Four games with no goals and four red cards is yet another worrying sign for Toronto FC as they stumble through their preseason.
For the desperate fan looking for some positives?
Well, there are still 10 days to go before the season starts.
Plus, with tonight’s starting lineup there was some pace when attacking. Gives them the option to play survival soccer in the short term – drop off and counter attack. Having said that, you still need to get the ball in the net to win games.
So, whichever way you look at it there is a long way to go.
If the team represents the personality of the coach then Preki needs to be careful because there sure seems to be a lack of discipline. Two straight red cards in the preseason indicate there is an issue somewhere along the line.
If your team is weaker in terms of talent or if you lack depth then you need to get everything else right if you expect to be competitive. This should include on-field discipline. Amadou Sanyang’s red card was deserved and a complete waste. Do that at BMO then expect the fans to react.
If there is benchmark of how to maintain comfortable possession while attacking and penetrating the opponent's back four then DC United set it for TFC tonight. They were composed and assured and used width intelligently. The contrast once TFC regained possession was significant. No real method or pattern of retaining possession, just the willingness to initiate a counter-attack every time, even if it wasn’t on.
Marginal improvement over the Charleston game. However, playing most of the game with 10 men contributed to this. Confidence will become an issue if it is not already. So Preki needs to get the team firing quickly .
Player Assessments
Stefan Frei
Another comfortable performance and really could do nothing about the goal. Distribution was good, particularly when facing awkward back passes from his own defenders. The positive from the preseason is that he has been relatively busy which should keep him sharp for the opener against Columbus Crew in just over a week.
Nana Attakora
Not his best performance but still looked the most mature defender of a makeshift back four. Gave the ball away too easy and his first touch was questionable at times.
Adrian Cann
An improvement on Nick Garcia? Time will tell. Sure looks quicker. Tendency to ball watch and appears almost pedestrian when he needs to be alert in transition. Ability to defend was better than his ability on the ball. Overall, an inconsistent performance but worth keeping around for a while. A mature attitude.
Ty Harden
A steady performance but unlikely to have any kind of impact as a full back. Centrally at the back is more suited for him. On-the-ball composure is a shaky to say the least which is a big flaw to have if your team needs to build-up play.
Alessandro Zamperini
Uncomfortable performance. Too erratic to be a long-term solution, especially as an international. No problem with his toughness. But his decision-making on the ball and his vulnerability in defensive one-on-one situations will make him a liability as the season develops.
Julian de Guzman
Lively, energetic and a bit more direct with his passes. When numbers were even de Guzman ran the show and was able to penetrate DC’s back line with clever balls through the gaps created by good runs from out wide and up front. Still needs to be more direct with his runs off the ball. He needs to take risks with this which requires a change in mentality. Where he doesn’t need to take risks is in the defending third where he gave the ball away a few times. If this is not corrected soon it will be costly.
Nane Joseph
Looked dangerous with his pace and willingness to get forward early in the game. Finds space well especially when on the counter but again it is the technical issue. Has to be to finish off the play. Final pass or delivery needs to connect in order for him to be effective beyond his pace, athleticism and mentality which are good.
Fuad Ibrahim
Like Joseph he is fast but again could not have an impact. When he went into centre midfield as a result of Sanyang’s dismissal he looked a liability as his defending was poor in his own end. A project for sure but his pace will always be an asset worth gambling on.
Amadou Sanyang
Wasted outing by a moment of madness. Good athlete and is hard working but also looks clumsy with some challenges. Long way to go and needs plenty of game experience.
Dwayne De Rosario
So-so performance by the veteran star. Still doesn’t look completely 100 per cent but even at half tilt he is still effective because of his pace and willingness to work. Sometimes still gets lost at times as he drifts into areas he shouldn’t and the team begins to lose shape. Will be critical for Dwayne to stay forward as much as possible otherwise TFC will never score – at least until they get other recruits.
O’Brian White
Better outing than his sent-home teammate Ali Gerba but always seemed to fall short right at the end. Definitely showed pace and mobility which looked like it could trouble teams at the back. Needs to improve the technical and tactical parts to his game in order to take advantage of his athletic prowess. Requires more game time.
