A trip to Toronto is just what Columbus needed. Held off the score sheet for the past two games and only winning one of their last six, the Crew must have been ecstatic to see BMO Field as their next stop, where they are unbeaten in now eight trips.
Pair that with the fact that Toronto have yet to win a regular season game at BMO and suddenly going to the cottage seemed like a much better long weekend option for TFC fans. Still, over 18,000 of the most dedicated (or foolish?) showed up.
However, you couldn’t tell from the noise. There were the customary “oohs” and curses as Toronto FC squandered their few chances and Columbus forward Federico Higuaín cracked two off the woodwork. But for the most part, the stands were eerily silent.
There was no heckling as Dominic Oduro calmly slid the ball by Joe Bendik. There was no rousing support as the Reds attempted to muster something that looked like a late game push. And when the final whistle blew, there were no boo boys letting the club know how they feel. It was as if Columbus had not only beaten the team, they had defeated the fans.
There was this feeling of we all knew what was going to happen. This is the worst thing that could happen for Toronto FC. When play like this becomes expected, fans become apathetic and the life is sucked out of the stadium – something we are all too familiar with.
In his postgame interview, captain Darren O’Dea said “In the first half they could have been up three nil and likewise we could have been up three nil.” At least one of those would have been something different, something exciting.
But Toronto FC have been caught playing the same defensive minded game all whole season. The one which opponents have largely figured out and leaves our players scratching their heads, not knowing how to respond when they get scored on.
For the first few games, Toronto stuck to their system because it played to their strengths. Now the players just look like they’re going through the motions. Each time they have a throw in down in the offensive zone, players pack the box for one of Ryan Richter’s long tosses that can’t seem to make it passed the front post. Whenever they have a free kick around half, someone will send a high floating ball into the box. When is the last time either of those plays worked?
Matias Laba – brought in to be the core of the midfield – tried to get a dead ball moving quickly on several occasions but kept being waved away by other players who continue trying to force the same plays. Right now many of TFC’s players are stuck with this tunnel vision. Lack of creativity is being blamed for their inability to create chances, but is there room for creativity in the team’s current system?
One chant that gained some support from fans behind the southend goal was a sloppy rendition of Meat Loaf’s I’d Do Anything for Love:
“I would do anything for love, I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that!”
It’s this mentality that is confounding around TFC. Everyone working in the club preaches how disappointed they are and how badly they want to win, but there haven’t been any substantial tactical changes. It’s difficult to see where Kevin Payne and company are trying to steer this battered ship, but for now, maybe MLSE should give fans free beer so the play on the field can seem at least mildly entertaining.
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