Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (R)

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Any info on Real Esteli? They are from Nicaragua so I assume they are a weak side. I hope Winter takes CL seriously and starts our DPs for the game.

We do have a solid collection of starters (when healthy) now and should be able to make a run in CL at least. Eckersley, Plata, Frings, Dutch Guy, De Guzman, Tchani, Sturgis, Soolsma, Gordon. Martina and Santos are sort of on and off. Our CB position is our Achiles heel.

Any rioting went on in Vancouver?

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Great game, it was good to see a game where things mattered and there was something to actually play for!

Plata was great, he attacked the ball more and seems to be getting more confidence. Eckersley and Harden were rocks at the back. YES, I did say "and Harden"!

Some people here seem to think DeGuzman had a good game, but I didn't! Every time he seemed to make a good tackle, he then gave the ball straight to a Whitecaps player, and put TFC back under pressure again. He must have passed the ball directly to a Whitecaps player countless times through the game! I thought Sturges is looking like a much stronger DM than DeGuzman these days, and had a solid game today.

I don't blame the linesman for not seeing the "goal that wasn't", he would have needed to run as fast as Usain Bolt to get to the goal lline in time, it was a fast breakaway!

Mind you, I thought we got lucky on the penalty as I thought Plata handled the ball (upper arm at least) to control it before getting fouled! If the Ref had a different angle he may have given the handball instead of the foul!

Great game today, but I'm not running away with ideas of greatness just yet, two wins against the league's bottom team in a week isn't the golden ticket just yet!

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Awesome game for the reds, they deserved to win, completely dominating in the 2nd half.

One of the positives of tfc playing in the ccl now is that it means a whole lot more games for the club, and hence great opportunities for the younger players to get some experience, which is just what tfc needs going forward.

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Wasn't Preki's fault that the refs gave TFC 2 red cards. I'm pretty optimistic about CL.

If we get through to the group stages we will face Dallas, Pumas of Mexico, and the Panama team that is blissfully thank the Lord not the Arabe Unido Divers.

Probably Pumas will win the group, and we will be hard pressed to beat Dallas, the same way we were hard pressed to beat RSL last year. However, I'm rooting for both TFC and Dallas to advance. MLS needs to punch FMF in the mouth and start showing that we are advancing in club play in the region.

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Hey everyone, remember that time Vancouver won the Voyageurs Cup?

Yeah, me neither!

10 TIMES!

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Just watched replay of play leading up to free kick. Harden did give up the free kick, he clearly tugged jersey (this was not obvious from my seat). Gotta say it was an unneccesary foul, and we've been giving upa lot of free kick goals late lately.

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Martina looks like he's out of form, but I can see that it's coming back though. JDG just can't score his first goal, it looks like the monkey is still on his back, but i got a feeling he will score in the next few games, just like fernando torres. Yourassowsky played really well today (and last game) after he started to pass the ball faster and not dribble with the ball too much. Plata is just dancing with the ball on the Whitecaps side, he is just too fast!!!!!! But TFC is lucky that Hassli is playing really bad, he almost got a game winning goal in 85'. COMMON U REDDDDDS!!!!!!! take adventage of the momentum, and lets get into the play-offs so next year there will be a full and loud stadium again like before.

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

The good news about having to wait on Frings and Koevermans to play is that there isn't anything precluding them from training with the team in the meantime. It'll be a lot better to have those two joining the squad with their bearings already caught and a bit of fitness training, as opposed to simply being tossed into the deep end next week.

Oh yeah, CANADIAN CHAMPIONS THREE YEARS RUNNING!!!!

Four years next summer!

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8U-I0RH8Cc"]YouTube - ‪The Piranhas - Tom Hark‬‏[/ame]

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Vancouver may have made us look bad on opening day, but tfc won when it counted.

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Yup. I say these last two wins avenge the season opener.

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Last night, Frings was the last person to leave BMO Field as he decided to stay and do an extra 45 minute workout session. His work ethics will likely overwhelm some but will also serve to inspire them as well. It's going to be very nice (as Winter would say) to have a true leader in that locker room who will lead by example and not just throw out lip service.

Good times are ahead for all of us.

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

What a game. I saw it from section 211, great angles. Gargan still sucks.

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Anyways here's a picture of the ball crossing the line: http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1107&d=1309650444

Credits to Chris Hazard of CSN.

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Was at the game - great atmosphere, some good football, fantastic result and weather was awesome.

However, I disagree with your comment about Gargan. He is my usual whipping boy when we perform badly (and he is on the pitch), but I thought he had a solid game yesterday. Played well defensively (i.e. didn't cough up the ball too much, or let his marker run by him), and even got in on the odd offensive move... overall, pretty good I thought.

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Both Gargan and Harden had excellent games yesterday. Regardless of whether or not they are consistantly strong players, I think they're worth holding onto as depth guys as we grow a stronger overall squad.

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Despite the threepeat, I decided to go ahead and make this nice little pic:

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

The entire ball must cross the line. In the photo (not this photo, the other one!), although the ball part on the ground is past the line, I don't think the photo shows conclusively the whole ball is past the line. ?

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

A pass from him past a certain distance often goes straight to the feet of an opposing player. He did it in this game as well, a number of times. He stops, he looks up, looks down, and then kicks a long ball straight to the somewhat surprised but grateful opponent. If he doesn't have the ball much he doesn't give it up as much. I figure he didn't have it much.

Also I thought the square wheels were starting to come off his wagon near the end of the game. He was giving large swathes of space near the end ... These are two complaints I have .. the space he gives up (more as he tires), and those damn long balls to the feet of the opponent. What kills me is he looks downfield before he does it, is he near-sighted?? Colorblind?

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

Agreed...close, but not a goal on that evidence.

 

Re: Pre-Match/Match/Post-Match Thread - NCC - Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - July 2, 2011 (

I thought we played very well and deserved the win and happy to see the boys go on to play in the CCL. Nothing wrong with having more Toronto FC matches to watch and great experience for the players to play in a continental competition.

As far as the game I thought Plata again was really causing issues to the Caps back-line, thought JDG and Yourassowsky were really good in the middle and the back-line was able to keep it together when at one point we have right back and central mid in the center of the back-line.

I don't like these injury's and how they keep piling up, there is a lot of football to be played, especially if we get through to the group stage so we need as many fit bodies as possible.