Four games into the MLS season and TFC are still looking to kick start their campaign as they host Chivas USA Saturday afternoon at BMO Field. A depressing start eerily resembles 2007 as a winless beginning is not mathematically the end, but there are no precedents over the last five years of any team going 0-4, let alone 0-5 and making the post-season.
The club has to take a hard look in the mirror to what has brought them to a position where in mid-April they are already in a must-win situation. Chivas USA, over the last few years, would usually be thought of as a perfect opponent to set things right, having lost several top shelf players over the last years. However, both their wins this season have been on the road and against teams arguably of better quality than Toronto. The Reds have finally had a week off to prepare and focus on just one match, and they will need it to keep the veterans and rookies off the scoresheet to come away with their first positive result of 2012.
Keep Thinking
It’s frustrating to be in a position only four matches into the MLS season and having to dig deep to find positive nuggets in order to find the scenario where Toronto FC will come away with a victory. The Reds have yet to get their season out of first gear, as the Champions League has possibly taken precedent over domestic league results. After a tough loss last weekend against legitimate rivals Montreal Impact, there are no more excuses as TFC absolutely need to get a result at any cost.
Chivas USA have dropped off since Bob Bradley left the club and Preki had his impressive seasons in 2007 and 2008. Long gone are Ante Razov, Sacha Kljestan, Jonathan Bornstein and Brad Guzan – but now there are a few potential players in Dan Kennedy, Casey Townsend along with rejuvenated Nick LaBrocca and Alejandro Moreno. Chivas have struggled over the last few years, but this season has seen them hang tough with good competition and earn their only wins away from Carson, defeating Real Salt Lake and Portland – both environments that are extremely difficult to earn results.
For TFC, BMO Field has been anything but a fortress in 2012, with their first two home games finishing with two losses and no goals for the home team. Without question, the biggest disappointment to the start of the season has been an impotent offence that would have been the one positive that carried over from the end of 2011.
Aron Winter make a specific note after the Montreal loss last weekend that changes were coming for Toronto, but with little depth and even fewer assets to offer as trade bait, realistically he only has what is on his roster to set things right.
The poor start to the season, right off the top, can be attributed to three things that need to be sorted out and addressed if TFC are to finally get a “W”. Off the top, outside of the home match against Los Angeles in the Champions League, Toronto have brought a very casual approach from the opening whistle and have not been able to get their feet beneath them in the opening twenty minutes. Aron Winter must find a way to motivate and have the players on edge to start this match if they are to make an impression from the start.
There is no debating one of the most disappointing elements of the early going in 2012 is the loss of Torsten Frings and subsequent faltering of the midfield. While Julian De Guzman and Terry Dunfield are more than adequate competitors, they have shown when everything is riding on them putting out a stalwart performance, it has been difficult to meet those demands. As a result, the first few games have had several cheap turnovers in this area of the pitch that has resulted in goals for the opposition
Finally, as so much attention has been focused on defending and specifically the inadequate quality at centre back, this might not be such an issue if the Reds were able to finish their chances at the other end of the field. Danny Koevermans finally was able to put away a chance against Montreal and if this was the crack in the dam that opens the floodgates, TFC will be in a much better position come Saturday.
Chivas USA have found a way to hang in with some of the best teams in the league, and much credit must go to the promising keeper Dan Kennedy. However, over the last two weeks Chivas have proven to be clumsy in the 18 yard box and prone to catastrophic errors in dealing with balls around goal. This is without question something for Toronto to key in on, and should be able to exploit given their approach to tactics.
Toronto have had mixed results when delivering corner kicks and sending in crosses, and this will need to become a priority come Saturday, as players such as Nick Soolsma, Reggie Lambe and Terry Dunfield could be the difference. Big, physical bodies of Danny Koevermans and Ryan Johnson are essential to making their mark, but will be useless if they don’t get the required service.
While strategy and tactics can be discussed all day for what it will take for TFC to come away with their first win of the season, at this point what it will come down to is pride and heart. A truly poor start to the season that saw them lose their first two games at home without a goal and absolutely cannot go unanswered and if this team has any sense of worth. Chivas USA are a legitimate challenge, but Toronto have the players to compete with most teams in the league and they must find a way to come together and be cohesive from the start.
In the End
A discouraging start to the season has left Toronto FC in a must win situation only five games into their 2012 campaign. Breakdowns in all areas of the pitch have been the cause for TFC coming up short in their first four games. Most importantly though, a lack of motivation out of the gate, costly mistakes and a need for clinical finishing all need to be remedied if they are to get their season on track. Chivas USA are a side that have only managed to score one more goal than the Reds this season, and all well into the second half. Toronto has to come out from the opening whistle, dictate the game and not let Chivas any room to come back into it. With everything on the line, and unfortunately another must-win, TFC should find the result to keep their heads above water for another week.
Prediction
Toronto FC 2 –Chivas USA 1
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