So then, the first 3 games ended with a 1-1-1 record, and after a week off now it’s on to Colorado. So far it’s been understandably and commendably defence first from Greg Vanney’s men, will that continue? I think if there’s any opportunity to open things up a bit more and actually go for it within this 8 game road trip it’s this game, the Rapids are nothing at all to be afraid of going forward, so go after those 3 points and then you’re only 1 point away from the 8 point target. But then on the other hand, I wouldn’t be outraged to see them continue with the pragmatism and get more comfortable with this type of game. The 8 game road trip might be a bit of a blessing really if TFC get to play the same way for that many consecutive games and really figure out how to play that way. Imagine a two legged playoff tie, and so far I’d be happy with any of those results we’ve had in the hypothetical first leg away from home. Maybe it’d be for the best to just keep going and worry about changing things up when they start playing at home. Other big question is how will the team look with Jozy Altidore back in the starting line up. Speaking of which:
#TFC Starting XI: Irwin; Beitashour, Moor, Perquis, Morrow; Johnson, Bradley, Cheyrou; Lovitz, Giovinco, Babouli #TFClLive
— Toronto FC (@torontofc) April 2, 2016
We won’t find that out this week. He is on the bench. Babouli getting the start is an interesting choice. So is Lovitz though it’s a lot less exciting. Is Osorio still a bit injured, or has Cheyrou supplanted him in the starting line up? Can’t have too many Canadians now can we? Anyway;
Onto the Match:
3′- Luis Solignac is played in behind the defence. He’s offside, but Irwin comes out, the two collide, Solignac comes off worse. By the way, did you know the game’s being played at altitude?
5′ – Giovinco gets played in by Cheyrou, but he’s very wide, his cross leads to a corner, which leads to a very very wayward shot from Bennyballs.
7′ – Dillon Powers gets way too much space in the box but hits the shot right at Irwin.
9′ – Morrow gives the ball away then brings down Powers in the box. No penalty called.
11′ – Yellow card Cheyrou with a nifty move, but one move too many means he loses the ball and he gets booked for a clumsy attempt to win it back.
12′ – Red Card. Second yellow for Cheyrou. Challenged Bobby Burling, jumped into him with his arm flailing a bit, a bit harsh maybe but Cheyrou really shouldn’t have given him the opportunity to do that. Not a wise decision at all. Now they’ll have to play with ten men. and at high altitude don’t you know!
16′ – Perquis fouls just outside the area, dead central, 20 yards out. Gashi’s free kick is well, gash. Into the wall, and nothing comes from it.
18′ – Goal: Solignac scores, dinked over the top by Pappa, TFC defence looking for offside, Solignac all alone and slotted it nicely past Irwin. Almost offside, not called which is the right call. Now then let’s see how well TFC can attack with ten men. No need to panic yet though.
23′ – Nice move from Morrow down the wing but the cross comes to nothing, Rapids counter but the shot goes wide.
27′ – Sub: Lovitz off for Osorio as Vanney shores up the midfield. Happy to see it’s not Babouli.
29′ – TFC spend 90 seconds or so passing the ball around and from side to side, some very nice stuff, but then Beitashour throws in a cross to no-one, and thus the move ends.
30′ – Johnson has a shot from way out, misses and not really close but hey, a shot in the general direction of goal! That’s something I guess.
42′ – Not much happening really these last few minutes, TFC just can’t really get anything going at all.
45′ – Yellow Card: Mark Burch. Johnson beats him and as he goes past he sticks out an arm, clotheslines him in the stomach, Johnson goes down and the card comes out.
47′ – Giovinco with a free kick about 30 yards out. Over the wall and curves just wide. predictable.
Half Time Mood : Meh, 1-0 down, one man down, and playing in a very slow and lethargic looking fashion. Changes are needed if we’re going to get anything from this. Large part of TFC twitter seems to be predictably going after the ref. I think both yellows were justified and the goal wasn’t offside, so I in no way share the outrage. Are TFC supporters worse than other team’s fans when it comes to ref conspiracy theories? Cos they’re pretty fucking terrible about it.
2nd half
46′ Vanney interviewed as we kick off, asks about the offside, Nigel tells him it was on. Chuckle.
47′ – Ball comes to Osorio on edge of box, tries to curl it into top corner, but hits it too hard and also forgets the curl, and thus it goes way high and wide.
50′ – Giovinco gets a bit of space, goes on a run, but his eventual shot is blocked and then the Rapids close him down and the danger is cleared away.
52′ – TFC attack and Rapids counter, Bradley jumps in to try and get an interception, but doesn’t get it and thus Rapids in space, get ball out to the right and eventually nothing comes from it, but not the smartest play from our inspirational leader.
55′ Giovinco has got the ball on the edge of the box a few times recently and is looking dangerous. Hasn’t quite happened yet, but it’s looking better.
56′ Giovinco wins a free kick about 30 yards out. He doesn’t shoot. Ha, of course he does. Went wall side, obviously. This one on target right in the top corner, but MacMath got to it and a corner it is.
59′ – Yellow Card: Burling, for persistent fouling of Giovinco.
60′ – Sub: Altidore on for Babouli. Quiet game from Babouli, didn’t really notice him much at all.
60′ Sub Pappa off, Badji on. Good, Pappa’s been very good tonight.
61′ Badji with a header from a cross, On target but quite slow, Irwin able to get down and save it.
63′ – Cross comes in, Irwin makes a save from a header at the near post, ball then popped over Irwin, then headed over the bar from just beneath it. Close.
64′ – Closer: From the corner, header hits the post and out. Woof.
70′ – Moor with a shocking giveaway. Leads to a shot that Irwin does well to save.
71′- Osorio and Powers in a challenge, Osorio went down hurt, Cronin kept playing, shot deflected wide. Corner caught by Irwin. Osorio’s fine, got up no problem eventually.
72′ – Sub: Gashi off, Conor Doyle on
74′ Burch shoots, Irwin gets down and pushes it wide. Follow up cross deflected over bar for a corner. Burling cleanly wins the header, but puts it wide.
76′- Sub: Perquis off, Morgan on. Presumably Morrow to CB.
80′ – Badji has a run and a shot, but well wide.
81′ quick throw gets giovinco into the box, wide and right on the goal line, crosses to Altidore who gets bundled fairly off the ball, chance lost. Morgan’s very forward here, looks like we’ve gone 3 at the back.
82′ – Yellow Card – Doyle for a very soft foul, tugging at Bradley, who fell over very easily.
83′ – Azira off, Serna on.
83′ Chance for a break kind of wasted by Altidore’s lack of control. Gets ball back runs into a rapids player, wins a free kick, just outside box, very wide. Giovinco pulls it back to top of box, Johnson shoots. Blocked. TFC want handball, not given, would have been incredibly harsh. Hit the guys arm, but right at his side and no way of avoiding it.
85′ – Altidore almost gets a chance but very good tackle puts it out for a corner. Giovinco goes on a run into box, his cross is blocked for another corner. Crossed into box, shot blocked and eventually cleared.
87′ – Couple more dangerous crosses in, but don’t come to anything.
88′ – Serna in a lot of space, shot saved by Irwin.
89′ Rapids getting a lot of space now and chances coming with that. Doyle takes too long and Beitashour able to get out and deflect his shot.
3 minutes of injury time.
90+2′ Giovinco wins fee kick, central, 30 yards out. Gets it over wall, just too high.
90+3′ Giovinco gets in to box, but crowded out, and then ref blows for full time.
Full Time : Crapids 1 Reds O
Man of the Match : Marco Pappa was consistently dangerous, so I’ll go with him.
Goat of the Game : Benoit Cheyrou. First was definitely a yellow, second on it’s own was probably a yellow, bit harsh to give a second yellow for that, but very dumb of Cheyrou to go in like that right after his first booking.
Ref Rating : 3.5/5. Some TFC fans/media personalities seem to think he was the big talking point and it was yet another outrage. It wasn’t. He was ok, perhaps a bit too free with the cards at times, but nothing crazy. TFC weren’t screwed by the ref here.
I Am Not The Gaffer, But… : Difficult to say what could be done differently after the red card. Kept the defensive/midfield shape by bringing Osorio on. Didn’t excessively go for it until Morgan came on, which is good timing I think. After that, either side could have scored plenty.
In Case You PVR’d It : Watch the first 20 minutes for the big moments, skip the rest of the first half, watch the 2nd.
Well, the first half just wasn’t getting going at all was it? Pappa was dropping back a lot and thus had the time to be able to play some dangerous balls behind the defence. Ideally they’d have found a way for the midfield to stop that from happening, but with ten men it’s hard to be too critical of that. Not a great game for Moor really, had one horrendous giveaway, and Colorado were winning way too many headers in the box from corners and as the main defensive organisey guy, that’s on him. Rapids did a good job on Giovinco, he looked dangerous but they always had plenty of guys there to help out and more or less kept him under control. Looked better when they switched to panicky ‘go for it’ mode than the did against the Sporks so that’s something. Babouli didn’t really have a great impact on the game did he? Nice for him to get the start, but hasn’t really justified the excitement for him yet. Probably worst game of the season so far all in all, though hardly disastrous.
Player ratings : Irwin 8.5, Beitashour 6.5, Perquis 6 (Morgan N/A), Moor 5.5, Morrow 6, Johnson 6, Bradley 5, Cheyrou 3, Babouli 5 (Altidore 6, Giovinco 6.5, Lovitz 5.5 (Osorio 6)
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