Toronto’s biggest game of the season gave us quite a bit to talk about. Jimmy Stone once again joins us for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly:
THE GOOD
The Game and Its Result:
Armen Bedakian (AB): Last year, Toronto FC took on and defeated Mexican side Cruz Azul in the Champions League. Though they didn’t get the full three points against Pumas, Toronto once again got the job done, drawing 1-1. At times, Toronto looked dominant, which Aron Winter will appreciate.
Jimmy Stone (JS): After being comfortably disposed of by half time in Mexico a 1-1 draw is a decent result for a Toronto team without some key players. Although the outcome wasn’t what was required the reds put in a creditable display against a side who are technically more gifted than them. It wasn’t an outstanding result by any stretch of the imagination but Toronto fought hard and deserved the point they got. After Saturday’s display there were some good spells of pressure with Toronto on the front foot forcing corners and causing problems but sadly they were few and far between. There were more positives than negatives to take from the game against superior opposition a commendable draw being one of them.
Player Performance:
AB: Peri Marosevic once again tallied a crucial goal for Toronto FC. Though his presence at times is lacking, Marosevic has the positional sense required of a front man. Marosevic’s goal comes from good positioning, and a great pass by Danny Kovermans.
JS: Ashtone Morgan has had praise heaped upon him in recent weeks and I am more than happy to do the same. Not only is he solid defensively but he is composed on the ball and a real menace going forward. His pace caused Pumas problems on occasions and when offered the opportunity he crossed the ball into dangerous areas. Toronto FC have got a real prospect on their hands in Morgan and with age on his side I believe he is one of a handful of MLS players I have seen who have the ability to make a real impact in Europe.
Noteworthy Moment of the Match:
AB: Toronto’s midfield trio contained Pumas, particularly during the second half. Julian de Guzman stepped up, making Torsten Frings’ absence non-apparent.
JS: The highlight for Toronto was their well worked goal. Danny Koevermans held the ball up fantastically and found Peri Maroševic who calmly placed the ball home. It was a well made and well taken goal that Toronto had hardly threatened to score.
THE BAD
The Game and Its Result:
AB: An average night for Toronto FC, who were lucky to walk away with a 1-1 draw at all. True, Toronto did control parts of the match, but the amount of near-misses and crossbar/post hits that Pumas recorded did Toronto FC’s image no favours. Defending is still a big issue and fatigue is a recurring problem for Toronto.
JS: The bad news is Toronto’s Champions League future is now out of their hands and they have to hope that results go their way before they face Dallas on October 18th. The game itself was a scrappy affair, with plenty of fouls and stoppages. Toronto’s players looked tired after their unsuccessful weekend excursion to California and created little going forward. In truth Pumas were unlucky not to win the game after hitting the woodwork on two separate occasions and forcing Milos Kocic into some good saves. I also can’t help but feel like Julian De Guzman is played out of position. He seems to have all the attributes of a good holding midfielder but always turns up on the edge of the box behind the front two. He is a ball winner and a safe passer of the ball, not a goal getting attacking midfielder.
Player Performance:
AB: Ryan Johnson was ineffective throughout the whole match. It’s not a matter of form, but fitness; he’s clearly overplayed and fatigued. In the end of the first half, Johnson simply gave up on an offensive run, and that simply isn’t good enough.
JS: I felt Nick Soolsma was ineffective and disappointing. He can be an exciting player and a decent crosser of the ball but he looks short on confidence. He certainly worked hard and defended well but like many of his colleagues at the other end he offered little going forward. For me Toronto are missing the pace of Joao Plata and the sooner he is back in the fold the more dangerous the team will be.
Noteworthy Moment of the Match:
AB: Kocic must still be shaking. Pumas hit shot after shot, smacking the posts and crossbar – Toronto needs to be tighter and close down players quicker, otherwise, those near-misses become great goals.
JS: The half time interval might well have been the most noteworthy moment of this match. I felt the side came out for the second half with a defensive, perhaps almost negative mentality and they paid the price. Koevermans was taken off and Toronto for me were hoping to scrape a 1-0 win. However after they conceded it didn’t look like there was a plan b. None of the front three really held the ball up and they invited unnecessary pressure. Perhaps I am being overly critical of Winter’s tactics but after playing his first team on Saturday he cannot use fatigue as an excuse for substituting his big players. I would have loved to have seen Toronto come out for the second half in search of a second goal and really attack Pumas, but in fact the opposite was true. They sat back, defended deeply and soon conceded.
THE UGLY
AB: For those of you who have picked up FIFA 12 by EA Sports, you’ll know the defending can sometimes be strange and erratic, certainly not realistic…or so I thought. Andy Iro showed that FIFA 12 may not be too far off the mark, with the kind of “defending” that would make those pixels proud.
JS: Richard Eckersley seemed to damage his hamstring whilst taking a free kick in the second half. Unquestionably as one of Toronto’s most consistent performers his absence could prove costly. If the injury is as bad as it looked perhaps Eckersley has played his last game in the red of Toronto FC.
Look for Toronto FC’s “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” after each game, only at RedNation Online!
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