SoccerTFC's poor defending cause for concern

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From a coach’s perspective, it is a time to experiment a little bit. It allows the coach the freedom to play different combinations of players together to see if they are a good fit. It is generally understood that the final pre-season fixture will give a much truer indication of a team’s relative strengths and weaknesses, as well as their likely starting 11 for the first game of the season.

That being said, a game is a game, no matter when it occurs. And while every player is capable of having an off day now and again, if mistakes become frequent, there is cause for serious concern.

Like most other TFC supporters, I have only had the benefit of seeing two pre-season games this season - both via the internet - so I am hesitant to pass judgment on what little I have seen. It is impossible to get an accurate picture of a game without being there in the flesh, because so much of the game, especially from a defensive standpoint, happens outside of the scope of the camera.

However, at the risk of stating the obvious, I still have serious concerns about TFC’s ability to defend.
The first goal that was conceded to New York Red Bulls on Saturday was a textbook example of how not to defend a corner kick.

Nick Garcia had no idea when the ball was kicked because he wasn’t even looking at it. His full attention was focused on trying to grab Juan Pablo Angel, something that is not only against the rules of the game, but is also just bad defending.

As a defender, when you are marking on a corner, you have to get touch-tight with the attacker. By that, I mean that you need to be close enough to him to be able to touch him – it’s a great way to know exactly where he is and when he is getting ready to move.

But you also need to be in a position where you can see both the ball and the player.

If you focus all of your attention on one or the other, it will inevitably result in disaster. Watch the ball, and you will have no idea where the attacker is. Watch the attacker, and you will not be able to track the flight of the ball in order to clear the danger.

Garcia did the latter, and all it took was a dip of the shoulder, a little bit of movement, and Angel left Garcia trailing in his wake. A good jump, a strong downward header, and New York were off to the races.

From a defensive standpoint, the second goal wasn’t much better.

The right back, trialist Dan Gargan, was caught out of position, allowing an unchallenged cross from TFC’s right to come in behind the back four. Who do you think was first to the ball? An unmarked Juan Pablo Angel, who dutifully dispatched his second of the game. (He went on to grab a hat trick in New York’s eventual 4-0 win.)

As a defender, it is imperative that you do not only your own job, but that you also cover for those around you. That means that when one of your players makes a mistake, as Gargan did, you get yourself in a position to cover his back.

TFC’s two central defenders, Garcia and Ty Harden, failed to account for Gargan’s mistake, which allowed the lively Angel to slip in between them. While I have to give credit to Angel for sensing the opportunity – he is, after all, the best striker in the league – it is a problem for TFC that such opportunities are still occurring on such a frequent basis.

The optimist in me points out that if Nana Attakora can play up to the standard he set last season, he will occupy one of the two central defensive positions. But the pessimist in me is scratching my head wondering who his partner is going to be.

Maybe Mo Johnston has a signing up his sleeve? Let’s hope so, because what I’ve seen so far is definitely cause for concern.

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