Do the research, not only is this Transformer accurate, it's funny.Tonight is special. Meaningful footie? Check. Beautiful weather? Check. Chance to get a scalp of a club that, on paper, is far superior than TFC? Check. Gorgeous women around? Triple check. Like I said, special.
Predictions : not a sellout because the red fever in this city is for MLS league matches only. One questionable substitute. 3 shirtless in 112. Someone hating on my "DeRo Was His Name-o" song incorrectly. 1-1 draw.
Your starting XI:
Conway
Usanov - Attakora - Cann - Hscovanscivicosicvics
Labrocca - DeRo - deGoo - Saric
Mista - OBW
Usanov - Attakora - Cann - Hscovanscivicosicvics
Labrocca - DeRo - deGoo - Saric
Mista - OBW
3' - GOAL - WHAT??!?! Pinball in the 18, sees a cross from Labrocca (I think) to DeRo (I know) to Mista (I think) that's on target but punched away by Gutierrez which falls onto the path of a wide open Saric who puts into an equally wide open net. Welcome back Martin.
9 - Mista runs across the face of the box, lays it to DeRo who crosses it in front of OBW, who couldn't get to the ball due to quicksand, I'm sure.
17 - Ro is now predicting 2-0. Mainly because he missed the first goal. Victoria, with a new tatt on her foot is calling for 1-0 and painkillers. Good combo.
21 - Hscviancoviciscs goes down heavily in a challenge getting Villaluz booked. Unfortunately, Raivis dislocated a vowel.
29 - DeRo lays another ball to OBW, but got run off the ball due to slow-motionitis.
31 - Another ball to OBW that he doesn't get to due to a clubbed foot.
32 - Appeals for penalty ring out around the ground, but the ref gets it right as deGoo gets hammered outside the box. Ensuing free has a Mista effort just left of goal.
Quote:
~ Victoria, and yes that is her twitter account
40 - First real meaningful attack from the visitors. Cross from Cruz Azul, Pinto picks it up and pops it around Attakora to Biancucchi, prompting an excellent glove save from "King Kong" Conway. That man is to size what Usanov is to punching, I swear.
44 - GOAL - Mr. Raivis (I can't be bothered to look up his name) passes to Mista who slides a low, slow and accurate ball to the bottom left corner and out of Gutierrez's reach. Magic.
1 min of extra time
Half-time mood : Reds say what?! We're winning.Quote of the match:
- Are you a vegetarian?
- I am a vegetarian but I eat pork.
- I am a vegetarian but I eat pork.
~ Dom recants a convo overheard on the train to BMO
53 - Saric is really taking a beating out there. He's gone down hurt for about the 4th time at this point.
55 - Gimenez has a go from the right of goal and Conway leaps to palm it away. That looked like a top flight save.
64 - SUB - Saric out, Vanilla Peterson in. This is must be a lack of depth thing, but Saric has had a good battle out there tonight. Deserved round of applause for the Saric.
65 - SUB - Mista out, Nane in. See previous comment about depth. Mista gets an even greater round of applause as he had a great game.
73 - YELLOW - Vanilla gets booked for wasting time at a throw in. Seriously? You start time wasting this early? Want to lock up a game Preki? Score 2 more goals.
78 - SUB - OBW out, Ibrahim in. See previous comment about depth.
86 - Conway with a punched away save and on the counter attack, DeRo kinda sorta throws himself to ground fishing for a penalty but the ref said play on. Unimpressed.
90 - GOAL - Though the updated 6-3-1 formation that Preki instituted couldn't hold shape in a jello mold, Gimenez curls a pretty ball over the wall and buries it well past Conway. Great free kick.
3 mins of extra time
90+2 - YELLOW - DeRo and someone on Cruz Azul get into a wee kicking scuffle in the corner. No one hurt but the ref wasn't having any of it.
Full-time : Toronto 2, Cruz Azul 1
Man of the Match : Mista. Bar none. He was a class above all tonight.
Goat of the Game : O'Brien White. I want to believe that he's not a bad, slow player, but he had no chances because he couldn't get to them. And he couldn't get to them because a plodding giant forward isn't suited for this 4-4-2 run and gun style of play, it's suited for run down the wing (we have no wingers), cross into the middle and have the giant go up and get it. He probably bags goals all over the park in training. He probably baby-sits Preki's kids. He probably is the best coffee barista at the club. This does not make a starter. If there's a pundit who can explain it to me, I'll be the first to apologize.
Ref Rating : 5 out or 5. Screwed up no major calls. Screwed up no minor calls. A welcome change from the MLS discount refs we get around here.
Injuries aside, where is our depth? I would be shocked if anyone who has season tickets at BMO rates Ibrahim, Peterson, Nane, Gomez, Sanyang at all. Yes, we are not coaches. No, we don't know the chemistry or why Preki loves these guys, but this is our bench. I can forgive OBW as a choice in an injury crunch (and maybe Gala needs an attitude adjustment if the rumours prove to be true) but our bench doesn't strike fear into the hearts of paranoid schizophrenics, let alone the opposition. When these guys come in, no one sighs with relief. No one goes "oh, that [player name here] is quality, we'll be fine".
I know depth has been an issue with TFC since the beginning of time (or 2007), but with the talent the team possesses right now, our starting XI makes me a believer that TFC is a contender to win it all. No bullsh*t. But when injuries arise, the options we have make me no more or less comfortable when we were looking to Hemming, Rosenlund, Melo and their ilk to help out.
And to those injured : please get well soon. Henry will be here on Saturday, and he needs to be stopped.
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Great Post but, I'm not with you on the Refereeing. Call every single Azul dive and gave a yellow to Dero when he clearly didn't deserve one. The lines man on the west end a one point looked at the ref to make a "Out of Touch" call.
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