Post game thread: DCU 3 - TFC 3

[TFC Cityboy]

Iro looked like a drunk staggering home on that penalty give-away.
Dreadful performance from him, otherwise lots of positives this past 2 weeks.

What odds would you have got of a MeRo hat-trick AND JDG scoring??

[Alonso]

Penalties scored are not the fault of the keeper. A perfect penalty is impossible to save - the shooter should never miss. So let's get off Frei for this. It's complete BS.

I agree.

But he's never been close. And for a player who is close to the top of his game he needs a part of his game to improve, and this is the weakest to address.

To me he is one of our best players. If he is looking for a part of his game to improve, this is it.

[ArmenJBX]

Iro's face said it all at the end of the game. He's disappointed with himself, developing some confidence issues for sure.

This is where great defenders are made. Face of adversity. You've hit a low, now work harder and find your high.

3 penalties conceded in 3 games for the man. Must suck having to sleep thinking about that level of mistake.

[ag futbol]

The keeper punched it out, what else was he supposed to do? It bounced off his own defender right to Marosevic. Why is it ridiculous?

He's supposed to catch the ball or punch it clear. not jump in at waist height and punch it into his own man standing 4 feet away from him. That's incredibly poor situation awareness.

[Pachuco]

Iro's face said it all at the end of the game. He's disappointed with himself, developing some confidence issues for sure.

This is where great defenders are made. Face of adversity. You've hit a low, now work harder and find your high.

3 penalties conceded in 3 games for the man. Must suck having to sleep thinking about that level of mistake.

JimmyB - I think you need a new Avatar. Please change your Avatar. Save Iro!

[ManUtd4ever]

And if that was the result, we wouldn't be having this conversation. But it wasn't.

My problem is this post suggests that if we get rid of Iro we'll start winning games 3-1. The reality is, this team can't defend. And it can't defend as team. Iro plus the rest of our defenders aren't very good. But I also fear that tactics has something to do with it as well. There's a reason why every CB that's been tried in that position this year hasn't looked very good. I'm certainly not ready to say this team is a playoff contender if we replace Iro. This game showed that we have much further to go.

Oh, and I disagree on the goals we scored. I don't know how Koev's and Maro's goals can't be considered gifts. I don't think either player will score an easier goal this year. And I also don't think JDG's goal goes in with a 17 year old rep keeper.

I was only referring to tonight's match. As for the nature of the goals scored by both clubs, we'll agree to disagree.

[ArmenJBX]

JimmyB - I think you need a new Avatar. Please change your Avatar. Save Iro!

Believe me, I google image'd him already.

I'd rather see Harden go. Iro with a technical defender beside him (LIKE CHAD MARSHALL) works. We saw it with Columbus for years.

Harden just blows balls.

[Pachuco]

He's supposed to catch the ball or punch it clear. not jump in at waist height and punch it into his own man standing 4 feet away from him. That's incredibly poor situation awareness.

Pretty much how I saw it. Incredibly ackward punch. Goal Keepers are absolutely held responsible for dealing with rebounds as best as they can.

[Pookie]

If we get rid of Iro, maybe it makes a difference TONIGHT.

Truth is that not one of us can predict the future and a guy that has been on the bench for most of the season and spent a total of 22 hours in a plane, 4 hours on a bus and through quite a few time zones in a week might, just might, have an off night.

I won't give up on a guy under circumstances like that.

[TFC USA]

Iro's face said it all at the end of the game. He's disappointed with himself, developing some confidence issues for sure.

This is where great defenders are made. Face of adversity. You've hit a low, now work harder and find your high.

3 penalties conceded in 3 games for the man. Must suck having to sleep thinking about that level of mistake.

With this lot, I have no more patience for stupid terrible inept play.

Iro is another of a long list of sub-standard jokers Toronto FC employs in the backline. He needs to go.

I like your (sometimes delusional) positivity but I'd rather play one of the RPBers at CB than Iro.

[Alonso]

You're right penalty kicks are largely a guessing game. I've just never seen a goalie guess wrong every single time over the course of roughly 80 games. I'm not mad at him. I just find it utterly baffling.

Exactly, in my mind he commits too early.

[ArmenJBX]

With this lot, I have no more patience for stupid terrible inept play.

Iro is another of a long list of sub-standard jokers Toronto FC employs in the backline. He needs to go.

I like your (sometimes delusional) positivity but I'd rather play one of the RPBers at CB than Iro.

It's 90% trolling

[Alonso]

Observations:

DeRo deserves our respect - he showed us respect tonight (I bet he would be happy to come back to T.O.)
Iro needs more time or I have to stop my man crush for Mariner
4 games without a loss = progress
Frei is not a well rounded keeper until he stops a PK
As a team, we looked tired
We don't look like we studied our opponent tonight - our tactics we mediocre

This is all succinct and to the point in my opinion.

Nice!

[DOMIN8R]

We have had some bad defensive luck. Cann, Williams, Borman, Gargan, Iro, et al....

[ArmenJBX]

I just want to remind people.

Frings is fucking awesome.

[Belfast_Boy]

If we get rid of Iro, maybe it makes a difference TONIGHT.

Truth is that not one of us can predict the future and a guy that has been on the bench for most of the season and spent a total of 22 hours in a plane, 4 hours on a bus and through quite a few time zones in a week might, just might, have an off night.

I won't give up on a guy under circumstances like that.

I hope you are right. personally I can't see much better coming from him. Iro is a hazzard. he looks very uncomfortable out there.

Props to Dero, miss that guy.

[Pachuco]

Exactly, in my mind he commits too early.

I don't actually ever remember Frei guessing right. And yes, that's a skill. So I agree with you, it's something he could work on. Not the end of the world, but if there's something he needs to better it's him reading the players better. It's mind games, and he seems to be losing that battle right now.

[PopePouri]

And the best CBs we've had are gone (Serioux and Nana).

What a joke of a club.

Yeah. Nana would never have gifted DeRo those goals.

[TFC USA]

We have had some bad defensive luck. Cann, Williams, Borman, Gargan, Iro, et al....

At what point is it not luck but just bad management?

The last three mentioned should never wear an MLS shirt again.

[Alonso]

DC managed to tie a game when their goalkeeper gifted us two goals as well. Can we not get off this? Is there really no other point anyone can make around here?

Dude. All things being equal, we played well then no? On the road? With Dero having us in his marks?

[Beach_Red]

If we get rid of Iro, maybe it makes a difference TONIGHT.

Truth is that not one of us can predict the future and a guy that has been on the bench for most of the season and spent a total of 22 hours in a plane, 4 hours on a bus and through quite a few time zones in a week might, just might, have an off night.

I won't give up on a guy under circumstances like that.

Yes, this is true, and how tonight's game is handled is very important. In a salary-cap league every team is going to have some weak links. This is the kind of situation where we see if Winter is a good MLS coach, if he can get better play out of guys who made mistakes or had off-games. I think he will.

[Alonso]

It's funny because...Tim Ream would be perfect.
And to be fair...so would Dejan Jakovic.

Ok. Sign them up!

LOL... I know, we need some time.

[jloome]

Yeah. Nana would never have gifted DeRo those goals.

LOL, well, not THREE anyway.

[Globetrotter]

Go watch the replay of Peri's goal. While everyone is celebrating, DeGuz is sitting cross legged on the bench with his hand on his chin. Not even a smile. Says it all.

[Serb_Star]

We've had a million different defenders this season and still our defence has been shit in every game, a lot of the blame has to go to Winter.

[ag futbol]

We've had a million different defenders this season and still our defence has been shit in every game, a lot of the blame has to go to Winter.

I agree here, there has to be more strength in the system. If your defenders are crap, start dropping your mids back to shield the backline more.

Can't continue to beat ourselves by giving weak players the opportunity to fail.

[DangerRed]

Dude. One player gifting two goals to the opposition is hard to come back from.

But we actually did it.

I was looking for a post that sums up what I'm trying to say, and this one is definitely it.

For as long as the level of expectations here remains so low as to say that coming back from a shitty defender gifting two goals is an achievement, we'll never demand more from this team.

Approach this from another angle: if someone told you that three DP-having team, with a brand new defense, allowed THREE GOALS AGAINST A 10-MAN (for 95 min) SIDE, but held on to a draw, is that a commendable performance?

Much of our offence was invisible and the fact that we allowed three opportunities for DC to exploit our defensive weakness is what you should be worried about. This result is a much bigger disappointment than just Iro.

Shouldn't international superstar Torsten Frings be bossing the midfield of an MLS team with a guy down? Shouldn't Ryan Johnston and Danny Koevermans be running circles around a terrified bunker defence protecting a terrified backup keeper? Shouldn't our overhauled backline be shutting down every ball coming in from a team that's attacking more for the sake of keeping the ball out of their half rather than actually trying to score?

But again, you're right and I'm wrong. It just needs more time. Teams are rebuilt in at least a year. Winter is making progress.

Right?

[TFCRegina]

Why is Iro being blamed for the first goal? Watch the game tape again folks.

Torsten Frings didn't do his job with respect to Dwayne De Rosario. Onus is on him.

[PopePouri]

Why is Iro being blamed for the first goal? Watch the game tape again folks.

Torsten Frings didn't do his job with respect to Dwayne De Rosario. Onus is on him.

Can't blame just Torsten. The entire team fell asleep.

[Alonso]

That doesn't mean that we won't be offering him a contract!

So essentially what you are saying is that Winter and Company gave up Dero in a trade for Tchani, who was traded for Iro, who will be released at the end of the season?! So we got nothing in a trade for DeRo, essentially?!

You can't tell me that the TFC management don't want Iro to be a full time player for TFC after this season...there is no way they would have given up all that they have, and NOT want him as our full time CB!

Well, while this is true, they also cleared a lot of cap space by letting him go that will allow for better player acquisition next year.

The benefit is just simpy letting him go. That clears $330,000 to sign three very competent CB's.

Don't get me wrong though, I would entertain signing Dero for this club again. He has simply proven himself to be a game changer over, and over again.

I wish he could be more though. Maybe the timing wasn't right. What if he joined us next year for the first time?

That would be gold.