I’ve got to admit, I missed Marco Velez last night.
Honestly, if an over-matched centre back is going to cough up two goals and cost Toronto FC two more irreplaceable points in the standings, why not the usual guy? At least there’d be some consistency. And that’s important in pro sports. Right?
Right?
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Sorry, Marco fans. Our favourite Puerto Rican with pylonitis was nowhere near suburban Chicago yesterday evening, and had nothing at all to do with Nick Garcia’s reverse-brace.
It was a night when Dwayne DeRosario pounced on a brutal Chicago Fire defensive mistake to put TFC a goal ahead early, and then actually passed to Chad Barrett who actually scored the second.
And, yes, too much happens in any one soccer game to pin the goat horns to a single guy having a bad night, but the following statements are true:
- Garcia chested in a ghastly own-goal, on a ball that was otherwise flying straight to the waiting and ready arms of TFC netkeep Stefan Frei.
- Garcia was a helpless spectator as Fire striker Brian McBride flew over him to head home the ultimate equalizer.
Am I being harsh on the second one? Two things: Garcia is really struggling to man-mark right now, and he’s rooted to the turf on crosses. Every other team in MLS knows this, and will all be running this play. McBride and Colorado’s Conor Casey have both cashed it in. More will make the attempt.
All this on a night when designated player Julian DeGuzman couldn’t find the ball, striker Ali Gerba contributed absolutely nothing, and TFC conceded a late goal for the 14th time in 27 games this season.
Only about a three-game winning streak will save Toronto now. On this front, however, there may actually be some good news. TFC is facing weaker opposition – home to San Jose and the Salt Lake Seagulls, away to New York Energy Drink.
And it turns out three-game MLS winning streaks aren’t nearly as rare as many of us thought.
So far, in 2009 – counting only league games:
- From May 16-28, Chicago won three straight, on the road, at Toronto, New York and Chivas USA.
- Chivas USA had two three-game win runs early.
- From July 18 to August 15, Columbus won five in a row, home to Salt Lake and Toronto, at Colorado and San Jose, then home to Dallas.
- Houston are the 2009 winning-streak kings, with a three and a five.
- L.A.ndyBeckhamCakes United had a four-gamer from late June to mid-July.
- The struggling New England Revolution actually pulled out a three-spot, August 20-29, against Seattle, Salt Lake and San Jose.
- Seattle had the colossal, disrespectful nerve to open their inaugural MLS campaign with three wins in a row, capping the run with that 2-0 triumph on opening day at BMO Field in Toronto.
I still think Toronto’s playoff drive died in Colorado three weeks ago. But I offer this list in the spirit of trying to write something positive in the face of a disintegrating season, where precious points are routinely being shed – sometimes for utterly ridiculous reasons.
To paraphrase the great Paul Simon:
Where have you gone, Marco Velez?
We actually missed you at this game
Hey, hey, hey
What can you say ‘bout Nick Garcia?
Marco laughed his ass off yesterday
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Onward!