As dependable as the setting of the sun TFC 1 NYRB 2

Again TFC throws points away in the final minutes and this time the TFC unbeaten at home 2013 string was snapped.  I have long thought that TFC lacks a theme song. Last week I was considering Amy Winehouse's "You know I'm no good". This week a new one has entered the chart, Britney Spears' "Oops, I did it again" (there is a great cover version from Richard Thompson). I find myself driving home humming songs to myself, just to keep from wailing.

Why, oh why does this keep happening? I was convinced that last week against Houston the TFC mistake that let the away team get a point was taking off both Silva and Earnshaw. They are Toronto's most skilled players on the ball and when you give up the ability to keep the ball away from another team, you spend too much of your energy desperately defending.
You can throw that theory out the window, today both Silva and Earnshaw were on the pitch when New York scored their winner.

The official new "Mistake by the Lake" pet theories on those final minutes at BMO.

 -  The curse was established long ago by Marco Reda, Adam Braz and then enhanced by Marco Velez and Nick Garcia.

 -   TFC needs to go back to playing in the dome.

 -  Keeper Joe Bendik needs to make stand-out saves in the late going.

 -  Scoring goals is an issue with this squad. Trying to set up Earnshaw can't be the only strategy, other teams know to cover and double cover him. Every TFC player seems to reach a point as they neared the New York net, a point at which they passed the ball off because it was somebody else's job to score. This pass was never to a player truly in a scoring position. Heaven forbid that a TFC attacker would pass the ball off and head to the net to gather back a give'n go, the old wall pass. I would not call it panic, just an end to creativity in the most crucial part of the park. Let's face it, if TFC were averaging 3 goals scored per home game, these late goals from the other team would be consolation goals.


 I am not sure that Toronto deserved all that much from the contest. Andrew Wiedeman was an early sub for the injured Justin Braun. Wiedeman was not able to build on his goal scoring exploit against Montreal the other night. He was a non-factor, which was further underlined when he was subbed for Osorio.

 Both Ephraim and Bostock had a half of playing time each on the left wing. Neither looked dangerous. I thought that Reggie Lambe vanished in the second half.

 Jeremy Hall had a good game. He had a lot of time on the ball in the second half and his confidence with both passing and going forward with the ball is growing. I might have to review the tape back at "Mistake by the Lake" headquarters, but I think a poor clearance from him might have been in the mix of play just before NYRB's winning goal. The trouble with Hall having a good game is that he was sitting so far back in the middle of the field, NYRB were happy to sit back and smother any route forward. This was also true of O'Dea and Agbossoumonde, they were fine with the ball, yet too often they had to play longball because New York had most options covered.
TFC has come along way. A returned and healthy Danny K could solve the second striker problem. Perhaps a returned and healthy Darel Russell can solve at least one of the winger problems. Even a healthy and returned Terry Dunfield just might be the man to rally the troops and ward off late goals. I need some dreams besides the "Groundhog Day" treadmill of TFC allowing goals when the clock has hit 90.

 We fans who are finding these endings just too painful, get a break in the schedule in May. We watch our beloved team 4 times on tv and only return to our seats at BMO once (the 18th) in the entire month. Rest and recover and stay tuned.

Thank you TFC fans for your support. You may go screaming off into your Saturday night now.