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denime
08-24-2010, 05:53 AM
Mornin'


TFC looking to bounce back in Panama (http://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/mls/torontofc/article/851420--tfc-looking-to-bounce-back-in-panama)


De Guzman not living up to status as designated player (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/de-guzman-not-living-up-to-status-as-designated-player/article1682910/)


TFC set to face Panama squad (http://www.torontosun.com/sports/soccer/2010/08/23/15118321.html)


The Lowdown On Arabe Unido (http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2010/08/lowdown-arabe-unido)


Words of wisdom for Canadian soccer (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/jasondevos/2010/08/words-of-wisdom-for-canadian-soccer.html)


Toronto FC has a mountain to climb (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/nigelreed/2010/08/toronto-fc-has-a-mountain-to-climb.html)



SUNSHINE:yum: (http://www.torontosun.com/sunshinegirl/)

denime
08-24-2010, 05:57 AM
Mista has 'recovered'

By GARETH WHEELER:hump: (gareth.wheeler%21@suntv.canoe.ca) Toronto Sun


With the battle of egos over, Preki and Mista both boarded the plane to Panama for Toronto FC’s CONCACAF Champions League game Tuesday at Arabe Unido.
Don’t kid yourself. Seeds of doubt were planted by the head coach suggesting post-game Saturday his Spanish striker would not make the trip to Panama due to “health issues.”
Preki’s post-game fabricated reasoning caught TFC brass off-guard, with the club very well knowing it was a spat with Mista that left the Spanish striker in a reported “fit” and the player not returning to the team bench after halftime.
There was no way TFC officials would let this player-versus-coach disagreement linger into the coming days. Post-game, TFC staffers were quick to mend fences, with the club insistent Preki not leave Mista out of the travelling TFC side.
So expect the public spin to be along the lines that Mista has recovered from whatever ailed him. With the team in Panama and Canadian media outlets not making the trip to the nether-regions of Central America, the story will be buried.
Yet sources continue to say, “something was up” between the two egos and the situation was indeed tumultuous. With the two men left seemingly no choice but to work with one another, it will be compelling to see how the relationship grows, or deteriorates further as the season wears on.
Bottom line, the club is bigger than Mista or Preki, despite what certain individuals may believe. And getting points from Tuesday’s CONCACAF Champions League match is of the utmost priority.
Points in road games are tough to come by in this tournament. But TFC has little choice but to push for maximum points in Panama.
Toronto’s other competition in Group A is of top-notch quality. Real Salt Lake may be the best team in CONCACAF and will be difficult to gain points against, home or away.
And an ominous return match to Mexico City against Cruz Azul sizes up to be a challenge of epic proportions. So the maximum six points against Arabe Unido is a must.
Perhaps some outward aggression is exactly what Mista needs to clear his mind and re-endear himself to his hard-nosed head coach. Mista and Co., not only should expect a physical affair against the Panamanian opponent, but a dirty match.
Last week’s Arabe Unido vs. Real Salt Lake match in Salt Lake became a sham, an embarrassment to the game of soccer. Arabe Unido’s tactics were downright deplorable, taking cheap shots, diving, and play-acting whenever possible.
As my colleague Steven Sandor told me after watching the game: “I think Arabe Unido is the dirtiest team I’ve ever seen. Ever!”
That’s a bold statement coming from a guy who’s a walking encyclopedia when it comes to the history of the professional game. But Sandor’s absolutely right: The Panamanians made the game unwatchable.
Arabe Unido finished the game with nine players, and certainly one more player could have well been sent off. Canadian referee Paul Ward was having nothing of the visitors’ shoddy tactics, and did a commendable job trying to control a game featuring one team set on ruining the affair.
Unfortunately for TFC, similar negative, disgusting tactics work more effectively in matches in Central American countries.
A hostile environment and chaotic atmosphere doesn’t make the job easy for any match official. And cheats tend to get away with undermining the game and officials.
So expect a ton of diving, play-acting, and cheap shots throughout Tuesday’s match. It won’t be pretty, but that doesn’t necessarily put TFC at a disadvantage.
Toronto’s got some sand-paper as well. It may not kick and claw its way through a match like their Panamanian competition, but this team won’t physically be pushed around, either.
Arabe Unido does have some talent, but don’t expect an open, free-flowing game you saw last week at BMO Field. TFC’s victory over Cruz Azul featured a much different-looking Reds side, rising to the challenge of its quality Mexican opponent.
There was a lot more freelancing and offensive creativity from the team than typically displayed from a Preki-coached side.
With Mista seemingly in the doghouse, and forward Chad Barrett dealing with real health issues, hobbling Saturday after playing an ill-advised 28 minutes coming off a recent hamstring injury, it’s difficult to see TFC playing the same adventurous style.
Expect TFC to play an organized, defensive formation, content on using the counter-attack to pluck an away goal — in other words, a typical Preki-style game.

Oldtimer
08-24-2010, 07:54 AM
10 Champions League Moments


http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2010/08/10-champions-league-moments

ManUtd4ever
08-24-2010, 08:04 AM
I was in New York City over the weekend for a family function and I couldn't catch the game on TV or online in the hotel. I was in complete shock when I read the post game commentary on the RPB Forum. I sincerely hope that Preki and Mista have put their differences aside for the good of the club moving forward. If TFC can return to form tonight it might be a blessing in disguise to play Arabe Unido so soon after the team self destructed at home against New York. It will be interesting to see if the club is able to regroup in hostile territory...

Wull
08-24-2010, 09:25 AM
Is Paul James an RPB member?! That seems like our daily argument on here with regard to JDG

bgnewf
08-24-2010, 09:30 AM
Is Paul James an RPB member?! That seems like our daily argument on here with regard to JDG

Paul James has had an irrational hate on for De Guzman for a while.

I think his opinion is as valid as the next person's is, but he seems to really not want to give De Guzman any slack at all.

For example in his post game analysis after the Red Bulls game he did not even mention once that De Guzman was out of the line up and what impact that had on the result.

JonO
08-24-2010, 09:41 AM
^ You can tell that from the article as his first criticism of de guzman is his attitude. I think that is way more subjective than his play. At least with de guzman's play you can reach a conclusion based on an analysis of his effectiveness on the pitch. Obviously different people will have different opinions of this, but it has some basis on what is actually going on.

Judging someone's attitude is much more difficult, especially since there have not been any hints of issues from the locker room (at least not the public). Further, James goes on to criticize de guzman's attitude (the same attitude James created for him) because he has achieved relatively little on the world stage.

If things are not going as well as he would like, then I want de guzman to be frustrated. It shows he cares about the success of the team (or at least his success). The last thing I want is a disinterested player.

Anyway, gotta get back to work...

Wull
08-24-2010, 09:42 AM
Paul James has had an irrational hate on for De Guzman for a while.

I think his opinion is as valid as the next person's is, but he seems to really not want to give De Guzman any slack at all.

For example in his post game analysis after the Red Bulls game he did not even mention once that De Guzman was out of the line up and what impact that had on the result.


I wouldn't either so i can't blame him

ArmenJBX
08-24-2010, 10:35 AM
GAMEDAYYYYYY! :D

I couldn't get on the board for like, 2 days now! :D

I hope Panama is ready, because today, we UNLEASH THE GARGAN!

jloome
08-24-2010, 11:17 AM
I had a couple of responses to James' piece. The second basically was that it's arrogant and ridiculous to say only a coach can appreciate the proper tactical approach for a team -- when James has never had anything close to the level of exposure to technical and tactical play that DeGuzman has. It's just not that open-and-shut a case.

Here's how I'd judge the issue generally:

He has had good play, he has had bad play. He has not done as much as I'd like, but I also believe too much is expected of a guy who only found success in Europe once moved to defensive midfielder.

DeGuzman's strengths are reading the game, breaking up passing and delivering link-up play. If we play him two ways -- as Preki insists on doing with all his players -- it will benefit us little.

So does that make him the wrong player for Preki's system? Yes.

But Preki's system, while seemingly ideal for the highly athletic and tactically insufficient MLS, is unrealistic: other leagues have adopted specified roles to recognize and adapt to the technical and physical limitations of their players.

At his wage and contract length, DeGuzman is not going anywhere. Turn him loose in his proper role, as a holder and that's all. Play him with a central midfielder who goes forward the vast majority of the time (some guy name DeRosario might work, although another guy named Guevara would've been perfect) and he will be much more effective.

I'd also consider, Preki lovers, that our record is worse than this time last year, and it's a tougher league this year. The adapting has to come from the coach, or we'll be wasting the two technically best players -- DeGuzman and Mista, although DeRo's right up there -- on the pitch.

There are multiple other TFC players who aren't suited to "total football" or constant two-way football, or switching roles. Trying to treat teams full of U.S. players like they're just a bunch of athletic talent is close to the truth...but it won't benefit the long-term and ultimately they'll lose to teams where the coach knows and utilizes his player's strengths.