SoccerThe good, the bad, and the inevitable

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Remember those “silly mistakes” which then head coach John Carver vowed to eradicate at the start of the year? Carver’s been gone nearly six months – the problem persists virtually on a weekly basis.

Remember the “exciting soccer” general manager Mo Johnston promised even before the team had been assembled for the expansion campaign? Once in a while, the guarantee is fulfilled.

Toronto’s innate ability to be consistently inconsistent was parcelled neatly in the space of 90 minutes during a game they had won, almost contrived to lose, and ultimately emerged with a share of the spoils.

Goal of the season

In the spirit of keeping things on a positive note until the mathematicians tell us otherwise, let’s begin with Toronto’s goal of the season. This, and any other season for that matter. Classic counter attack, executed to perfection. Rarely, if ever, have I seen this team break so quickly with such purpose and fluidity.

Chad Barrett was both the initial and final link in the chain, and almost as if he knew this was a move of exceptional quality, the much-maligned striker kept his side of the bargain with a clinical finish against his former team. Dwayne de Rosario and an alert Ali Gerba (yes it was Gerba – not Marvell Wynne as has been widely reported) led the supporting cast while Barrett’s lung bursting run from his own half speaks volumes about his commitment to the cause.

From the good to the bad. In fact 'bad' is too good a word for it. Having been gifted the lead early in the proceedings, the visitors managed to return the favour in the most infuriating fashion. When he joined Toronto from San Jose in June, Nick Garcia freely admitted he wasn’t the most gifted player in Major League Soccer but insisted what he lacked in terms of skill he made up for in experience, communication and leadership.

With nearly 300 games under his belt, Garcia doesn’t need to be told how to deal with a ball floating in from the flanks more in hope than expectation. Similarly, he doesn’t need me or anyone else to remind him of the choices he had versus the decision he made. Or perhaps indecision would be more appropriate. It was a ghastly error, Garcia knows it, case closed.

The final 15 curse

From the bad to the inevitable, which – again - featured the unfortunate Garcia. Toronto FC has shown consistency in at least one category during 2009 – the ability to give up late goals. It was a trend made fashionable last year and has been successfully modified this term to accommodate the arrival of several players new to the concept.

I’m not a huge fan of soccer stats but, on occasion, they can be quite revealing. For example, and this should come as a surprise to no one who follows this franchise on a regular basis, 14 of the 40 goals conceded have been allowed in the last 15 minutes. That’s a sizeable 35 per cent of all goals scored against TFC in 2009 have found the net in the final 17 per cent of regular-season games.

Brian McBride’s header merely added to the percentage imbalance, which surely cannot be purely coincidental. Is it an issue of fitness or focus, a combination of both, or an unrelated ailment which, too often, prevents this team from seeing the job through?

Of course there are tired limbs, but isn’t that the same for both sides? Let’s not forget we’re talking about professional athletes whose whole week, and lifestyle for that matter, is geared towards being able to last an hour and a half with some energy to spare.

I can only conclude doubt creeps in where it has no place. Bad habits are hard to break and negative energy is tough to conquer but, regardless of your profession, when you know there’s a chance things will go awry based on past experience, you’ll try and batten down the hatches before disaster strikes.

Now, the waiting game

In soccer, the natural tendency is to protect and defend what you hold, particularly on the road. To that end the temptation is to defend deeper and in greater numbers, but that can defeat the purpose since it clearly invites pressure and offers little respite with fewer players available to relieve the siege.

It is, in my opinion, these defensive inadequacies, rather than a lack of goal scoring which threatens to derail the playoff dream for another year. It surprised me to learn that only three of the teams currently occupying the eight post-season berths have scored more goals than TFC. Every one of them has conceded less.

Every one of them has a game on the weekend leaving Toronto players and fans alike to watch, wait and hope the landscape does not alter significantly before San Jose comes calling on Saturday week.

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