TFC Welcomes the New Jersey Galacticos to BMO Field

[bgnewf]

“…There is no pressure at the top. The pressure's being second or third..” Jose Mourinho

I take a look at some of the numbers leading into the TFC v Red Bull match tomorrow, Thierry Henry meets "St. Peter" and I make a fearless prediction on the outcome of the game. Comments are always welcome.

http://viewfromthesouthstands.com/2010/08/tfc-welcomes-the-new-jersey-galacticos-to-bmo-field/

[Spungi]

Your page doesn't load in Chrome.

Had to open up IE or FF to load it.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Not the best game for JDG to be missing. Bit unlucky to be 0-2 down at the moment, in my opinion.

[jonovision]

I hope nobody will try to argue that wasn't a penalty this time. I only saw the second half, but Toronto looked lost in midfield. Probably had a lot to do with Julian's absence.

[paul-collins]

Not the best game for Nana. First the OG caused by him letting the ball through his legs (Nane couldn't see it coming) and then the flagrant hand ball.

OBW looked lost for a good part of the game (including a slide into the box knee first? wtf?) but his setup of DDR was nice.

Definitely missed Julian's control in the mid (and Santos' touch up front). Looked scrambly to me. Also, that field falls apart at the mere mention of rain.

[TheKottonmouthed1555362307]

Missed the game, seems like it was a good idea to sleep in.

[bettermirror]

Ok, what's with all the empty seats at kickoff? The game was boring me to tears so I fastforwarded, saw it was 0-2, and didn't bother to pay attention to the fan seating...did it improve?

[powerof11]

It was empty around us for the first 10 - 15 minutes...filled up after. A lot tend to hang around the corridors and under the north stands. Emptied out quick around the 82nd minute.

[Gian-Luca]

I hope nobody will try to argue that wasn't a penalty this time.

Even Nana admitted it was afterwards, although he disagreed that he should have been sent off. Perhaps this was what Frei was arguing as well as unlike Nana he did argue the call on the play vociferously even slamming the ball down (for which he was lucky not to get a yellow). An unfortunate mistake by Nana but hopefully one he'll learn from - never try that again.

Although where TFC can feel hard done by is the free kick call leading to the own goal that really put them into a hole - a horrible, horrible call, made by the linesman that gave New York such a dangerous free kick in the first place. Then on the 4th goal the play followed a corner that was only resulted because the other linesman didn't raise his flag with no less than two players blatantly offside, although the game was pretty much over by that point anyway. Pretty much a case of one of those games when absolutely everything goes wrong.

[Gian-Luca]

It was empty around us for the first 10 - 15 minutes...filled up after. A lot tend to hang around the corridors and under the north stands. Emptied out quick around the 82nd minute.

The Toronto crowd is always late arriving, although having the Ex going on outside the stadium is an extra hurdle for this and the next match (and the Canada one for that matter). Set an attendance record though in the process.

[jonovision]

To be fair, the ref missed calls both ways, including a clear penalty shout from NYRB within the first few minutes.

[Free kick]

It was empty around us for the first 10 - 15 minutes...filled up after. A lot tend to hang around the corridors and under the north stands. Emptied out quick around the 82nd minute.

In stark contrast the CCL game on Tuesday, this was one of the worst crowds ever. Even though the place was old out and announced as the biggest crowd at BMO field.

What I noted:

1- A lot people were showing up as late as half time. Yes, there are a always late arrivals but usually, but even then, it reaches its capacity by the 10-20th minute.

2- The lower main stands/ mid pitch area, which was lively and could be seen really into into it on Tuesday, was seen yesterday applauding TH when he was subbed out.

3- More jerseys and paraphernalia than ever of clubs and national sides that had nothing to do with the sides on the pitch

4 - people, who were never seen before, were showing up even in 113 and not even following game and making idiots of themselves though stupid comments or other.

I have been a big proponent of the league strategy of signing "Name" talent and trying to bring some big league recognition that the old NASL had. But for the first time, yesterday, that strategy gave me something to think about.

[Free kick]

The Toronto crowd is always late arriving, although having the Ex going on outside the stadium is an extra hurdle for this and the next match (and the Canada one for that matter). Set an attendance record though in the process.

I suspect that a main cause of this phenomena is scalpers. Scalpers drop their prices the closer it gets to kick off. And you can probably negotiator the best deal well after kick off when they will likely dump what they haven't sold. Smart buyers will wait to get a better deal.

Ever notice that the east stand, where we know there are the most scalped tickets, is where you always see the late shows. However, the east stands is where you always see the earlier departures.

[Cheeta]

Interesting. May be nothing, but then again, may be something.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/sports/soccer/2010/08/21/15100796.html

Either way it was one of those afternoons for TFC, no doubt about it. See on Tuesday how much lingering effects traveled with them. For the odvious reasons the club dose not want to get into a negative funk right now.

[theaub]

The public transit yesterday afternoon was a mess. I got to the back of what was probably an hour long streetcar line at 11:45 and just decided to walk to BMO (got there about 15 mins before kickoff so I wasn't one of the late ones...but if I stayed on the streetcar line I assume I would've been). But there were people still showing up at like the 55 minute mark...I assume it didn't take that long to get there

Brutal match...crowd was dead.

[ag futbol]

To be fair, the ref missed calls both ways, including a clear penalty shout from NYRB within the first few minutes.

Very true, wasn't the most convincing performance from our backline today.

The waters are getting a little muddied as to whether we will make the playoffs or not.

[nfitz]

The public transit yesterday afternoon was a mess. I got to the back of what was probably an hour long streetcar line at 11:45 and just decided to walk to BMO (got there about 15 mins before kickoff so I wasn't one of the late ones...but if I stayed on the streetcar line I assume I would've been). But there were people still showing up at like the 55 minute mark...I assume it didn't take that long to get there

Brutal match...crowd was dead.

GO Train service from the east was unusually poor. And those extra trains didn't actually exist. So despite setting out and expecting to to arrive 45 minutes before kick-off instead of the usual 15, I arrived 5-minutes late.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Here's what Paul James made of the game:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/james-on-soccer/tfc-trampled-by-red-bulls/article1681331/

[jonovision]

Pretty telling about James that he managed to talk about the fact that NYRB bosses possession, that TFC lacked defensive composure or the ability to start attacks, and yet failed to acknowledge the absence of de Guzman.

[bgnewf]

TFC v NYRB Post Game Video Blog

In this video update I recap the loss to the Red Bulls on Saturday, I postulate on Julian De Guzman, I give props to the New Jersey Galacticos, I comment on Mista and speak of the class of Carl Robinson. I also tee up what might be a frustrating tie in Panama on Tuesday evening against Arabe Unido in the CONCACAF Champions League.

http://viewfromthesouthstands.com/2010/08/tfc-v-nyrb-post-game-video-blog/

Comments are always welcome.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Interesting. May be nothing, but then again, may be something.

Think Garth Wheeler is trying too hard to find an exclusive. Mista was creating eye-catching chances in the first half but even on a webstream you could see he was going mental at his teammates sometimes because he was looking for a La Liga level pass from Martin Saric for example and awareness from O'Brien White to let the ball run when a pass at the top of the box seems mis_hit if he were the intended recipient. Preki may have had something to say about that given his emphasis on doing what is best for the group and things may have got a little heated. Nothing unusual in that in an elite soccer team's dressing room because emotions run very high during a game. Stuff like this only becomes truly newsworthy if/when the player ceases to be selected in subsequent games. TFC need Mista to create and score goals if playoffs are going to be reached and the group stage is going to be successfully negotiated and Mista needs TFC as a platform to resurrect his career so odds on it gets sorted out at least in the short term.

[BearcatSA]

Stuff like this only becomes truly newsworthy if/when the player ceases to be selected in subsequent games.

+1, though I guess I can understand where one would be skeptical of the replacement of Mista with the"tactical substitution" of Peterson, who proceeded to manufacture a truly forgettable 45 minutes of something resembling "play." He wasn't the only bad one out there, of course, but he sure made a good case for subbing a sub.

[El Hombre]

Even Nana admitted it was afterwards, although he disagreed that he should have been sent off. Perhaps this was what Frei was arguing as well as unlike Nana he did argue the call on the play vociferously even slamming the ball down (for which he was lucky not to get a yellow). An unfortunate mistake by Nana but hopefully one he'll learn from - never try that again.

I haven't watched any postgame interviews but what exactly was he trying to do? It looked like a deliberate handball to me. Ideally handling the ball on purpose in the area shouldn't be something he should try in the first place.

[Gian-Luca]

I haven't watched any postgame interviews but what exactly was he trying to do? It looked like a deliberate handball to me. Ideally handling the ball on purpose in the area shouldn't be something he should try in the first place.

He doesn't really explain in the video interview I saw - I think it was just a brain cramp on his part. I suppose in the long run it might be better than he got more than a yellow and a penalty called against him (for the sake of learning a lesson), but I do think a sending off for a handball in the box is tough unless its certain that the ball is going in the net (ie. what the Uruguayan player did against Ghana in the World Cup, or Harry Kewell (also against Ghana) - note that a Serbian who did the same thing as Nana only got a yellow and a pk call against). A yellow and a pk call for a handball that's breaking up a pass in the box seems enough of a punishment.

[loyola]

He doesn't really explain in the video interview I saw - I think it was just a brain cramp on his part. I suppose in the long run it might be better than he got more than a yellow and a penalty called against him (for the sake of learning a lesson), but I do think a sending off for a handball in the box is tough unless its certain that the ball is going in the net (ie. what the Uruguayan player did against Ghana in the World Cup, or Harry Kewell (also against Ghana) - note that a Serbian who did the same thing as Nana only got a yellow and a pk call against). A yellow and a pk call for a handball that's breaking up a pass in the box seems enough of a punishment.

I also think it was harsh but I only saw the play once. If I remember correctly Frei was out of his net and Nana cut the cross with his hand. Maybe the ref judge it would've been an easy header in an open net without Nana handball?