That was my son's first game.
What a disappointment to show him that version of TFC!
That was my son's first game.
What a disappointment to show him that version of TFC!
Originally Posted by shwade
Both of you have different levels of patience with the team.
Now please do it minus the name calling.
Thank you.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
Very good comment. I don't like it when people try to use possession as a statistic that tells the whole story. The problem is, possession is determined by many different factors, not the least of which being team strategy. Now, some teams will be built to score after a lot of buildup, those teams play more possession based soccer, and will have higher possession win OR lose (since so many passes can be made while accomplishing nothing). Other teams play more defensive/counter attacking/direct strategies. In that case, the team's game plan might be to let the other team have as much possession as they want, but rely on your defensive to break up attacks and your speedy forwards to punish teams for pushing. So, even if a game goes PERFECTLY for a counter-attacking team, they will likely be destroyed on possession stats.
For this game? NER played well. They got the goals they needed, and sat back absorbing our pressure, while keeping options open to capitalize on our defensive lapses. There was a period of time in the second half where TFC were started to build momentum, but even that was killed because NER were able to take advantage of our mistakes. Scoring 3 goals on 3 shots on net doesn't mean they got lucky, it means they take their chances when offered.
I think you're right though. As entertaining as our team is right now, we need to have at least a middle of the road defense to allow our (admittedly pretty fucking great) attackers the chance to do their job. If we're even, our attackers have a good shot at scoring first (given a little time). If we're up, our attackers can usually keep the attack on. Once we're down a goal though (especially early)? The other teams are starting to realize they can just play defensively, causing us to open our defense even more, and inviting more goals against us.
Sorry. I'm just tired of my relative, rational confidence about this current regime being construed as blind optimism. It happens at least once a week.
This from Wheeler: "It was the 18th goal conceded in the first 30 minutes of a match this season by Toronto; the seventh goal given up in the first 15 minutes. A second first half goal conceded made it 26 goals given up in the first half of games"
That's a serious concern. We have only scored first in eight games. Eight! And I think it is fair to say there is a coaching issue there. Lets hope Vanney figures it out because we have the firepower to go deep in the playoffs if he does. But the jury is out because his team had the same problem last year.
Our real defence still hasnt played together very much. individually they seemed pretty good last night, collectively they fall apart like a house of cards.
I think morgan / jackson deserve to be back out there
Findley did better, but his timing and reaction speed is stil God awful. No idea why he is starting
Both were injured, I believe. Jackson would 100% have played yesterday if healthy and that would probably have meant a change in tactics. I think the club is taking their due diligence to make sure everyone is healthy and ready to go come playoff time. We'll be a different beast in a month.
Why? That's not a logical leap. The players haven't changed over that time; it could be just as easily the case that we signed shit defenders. Which we did. People are nuts if they're complaining about Vanney's tactics after that game. WE had 21 shots! We gave them two goals with boneheaded mistakes and should have won 4-1, walking away.
Could have, would have, should have. Good teams find a way to win. Time for the squad to put up, or, shut up. Anything less than a fourth place finish in the east....barring a long term injury to Seba...would have to be considered a disappointment.
I still believe this roster can do it. Question is...do they?
Playoffs - home game would be nice - but playoffs are the goal.
Exactly. The tactics were solid, given what we were up against and with what we had. In fact the adjustment that Vanney made with how the forwards positioned themselves at the start of the second half was masterful. Too bad they couldn't score.
Vanney's made a lot of mistakes, but this game isn't one of them. This one is on the players.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
Oh man, I just read this thread, I kept away, and just commented in the Vanney thread. I have to laugh, year after year, it comes to the same shit. We cannot defend.
Hamilton_Red already voice my opinions on the issue. So I will let it be. But somehow we thing possession and shots are signs of a good game. They can be. But in this case, as often, they are the signs of one team sitting back and defending and scoring on the counter, which New England did.
We are blowing another season.
The point I was making was that nearly every game, with two different teams over two seasons, Vanneys teams go behind in the first half. I don't think that is to do with defenders alone - decisions like playing Bradley up when there is no DM contribute to our defensive railty. And I was at this game. Yes, we dominated after falling behind, but that is due to their tactics too. We have played 29 games, scored first in eight, gone behind in twenty, I think almost always in the first half. Its a serious issue and NE was an example. Yes, once down 2-0 we were dominant but so what?
Exactly. And playing Bradley up with no DM, forcing Altidore to defend deep on occasion, was the coaches decision. Should we have been depending on Jozy to defend? Is that the right way to set up a team?
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