THE SOUTH STAND REPORT : Toronto v D.C... or Is Eight really Enough?

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Here we are on the cusp of greatness.  Generations will ask, where were you when JFK was shot?  Where were you when the twin towers fell?  Where were you when TFC set the benchmark for mediocrity?  And my answers are (a) wasn't born yet, (b) waking up about to head to work, (c) in the same seat I always experience my mediocrity, halfway up 113.

Dwayne De Rosario currently leads the league in assists with 7.  Maicon Santos is 4th in goals with 6.  Both of these players used to play for Toronto FC and now they do not.  Part of me wants to reflect on what Toronto has let walk away for various reasons, however, that list is very long and the more I read into it, the more disappointment washes over me.

Predictions flew in of 3-0, 2-1, 4-2, 4-0 (with a DeRo hat trick) and a rediculous yet seemingly plausible 13-0 for DC United.  A few stepped up 3-2 and 2-0 for TFC.  My 'friend' had the prediction of "how much is a field goal again?"

Quotes of the Match

Frings aren't what they used to be.

~ President of the Luton Town Supporters Club of North America

18' - A cross in front of the goal wakes the south end, albeit briefly.

22' - Aron Winter, walking the touch line, starts yelling at his side for the sake of his job.

33' - Bitchy, the hawk, gets a nod.

35' - Toronto gets a legit attempt on net as Morgan has a break, lays it back for Johnson who forces a leaping save from Hamid.  The DC counter gives Santos a 20 yarder that Kocic gobbles up.

Quotes of the Match

The announcer needs to come on 'Toronto shot on net by number 19, Reggie Lambe!'

~ Julie

How long after the warm-up does the game start?

~ Mikey

Half-Time mood : Nice day for a barbecue, no?

45' - SUB - Silva makes way for Plata, or Silva-Plata.

54' - Somehow DC united were denied a goal or a penalty after the ball was cleared off the line by Lambe's hand.

55' - GOAL - Party Boy Chris Pontius has a go from 20 yards out and launches one in to the top corner.  Retribution for the hand ball earlier?  More than likely.

Robins 0, DeRo & Friends 1

Quotes of the Match

Does that shot come in mens?

~ Gooner a few rows behind on Plata attempt that didn't quite make it

65' - Frings appears to be favouring his shoulder, the medical staff come to take a look at it.

67' - Frings tosses his captain's armband to the ground and walks towards the dressing room. (more dramatic than it sounds, he's probably hurt)

68' - SUB - Frings off for Jeremy Hall

75' - GOAL - Hamdi Salihi volleys a perfectly arced header past Kocic.

Robins 0, DeRo & Friends 2

77' - Winter may be calling his real estate agent...

77' - Anselmi should be tidying up his resume...

77' - Steve Nicol somewhere is asking his wife where his good suit is...

89' - YELLOW - Morgan for something.

Full-Time : Toronto 0, D.C. 2

Man of the Match : Umm... I don't know... that van Persie brace earlier in the day was nice, wasn't it?

Goat of the Game : All of them, save Kocic.  And Kocic gets a pass because those two goals would've been difficult to stop by anyone.

Ref Rating : 3 out of 5.  Didn't like him.  Didn't hate him.

I wish I could identify the biggest problem here: a lack of passion, lack of skill, lack of tactical intelligence from the players, lack of offensive imagination, lack of intellectual assessment from Winter.  Throughout the game, it felt that the biggest problem changed, like a game of hot potato and when the music stopped, DC had an opportunity.  Usually the lads and lassies and I have little round tables during the match but even our moods had changed.  So we made jokes all game.  And it wasn't the usual cast of characters, it was just about everyone around us.  This was bad.  Perhaps the glossing over of history (all 5 seasons of it) has made today feel like rock bottom.  

And to hell with the record.  Seriously, if people in Toronto, true, part-time and trendy supporters alike, were truly concerned with the win-loss column, the audience would've dwindled to a point where Columbus could laugh at us.  If TFC goes 0-0-34 on the season, my renewal is a given as long as the team is trying.  I held my notepad all game and the majority of what was written were gags.  This is what the South Stand (or our little fifedom in mid 113) witnessed - nothing important.

Here we are in year 6.  This club has had over 110 players in 5.3 seasons.  This club has had 7 coaches, 3 general managers.  With all of these changes, the results have stayed roughly the same.  Perhaps all of the changes isn't where the problems lie.  Perhaps the changes have been the wrong ones (well, except Mo).  Toronto has let talent walk out the door for nearly nothing in return

The TFC executives need to be replaced.  All the other tweaks have been ineffectual.  Season's 1-3, They had the perfect scenario - fans happy and willing to pay for a mediocre product.  Too many 15% increases in seasons tickets and consistent failure has sacrificed the health of the long term for the short term.  A crowd announced of 18000 was total bollocks as it was closer to 16000.  Still a good crowd for MLS, but a poor crowd for TFC.

Right now, the marketing gurus are being looked to for their upcoming greatest escape ever : selling a season's ticket while increasing the price for a side that set the benchmark of mediocrity.  I believe there will some kind of an increase.  We were "blessed" with the lack of an increase last year, so that has to change.  When the focus is the money and not the result, you get the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Perhaps a new leader will focus on the winning first for once.

Kocic 6, Eckersley 6.5, Henry, 6, Aceval 6, Morgan 6, Frings 6 [Hall N/A], de Goo 5.5, Silva 6 [Plata 6], Lambe 6, Johnson 6.5, Avila 6

Do you think they try to bundle TFC tickets now with Marlies tickets?