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Toronto FC rue costly defeat

April 20, 2009 02:20 PM | Posted by   Nigel Reed  

My mood reflected the weather.

Monday morning had dawned wet and windy as I drove my wife to work. She was almost out of the car and heading for her cubicle. My disposition improved - I was about to escape scot-free - the day would be mine to do with as I pleased. A tap on the window changed all that.

Reluctantly I lowered the electric window on the passenger side. It began.

"I just need you to do me a couple of favours."

Like Cinderella, I awaited the litany of tasks requiring my immediate attention. It continued: "Could you fold the towels in the drier and empty the dishwasher?"

I waited for the rest of the list, which failed to materialize.

That's it? No cleaning, no scrubbing, and no trip to the supermarket - I could handle that! True - the list was mundane but it was also short. All that was expected of me was to execute before picking her up from the office later in the afternoon.

I had all day to perform these menial tasks - the choice was mine, and as I saw it there were three possible options. I could do them as soon as I got home and get them out of the way; I could spend the day doing the things I wanted to do and get to them in a mad scramble before rushing out the door to pick up my wife. Or, I could not do them at all and spend most of the day working on a plausible excuse and apology strategy.

Not only was the choice mine, so was the responsibility. Execute, and earn a week's worth of brownie points, versus a lame and transparent excuse, which would risk the Wrath of Khan.

Which brings me, and Toronto FC head coach John Carver, to the heart of the matter - accountability.

Twice, in as many games against the same opponent, Carver has seen his team fail to live up to its end of the bargain. The self same "silly mistakes" of which he spoke some weeks ago have crept back in and are threatening to derail Toronto's avowed intent.

Poor marking for the first Dallas goal in Sunday's 3-2 loss in Texas - a lazy giveaway for the second left Toronto needlessly chasing the game. Chad Barrett's first goal of the season will have done his confidence the world of good, but it was rendered meaningless when "The Curse of the Late Goal" returned to haunt the visitors.

One could argue Marvell Wynne's handball was unintentional but all the debate in the world wasn't going to stop the referee, who gets a split second and no replays to make his decision, from pointing to the penalty spot. Kenny Cooper needed no invitation to thwart Carver's team from 12 yards for the second year running.

Responsibility comes in many forms. To add injury to insult, Dwayne de Rosario is set for a period on the sidelines after damaging the hamstring, which bothered him the previous week. I understand players want to play - DeRo clearly thought the muscle would not be problematic and convinced Carver he was good to go.

It's always a delicate judgment call for a coach, especially when considering the ramification of resting your most influential player. Hindsight is always 20/20 of course, but for the time being the decision is no longer Carver's to make. It's hardly the news he wanted as he tries to pick up his players and prepare them for a busy week starting with a visit from Chivas USA, the unbeaten MLS leaders.

It could be a blessing in disguise. Players on a losing team want nothing more than to get back on the horse, so to speak, and right the previous wrongs. A run of three straight home games will give Toronto every incentive to get that bad taste out of their collective mouths.

De Rosario's absence will be a blow but it will also hand an opportunity, perhaps, to Pablo Vitti, the young Argentine who has shown glimpses of his potential in a series of limited cameos.

As for me, the towels are neatly folded, the dishes have been put away and the brownie points are in the bag. Be warned, however. There is an inherent danger associated with executing too eagerly. The list gets longer next time.

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