Why We Give Up So Many Late Goals

[James17930]

We always tend to employ the 'sit back in a defensive shell' mentality every time we have a lead in the second half. We substitute an offensive player for a defensive player (Gerba for Robbo, for example, in Chicago), then sit back, do hardly any attacking, and try to 'absorb the pressure.'

Problem is, our absorption usually leads to goals against. Sorry, ALWAYS leads to goals against -- we lead the league in goals surrendered in the last 15 mins.

So why do we keep doing it? Why can't we attack for 90 mins? 'Offence if the best defence' sort of thing? Because we obviously don't have the defensive personnel or prowess to do what we always try to do -- why haven't the coaches learned this yet?

[Brooker]

how dare you call them coaches.

[ArmenJBX]

They haven't learned because it's not their job to learn. Mo has strict guidelines for what they as a coach should do. Being competent isn't one of them.

[Oldtimer]

They haven't learned because it's not their job to learn. Mo has strict guidelines for what they as a coach should do. Being competent isn't one of them.

[FCBarcelona]

It seams to be fitness,IMO TFC players look tired after 80mins each time oot. They switch off and we've lost at least 8-10 points because of poor play. Or on the other hand TFC player do not let the ball do the work, they do the work.....

bring on next season.............................

[James17930]

But I think they 'switch off' not because of fitness but because they've basically been instructed to; as if someone says 'okay, just keep everyone behind the ball and they won't score.'

But they always score.

[canadian_bhoy]

I think that one of the big issues is that TFC seems to only have one gear. Meaningless game, must win, division rival - it's all the same speed.

Teams like Chicago (good teams) have the ability to step it up in clutch situations. We don't. That's why they were in the conference finals and we were watching everybody loves raymond.

[brad]

It seams to be fitness,IMO TFC players look tired after 80mins each time oot. They switch off and we've lost at least 8-10 points because of poor play. Or on the other hand TFC player do not let the ball do the work, they do the work.....

bring on next season.............................

It's not fitness, it's the tactics that have us chasing shadows large parts of the match.

If it was fitness, we'd see the same thing in our home matches. We don't.

[trane]

But I think they 'switch off' not because of fitness but because they've basically been instructed to; as if someone says 'okay, just keep everyone behind the ball and they won't score.'

But they always score.

Keeping everyone behind the ball, does not mean standing around like TFC. It mean being tight on the opposing players. It means not letting them into the final third easily. It means countering, it means trying to keep posession slowing down the game by controling the pace, not letting the over team controlling the tempo. I agree with CB, we do not have a higher gear in offense or defense.

[James17930]

^ Yes, I agree too -- but I'd say that mentality that we don't have needs to come from the coaches, and it's not there. The coaches have to be riding their asses all the time in practice and in the games to get them going.

But I also think our strategy has to be 'Offence for 90 mins.' So regularly I see a team trying to defend a one goal lead by sitting back get burned (unless they're Peurto Rico). I just hate that style of play.

[Torcida]

Answer: The daily double

...wait, I mean conditioning. Yeah, that's right, I'm calling out Paul Winsper.

[Juanito]

Keeping everyone behind the ball, does not mean standing around like TFC. It mean being tight on the opposing players. It means not letting them into the final third easily. It means countering, it means trying to keep posession slowing down the game by controling the pace, not letting the over team controlling the tempo. I agree with CB, we do not have a higher gear in offense or defense.

Yep ... couldn't have said it any better. TFC have NO IDEA what it is they have to do to protect a lead. By the way, they lack creativity to score as well.

[MrHawk]

They did not say their prayers, eat their vitamins.

The funny thing is..........trane's standpoint is bang on. When teams know they need to defend, you do what it takes, for as long as it takes, until it gets you the W.

[SilverSamurai]

I see the same mistake that the CMNT made and that is by playing too offensively.
The Robbo for Gerba sub made me go, "huh"? I thought maybe Barrett would move up to striker and the team switch into a 4-4-2 but it was obvious quickly that, that wasn't the game plan.
Why aren't other subs used? I don't get that! And why only bring on a 2nd striker for 5mins. Hell even bringing Vitti on of all people might've done SOMETHING instead of playing purely defensive and trying to defend for 30somewhat minutes...

[MUFC_Niagara]

Answer: The daily double

...wait, I mean conditioning. Yeah, that's right, I'm calling out Paul Winsper.

....that is all.

[MUFC_Niagara]

They did not say their prayers, eat their vitamins.

The funny thing is..........trane's standpoint is bang on. When teams know they need to defend, you do what it takes, for as long as it takes, until it gets you the W.

And that is the pivotal point....a professional football club should be able to defend for 10-15 mins to hold a lead. It's not down to coaching, it's down to desire.

[James17930]

^ But is that the strategy they should be employing? Why not keep attacking, keep the ball in the opponent's end, farthest away from our goal? Especially in a league where there's so much parity you can't be guaranteed you can actually hang on that lead very easily.

[greatwhitenorf]

We have an indecisive goalie, and slow-footed central defenders. Plus players fat and out of shape.

Seen Gerba's waistline wobble when he runs?

Nacho, Nacho Man!

[trane]

And that is the pivotal point....a professional football club should be able to defend for 10-15 mins to hold a lead. It's not down to coaching, it's down to desire.

There is defently some of that, they seem passive and almost disinterested in defending. Garcia "hanging out" feet away from McBride is just one of the signs of the lack of desire to win.

[jloome]

This stuff all belongs in the Winsper thread. Same issue.

[Afra]

It is frustrating as hell to watch them try to defend a lead in those last x minutes after the get a go ahead goal. There is not a team in the city that can defend a lead (Leafs, Raptors, Argos, Jays, etc.).

Their intensity falls off although I am not sure that it is all desire, conditioning, or tactics. I think, unfortunately, it is all 3. Individuals seem to put up some effort but most play either lazy or timid - it looks the same when I am throwing stuff around the living room in frustration.

[TorontoBlades]

The defensive shell doesn't bother me....if used from the 85th onward. But it should be common knowledge that breaking it out at half time will lead to trouble