Match Day 1 -TFC @ DC United - Saturday Feb 25 7:30pm - Believe, Believe

[tfcfans]

Just get a tie please.....

It’s like I know this team.....but hey let’s be positive - at some point you are what your record says it is — and for the last few seasons it says exactly what this team is......awful.....

Different players - same poor results off the back line and giving up way too many goals - we bunkered for the last 10 minutes and it cost us - at some point there has to be some pride here - there are how many former Captains in this squad ? Like 5 or 6 have worn the armband at some point ?! And yet with all the big talk of a new roster and new attitude you still can’t close out a game against the worst team in the league last year.....

[ag futbol]

I’m going to re-watch this one tomorrow for the hell of it. Not much to say tonight. Too early to draw any conclusions regardless of the outcome.

[Richard]

Y'all doom mongers need to chill.

Lets come back in 10 games to make a judgement.

[Oldtimer]

My Ratings:

Bernie 9
Laryea 7
MAK 6
MB 6
Akinola 4
Defence 6.5
Johnson 6
RPB board 4

[Phil744]

Disgrace ... DC are a horrible team

[Initial B]

Honestly, I expected this and I expect it for the next two games as players get a feel for one another. We're in for a slow start, with moderate improvements in results as the season progresses. TFC will be around the playoff line when the FO makes June signings that will either make or break the season.

[Hala Hrvatska]

Rooney with way less talent outcoaches Bb. Makes subs that win it. Not surprised and comical team defending at the end leaving two completely open guys to score.

We are are Fede injury from going into a free fall…

And DC is arguably the worst team in mls and we just lost. And Insigne is likely out a long time.

So disappointing. 🤬

[Oldtimer]

Disgrace ... DC are a horrible team

First game of a majorly rebuilt DC, it's a bit early to say that. Budget team, yes.

[gracos]

in our starting XI, 5 of our players made their TFC debuts tonight, almost half of our squad, can you imagine when we have time to gel and get things together how our team will be, yes it hurts not getting a point, but i certainly see tons of potential and if we can capitalize on 10-20% can only imagine of where this club will be, keep your heads high, it hurts but we can only learn and apply the knowledge and experience of tonight to make our team stronger

[DinamoTFC]

Took a break from posting for 5 months to ease my expectations and emotions. Looks like since last September not much has changed.

For 75 mins the defence and goalie were good. Rosted not a great game.

Midfield absolutely non existent. Bradley Kaye cannot be in same midfield. Too slow. Kaye very poor. Im really shocked by him. Bradley should be a second half sub never a starter anymore.

D- for coach Bradley. Horrible start to game. Horrible midfield shape. Took a 2-1 lead and played horribly open. Almost pulled off a lucky win due to Laryea and Fede brilliance.

Fuck that was a terrible way to end. Insigne injury makes it hurt even more.

[alex andrew]

wayne knows footie

[reggie]

hey at least we didnt give up 4,and the july window is right around the corner

[Oldtimer]

wayne knows footie

He learned from Alex Ferguson, one of the best of his era.

[reggie]

wayne knows footie

and bob should retire

[backbeat]

It's the first game of the season with significant changes to the group...CHILL

It's majorly disappointing not getting the 3 points or at least 1 but oh well, it sucks, big time... live and learn

this team needs a few games to jel

there's a ton of talent

[DavemTFC]

MAK much better in the second which was a relief. TFC adjusted well to DC's shape and to playing with Akinola wide. New guys all looked good though kind of disjointed as was everyone else. Oso was the biggest culprit on the last goal and Richie wasn't great on either

DC only created 2 chances at the end and scored on both of them including the last one when we were chasing a winner ourselves so there's an element of luck at play but this is the kind of game against a pretty shitty team we should be finding a way to win. Can only hope things balance out over the season and we get better as the new guys gel. I remain concerned about our depth, which we barely used tonight, and midfield, which was gappy and mediocre.

[Amir.]

absolutely wonderful second half by michael bradley...if hes not there the team doesnt have a chance to get back in it...kaye weak outside of open net goal and osorio invisible and even not defending which turns into 3-2...still there are positives and a lot of work to do as well as quality players...just gotta be patient and let chemistry build...we have a solid group

[reggie]

i dont see the positives....early injury.and allowed 3 goals v a shitty team .2 in extra time.

[James17930]

I'm not going to give up on the season based on one game.

The team needs to work on communication, that much is clear.

Yes.

But damn, this one hurts.

[SirBobSaget]

Rosted debut reminds me of Mavinga's first game where he was burned by Almiron.

Like where were the defensive subs/adjustements to see the game out? Vanney used to bring on Zav and go to a back 3, same thing Arsenal does with Holding. It was a cold difficult night why only 2 subs?

[jloome]

Rosted debut reminds me of Mavinga's first game where he was burned by Almiron.

Like where were the defensive subs/adjustements to see the game out? Vanney used to bring on Zav and go to a back 3, same thing Arsenal does with Holding. It was a cold difficult night why only 2 subs?

AS some have said, the proof is in more than one game. But I saw multiple worrisome signs tonight. We came out flat, without energy. Players didn't seem to adjust to the obvious lack of flow and coherence, the massive gaps between them and it looks like they were set up poorly tactically in the firs thalf.

We were playing kids, much like teams facing us last year. But their kids had belief and they came through.

DC looked motivated and played like they were there to win. We were disjointed and dispassionate until we were already losing and basically wasted a half of football.

And we stopped pressing after the 80 min, added a defensive body and sat back, which just seems suicide every time a team does it.

My rational side says give it some games. My cynical side says I've seen this too many time at too many other teams, that this system isn't going to work any better this year than last year, that our approach is too tactically inflexible for MLS rosters and that we lack a fighting spirit.

THere is such a thing as too much confidence and too much self belief, when it becomes arrogance. I've said it the past two years but the first half they looked like they were in another training match.

Teams reflect their managers, ultimately. I've seen very good ones get results out of a new group very quickly. This was not that.

[Canary10]

Probably good I missed the first half. I read the social media accounts and looked bad.

The half I got to see I thought we were pretty dominant. The last 8 minutes though (where did 8 minutes come from?!) was pure TFC PTSD. It’s like as soon as we go to defense first it’s all over for us. Ugh. We move on.

[Gringo Starr]

At least our LB issue seems resolved, and it would have been nice to have VV as an option last night but injuries will be an issue with older players. What irked me last night was watching the game knowing we don't have a full roster. We knew we are one major injury away from disaster and it looks like we didn't go a half without getting it. We are a year in and still have to give time for the group to learn how to play with each other since the back end is all new. I would have though bringing in someone with the experience and connections of BB we would at least have a complete roster going into season 2.

Oh and can we just get a Richie deal done already...

[Areathrasher]

It's funny that DC are dealing with injuries and waiting for depth signings so threw on a load of kids and were able to turn it around.

[OgtheDim]

To the Doom & Gloom brigade that only seems to show up around here when we are losing - go look at what happened to Austin.

The ability to close out a game is based on cohesion. New back line with a new keeper + a new mid - cohesion wasn't going to be there.

BUT - the inability to close out matches has been a problem with this team except when the leader around the back was Drew Moor. I have long thought that MB's on field leadership is the wrong type for these situations - something about his "we gotta" puts too much emphasis on personal responsibility & not on cohesiveness within the group.

I suspect Hedges & Johnson will be ultra pissed & make sure that this sort of thing doesn't happen again - some of the words of MAK afterwards indicate that process is starting already.


********************

Back line played well - Rosted messed up on the second goal by taking one step towards an incoming player (covered by Berni). But the last 10 minutes of MLS games are chaos generators that a guy coming in from Europe is not going to have dealt with ever. Hedges will help him.


To me, the obvious guy to replace to bring on a 3rd CB is MAK - not sure why that wasn't done.

SJ made a great save that nobody is talking about. And the back line listened to him.

Our LB is MILES ahead of where Auro ever was.

Insigne injured is awful - there is no way to replace what he does. This will test our depth.

Whenever on a crap pitch, since Vanney started, we always look like a team designed to play on pristine pitches that can not adjust - in this league in weather like this, teams MUST adjust to the field.

Akinola is what he is....he gets places & messes up sometimes & sometimes doesn't. But at least he gets places.

The midfield is what it is - slow.


I agree with jloome by and large though - this team is mentally arrogant. I think I heard a corner turn in what MAK said afterwards about attitude. I've heard a number of the CanMNT players that survived that Croatia game point out the attitude & cohesion of that group is something they are wanting to attain. It helps that the star player right now is Berni - he is not taking this league for granted.

I like MB & what he has done for this team. But now its time for him to not be front & centre leadership wise. It won't happen but he should have relinquished the captaincy this year.

[Canary10]

Petretta looked great. Good read of the game, knew when to pick his moments to get forward. Looks like a great signing.

[Yuushalinsky]

xG tells the tale of the game - horrible first half, great second half with the typical TFC-ness of the past two or so years. I hope this will get better and my eternal optimism still runs strong, but if that stoppage time doesn't scream 'here we go again', I don't know what does.

[stevep]

Rooney with way less talent outcoaches Bb. Makes subs that win it. Not surprised and comical team defending at the end leaving two completely open guys to score.

We are are Fede injury from going into a free fall…

And DC is arguably the worst team in mls and we just lost. And Insigne is likely out a long time.

So disappointing. 郎

I feel sorry for season seat holders. early indications are that this is going to be like last year
groupon has tfc tickets for $30 for the next 3 home games

[ensco]

Well, I only watched the Apple extended highlights (thankfully I guess)… some things I haven’t seen discussed…

The tying goal was totally a function of the newness of the team. Servania, Oso, Hedges, none of them knew who should follow di Pietro, which gave him acres of time/space to find Benteke. Similar sort of thing happened on the play where Santos hit the post in the first half, guys just sort of lost track of someone in traffic, and left someone unmarked in a dangerous spot.

SJ was weak on the first and third goals (especially that first one, I mean holy cow, Klich hit the back netting from distance without hitting the ball that hard)

Liked what Dio showed on that offside goal. Didn’t like what Ayo showed when he got loose and stumbled- he had a clear goal if he chips the keeper there.

btw the Apple highlight package is excellent, nice improvement over last year

[Mr. Inbetween]

Disgrace ... DC are a horrible team

First game of a majorly rebuilt DC, it's a bit early to say that. Budget team, yes.

I lean with Oldtimer on this. Not sure we can classify DCU 'horrible' without TFC carrying some of that same taint. Sure, on paper, first 11, by an individual player assessment, TFC should dominate. Still, remember, TFC finished second last in the MLS last season to DCU's last place. They both were... maybe still are... dumpster fires. TFC have undergone a rebuild that started last season and that has been carried into this season with 5 out of the 11 in the starting line-up in this match making their TFC debut. Likewise, DCU has begun their more budgetary modest rebuild essentially this off season; although one may argue it may have kicked-off in the last summer window. I believe at least 4 out of their 11 in the starting line-up were new teammates. So for me, with these few similarities comes some season starting parity; which DCU, with some luck... and our misfortune of a Lolo injury... capitalized upon for the win.

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