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The Good
A Point’s a Point!
Road Warriors
Sure, Toronto FC didn’t score, but neither did Houston. A point away from home means Toronto stays ahead of last place, and against a tough Dynamo side, Toronto FC walk away with nothing to be ashamed of. It may have been a relatively uneventful game (was there even a yellow card?) but that won’t matter for Ryan Nelsen and his players.
Washer and Dryer
You put a dirty sheet in a washing machine, throw in some soap, clean for about 45 minutes, then throw it in the dryer for another 45, and after 90 minutes, what do you have? A clean sheet! That’s what Joe Bendik boasts for the first time this season (and since last July), in a game where Toronto FC looked close to conceding just once or twice but were hardly threatened consistently.
Ryan Richter
Corey Ashe and Brad Davis got past him on more than one occasion, but I’ll sing his praises on the night because there are few right fullbacks in the league who can go head to head against the two and come out clean. Richter did that, and more, against the best left midfielder in the league, and while Davis did supply a few threatening chances, the fact that those chances were but a few sits on Richter’s shoulders.
Steven Caldwell
If we’re going to single out defenders, however, it’s Steven Caldwell who deserves the nod. In almost every play, Caldwell was either waiting to head the ball clear, telling another defender where to go, and generally bossing the backline. It’s clear that his experience is a much-needed fixture in Toronto’s defensive line, and keeping his around would be a huge win for Ryan Nelsen.
The Bad
Something’s Missing Up Top
Where Is Ronaldinho?
Or someone like him? That’s what Toronto FC really needs right now – a number 10 playmaker who can supply the likes of Robert Earnshaw and Danny Koevermans up top. Right now, Luis Silva shows flashes of brilliance in the first 20 minutes of the game but fades away quickly and that’s not going to cut it, especially since Toronto doesn’t really score early goals anyway.
Midfield Mindset
After the first half, Jeremy Hall and Bobby Convey lost whatever momentum they had and went from being active contributors to simply moving bodies. The inability to control midfield may have played into Toronto’s eventual plan on taking a point away, but Hall in particular needed to be more involved in the play moving forward.
The Ugly
This game gave Danny Koevermans the perfect chance to score and take all three points from Houston, but alas, the shot never hit the netting. In truth, this game was fairly straightforward and besides the miss, there wasn’t anything really ugly about it.
Quoteworthy:
“All 14 of our players had to stand up and show a lot of mental strength and character. Obviously, physically they had to absorb pretty hostile conditions and they all did that. I am extremely proud of them,” – Ryan Nelsen, post game.
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