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| Small (but sweet) mission down, BIG mission ahead |
Toronto FC 2017 hoisted the Supporter's Shield on home field yesterday. They finished their home schedule with a record of 13 wins - 1 loss and 3 ties. That was a powerful performance.
Onto some random observations, in order to stay positive. I will get back to the game in a bit.
I am a huge fan of the 5 pm weekend start time. I could vote for a 4 pm start time too, but with yesterday's weather that would have meant a huge downpour would have hit the start of the game. So 5 pm wins. The best part of the 5 start time is that post game you can meet with friends and family for a rollicking dinner. It makes a good day, a great one.
I love what tuque day (sponsored by KIA) has become. It used to be a wonderful parting gift, a harbinger of the snowy season approaching and the time you were about to spend away from TFC. Now (fingers crossed and touching wood) it is a gateway to playoffs, a reminder that the games ahead will be chilly. The fact that TFC ended their home schedule with TWO hat give aways means everything to the fashion challenged and man I know I'm one.
Back to the game at hand (and sorry I can't stay positive for much longer)
Just what does Alex Bono have to do to be named "Man of the Match"? Score a goal? Sure, Jozy Altidore buried his chance and was the game winner, but most of the night it was Bono (and his goal posts) keeping Montreal from filling the net. Maybe Altidore needs the confidence boost after the Trinidad experience (the US Men's National Team was eliminated from World Cup 2018 participation by a loss in Trinidad), but Bono was the man according to an unscientific random sample of section 220.
Two weeks apart, due to the international break, and Toronto FC looked far too clunky, disconnected and disjointed versus the Montrealers. Sure, credit given for victory when only records and home field pride were at stake. Speaking of home field, sorry but the stadium share with those bloody afterthought Argos remains an issue. That flood of rain just before game time might have been too much for the pitch.
I will always hate the Argo intrusion into the National Soccer Stadium.
Victor Vazquez should be taking all TFC penalties during the playoffs. On a scale of difficulty, hitting two shots off the same post is up there.
Timing and cohesion and playing time are important. Yet, I would still prefer to play only the B squad for the final season game in Atlanta next weekend. Call it fatigue recognition, injury prevention or just giving Atlanta no recent awareness of the form of our starting 11. I say play Irwin in net, defenders Hagglund, Hernandez and somebody else, midfield should be Edwards, Endoh, Osorio, Cooper and Cheyrou, with Ricketts and Hamilton up front. Result far less important than rest. The beauty of the two leg playoff format is that TFC can chase cohesion in the away game and then have the home game to enhance it.
Season 2017 = no worries, MLS Cup playoffs 2017 = all worries. May we worry all the way to December. Still cheering...
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