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Lucky Strike
05-15-2010, 09:30 PM
Check in after the game for the ratings (no chance of heartbreaking hockey losses this time); good luck to the guys tonight!

Lucky Strike
05-16-2010, 12:21 AM
Wow, TFC played well on the road, did not concede a goal to the best team in MLS, Garcia had no epic fuck-up, Preki smiled…what the hell is going on?

Frei (7.5): Played a crucial part today with obviously the final two saves but also was self-assured through the match (takes guts to let a ball slowly run across the goal mouth to behind the line) and I thought he did a better job than usual at coming for crosses, something he usually is criticized for not doing.
Usanov (6): Craig Forrest said the red card was disappointing but I disagree. This is the first time I was glad to see a red. Not because I thought Usanov was playing so terribly we’d be better off with 10 men, but because the second yellow that sent him off was a smart one to take. Without the barge, Donovan of all people had wide open spaces to do as he pleased and threaten the goal. And because it was literally in the last minute, LA never got the benefit of playing with the extra man. Sure, now he’ll be suspended a match (and maybe another one since that second yellow was his fifth this year I believe, which of course also nets you a game suspension), but at least he’ll be available to play in the NCC so he can go the full 90 and rest up during his MLS suspension.
Attakora (8): Just a gem of a performance containing Donovan and Buddle all match long. Just coming away from this match very impressed, even more so than usual.
Cann (7): Just like his partner, Cann played very well. Had a sketchy moment when Buddle got behind him once (or perhaps twice?) but otherwise very solid.
Garcia (6): I hate Garcia – very much. But you all know I play fair with these ratings and he fully deserves the 6 today. I still want him off the team, more so because for some reason he got handed the armband when DeRo went off (WTF?) but he played well with no-nonsense defending when needed and more control when warranted. There was one minor moment when he had me scratching my head but I can’t remember what it was. Scary no?
Cronin (5.5): Another difficult match where not much happened for him. Poor kid has been forced to play out of position his whole professional career. Still though, you have to praise him for going out and doing it as best he can. Looked gassed by the end.
Sanyang (6): Poor distribution/passing gets him a lower mark here. I thought he was effective in breaking up plays as usual but what good is that if you give the ball right back? It’s the same complaint we had about Robinson; at least Sanyang makes much less money.
Saric (6): I’ve often complained about not being visible and having no impact but I thought it was different today. Like Sanyang, he was effective at disrupting LA’s build-up play and had some good moves. However, he too had some unnecessary giveaways.
LaBrocca (6): Quieter match this time around and not too much positive happened. But no negatives either.
Barrett (6.5): A good score for not getting a goal. I usually find myself using the same refrain of “hard worker” or something to that effect so I’ll go to it again this time. However, there was something more tonight. He had added speed, got into dangerous positions and as a whole feels like he’s playing smarter.
DeRosario (6): Can’t always light up the place and was one of his quieter efforts. He also had an unfortunate and uncharacteristic miss early on.

Peterson, on for LaBrocca – 63rd minute (5.5): I know he’s a quality player but we’re just not seeing it yet. Couldn’t produce anything whatsoever.
Gala, on for DeRosario – 70th minute (6.5): He only got 20 minutes but he impressed me with this play in the later stages. Was able to effectively waste time by going to the corner flag, encouraging team mates to not sit too deep and invite pressure and had good spells with the ball. It’s seeming like a Nana-esque breakout doesn’t it?
Nane, on for Barrett – 78th minute (NR): Didn’t know he could play at striker. It didn’t really show either.

Preki (7): More wisely went with a 4-4-2 instead of a pressure-inviting 4-5-1 (i.e. creating a siege mentality – that’s how Montreal lost that Santos Laguna game in 2008 for example). It seemed like the game plan was to jam the middle with frequently upwards of 5 guys in there. The central midfielders stood close to the central defenders and the wingers tucked in when LA was attacking resulting in a really crowded area in the 10-15 yards in front of the penalty area. LA could really only get anything going by using the flanks which they did effectively getting some good balls in but Buddle is their only offensive player dangerous in the air. Donovan, while maybe the best player in the league, just isn’t that tall and the Attakora/Cann partnership is massive in comparison. When LA switched on around the 60th minute mark, it became clear pressure was inevitable so Preki switched to a 4-5-1. I called it pressure-inviting but since pressure was already there, it made sense. Nane as striker confused me a little; why not Ibrahim who was on the bench tonight?

Referee (7 minus 1.5): My only complaint about him was how Cann got called for a foul when the other guy ran straight into him. That and I felt LA could have felt aggrieved when Donovan (I think it was) got barged in the mid-second half and there was no call. Other than that, pretty consistent and was willing to talk to Frei about time-wasting instead of whipping out the card. EDIT: Barrett was in fact the last man so a red should have been appropriate - could have changed the game.

TFC MOTM: The guys on Sportsnet called it – Attakora. Just immense tonight. Honourable mention goes to Frei who was close.

Most impressed by opposition’s: Michael Stephens. Who? I know, I know. The strikers Donovan and Buddle didn’t score, the defenders didn’t stand out because they weren’t overly solicited. Saunders in goal never really got tested. Birchall and Juninho in the middle got squeezed out and others were invisible. Stephens though put in several good balls so he gets the nod.

Least impressed by opposition’s: Landon Donovan. For a guy who played in the Premier League and is the best player in MLS and supposed to lead the US in the World Cup, he was pretty poor tonight. His delivery was awful, he didn’t look very fast (except against Usanov who isn’t quick himself) and didn’t really seem a threat to score.

Conclusion: Very happy about the game and very happy about my summary tonight which I feel proud of and I wrote it very quickly despite it being my longest by far this year. A great team effort and looking forward to the mid-week game against Vancouver. More importantly than the point, I hope this can get TFC out of the road-form funk they have been in this year. Also random note: Dobson and Forrest had a terrible day calling the game. Mistaken identities, low-tempo commentating, and some discussion in general that I thought just wasn’t accurate. Nice to see the cute Andi Petrillo make it out though. And that good-looking TFC girl dancing and putting on a show with the scarf at the start of the second half? Nice. I’m not usually one to go out of my way to say so – but she got my attention.

colman1860
05-16-2010, 12:38 AM
Referee: Not sending off the LA defender who took down Barrett as the last man was inexcusable, and ruined an otherwise good performance.

T.O TILL I DIE
05-16-2010, 01:10 AM
frei shouldve been rated 8.5

James Oliphant
05-16-2010, 01:31 AM
frei shouldve been rated 8.5

So rate him an 8.5 yourself...

Torontotonto
05-16-2010, 02:39 AM
Frei is the man of the match, hands down with those saves at the end.

James17930
05-16-2010, 06:47 AM
Referee: Not sending off the LA defender who took down Barrett as the last man was inexcusable, and ruined an otherwise good performance.

I don't think that was a sending off -- I thought even a yellow was a bit harsh.

The defender had already committed to the tackle when Barrett came out of nowhere and basically put himself in position to get hit.

Great hustle from Barrett, obviously, but I don't know if you can say the L.A. defender was trying to take him down -- he really didn't even know he was there.

As for the Usanov red, I agree with L. Strike. A good card to take. only a few minutes left, the whole team is tired, and if Donovan gets behind him he had a clear path to goal.

prizby
05-16-2010, 07:40 AM
Least impressed by opposition’s: Landon Donovan. For a guy who played in the Premier League and is the best player in MLS and supposed to lead the US in the World Cup, he was pretty poor tonight. His delivery was awful, he didn’t look very fast (except against Usanov who isn’t quick himself) and didn’t really seem a threat to score.



where have you been this whole season, usanov is one of the fastest on the team

kitchener-TFC
05-16-2010, 09:27 AM
I wouldn't say that Donovan had a poor game, we just contained him.

jabbronies
05-16-2010, 09:47 AM
where have you been this whole season, usanov is one of the fastest on the team

I'm going to assume this is meant to be sarcastic.

I'm not a fan of the red card Usanov took. I don't think he need to considering Attikora was right there to help him out on that play.

CoachGT
05-16-2010, 10:30 AM
I suspect Usanov will get two games - one for the red and one for his fifth yellow.

Usanov = fast like steamroller. Watching him run down the line is like watching big John Mayberry run down a double back in the Jays heyday.

No surprise Cronin looked gassed. Practice as hard as you want, it doesn't get to the same place mentally as playing a full 90. And he's trying to play more physical, something that isn't natural to him.

Generally agree with the ratings, although I'm not fussy on Peterson, but he continued with play of the same contribution level as Labrocca, who just didn't seem to be there at all tonight.

Garcia looked better on the outside, as he did down in Charleston. Surprised me when he was given the captain's armband when DeRo went off. I wondered how much the nick on the ankle hampered DeRo's play, because he wasn't the same afterward. And I thought Barrett rated better than a 6.5 for his effort on the night.

DichioTFC
05-16-2010, 10:33 AM
I suspect Usanov will get two games - one for the red and one for his fifth yellow.

Usanov = fast like steamroller.

Usanov = Angry Russian.

He's been playing a fine line with his discipline and as much I would want him to play, I hope he learns from the suspension. I agree it'll most likely by two games.

Lucky Strike
05-16-2010, 02:44 PM
I don't think that was a sending off -- I thought even a yellow was a bit harsh.

The defender had already committed to the tackle when Barrett came out of nowhere and basically put himself in position to get hit.

Great hustle from Barrett, obviously, but I don't know if you can say the L.A. defender was trying to take him down -- he really didn't even know he was there.

As for the Usanov red, I agree with L. Strike. A good card to take. only a few minutes left, the whole team is tired, and if Donovan gets behind him he had a clear path to goal.

On the spot, I thought it was the last man who brought him down but couldn't be sure since a replay was never shown on Sportsnet, but having watched the highlights on the MLS site, the other defender wasn't level with Barrett so I'll revise the mark shortly.

Was also able to confirm what I thought initially about the Usanov red: there was no one to cover for him if Donovan had gotten past. So a confirmation that it was a good red to take - as rare as that is.

Lucky Strike
05-16-2010, 02:45 PM
where have you been this whole season, usanov is one of the fastest on the team


I'm going to assume this is meant to be sarcastic.

I will also assume that's sarcastic.


I wouldn't say that Donovan had a poor game, we just contained him.

To me, that's the definition of a poor game. He didn't screw up so he wasn't poor in that sense, but he's supposed to be a game-breaker and couldn't do that last night.