Match Day 34 - Atlanta @ TFC Sunday Oct 28 4:30pm - When All Else Fails..

[Initial B]

^ I wish I could rep this so hard.

[JuliquE]

Ashtone is a class act , and has gone far , considering he went to a high school that wanted to drop soccer . He never had the pampering of many ‘starlets’ in MLS and across the waters . He simply worked hard with what he had and did a marvellous job with what he was given . Never saw him yell at his teammates , like some on this team . I’m glad he could get a return in a sport he loved and on TFC , which he loved .

Would be nice to see Moor & Mavinga actually play together. Without Almiron, Atlanta has issues moving the ball forward. Especially on that cow patch of a pitch.

This is not going to be pretty football.

*********

Its not

TFC unless its raining

TFC unless the GO trains stop

TFC unless the subway is partially closed

TFC unless its warm

TFC unless the pitch is crap

TFC unless we are not in the playoffs

TFC unless the Toques run out

Its TFC till I Die


Well if we are in here, we ain't dead.




TFC till I die is really easy when the team is winning, on a good pitch, in the suumer, with the offence humming and the defence solid.


I don't go to TFC games because its easy


I go to TFC games because its my team


*******

Hope to hear you all from 221 on Sunday

These two posts are why I come to this forum.

A special thank you to OgtheDim for holding it down, not just here, with your wonderful match-threads, but also on social media and in the sometimes dreaded MLSsoccer.com comments-section.

I really hope we can shock everyone and, despite not being close to full strength, give ATL a proper hiding.

[Oldtimer]

So we have to win and hope the NYRB lose or draw to have our best ever MLS point total usurped just one year later. I find that hard to take.

I find that REALLY hard.

TFC breaks a record that had stood unbroken since the early years of MLS, for 19 years, an incredible achievement. To have that potentially broken just one year later makes it feel like less than the stunning achievement that it was.

[Joe Kool]

I find that REALLY hard.

TFC breaks a record that had stood unbroken since the early years of MLS, for 19 years, an incredible achievement. To have that potentially broken just one year later makes it feel like less than the stunning achievement that it was.

If all else fails, we were the first. Let's just go with that. Bunch of copy cats coming after us.

[Oldtimer]

The records being chased:

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/...-records-stand

[ensco]

I find that REALLY hard.

TFC breaks a record that had stood unbroken since the early years of MLS, for 19 years, an incredible achievement. To have that potentially broken just one year later makes it feel like less than the stunning achievement that it was.

It wasn’t that impressive a record. 20 wins and 9 draws in 34 games is not that unusual a record by global historical standard. Nobody in MLS had ever spent like we had, and guess what, now others have too.

That win/draw rate probably gets you third or fourth in the EPL most years.

[Oldtimer]

It wasn’t that impressive a record. 20 wins and 9 draws in 34 games is not that unusual a record by global historical standard. Nobody in MLS had ever spent like we had, and guess what, now others have too.

That win/draw rate probably gets you third or fourth in the EPL most years.

It's true that spending was part of it, but you can't compare a non-salary cap league like the EPL to MLS. TFC could only spend unlimited on 3 players, not 25. It's a better record than you are implying.

Leicester's win of the EPL is probably the biggest win of this decade, just because the gap between the top 5 and the bottom is so great.

[ensco]

^I have a rule. He who mentions Leicester first in any soccer debate loses. ;-)

Neither our points record, or Atlanta's, impresses me.

NYRB's does - they did it without spending, and with a CCL run. My hat is off to them.

[Areathrasher]

^I have a rule. He who mentions Leicester first in any soccer debate loses. ;-)

Neither our points record, or Atlanta's, impresses me.

NYRB's does - they did it without spending, and with a CCL run. My hat is off to them.

How much did they pay for Kaku?

[tfcfans]

I too was bemoaning the fact that our points "record" was going to be beaten in the following season and then I remembered something.....there is a STAR above our crest, it will be there forever - something NYRB (who have been successful for many years and have won multiple Shields), and AU (whose fans have been spoiled rotten coming out the gate) don't have - and 70 points or more won't put it there - something most of us never imagined ever becoming a reality in 2007-2013 - we went from "the worst team in the world" - to the top of the mountain in as exciting a fashion as we could have ever imagined - and while staying at the top "forever" is a really nice dream, most teams do not, this was TWO years of hosting the Finals (people tend to focus only on 2017 and forget how great 2016 was where we only lost to a great save and a crappy "coin-flip" ending where we deserved a better fate).....my goodness, how spoiled are we? would any other fan base not trade what we had the last two years (maybe Seattle and even then, we got to witness our Championship in our Stadium - something I'm sure they would have loved to do)? Would any other Toronto-based team not kill for two Finals appearances and one title in back to back seasons (never mind a Shield, Canadian Championships, and a hell of a Concacaf run).....Sign me up for my Stanley Cup and NBA Championship now please for 2019-2020, and I'll happily miss the playoffs in 2021.....

The point is, we all know this year sucked, a lot of us have been around through a lot of "suckage" in this city with our sports teams and most especially this franchise; if one year of crap after two years of pretty much all glory (or close to it), is going to turn you away from supporting this team, then enjoy hopping on the Atlanta United bandwagon or whichever other glory chasing team you are now apparently a fan of; I'm sure you'll be in your Golden State Warriors Jersey (can you identify Chris Mullin in a lineup? if not please move along), your Tom Brady jersey? (I'm sure you're a huge Pats fan - what number was Steve Grogan by the way? or Anrde Tippett?) - please just move along.....being a fan, or supporter in this culture, means we support, not only when it's easy, but when it's difficult, frankly 2018 was much easier to handle for me than a season like 2011 because I don't have to ever ponder the question - "why can't we be great?", "why can't we just win once in my lifetime?" --- I've been saying that as a Leafs fan my whole life, my brother was literally born the day after the Leafs won the Cup in 1967 - sometimes it can literally be a lifetime of waiting and supporting with no payoff --- no one is entitled to a Championship, lots of luck and circumstance and good fortune go into these things, the wrong injury at the wrong time to a key star, a bad bounce or deflection, a bad call by an official (looking at you Kerry Fraser), a simple mistake made by a normally awesome performer --- on rare occasions does it all come together to end in glory --- the Dodgers just spent an entire season getting back to the WS after losing in Game 7 last year (sounds like us in 2016), now they might be done in a week to the Red Sox after all of that climbing back to the top of the mountain again, with no payoff --- they've waited 30 years now and that's a wealthy top spending franchise; imagine how it feels to be a fan of a non-spending team trapped in the wilderness of decades of mediocrity (some would say that was the Jays until 2015-2016 - ha ha ha)......

If Atlanta or NYRB don't win the Championship - I'm cheering for the West frankly hoping for that end --- will anyone really care that they had 70-72 points? - my hunch is no - it will be a footnote --- just like how the 68 point team in LA didn't win the title.....and FYI neither team won their domestic Cup so the Treble record is still ours.....Atlanta beat a USL team and then lost to their first MLS opponent at Home, NYRB beat one MLS opponent and then lost to their second MLS opponent in the US Open Cup (before anyone wants to tell me the Canadian Championship is a joke - at least we beat a USL team and an MLS team over two legs) -----

All is not lost - we will support - that is what we do - things could be way worse, we've been there before; we will make our way back......

All FOR ONE

[paul-collins]

It wasn’t that impressive a record. 20 wins and 9 draws in 34 games is not that unusual a record by global historical standard. Nobody in MLS had ever spent like we had, and guess what, now others have too.

That win/draw rate probably gets you third or fourth in the EPL most years.

Get back to me when EPL has half their away games a 3h flight away.

What is impressive for our season last year is that no one else was even close. This year there are two of them chasing the record.

This year there were a lot more teams *giving* points up than last year (us included), so of course there were more points on the table for Atlanta and NYRB. 4 teams are below the bottom of 32 points established last year.

The rate of draws across the league was lower this year as well... Last year 24% of the games finished in a draw, this year it's 21%.

Last year we should have smashed the record, but didn't because of the losses to Montreal and New England in September.

[ensco]

To each his own.

To me, getting to 3 finals in 16 months, and not losing any of them, is the record that has real power.

Let's see who else does that in the next 50 years.

[paul-collins]

To each his own.

To me, getting to 3 finals in 16 months, and not losing any of them, is the record that has real power.

Let's see who else does that in the next 50 years.

Oh absolutely.

To me the relevance of the point record isn't that it is held for a long time, but that it was a long time unbroken. Think about the 4 minute mile... once it was demonstrated that it could be broken, it was done with regularity.

But to win the Voyageurs' Cup, Supporters' Shield, MLS Cup, and very nearly the CCL all in one run is what stands out for me. The points record is more a reflection of that dominance than an expression of it.

[Canary10]

To each his own.

To me, getting to 3 finals in 16 months, and not losing any of them, is the record that has real power.

Let's see who else does that in the next 50 years.

We also only won one. If we had won 3 or even 2 the conversation would be different.

[ensco]

We also only won one. If we had won 3 or even 2 the conversation would be different.

Thats a different question. We could have had a different place in history, sure.

I am talking about the place we do have. Which for me doesn’t hinge much on the points record

[TFC Tifoso]

I find that REALLY hard.

TFC breaks a record that had stood unbroken since the early years of MLS, for 19 years, an incredible achievement. To have that potentially broken just one year later makes it feel like less than the stunning achievement that it was.

first (and so far only) team to win the treble in MLS history.....and nobody can EVER take THAT away from us!

[gracos]

Please put out your bench today TFC and we will see you next year

[starter]

We also only won one. If we had won 3 or even 2 the conversation would be different.

I would add a few championship finals to that as well.


They have to be worth something aside from CCL berth

[Hamilton_Red]

Let's hope Seattle doesn't go far into the playoffs. If they make the MLS Cup final again this year they will have a serious case to make for being the best team over the last 3 years.

TFC has not demonstrated that they can sustain success and renew - our attempt at raising the bar this year was a big failure. The renewal this off-season is going to be critical. I hate to think what it will look like if we return to our historical norm.

I'm still hopeful - this team has a bit of an obsessive personality (aka Bradley) and when the obsession was MLS Cup we were amazing. Then the obsession was CONCACAF...maybe correcting the loss is the new obsession? Maybe that is what we need to fix next season. Once that obsession was gone we had nothing left this year. Getting the changes right this year will be crucial.

[glaze]

Hoping they suprise us with a replica ring.
Kinda irritated ssh got nothing special for a championship.

[Red CB Toronto]

Hoping they suprise us with a replica ring.
Kinda irritated ssh got nothing special for a championship.

Yeah that would be great. Of the four MLSE teams to win Championships in the last two years, TFC was the only one to not do a replica championship ring give away, the Argos, Marlies and Raptors 905 did. I got one of the Marlies ones and it actually is quite nice.

[OgtheDim]

Tomorrow isn't about 2017. That ship (and the replica ring idea) has sailed.

[OgtheDim]

GAME DAY!!!!!!!

[Oldtimer]

In the sun
In the Rain
We will always call your name

Through the thick,
and the thin,
We are loyal to the end.

For the boys
on the field
for the boys ON THE FIELD
Oh we sing and chant the legend TFC!

[69Chevy396]

I find that REALLY hard.

TFC breaks a record that had stood unbroken since the early years of MLS, for 19 years, an incredible achievement. To have that potentially broken just one year later makes it feel like less than the stunning achievement that it was.

Another sad outcome for a team that sacrificed everything for that ccl run.

[ensco]

Another sad outcome for a team that sacrificed everything for that ccl run.

It was worth it

[Canary10]

We also only won one. If we had won 3 or even 2 the conversation would be different.

Good point.

[Smokecell]

The wheels really fell off this year both in the table and in the stands...hopefully for one last time this year we can all bring it and let the boys know we appreciate them. I fear a 14k crowd drowned out by ATL supporters if the fire sale stub is any indicator.

[notthesun]

Man, where was that luck during the season huh?... Perfect deflection on Janson's shot directs it towards the corner and with outside spin to curl it around Guzan.

[ag futbol]

And finally, we get some luck.

Interesting look from the team today. A different style of play than what we’ve seen throughout the season.