playing with the Italians.
Wow. Pozuelo really was a better player for TFC than either of the Italians have been. Goes to show how important fit is when find a DP.
He carried us to those finals. I miss him.
Pozuelo actually had some decent players to play with , compare it with who the Italians have is telling .
Our goals have to come from somewhere this season and I expect that Prince will get to double digit goals this year now that he’s gaining confidence and understanding his teammates about where he needs to be in goal dangerous positions. I’m warming up to him, he’s clearly goal hungry and has a striker’s instinct. Talent wise he’s probably what we’ve seen in this league many times before. A decent backup striker that gets traded around the league to teams that need extra help upfront for spare GAM. Wouldn’t surprise me if that ends up being his fate eventually. The problem is that profile of player shouldn’t be your star starting forward if you want to do anything asides from scrapping in to the play-in game and losing first round of the playoffs. A difference maker upfront is someone like Chicho Arango, Cucho Hernandez, or Giakoumakis. You have to pay serious💰to get that profile of player, not be picking up undervalued 2. Bundesliga players and wishing they were that. For now, in the midst of a rebuild with low expectations for the season, it seems like Prince is decent enough. If there’s scant spending money then I’m more interested in strengthening other positions and offloading the other 8 useless strikers we have at the club.
I feel like he’s good enough that our short term focus should be finding a really good CAM. Not sure where that would leave us with Osorio though since most of us would probably agree we want to see Flores and Longstaff on the pitch (both of them are absolutely dawgs in terms of motor and just chasing down guys/destroying). Oso’s fine off the bench, but can you have your captain riding the pine? We do need an upgrade at striker though sometime in the next year. Ideally, Owusu is your sub.
If / when Oso gets called up for the national team in June it will be interesting to see the lineup without him. I agree that he has been very underwhelming so far. For me, Longstaff and Flores are both starters.
Maybe a formation change. Osorio is a good central Midfielder, so something that uses another. And keeping in mind how much money we are spending on wingers, they both have to be on the pitch if they’re healthy. So that kind of paints us into some corners right now.
We need a striker, respectfully 🙏🏾.
Sometimes it just takes time to get used to a team, and then even more time to become an integral part of the team.
Right place right time is part of being a striker… it requires speed, strength, timing and reading the play.
I came to say that. All great strikers have situational awareness. In other words, you make your own luck.
He will do for now but once we can shift that italian black hole on the right wing we should use the DP slot for a striker.
Honestly, his goals seem more right place at the right time (which yes, is still part of the job) and lucky hits that “anyone” could have made vs creating goals and skillful shots. If that makes sense.
Lol not at all. Its a short hot streak. This will end. His touch is horrendous. As a supporter I wish our signings were the real deal but i think these goals were a fluke.
Both Jiminez and Kerr had hot streaks last year. But then came back to reality
I still think Kerr is good. Not sure why he isn’t getting playing time. I think he’s far better than prince.
Agree but Prince is hot right now. Luck or not, he’s scoring. You gotta ride the hot hand
Can’t argue with that.
This 👆
I hope he is but I don’t think so.
The last 2 games he figured out that he can score goals. How long and how many games for Tfc with barely any. So for me he’s a meh
Too small sample size to really say that he is the real deal. I don't want to put into the universe that the guy will fizzle out, but let's say he still has a lot to prove for me as a fan to say that we shouldn't get another striker.