Hoping for Clockwork Orange, getting Agent Orange TFC 0 Chivas 1

If season 2012 were a movie, right now it would be firmly in the horror genre. TFC continues to stick to the same script for all their home games. It takes only a quick shot or a lucky break for the road team when the home team never scores. San Jose thumped TFC, and now Chivas took the Columbus route, scoring that minimum goal to take the three points. Now all we need is to add a soundtrack of eye-popping screams and we can break out the popcorn.

You know the sad totals.  TFC have not won a game nor gained a point.  They have not yet scored a goal in Toronto in MLS league play this year. A home record of three losses and a goal differential of -5 is the result. 

 I keep on expecting the team to suddenly burst through and fill the net someday. The trouble is that someday may be in October. To my eye there is not a lack of individual talent or effort, but a lack of cohesion. The players often play like strangers, heck make that always play like strangers. Then when the anticipations and the small passes to set others up fall apart, too many decide to become solo attacking monsters. No decoy runs, no drop back passes or overlaps. Just try to bull into scoring space and hope for the best.

I think Toronto is just too easy to counter-attack. I know, I know, I hate the 4-3-3. Yet, just when do I get to see it? Ryan Johnson charges ahead so often into the striker role TFC always seems to be missing a midfielder or a winger. There are acres of space between Toronto’s back four and their front four. It just takes a bit of anticipation for the opposition to exploit that space and we fans hold our breath for the inevitable strained defender’s breakdown. Dunfield and Silva were forced to cover too much ground in defensive mode. When Silva went forward in the first half I was always looking behind him to see how the defenders were going to fill in the acreage.

Should the return of Frings next Saturday against Chicago change the direction of season 2012, I will be the first to dance around while sighing that huge sigh of relief. Yet I think that the problems are deeper than that. Frings might have TFC looking better in the next game, but they will be a team in huge need of road victories. That is a tough task for a team yet to provide home victories.

Positives

DeGuzman was on the bench and stayed there.

The ref called a good game. The yellow for simulation for the Chivas winger who had moved in behind the TFC defender was a wonderful moment.

TFC had a handful of scoring chances in the second half that had you believing that invisible forces would keep the ball out. 

Henry was a second half sub and looked good in the air. I think that Aceval has a place on this team, if Cann and Henry can be the regular central pairing, could Aceval move up into the midfield??