Pre/In/Post-Game 6: TFC @ PU; Sat., Apr. 13th @ 4pm

[lobo]

1. Duncan Fletcher ‏@DuncanDFletcher10m
   @KurtLarSUN @JohnMolinaro I really hope nobody uses that excuse. they knew it was vacated. someone has to step up to fill that gap.
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2. Kurtis Larson ‏@KurtLarSUN8m
   @DuncanDFletcher @JohnMolinaro It's not an excuse, rather, a reason for the disarray. They should have coped, but it's still a talking point
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3. Rudi Schuller ‏@RudiSchuller3m
   @KurtLarSUN @duncandfletcher @johnmolinaro I'm with Kurt on this. TFC defends that better if they actually have a full amount of defenders.

Sums it up too.

Well, Rudi's point is just a little too obvious, but it misses the real point ... we were a man down, we have to deal with it. But we left our far post undefended on a long throw in, failed to clear the ball, we had 3 or 4 players not marking anyone, ball watching, still not defending the far post. I could see it coming.

We didn't need to mark the thrower, or the full backs, we needed to mark opponents in the box, and we had enough players to do that, but we failed. Carroll, Casey, then McInerny all touched the ball in our box to create the goal, while several of our boys watched it. Hell, we've left the far post undefended in previous games with 11 on the pitch. This goal was scored from a throw in, we had time to organize defensively, it should not have been disarray. It was a failed clearance and opponents left unmarked. We couldn't handle the pressure.

Look at the play that led to the throw in, cross came in from the right and Casey was open at the far post for a shot on. Then on the throw in, Hall heads the ball right to unmarked Carroll who puts the ball back in to Casey who redirects to open McInerny. And it's the refs fault?

Ref was shit, but he didn't let that goal happen the way it did. We were poor all game, lucky to get a point. We have to be better going forward.

[skypilot69]

I'm personally not buying the WHOA is us BS- we never get call stuff. I've never cringed more than this year seeing the guys whine about ref calls on the field. What is it with this group of players? There shit is getting old.

The club that saved the MLS? Who? A MLSE owned team? I would say Seattle has done more to save the MLS than anyone else. They are the star franchise.

Believe me I am no fan of MLSE. However, check out how the league was before TFC. (Soccer Moms and a day out for the kids. No football supporters) TFC showed mls how a real football atmosphere was/is supposed to be. Seattle, never would have come up with the atmophere that was created by the TFC supporters. All teams since have cottoned on to what was happening in TO. The problem was that MLSE had no idea how to harness it and take advantage of the situation by bringing in the right management team from the get go and achieveing the instant success that those that follwed them into the mls!

[bimmer]

I was impressed by Richter's play. Obviously a small sample but if that's the type of quality we can expect from him game in and game out, I'd much rather see him on the pitch over Morgan. Credit where credit is due though, Morgan wasn't terrible today and of course, had the assist.

[smtavare]

The one where Bendik grabbed it on the ground, and then the Philly dude essentially kicked it out from under his arms, and into the back of the net? I strongly disagree. I watched that one back a few times, and I think he made the right call.

I do think we were pretty fortunate today, despite the officiating being atrocious. Yeah, Morgan shouldn't have been sent off, and we should have gotten all kinds of calls that the inept ref ignored or gave the other way. But we also looked like we were playing prevent defense out there, the way we fecklessly let them come at us over and over again. Our one goal was an unexpected lobbed through pass that Earnshaw managed to cash in on like a champ - no real buildup. Philly, on the other hand, had been taking it to us for about 20 minutes, before they finally got one through. With us, it was fortunate. With them, it was almost inevitable.

- Scott

This Exactly!!!!!

[ensco]

On the disallowed goal, Bendik didn't grab the ball.

[ensco]

Points we have: 6

Points we should have : 4

If Osorio and Silva don't come on against L.A., we lose. If Braun doesn't come on against Dallas, we lose. Those are the results if Nelsen doesn't make those subs. The facts speak in direct opposition to your point.

Also if Silva and Braun did nothing then nobody did other than Earnshaw. They were both as involved as the rest of the team (i.e. not too much). And Braun provided decent hold up play on long balls which I thought was quite visible and which Earnshaw can't provide. I'm not saying Braun should be starting but I think you're being too harsh to try and salvage your point.

Points we should have: zero?

We have been decisively outplayed in every single game this year, but have only lost twice.

Nelsen and the team deserve a standing O next Saturday for their results to date. It is massive outperformance. We are not a good team. But we are a plucky team.

[notthesun]

The disallowed goal isn't even worth discussion in my opinion. Unlike the equalizer, that play was a direct result of a blown call by the official (the red card to Morgan which gave them the free kick). The entire play was illegitimate so the sketchy call to disallow the goal is simply due justice.

edit: ^ensco, I agree we have more points than we probably should on the balance of our play. I was just talking about only in the context of Nelsen's subs.

[Yohan]

I'd be very surprised if nelsen doesn't get at least a fine for criticizing the ref in his post game interview

[OgtheDim]

On the disallowed goal, Bendik didn't grab the ball.

Uh....I watched that on MLS live during the match and slowed it down. He had the ball, dropped it then got control again along the ground only to get the ball kicked out from under him.

Standard free kick against the attacking team.

[cochrdoc]

The ref made the right call not counting the goal.The keeper just needed to get a finger on it on the ground to have control,Which he did when it was kicked in.Our problem is we still give up to many goals and allow alot of goals in the last 15 minutes.We just seem to go into panic mode and kick the ball down field for the defenders to collect and bring it back to create chances.Bendik saved our bacon and deserves to be number 1.Our mid field seems to be the major problem.We do not hold possesion well or create chances.Has Reggie Lambe played yet this season.He does a good impression of a ghost dissappearing.We still need stronger cm`s and wingers.

[JoeyB]

Believe me I am no fan of MLSE. However, check out how the league was before TFC. (Soccer Moms and a day out for the kids. No football supporters) TFC showed mls how a real football atmosphere was/is supposed to be. Seattle, never would have come up with the atmophere that was created by the TFC supporters. All teams since have cottoned on to what was happening in TO. The problem was that MLSE had no idea how to harness it and take advantage of the situation by bringing in the right management team from the get go and achieveing the instant success that those that follwed them into the mls!

Then who will save TFC and it's declining attendance? 10th last year in the league and I doubt the club will match last years this year.

[Couchy81]

Bendik is the man. Great performance, almost had a heart attack at the end and he made that smooth save on the breakaway.

On the disallowed goal, I agree with the ref, he had his arm knocked while trying to grab the ball mid air, then again got knocked trying to grab it on the ground.

Earnshaw is Earning his paycheck.

Everyone else played mediocre, but it was a nice assist from Morgan on the goal.

[JoeyB]

Yeah...How's that workin' for them this year? Still 0-fer on the year, is it?

I think they're drawing 43K a game so far. SO pretty fucking good. How's the 16K working for MLSE? For years that all TFC supporters talked about, sure the team is shit, but the place is packed. It was how the franchise was defined. Are we moving goal posts now? That we have a grand total of 4 points more than them after playing one more game?

[khso11]

Seriously, the ref ruin the game, HOW THE FUCK is that a red card? But at the end of the day, I don't know what happened to the team, if Freddy Hall was in net today, this game could've been over in the 30' (no offence to F.Hall, not mls material). I'm sure that Nelsen has one more sub to make, and he could've use it to slow down their momentum.

[ensco]

Uh....I watched that on MLS live during the match and slowed it down. He had the ball, dropped it then got control again along the ground only to get the ball kicked out from under him.

Standard free kick against the attacking team.

OK I'm just going to say one more thing, then drop this Rashomon-like discussion. If any of the bolded events actually occurred, then you and everybody else would be right. But no neutral would agree with any of it. I also don't agree with the point that the free kick was illegitimate. Morgan's play was a foul. But it wasn't a yellow card.

Nelsen's post-game was a shame. I hate blaming the ref, and it's especially irrelevant for a team with so many issues. The ref did lose control of the game, by calling it too tightly.

It was a good game for TFC. But the expectations machine is starting to chew everybody up. I don't like where this is going.

[notthesun]

I also don't agree with the point that the free kick was illegitimate. Morgan's play was a foul.

Sorry but I have to absolutely disagree with this. I saw it live and it wasn't a foul, I watched the live, zoomed slow motion replay and it wasn't a foul, and I've watched it multiple times in the highlights and it's still not a foul. He simply won a header. Didn't jump over his back, didn't hit him in the face with an elbow or anything. I don't know who the Union player was but he just flopped at the contact, he was looking for the call the whole way.

[ginkster88]

Just watched the game in six..

The only thing worth saying about that game is Holy Shit Bendik... that and Robbie Earnshaw has to be the biggest signing this team has ever made at forward.

[Nerepis]

The Ref seemed totally out of his depth, there was a bunch of very chippy fouls to start the game with no calls. A couple of fouls called in the first 5 minutes (maybe a yellow) then both teams would've calmed down and gotten down to business. But instead, chippiness turns into ugliness then you get what we saw today. Buddy needs to go back to the pub leagues and high school games a little longer to learn his craft.

[Ajax TFC]

How many points do we have and then ask how many points should we have? What did Silva do this week BTW? Nothing. What did Braun do this week BTW? NOTHING. Braun played 90 minutes and did NOTHING. That goal was a one time event. The change should have been made at half time on Braun.

Have you actually seen the TFC roster?

[brad]

On the disallowed goal, Bendik didn't grab the ball.

Even Ives - the biggest pro USA/anti- TFC said the red made the right call.

I think he said (after watching it repeatedly) that it was called back for the foul befor Bedbik was in the ground.

[brad]

Just watched the game in six..

The only thing worth saying about that game is Holy Shit Bendik... that and Robbie Earnshaw has to be the biggest signing this team has ever made at forward.

After Kovermans - sure.

[Relja]

Im reading a bunch of posts from the Union fans on facebook and all they have to say about TFC is constant diving and how the ref screwed them out of a victory......its kinda weird how supporting your team gives you a different perspective on what actually happened...


I personally thought Union played better, but also think the ref was heavily heavily on their side.


However one thing both groups of fans can agree on is that the officiating was awful

[Blizzard]

I shit you not, this is the actual game three stars on mlssoccer.com and its explanation:

1	Joe Bendik	A statement game from TFC's No. 1 goalkeeper. Kept the Union from blowing the game wide open.
2	Jack McInterney	Questionable call denied him one goal, but he got the late equalizer anyway. His star continues to rise.
3	Conor Casey	Picked over Robert Earnshaw because he was far more effective thoughout 90 minutes, despite a scoreless day. Far more effective? I swear, nationalism is a nasty intoxicant sometimes.

Wow. That is certainly a lame explanation re Conor Casey. LOL. How many goals did he score? Where on the scale of "effectiveness" does the elbow to the throat of O'Dea rate?

[DoubleUp]

Officiating bad.

subs bad.........Imo Silva and Osario need to be on the field at the same time, so Ephraim or Lambe should be sacrificed to make that happen. It could be fitness levels but neither of the latter have shown enough to justify playing more minutes than Silva.


Earnshaw is a Gem and he should be serviced as such, what we have going on is a waste of the mans time and talent.


Meaning we need to get real creativity on the field.

[khso11]

I shit you not, this is the actual game three stars on mlssoccer.com and its explanation:

1	Joe Bendik	A statement game from TFC's No. 1 goalkeeper. Kept the Union from blowing the game wide open.
2	Jack McInterney	Questionable call denied him one goal, but he got the late equalizer anyway. His star continues to rise.
3	Conor Casey	Picked over Robert Earnshaw because he was far more effective thoughout 90 minutes, despite a scoreless day. Far more effective? I swear, nationalism is a nasty intoxicant sometimes.

i understand why sometimes the refs are bias, but the league doing this? I mean comon, they're trying to gain more fans for the league north of the border, but make these stupid ratings.

[notthesun]

Casey looks like an MLB designated hitter that's suddenly asked to steal 2nd. Being a big target man is one thing, but Casey looked less mobile than Frings post-hammy strain. Like if you asked a slower Andy Iro to play striker.

[FluSH]

Im reading a bunch of posts from the Union fans on facebook and all they have to say about TFC is constant diving and how the ref screwed them out of a victory......its kinda weird how supporting your team gives you a different perspective on what actually happened...


I personally thought Union played better, but also think the ref was heavily heavily on their side.


However one thing both groups of fans can agree on is that the officiating was awful

Philly is the new enemy... I can't stand them. I told my wife before the game that this was going to be a physical game...(based on me watching MLSLive games) And it was. People need to see the highlights of other Philly games... They are just plain dirty.

[David_Oliveira]

Regarding the disallowed goal. I thought the ref called it for the contact in the air/Hand Of God from the attacker. At least it looked like he hits the ball with his hand

[ensco]

^I don't see it, but I could see how that could be the call. It wasn't under Bendik's control ever.

My real point is about the way people feel overall. It's not good to be conceding goals late, but it's really not good to be conceding much of the possession and the quality play.

Harping on the refs, or the lost points, or generally acting like the team is a contender that is being held back by refs or player selection or whatever, just creates an atmosphere of expectations that is directly related to "win now" and puts stupid pressure on the FO. Payne and Nelsen are only human, they will give us what we want. Let's be thoughtful about what we want.

This season should be an utter writeoff, but Nelsen is holding it together until we do gel (and maybe get a reinforcement or two). I feel great about how TFC is doing, and don't care about the lost points. Hell, against all odds, I think we're not going to be out of it come summer.

[tfc007]

Same view friend,We are horrible going forward and still allowing shit goals at the end of the game. this season starting to remind me of the Pricki era. Boring football! If things don't change Nelson will be gone before end of season, 6 points in six games is not good enough for any league in the world.