TFC - Red Bulls Match Underscores Urgency

[powerof11]

How close to the surface, exactly, does the resentment towards Toronto FC football director Mo Johnston linger among the team's die-hard fans? How much time has Mo got to make this thing work?

Judging by the vitriol over the weekend from TFC fans unfortunate enough to sit through the team's Florida-based exhibition against the New York Red Bulls, not much.

http://www.rednationonline.ca/Meaningless_Tilt_Underscores_Urgency_mar_2_10_column.shtml

[tmcmurph]

Like I said before with a new expansion team (not a div2 team that has played for a decade) you have 3 years. The first is a write off. If you achieve anything that is great. Second year you need to show improvement and the third you'd better make the playoffs. So TFC is now in the 4th year, real grass field to play on, DP in place, coach with good track record in MLS ......

If they don't make the playoffs this year MLSE had better fire Mo. I think they will make the playoffs but they have to ditch Garcia and get a serious CB (or 2)

[Obinna]

"True, there were some disquieting issues, like the fact that Julian De Guzman still appears unable to play down to the lack of tactical movement and speed in MLS compared to La Liga. There were so many occasions where he was about to pull the trigger on a pass or switch field, and there was just nobody there, that it's no wonder he got frustrated"

I have noticed this as well and it really pisses me off that players can't think two or three passes ahead and position themselves accordingly. Julian's skill set is not like DeRosario's, he can't create something completley out of nothing. Unless Mo and Preki can find more people who can actually play football Julian is just going to be a waste of money. I don't know what it is but Toronto has the worst offensive positioning I have seen. Movement has always been poor and they are just too static.

[Trillium]

I have noticed this as well and it really pisses me off that players can't think two or three passes ahead and position themselves accordingly.

So you feel Mo is responsible for hiring players who lack vision and the ability to think ahead and move to where they should be ?

[Obinna]

No it is the coaches responsibility to make sure the positioning of his players is sound, but that being said players should generally know where to move on the field, and some players have higher soccer IQ's than others. Mabye I expect too much, but last year when I watched Toronto they rarely looked like a functional unit and more often looked like a bunch of individuals. I recall watching Sounders and DC united moved the ball along the floor nicely and to play that game you must have good movement. If you don't you resort to long ball which is what Toronto does. I hope Preki will instill some of that because only then will De Guzman be utalized properly. It seems like he doesn't get enough of the ball because they want to just play it long and when he gets the ball he doesn't have options. Am I way off base? How do you see this?