Valour FC - 2025 Season Thread

[Big_M]

Where does this team go after two straight last place finishes?

[Wippersuna]

I’m not one to speculate but I’m going to put out there that next year will be a rebuilding year with only a few players returning and we will go into the season trying to figure out where the goals will come from.

[Cheeta]

On 10/19/2024 at 4:59 PM, Big_M said:

Where does this team go after two straight last place finishes?

Up?

To my eye, this is probably the 1st season where we actually played football.  It doesn't always come off, clearly, but you could see there was a purpose to possession.  There was better structure in the without-the-ball play.  There was even periods of press which looked like everyone was understanding this was one of those periods where we're suppose to, you know, win the ball back with the press. 

That's an improvement.  Individual talent aside that's an absolute improvement from years past.

So yeah, very positive in that regard.  And honestly while I can see the absolutely need to be better everywhere on the field I don't think this group was that far off from being a fifth place or better team.   If Williams played anything at all this year and was anywhere near his '23 form opening this topic is delayed a week or two.

Can't have the same churn as last close season.  I mean in a league like this you're always going to have high turn over and Valour, just like every other team in the league, can't have 20 new faces coming into the program year after year and expect improvement.  Yes, there's always a plan with that but it just feels like so much rolling of the dice when you get to that scale.

Too long already.  Could go on for thousands more keystrokes but overall, on field, more encouraged than discouraged. 

I'm still going to rip on this team but that's tough love and honestly just a Winnipeg thing.  We rip on the Bombers and they're on their way to winning 3 Grey Cups in 4 years, so yeah, better get used to it. 

Won't get into the off-field stuff just yet.  That's radioactive enough right now as to be concerning.

 

[top cheese]

i think this was a better year than past years however there is still a long way to go to make this team a playoff regular. The team was much more competitive this year but consistently found a way to throw away points, particularly at the start of the season. Its clear that the clubs in this league that have been consistently successful the first 6 seasons have had a strong foundation in place even before the start of the league. This valour team has been in constant transition every season. It would be ideal that they identify their core and sign them before the start of the free agency window. And then look to add some better depth. If St. Laurent doesnt enter the league can they get a couple of extra signees from there? What happens with De santos would the club be comfortable with Fordyce taking over.?