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Posted by
Ian Clarke,
June 24, 2011 |
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Real Salt Lake: Sandy, Utah
Record: 6-5-3, 23 points, 4th in Western Conference
Goalscorer: Fabian Espindola, 4 goals
Playmaker: Jean-Michel Alexandre, 2 assists
Players to watch: Nick Rimando GK, Jamison Olave D, Kyle Beckerman M
First thoughts
TFC are now in the thick of it as they head on the road to the one stadium in MLS that can truly call itself a fortress. The Reds are in Sandy, Utah to face the 2009 MLS Cup champions and widely acclaimed Real Salt Lake in a match that has ‘just keep it respectable’ written all over it. While RSL are not as potent as they have been in the last few years, mostly due to the loss of midfielder Javier Morales, head coach Jason Kreis still has put together a disciplined side with quality depth, especially in the midfield. TFC on the other hand are lacking a real game-changer and it appears supporters will have to sit patiently until July 15 and hope that all the talk being generated from Aron Winter et al. leads to action. As it stands right now TFC don’t have the horses to run with the top sides in the league, Saturday’s match with Salt Lake included.
Keep thinking
The one thing Toronto has going for it heading into this match is with the limited resources Aron Winter has built this team on, he has found a way in recent weeks to get whoever is starting that week, to commit and deliver long stretches of decent football. Against Seattle last weekend, specifically in the first half, Toronto looked more than capable against a superior side and heading into that game had two in a row where they showed more character than most of the first half of the season.
What is clearly lacking for everyone to see is, outside of the oft injured Alan Gordon, there is no player who does it all in terms of working hard, creating chances and finally scoring goals. Maicon Santos shows up … sometimes … maybe he’ll unleash a howitzer from 30 yards out … maybe he’ll send it 15 feet over the goal … maybe he’ll run … maybe he won’t. Joao Plata for all his skill and technique simply isn’t the player to shoulder the burden, and Nick Soolsma, for all his head-down determination is limited in what he really has to offer.
None of these players Winter has been starting in recent weeks have been scoring consistently and this is where you get the awing stat of two goals in their last four games (both against LA courtesy of Alan Gordon) and the worst goal difference in the league.
Against Real Salt Lake this one looks like it could play out much like last weekend against Seattle, with the Utah club playing the patience game and waiting for Aron Winter to make the wrong substitution before it becomes blatant that they are better than TFC and will to pour it on and create distance down the homestrech.
Aside from Nathan Sturgis, whose looked much improved since a rocky start to the year, TFC’s midfield has not looked good and been a large part of the problem in building up the play and delivering the support to the attackers. Danleigh Borman and Richard Eckersley have often been the spark on the overlap and against a team like Salt Lake, who are so strong in the middle of the park, this is where the game could be lost.
Whoever gets the nod from Jason Kreis – Kyle Beckerman, Jean-Michel Alexandre, Will Johnson, Ned Grabovoy, Andy Williams and future prospect Luis Gil – whatever Toronto’s answer is just doesn’t match up.
There would be a glimmer of hope were it not for the litany of injuries to TFC, but as mentioned Aron Winter has found a way for his club to still put out a decent display for stretches. The potential return of players such as Toni Tchani, Nathan Sturgis, or Jacob Peterson only improves depth, and as noted before, because there is no one right now who can be relied on as the difference-maker.
If the Red are going to come away with anything, which realistically is a draw, there would have to be a rare 90 minute performance of discipline and determination. This would of course mean an appearance from Alan Gordon, or one brief moment of class from Maicon Santos who usually has one a game, in case of emergency, which this game fits the bill.
In the end
It is hard to envision the scenario where TFC put it all together and deliver what has yet to be seen this year (a road win) and yet to be seen against Real Salt Lake (a road win at Rio Tinto Stadium). Toronto have gotten better since the start of the season, but this is nothing to celebrate as they still can’t win. They might not be getting knocked out in the second round, but at the end of the night are still losing the fight on all three scorecards. The win at LA Galaxy offers one precedent of having it in them, but once again that all rests on the shoulders of one man to get it done.
At this point in the ‘rebuild’, it will be hard to realistically envision a TFC win and how it will be accomplished. July 15 can’t come any sooner.
Prediction:
Real Salt Lake 2 – Toronto FC 0
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