So, here’s my stupid question – volume 26:
Why isn’t Danny Dichio getting playing time for Toronto FC?
1) He’s old.
2) He’s injured.
3) Where you been, Knight? Ali Gerba is the TFC target man now.
The answers are yes, maybe, and the rest of this blog item.
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Ali Gerba has played three real games now for Toronto FC. He has scored, and created – and struggled to kick loose from defenders who line up six feet either side of him.
TFC has two losses and a draw to show for it.
The biggest problem? No aerial threat. Toronto is a team that struggles to cross the ball effectively at the best of times. Without Dichio in the middle, there is very little in the way of a good high target for what few good crosses bleed through.
At halftime of the Puerto Rico Champions League loss on Wednesday, this was blindingly, howlingly obvious to all. But TFC coach Chris Cummins chose not to bring Dichio in at halftime. Indeed, the big number 9 didn’t feel lumpy plastic under his feet until the match’s dying moment, when he would have scored the equalizer but for a blinding, diving reflex had save from the Islander netkeep.
So – what about Dichio and Gerba playing side-by-side?
Or – to rephrase – what about having the team’s only legitimate holding forward up there alongside the most powerful finisher in franchise history?
The ball comes in, and Dichio flips it on. This lets Gerba drop back a bit. Those two defenders flanking him only get away with it because Big Ali is so far forward, he’s easy meat for the goaltender.
Suddenly, TFC can get Gerba the ball – and spring him for his shots. And Dichio’s a fine finisher, too – with good reflex reaction skills for loose rebounds in the enemy six-year box.
So maybe that means less midfield digging from a Chad Barrett or a Pablo Vitti? If it means more goals, I’ll make that deal in a heartbeat.
Columbus was a winnable loss. Puerto Rico was a winnable loss. New England was a very winnable draw.
Please let’s don’t forget that Dichio can, in fact, go ninety minutes. He even did it in consecutive matches, not that long ago.
It may seem better strategy to let the short-endurance Gerba play an hour, and have Dichio mop up in the final 30. But I would rather chuck losing strategy in favour of what should be the most versatile and pounding pair of finishers this struggling team can ever reasonably hope to deploy.
Gerba and Dichio, getting service from DeRo and Guevara? Shouldn’t we at least get a look at that, Chris?
Also: Why was Ali Gerba not given an assist on Dwayne DeRosario’s goal? An incoming Chad Barrett shot hit him flush in the face, and fell perfectly for DeRo – who smoked it home to give Toronto the lead. Officially, the goal is unassisted. Perhaps the scorer felt that Gerba did not intend to donate his windshield to the cause like that. Well, it says here that goal is impossible without the Gerba’s involuntary facewash, and that should be the one and only standard for awarding an assist. After all, don’t we want to reward players … for using their heads?
Onward!