There were a lot of tourists in the supporters section. More than I have seen recently.Originally Posted by FootBallAZ
There were a lot of tourists in the supporters section. More than I have seen recently.
I disagree. Chivas are lucky, and I bet they don’t know it. In fact, it's the core reason I have for optimism.
Related comment. Bono got beat. OK. Can we not crucify the guy here? It’s pointless. Morrow and Bradley missed PKs in the MLS Cup, these things happen.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
Overall, we weren't great, but yes, we were fucked by the ref there.
This was the same ref who called our first game against Club America. The one who gave Gio the penalty that they all protested about.
I have a feeling he was 'making up for it' here, even though this one was even more egregious than that one. He sure seemed to think about it for a while.
I'm actually pretty shocked they gave this game to that same crew. Isn't it bad to have the same officials working games for the same team in a tournament like this?
Shouldn't it be a fresh crew each time?
That was hard to watch Chivas came to play & for the most part TFC did not expect it...
Bono 1
VDV 4
Moor 1
Mavinga 2
Auro Jr 4
Morgan 2
Bradley 5
Delgado 2
Osorio 8
Altidore 0
Giovinco 1
Thank you for the objective post and I completely concur. This was one time the banged up pitch hurt us, its going to be an uphill battle next week but going to summon my inner Roma and believe in the boys. We can still get this done.
This tournament format is also stupid, too many games in such a short period of time, should have at least a week off between rounds like in europe.
Giveaways. I lost count of how many occurred.
Bad changes from Vanney in my opinion. Aketxe is not the answer, this is not the game to experiment. Auro with his worst game by far. Yes we had chances, so there is some positive to take away. But overall that was a pathetic display.
Some thoughts
This was the worst game I've seen this team play in a meaningful game since the 2015 3-0 loss to MTL. Lot's of players played their worst ever games for us (Moor, Morrow, Auro,Van Der Weil)and pretty much everyone else was culpable except maybe Osorio, who I thought continued his pretty impressive form in spite of what was going on around him.
This extends to the coaching staff and Vanney. Whatever tests Mavinga and Morrow supposedly passed need to be re-examined. Morrow could barely run and Mavinga clearly wasn't ok to go the whole game which made which forced us to switch up our tactics when we shouldn't have. Then the choices Vanney made were honestly baffling. Morgan didn't seem to need to come off and was doing ok. Axetxe obviously has no clue what he's doing. They played with an empty bucket in midfield in the first half, so we decide to also do that for the second half? I really don't see the logic behind that.
This puts us in a very big whole when we had every opportunity to come away from this game with a good result. There's a lot of work to do, but I don't think it's impossible by any means. This team is good at learning from it's mistakes. No one is going to be suspended, which is huge. I've heard that many of the players were sick tonight and have been since coming from Mexico, Including Altidore who supposedly threw up multiple times during the game. Hopefully we get things sorted out and come back as the team that we know we are in the second leg. If we do that we can win easily. If we lose the plot entirely like we did tonight then things could get ugly as we push for goals and they hit us on the counter.
Still very much up for grabs. Let's see what happens.
Ok, that makes more sense. He just shut down in the last ten minutes and wouldn't even chase stuff that was near him, only balls right to him. And he threw up. So maybe it's more painful than he's letting on.
Not over yet but we did dig ourselves a hole. Really should have scored a second. Would love to have Vazquez, but I doubt he'll be available next week. While I agree that Hasler might have been a better sub, maybe Aketxe coming in earlier and leaving in Morgan would have been better. Could have used his shots from outside of the box. I have to say though, I was impressed with Chivas, as bad as they may be in their league they certainly played a good game here.
I share this same view. This first 15 minutes were just horrible. We started as flat as could be. We have to be much more clinical in the return leg. The last 10 - 15 minutes before the half, Chivas were desperately hanging on for their lives. Had we bagged a second before the half, we would have ran away with things. But we didn't and such is football. It looked like Jozy was also battling a stomach bug tonight. I hope he is able to recover for the second leg.
This game was calling out for someone of Vazquez's quality. Our passing was off tonight. Granted, a large part of that is due to the pitch, but it seems like we are not picking our heads up to find that quality pass.
It's also sad to see everyone coming out of the wood work willing to crucify Bono over one mistake when it was largely because of him why we advanced against Club America. Or have we already moved past those 4 or 5 huge saves?
We have a full squad that are determined against a Chivas squad who will surely just bunker the second leg. The early forecast for the 25th is 33° during the day and 15° at night with clear skies.
The chance to write the ultimate finish to this story can be done, but we must play off the front foot and dictate the game. I have faith and will not stop believing but we have our work cut out for us.
All For One
I'm very disappointed, this was not a great Mexican team but they did what they had to and ground out a result. Honestly Vanney, don't play unfit players! we were hampered from the start. A fully fit Jordan Hamilton would've been way more effective than a max 50% Jozy which was what we saw last night. Forgetting injuries I do not understand why Delgado is still starting as his form has been horrendous so far this season and can someone tell Seba to get it past the first defender on corners occasionally.
Felt the same. A little disheartening watching our passing fail us. Normally we make better choices or at least hit them firmly enough. Finishing let us down as we had chances to put Chivas away before Bono's miscue on the free kick. Heads up. If we have ever had a team that could do what is necessary to win the thing in Mexico it's this one.
Vanney indicated afterwards Altidore & others got a bug when in Mexico last week. Jozy spent a good chunk of the first half throwing up. Somebody in my area said "Suck it up Jozy" & then we all went "Maybe not"
The narrative this week will be "You don't have a chance" but Chivas coach is having none of it.
I'd certainly not write us off just yet, if anyone watched the euro CL 1/4 finals, they'll know exactly what I am talking about. Whole game was a bit surreal. It was really the first game we've played mexican sides where we expected to beat them. The whole pregame narrative was this team missing some starters would come bunker and foul, went out the window once game started. For first 15 min they hit us hard. That was our first mistake. They had a sub keeper in nets, we should have been testing him right from the kick off. Few crosses into the box, few shots from distance,he didn't look the steadiest of keepers and the conditions wouldn't have helped. Credit to the team they came back after that awful start and we should have scored. Jozy wasn't right, last 10 mins he should have been brought of, but on another night he grabs 2 goals. Giovinco should have had a peno, Delgado had a good chance early in 2nd half. That one passing move that started with I think VDW and Bradley in our own third was beautiful. The crowd was very flat tonight, didn't seem to get over that poor start. We had an off night against a vert tactically astute team, yet could easily have scored 2-3 more goals. The problem we have with Altidore is we don't have anyone else we can play there if needed for 90 mins. Ideally what we need is a player who can play midfield/wing but can cover the striker position if needed. A bit like Son does at Spurs for Kane. Ricketts isn't a 90 min player for me, he's a super sub at best. Chins up, can we score multiple goals at their place, be tough, but I'm looking forward to it.
I needed the night to calm down.
This was the most disappointed I've felt since the 3-0 loss in Montreal. I have to admit that I'm pretty sure the series is over - Vanney didn't have a solution to the defensive scheme, TFC reverted to their early 2016 form in the first 5 minutes, and Bono made an unexpected gaffe but after how many saves he bailed us out of over the course of the tournament, I'm willing to cut him a lot of slack. My GK son criticised him for being too far off his line on the free kick when he didn't have to be.
That said, all they need is two away goals. If the pitch is in decent shape, I think they could do it, and I don't see them giving up more than a goal in the second leg. But you know that Chivas is going to man-mark and park the bus. One thing they did better than TFC was they played with more desperation and that is going to continue down in Mexico. TFC players have to look themselves in the mirror and ask: "Who wants it more?" and lay it all out on the pitch next week. I don't care if Vasquez still has a knock, he plays next week even if he reinjures himself and he's out for months. Nothing else should matter except doing whatever is takes to win by two goals in Mexico.
Only way we get VAR in the CCL is if CONCACAF pays to install multiple cameras in all the Carribean and Central American teams' stadiums.
Vanney got outcoached, but giving up a goal off the whistle is going to wreck anyone's plans. Vazquez is the magic sauce and without his creativity, the attack just seems weak.
Both the Chivas' goals were fluky. If TFC can play better than last night (we know they "can" in terms of talent , but "can" they giving injuries, etc) there will be goals. Enough goals? Probably not but it shouldn't be a wipe out in the second leg.
If Vazquez (with two zeds, not an s and a zed) plays in Mexico we have a chance, even if they bunker.
I don't always agree with you... but I do 100% here. I also feel like I was watching a different game, at least for stretches.
Everybody, think about how difficult things looked at the start of this tournament in February. Due to our draw, we knew we could be facing 2 or 3 powerhouse Mexican teams, if we could even make it that far. It seemed like a fun, but likely hopeless adventure. Who really thought we would make it to the final round?
We're playing Chivas again in a week. We need at least two goals (and let in less than we score). Tough, but to me things still look much more possible than they did in February. Let's remember how far we've come, and how much we've enjoyed the ride.
Once safe standing is introduced we need to create one main group that everyone falls under like the Timbers Army or ECS. Existing supporters groups can still exist under their names, but everyone needs to band together in one area so that everyone is on the same pace and so that the chants can catch on throughout the stadium. It sounds really bad when RPB are 2 seconds behind Inebriatti or when RPB and Inebriatti are singing 2 different chants at the same time.
Chivas played exactly like we did in the away legs against Tigres and America. Solid defense and use their pace for the counter attacks.
I can't see Vazquez playing at this point, even if he's recovered from the injury. He'll be off game pace and will need to be worked back in. It's unfortunate, we've really missed him.
Auro was fouled on their first goal. Instead of flopping he goes on his knees and is half asleep. Then the missed penalty call. Bono gaffe, Altidore could've got a penalty too. It's too bad the Uzbek ref didn't stay I predict we'd at least be in this one if not have come out ontop.
What was with the crowd last night btw? Crowd support was terrible. As disjointed as some of our play was. (I mean the crowd a whole, not the south end).
It wasn't solid defense, TFC should have had four goals.
(Could say the same about our game at El Volcan, btw, boy we were lucky there. Difference is, we get another shot, Tigres didn't)
Last edited by ensco; 04-18-2018 at 09:10 AM.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
hard game to watch
concacaf refs
fatigue and injuries/ illnesses finally catching up
missed chances
bone headed mistakes (poorest games in a awhile from Bono [who needs to really work on his clearances and passing] and Marky.
Is Osorio and Giovinco the only ones with a fire under their asses?
Morrow is rusty
Morgan is a genius at fouling without getting cards (beautiful elbow to the mouth of deserving Chivas player)
But man, that field was terrible. Passes just weren't getting through. i hate to say it but turf would have been better for this one occasion
Last edited by C.Ronaldo; 04-18-2018 at 09:10 AM.
they were much more pumped up
The scoreline was not reflective of the game at all. We should have won 3-1 or 4-1. Uncharacteristic soft goal let in by Bono was a backbreaker.
We're really up against it now going into the second leg, but if we play to our capabilities, there's still hope.
Definitely more than just the last 10 minutes. In the first half he was standing around bent over and going back and forth to the bench...I'm surprised they didn't sub him at half.
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