Blah to Bleu, Montreal 1 TFC 0

Montreal Impact did what they had to, but I am unimpressed. They scored a goal against the run of play late in the first half and held off Toronto for extended blocks of time in the second half. I felt that the home team was taking advantage of Toronto's fatigue far more than outplaying them. Desperate defending, parking the bus and hoping for rare counter attacks is just not the way a strong team plays at home.

It will seem like hindsight now, but I was not thrilled to see both Giovinco and Altidore in the starting 11. For Montreal this was game 3 of their 2018 season, for TFC it was game 6. The four games of CONCACAF Champion's League have been thrilling and gruelling. We are seeing some squad rotation, but the forwards and the goalkeeper stay constant. Too constant, I say. I recall that Tosaint Ricketts has some health concerns, but somebody has to come off the bench to quench forward fatigue. Those rumours that TFC are looking to sign a veteran striker just gained credence in my book.

It was not surprising that neither Morrow nor Mavinga played considering their coming out of the game against Tigres, although Mavinga might have been on the bench?

Starting the MLS season with two losses might be a bitter fact to face, but I fear not. Plenty of time to climb. 

To those who care about our nomadic winters, we managed to watch this game on wifi in a saloon at Borrego Springs California. All around us were tv screens overflowing with March Madness and we were the two in the corner squirming in our seats, glued to a laptop.
Come May we will be conventional again. BMO Field for home games, conventional tv coverage on the road.
Until the next time.....

Toronto FC compete and squeak in Mexico Tigres 3 TFC 2, 4-4 aggregateTFC on away goals

Emotional result, Toronto move on.
I knew away goals were critical.
Auro had defending highlights galore. Mavinga plenty too.

Giovinco astounding,

Thought it took far too long for the Vasquez for Delgado move. Delgado was not on his game.


Felt Alex Bono went wobbly when he needed to be a tiger.

Too rattled and ragged for more.

A historic result.

Not sure if my nerves can take another round!

The Crew will do ya Toronto FC 0 Columbus Crew 2

This blogger is so overdue for concocting a formatted summary for games that I watch on television and save my free form essays for home games. Yesterday was the BMO Field season opener, but as I continue to travel in California, I watched TFC struggle against Columbus on my iPad. I won't attend a home game until May. So here goes a blend of summary and free form. Or, since I don't have answers I will supply the questions.

What went wrong with TFC against the Crew?
1. They overlooked Columbus and had the upcoming Champions League game versus Tigres on their minds?
2. We need to give this team time to gel? Ager Aketxe and Gregory van der Wiel might be highly talented additions, but they are new to so much. New team, new league, new playing surface, new coach in a new city. 
3. Having Vasquez leave the game at half time threw off the midfield balance?
4. Perhaps the Crew have improved? I thought that trading Meram and Kamara weakened the team. If Zardes makes everyone cheering for the Crew, as he seems capable of doing, forget Kamara then look out for the Crew this season.

Until the next time....