TFC sent a third round draft pick to San Jose for defender Nick Garcia and the MLS rights to Canadian striker Ali Gerba. I am not convinced that this is the end of the trades or signings and roster moves, which makes it hard to form an opinion. Garcia is a veteran (yet four years younger than Tyrone Marshall) and a defender (with Attakora hurt, Brennan hurt and Velez wonky after a rough game and Serioux playing hurt) and we all know that TFC needed defending help. As for Ali Gerba, just based on his play for Canada he seems to have a scoring touch. He may not have a world beating touch, but here's hoping that it is a "better than what we've seen lately" touch around the net.
Toronto FC's first ever goalkeeper and the main keeper for their first two seasons, Greg Sutton was released today. I will save the analysis for another post. I just wanted to wish Sutton well. Who knows? At age 32 he has prime years of keeping ahead of him and may one day play for Toronto again. This roster move will take some adjusting to, until Frei took over this spring, cheering for TFC meant cheering for Sutton. Memories of that first home game will always include Greg Sutton...
There was a sadness in the air at the end of today's game. A few Toronto players took the time to applaud the supporters, but it seemed as if the fans had no energy or awareness of them, never mind return the salute. I have read comments on some fan forums that have complained about players not saluting the supporters no matter the outcome of the game. Today some players did their duty, but the relationship has clearly soured. The supporter groups are right to be deeply miffed with the lack of firepower, the recent results, the perceived direction of this team and the twisted optics of the friendly against Real Madrid. The banner held up by the supporters prior to the game was perfect, stating the worth of MLSE, the number of teams they own - 4 and the number of cups/titles = 0. This was aimed directly at team management, not the players on the team. This is as it should be. Yet the south end was the most subdued I have ever seen. Sure, they celebrated the Dichio goal, but I feel that the overall quiet contributed to a sense of inevitability to the afternoon. As if the fans were saying "we're sick of this crap" and the team responded by displaying just the sort of play that has brought the fans to this opinion. Now I understand that the quality of this crowd could have been suspect to begin with. There is something about LA that would attract that ticket buyer who only wants to attend one game this year. On the flip side, more season ticket holders might skip this one game just because it would be an easy one for a quick sale. I have no hard evidence for any of this, just a feeling. As for the play on the field, Dichio scored off of a rebound, Vitti and Barrett continued their scoring drought, there were second half signs of DeRo trying to do too much on his own, TFC continued to miss Amado Guevara, both LA goals involved either an Marco Velez misplay or misplace, Ricketts and Smith had second half playing time and RR did supply some crosses of note and late in the game we were treated to an Emmanuel Gomez sighting. On the LA side, their keeper Ricketts was active and effective, they scored early (was it their first corner?) making Toronto climb uphill almost from the start. It hurts to say that Edson Buddle scored the winner, it hurts to write it and it hurt to watch it. Not that I wish him back in Toronto or lament the trade that sent him on his way, it is just that seeing him score is a reflection of the sour hurt that has invaded the world of TFC fandom. The guy who would be the most perverse opposing player to score the winning goal against Toronto does just that. So you sit there trying to develop stronger faith. Yes, one of these days I will witness a Toronto goal festival. Yes. they can score repeatedly in Montreal. Yes, team management just needs time to unveil their master plan - a player or two will be signed and Toronto will enter the playoffs as a mighty force. Yet my fears shake me and rather than a dream, a nightmare develops. That our future will be haunted by many players, who despite effort will always fall short , who will stand on that field and applaud the red and grey loyalists, but nobody will notice...
This is a disaster. Tonight the Whitecaps took control of the Nutrilite Championship by winning at home and joining the growing list of teams that have shut out the Reds this year. It was another Toronto performance that shook your confidence in this team. As the frustration began to build in my little brain, the faint hope that TFC would actually score was flickering and fading. If you can't score, you can't win may be a cliche, but this has gone too far. Throwing Rohan Ricketts and Johann Smith into the attack was pointless. Toronto's not eliminated at this stage, but they are going to have to score a lot of goals in Montreal. Is that going to happen?
I thought that Vancouver did not play all that well. They were in the game for stretches and scored on their chances- just compared to Toronto a team that scores on their chances looks like world beaters. There were some solid efforts from the TFC side- DeRo, Serioux, Attakora were always plugging away. Vitti hit a post in the first half. Sutton did himself no favours...
The forums are full of fans who are letting loose with justified howls of rage, so I thought I would chime in with my take on sinking ship TFC. I say that Mo and his boss Tom Anselmi have to take the hit on this as I figure it comes down to lack of depth. International duty pulled Wynne and Guevara away, so big holes on this team were revealed. If Sutton keeps a clean sheet, TFC ties and is happy. The moment they give up the Vancouver goal they need to respond and we know that story. Attacking midfield play ? Breaking down the wings? Finish in front? You can't blame the players on Toronto's roster for being who they are, but you can point the finger at management for not filling the needs. Saturday brings LA to BMO and I wonder what form TFC fan anger will take ?
That was beyond awful. It was as if TFC fans and players were united in the worst way. We were having our faces rubbed in it. Dare I say our limitations are greater than our dreams. At least that is true tonight in Texas. Sure it is possible that the team came out flat. It is also possible that the team saw the Vancouver game coming up on Tuesday as a much more important one and therefore pulled back (rested Dichio, subbed Robinson as a precaution). It also possible that Houston is truly that much better than TFC. Houston demonstrated a scoring touch and a killer instinct on free kicks that TFC only dreams about. The Dynamo scored three goals in a flurry and were never even slightly worried after that. If anyone brings up the weather I will start to scream. Sure it was hot, but it's going to get hot and hotter all over the continent. It's called summer. If TFC cannot compete during the hot months you can kiss the playoffs goodbye.
One positive I can think of is just a negative in disguise. Adrian Serioux was mistreated in the first half by the ref at both ends of the field. The defensive calls were of the phantom variety and then Serioux had a goal disallowed in the dying seconds of the half. At half time I was betting on a second Serioux yellow ahead of a TFC goal...at least Serioux stayed in the game. Despite allowing three goals, Frei did make that toe save and kept Houston off the scoreboard in the second half. If he had melted it could have been so much worse. I guess that counts as another in the positive as negative in disguise category.
I think giving Vitti and Ricketts the second half was wise. This was their (last?) chance to show some offensive spark. Neither caught fire, but then Wynne and Barrett had already set the bar pretty low. Changes just have to be made.
May the game against the Whitecaps on Tuesday be a completely different story.
Real Madrid to play Toronto FC at BMO Field in August.
Bigger News
A grass field to be placed over the turf for this game (and possibly more games beyond?).
Season ticket holder news
There is speculation that the Real Madrid game will not be the game in your season ticket package. This makes sense financially, the cost of bringing in a big team is huge.
Season ticket holder questions
I have read some of the forums and I am shaking my head at how grumpy some of the fans are about this showcase friendly. I don't know if I am going to this game, but I do not see it as a negative that fans would have to pay for this game.
1 Why express anger at MLSE for needing to charge premium prices for all tickets, it is Real Madrid that is setting the asking price.
2 We all understood that our season tickets included an international friendly, not aware of any claim that the included friendly would be the only one of the year. We can judge the value of the second friendly once we know who TFC is playing.
3 Any publicity is good publicity - playing a big team will be the media highlight of the summer - wonder what the tv situation will be....bet we won't know until the tickets have been sold.
Perhaps I am the Eeyore of TFC fans, but I did not rush down to today's game with my head and heart bursting with optimism. Last Saturday's loss to the Chicago Fire had stung and some of the bitterness clearly had lingered for the week since. I have been salivating for too long at that "2 International players to be signed" rumour and I felt that the loss to the Fire had only underlined the striker/central defender need. Then Shalrie Joseph scored on New England's first serious jaunt into Frei's territory and it was as if the Chicago game was still on. I was very hesitant to be critical of Adrian Serioux on the play. It seems that every week he displays more bandages (today it was a hand bandaged in the Jim Brennan style) and I sometimes think that if we had any defending depth at all, Serioux would be given some recuperation time. It sure seemed that Joseph had surprised Serioux and found room in front and Frei at his mercy. Oh, no - another long afternoon of squandered TFC scoring chances and lightning counter strikes from the enemy. It was maddening that Chicago could do in the seconds (score) what TFC couldn't do in hours) and now Shalrie Joseph was doing the same.
Thank you Amado Guevara for shutting down that gloomy storyline in a matter of minutes. He responded as if TFC were playing a road game. Even before Guevara tied the game with his superb goal, it seemed that TFC had taken a big offensive step forward. They were taking shots at net, shots from every angle. Hell, even Carl Robinson had a shot in the early going and you don't see him firing away very often. Chad Barrett had a low corner effort that was not as enticing as some of his open net groaners, but showed promise. Danny Dichio had played a large part in Guevara's goal and his knock downs and touches were promising. Then things began to bog down. The middle of the game was very much a stalemate. The shot count dropped off and TFC seemed to slide back into the mode where all touches lead to other touches until nothing comes of it offensively. Then Dichio turned the wrong way at midfield and sent DeRo on a break and a score. That was the first time this year that TFC had come from behind to take a lead at home. Guevara's second goal (or did Dichio get a head to it? I am writing this before checking the official game summary) sealed the victory. The result was just as surprising as the weather. For all of the contributions of Guevara and Dichio (and DeRo and Barrett), I thought the improved play of both Carl Robinson and Jim Brennan were big factors in the win. Weather Report After a steady parade of cool, rainy games, it is a treat to bask in the sunshine and warm weather at a TFC home game today. Yes, fans were wearing t-shirts and shorts. A number of days had passed since the last drop of rain had hit the field (but I did have my two rain ponchos in the bottom of my bag, some habits die hard). I don't know if there had been work done on the field, if the lack of rain was the key or someone has discovered that field lacrosse is the secret ingredient, but I don't think Field Turf was the bad guy today.
Ref rant I will ramble off after I bore you with my take on today's ref, Michael Kennedy. I am proud to be a Kennedy myself and I often bask in the reflected glory of sharing a world famous surname (y'know giants of the arts, politics, blogging). But ref Michael Kennedy drives me around the bend. I can't recall a huge mistake, it is more his demeanour, his way of talking at length with the players. Now I don't know, perhaps the players are quite fond of him and just can't wait to chat away. "How are the kids? What is the hotel like ? Hey ref what was that recipe for muffins again?" It just seems so pointless. He will talk at length with some players and unleash yellow cards on players he has been ignoring all game. My gut feeling is that all the talking undercuts his authority. It even strikes me that ref Kennedy is a touch lonely, dare I say it, a touch needy ? Now that is just not a Kennedy trait...
