You really have to take the opponent into consideration. We did well tonight, slightly unlucky not to come away 1-0. 0-0 was hard fought and gives us a solid chance in leg 2.
in a 5-3-2 with a player of Bradley's caliber in the middle, I'd have been very worried about what Toronto could do to us on the counter if we came out like that. Wil and Artur dropped deep to receive the ball when we had possession in order to open up space for our midfielders, but Toronto couldn't be brought out of their shell. Credit to Berhalter for the second half adjustment of pressuring Toronto's defenders into playing more long balls, but we still couldn't find a way to break down their defense consistently. A lost opportunity, but 0-0 isn't a bad result. NYRB beat Toronto 1-0 in Toronto. They're undoubtedly a more dangerous team with Giovinco and Jozy on the field, but Vazquez dropping into midfield will also open up some room for Santos/Meram/Higuain. We need a massive game from our center backs and Abu, who is needed now more than ever with Artur out.
Agreed. He was my clear MOTM last night. Abu, to his credit, has dramatically improved his game throughout this season. He's going to need to play his best game of the year next week.
Toronto parked the bus no question, it was their game plan from the start and it showed. Any free-flowing style came to a grinding halt from the opening whistle and unfortunately Columbus couldn't break it down until the final 20 minutes. Don't count on more of the same when you visit Toronto, I fear it'll be all guns blazing in the second leg.
"This is one of the few markets (Columbus) that has fallen behind..I don't know who that falls on.." -M. Bradley- guess what dimwit it falls on the ownership who never has had any commitment to this market.
And they were right to do it. It's certainly what I would have done. They're statistically one of the best teams in league history. There's no reason for them to believe that as long as the score was close, that once they got their stars back, their quality on their home field would see them through. The only result from the first leg that was truly going to hurt them was a multi-goal Columbus win. So they employed the tactics that were going to give that the least opportunity to happen. It is a little bit of a risk, because now they're vulnerable to a road goal tiebreaker. But I would have rolled the dice on that bad boy as well.
I hope he's never a crucial part of an organization that falls behind. Like, a national team, or something.
Just gonna point out. We have failed to score in 3 of the 4 playoff games so far. Johnson was terrible for NYCFCYCFC in the first leg. The lack of an adequate back up forward hurts. Massive missed opportunity last night. Don't feel confident about next week, can't see how we are going to score enough goals.
There was a moment when I thought he would trigger beast mode. It was the run and shot and then shortly afterwards dispossessed Bradley and I thought here we go. Barnstorming last 15 but it just petered out
Bradley was tracking higuain around the middle third throughout the game. A number of times higuain dragged him into our third but no one filled the void he left. It was crying out for either trapp or Artur to fill it be neither went. The shackles were on. It was a no risk, hope for a goal, strategy.
I know it's hardly germane but we sat directly in front of the loudest, stupidest, crudest, most ignorant, total and complete bunch of assholes I've ever been around at a soccer game.
To be fair, we won a World Cup by counting a goal that didn't go in. So it's only fair to do the same the other way.
Mookie would never have let me sit, and believe me I wanted to after it became obvious that the team was mailing it in. I figured why should I put out more effort than they did, but i would have ended up wearing beer.
Were you in the Toronto section?? But seriously, I did run into a rather nice TFC fan who noted that the league was scr*wing us....
Found this interesting (and insane):Here's one fan's drawing of his line. The back of the line is in the main road for one parking lot. Cars were still driving to park (mainly because there was only one attendant taking money for parking)Unreal pic.twitter.com/3awWgsEEKo— stew (@jstew0101) November 22, 2017 Here's where I lined up: Took more than a half hour to get in. We missed the first 15 minutes of the game.