I’ve seen enough
By Ben Knight
Six minutes into last night’s Toronto FC match in Denver against the Colorado Rapids, this reporter had seen … enough.
You know, on election nights, when they interrupt the deeper analysis of the first two per-cent of the vote-count from East West Central Widgetville to tell you the Social Troglodyte party has won the election and will be doing any darn thing they want for the next four years?
Here’s the election call, from the Onward! desk:
Toronto FC will miss the MLS playoffs for the third consecutive season.
This came clear to me — as noted about – after just six minutes. Right around the time the TFC D hairballed up a completely optional loose ball that long-suffering goalie Stefan Frei was forced to the carpet to save.
On a night when New England had lost to Kansas City, and DC United had been held to a draw by lowly Dallas, Toronto sent out a squad that included both Pablo Vitti and Chad Barrett in key attacking roles. No Ali Gerba, and of course no Danny Dichio.
Vitti and Barrett filed absolutely typical, predictable nights at the office. Worked hard? Check. Occasionally created something? Sure. Neither one of them came even remotely close to scoring a goal? Yep, howdy.
With the loss – because that’s what happens when three defenders stand around and watch league-leading goal scorer Connor Casey (ex-TFC, of course) rise for an uncontested header and the game’s only goal – Toronto remains in 11th place in MLS, looking up at a four-way log jam for the final two wildcard playoff spots. And two of the teams ahead of them – New England and Chivas USA – have two precious games in hand on Our Redcoats.
You’re going to hear a lot about Toronto’s remaining schedule – how three home games against Colorado, San Jose and the Salt Lake Seagulls, plus an easy win at New York will give them all the points they need to extend their season to at least Hallowe’en.
This is MLS, where parity reigns and even the best teams – the Houstons and Columbuses and Chicagos and … LA Galaxies? – don’t count on winning three home games in a row. Oh, and New York beat Columbus at the Meadowlands just last week.
Ah, Ben, but what about – Julian DeGuzman?
Sure! Bring in TFC’s first Designated Player with just six games to go. The only obstacle right now is salary cap room – which means dumping contracts. Oh, and then Toronto has to click on the field, which has rarely happened in 2009, even though some wonderful players have already been added to the roster.
I can paint you a thrilling picture. DeGuzman instantly becomes one of the very best and most dangerous players in all of MLS. And a schedule of also-rans – except for road trips to Chicago and Beckhamburg – must be ripe for pillaging by maybe the best midfield in MLS history?
DeGuzman, DeRosario, Guevara and Cronin.
John, Paul, George … and Cronin.
Terrifying, Weapon after weapon, and they can all play. Together, they can dominate. But other names will be gone. Popular ones. It’s going to be a lot for the rest of the roster to deal with, in a league that is already infuriatingly unpredictable.
Those two red cards on Amadou Sanyang and Adrian Serioux, last night, just for example. The word “soft” comes to mind. Velvet soft. Marshmallow fluff soft. Seven baby kittens in a basket soft.
I’ll spare you the “ref lost his mind” speech, at least until I’ve seen all the other MLS tape from this weekend. Some other well-meaning busload of boobs might have got treated worse by the officials, and I wouldn’t want to be the poor shlub screaming “fire” in an apocalypse.
Did you see the look in Serioux’s eyes when the deal went down? Blazing, but also disbelieving. Trying to stay calm, and work through the question of how can any professional defender to his job if THAT is a red-card foul?
The frustrated fan in me was almost hoping at that point that either Barrett or Vitti would run 30 yards and belt the ref right in the chops. I don’t advocate this, but the mind does strange, tortured things under pressure.
This ridiculous call came just as so many TFC fans finally got what they’ve craved for weeks – Dichio and Gerba up front, together, at the same time. But with Toronto two men down, it came to nothing. This league just bugs all joy and life out of me sometimes.
Can Toronto rally, earn a back-door wildcard, and get fed to Houston or Columbus or Chicago or Posh Spice on Hallowe’en weekend? Yes.
Will they? No.
Even with DeGuzman? Sorry.
Between this team, its strategy, and the swirling oddities of a league with enforced parity and terrible refs, even if Toronto plays well enough to win all their remaining games, they won’t. And they’re not going to play that well, anyway, so – well …
The Onward! election desk concedes. No playoffs again.
And may the players, coaches and occasional general manager fall … where they may.
Onward!
September 6th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
It’s very tough to envision TFC scraping their way into the playoffs after this. But then again, as you’ve said, MLS features parity to the point of parody, so who the hell knows?
Remember, all of those talking heads gleefully proclaimed Al Gore the new president at the turn of the century, up until the dimpled chads threw everyone for a loop.
Maybe a dimpled chad will save the Reds, too?
September 6th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Oh, and sorry to say, but Serioux deserved the sending off. Last man back, throws a hip check with no attempt to play the ball, 20 yards out from goal… yeah, that’s a red.
That penalty call against us, though…
September 6th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Soft call. Basket full of kittens soft.
The penalty didn’t bother me as much, because I still believe a professional defender has no business having his entire arm above his shoulder in his own six-yard box.
September 6th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Ben I hope all the great Canadian boys play every minute of every game, like Gerba and Serioux so you and all the other folks who can’t objectively analyze a game can be happy. Gerba is fat and didn’t take this league seriously and stunk up the join last night. Serioux is okay, but a liability at the back. Dichio is done my man, he has scored a few goals and you guys want him to do what in the altitude on a mssive pitch? Oh ya that’s right he can flick those stupid goal kicks to the other keeper.
P.S. I know Dichio is not Canadian, but we have welcomed him as one of our own. This city loves to cheer for the hard worker that lacks skill.
September 7th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Ben I agree with most of what you say but you are most certainly appear biased in your oppinion about the skill of TFC players particularly for those that are Canadian. Even Amado Guevara is not good enough for Europe, much les DeRo. And you seem absolutely biased about the officiating (even if it is poor quality). All the MLS team deal with the same refs and the better teams in the league continue to win. Stop using bad reffereing as an excuse for poor play. Serioux deserved the red by the letter of the book and even if was given a yellow it would not have made a difference the score line would have stayed the same.
September 7th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
TFC were brutal on Saturday and there’s no blaming the ref for it. When Serioux initially was red carded I was shocked. But, then they showed the replay. It should definately have been a card. Perhaps a yellow but a red was not that outrageous.
TFC didn’t lose because of the ref. They lost because they sucked, big time. They were awful. No team formation, no strategy that was apparent, no decent passing, no building play, no execution, not even really one good scoring opportunity. They were completely disorganized. If you add Julian Deguzman to the mix nothing will change.
Basically TFC is playing like Canada did under Dale Mitchell. Some talented players out there but you’d never know it by watching the game. The only way TFC will make the playoffs is if Cummins’ is replaced with a coach/manager who knows how to build play properly. Recall how drastically Canada played going to Hart, then to Mitchell, then back to Hart.
September 7th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
On a side note, has Begovic decided to play for Bosnia now? I hear he suited up and sat on the bench for Bosnia. Have we lost him now too?
And does anyone know what the deal is with David Edgard? why hasn’t he been capped yet, and is he eligble and does he plan to play for another country?
September 7th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Toronto was just awful. If there was one bright spot in the whole game, it was that when they did start playing the ball on the ground in the second half, they actually did manage to sustain a bit of pressure at the other end. In the end, tho, they have to figure out a way of getting in their oponents’ 18 yard box without relying on crosses from the wing or quick releasing Barrett or DeRo. Until Toronto starts playing like a team, there’s no point in bringing in a DP, except to ruin his career. Sort of like bringing Sundin to the Leafs (different forum, I know).
Ben, I’m not sure I buy the parity complaints. Yes, Toronto would be a better team without a cap. But the cap isn’t the reason they suck. And buying a lot of expensive players doesn’t guarantee results: think of the New York Rangers (different forum, I know).
September 8th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Agreed with most of the other posters. I’d rather see good coaching and organization with mediocre players instead of throwing money at talent only to see said talent running around like headless chickens. But such is the nature of MLSE - appease the fan base by throwing bandaide solutions at the problems. Sigh.
September 8th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Oh - and about Bill Archer…
Why bother to engage that clown? Even guys like Benny Hinn have followers but no rational person would pay any attention or try to engage him on an intellectual level. I question why anyone would waste one second on that guy.
September 8th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
@juve177… Begovic was on Bosnia’s bench, which presumably means he has made his decision. Technically, we haven’t yet “lost” him (he is not cap-tied to Bosnia until he actually enters a FIFA-approved match), but the chances of him changing his mind again, and coming back to play for Canada, are so negligible as to be unworthy of discussion. So for all intents and purposes, he’s gone.
As for Edgar, I believe he’s eligible for England but has expressed his desire to represent Canada. Can’t say for sure why he hasn’t figured into the MNT scene yet, but his shaky status at the club level may have something to do with it.
October 14th, 2009 at 2:30 am
If this isn’t evidence that Montreal threw their Canadian Championship against TFC, I don’t know what else is. TFC fans had basically nothing to look forward to this season except that.
Meanwhile, Vancouver and Montreal are meeting in their league final.