TFC Must Deal With Defeat
If the old cliché is correct, we’re about to see how far Toronto FC has really advanced.
The mark of a good team, they say, is how it responds to defeat and the Reds have some repair work on their hands. Games are coming thick and fast right now – players are hurting and others disappearing either for international duty or as a result of their own folly.
The DC defeat was costly in more ways than one and it is the task of Toronto head coach John Carver to now steady the ship before the next wave hits. He has made his soccer philosophy crystal clear in recent weeks – focus on one game at a time and pick your strongest team for every fixture. There’s nothing wrong with that attitude except, of course, your ‘strongest’ team is not always your best team.
Then there’s the issue of confidence and momentum. Just like the win in Los Angeles did not necessarily signal a new dawn, the loss in Washington should not be a cue to hit the panic button. But losing, like winning, can be habit-forming which is why Carver knows it is essential to bounce back quickly and regain the impetus that led to a six game unbeaten run. ...
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