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Saturday, June 4, 2011

AFTER 90: Nothing up the Wizard's sleeve

A Wizard can't change his rainbow stripes

IN THE TUNNEL:
The main question coming out onto the pitch was whether the temperature would be colder than the reception for Teal "Judas" Bunbury - this is what it sounds like when two poor MLS clubs meet...
 
ON THE PITCH:
1' - This can't possibly be June as a less than capacity crowd actually need their scarves for warmth - not festivities, Kick-off...
3' - Late-comers revel in fact that Dan Gargan not starting
8' - Supporters voicing their displeasure with "The Son of Alex Bunbury" catches the eye of the Nu-American forcing a sly grin
11' - Ten minutes have passed without allowing two goals. Better than last week then. Improvement!
27' - Joao Plata with a (very) rare opportunity on goal but hits the side netting. Both teams seem to have forgotten that they're supposed to score actual goals
36' - TFC takes yet another terrible corner kick. They must practice those right? At least play them on FIFA 11?
42' - Really shouldn't be able to see my breath in July.
44' - Really shouldn't have to see these too very poor clubs pretend to have a clue for more than another few minutes
 
HALFTIME: TORONTO FC 0 - SPORTING KC 0
 
Note: During the halftime break, a local squirrel ran onto the pitch, darted straight for KC's net and launched itself into it causing the crowd to erupt. Best scoring drive of the night.
TORONTO FC 0 - SPORTING KC 0 - SQUIRREL 1
 
47' - Maicon Santos drives in on KC goal but a last-minute tackle from Chance Myers stops him. Ironic name.
52' - Total Nonsense Football
58' - Mikael Yourassowsky with a very rare shot on target but saved by Sporting GK Eric Kronberg
60' - Many people demanding the squirrel's return
65' - Maicon Santos turns into Mike Sanders then back into Maicon Santos with poor dribbling, followed by an amazing side-step past two Sporting defenders and a hard shot saved by Kronberg. The man's a Brazilian enigma.
66' - SUB: Little Joao Plata leaves for Medium Nick Soolsma
68' - YELLOW CARD: Still waiting for the corner kick from the Maicon shot and Tony Tchani gets booked for Unsporting Behaviour. Possibly for not being on Sporting? Kick finally taken. Weak.
69' - YELLOW CARD: Richard Eckersley who has looked about the only passionate Red out there is booked for a rash tackle
75' - SUB: The increasingly frustrated Eckersley comes off for the eternally frustrating Dan Gargan
80' - Simply horrible football to watch on both sides.
85' - Watching TFC hang on to a draw AT HOME to THE WORST CLUB in the league is frustrating to be very polite
90' - SUB: Nana Attakora goes off injured (oh crap) and is replaced by Doneil Henry
90'+ - Henry almost becomes a hero by connecting on a header from a long free kick only for Kronberg to make a good stop
 
FULL TIME: TORONTO FC 0 - SPORTING KC 0
 
IN THE BATHS:
What can be said about this bit or drudgery masquerading as a football match? One guarantee - MLS won't be editing it into the end of season highlights video. TFC, who were humiliated at home 6-2 last week, came out (and stayed out) with very little fire or passion. The Reds' play was disjointed, awkward and has noticeably regressed as of late which can't simply be put down to player absences. As for Sporting KC, they showed why they are the worst club in the league but that 10-game road trip is at least a good excuse. The biggest favour they did for local fans tonight was show us what TFC would look like in alternate baby blue kits.
 
PLAYER RATINGS: Stefan Frei 6.5 / Danleigh Borman 6 / Ty Harden 6 / Nana Attakora 6.5 (Doneil Henry - ) / Richard Eckersley 6.5 (Dan Gargan - ) / Mikael Yourassowsky 5.5 / Tony Tchani 6 / Nathan Sturgis 6 / Javier Martina 5.5 / Maicon Santos 6 / Joao Plata 6 (Nick Soolsma 5.5)
 
THE YORKIES' TFC MAN OF THE MATCH: Richard Eckersley
 
TALKING POINT: At what point does rebuilding go backwards? Discuss.


4 comments:

  1. Thought Sturgis should probably get the nod for MOTM. He might not get another chance, while Eck is almost always a candidate.

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  2. I thought that Sturgis made a contribution, but seemed to draw back into a strictly a shield for the back four in the second half. He was not a huge upgrade on JDG, but since I would be happy to never see JDG suit up for TFC ever again, an upgrade was all I sought.
    Eckersley did play with his usual energy, but some of his solo runs seem to be the result of Tchani and Martina just not knowing how to complement and provide runs off the ball. More passes were completed later in the game when Soolsma came onto the right wing and Martina went left, but it was a lot of promise with no pay.
    Maybe we need to see Eckersley moved up to the midfield again?

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  3. Transfer window cannot come soon enough!

    C.

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  4. Free Agents, of which 100's exist at this moment can be signed at any time.

    Cough.....no rush by ML$E, the tickets are sold.

    ReplyDelete