Discuss Lack of urgency & effort from TFC after this turnover is just shocking, to the point where I'm wondering what has broken in the locker room. #NYCvTFC pic.twitter.com/Z9Hstz2jXW— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) June 24, 2018
It is difficult to argue with his fundamental premise (which he also has a larger article about). TFC has not been playing like the team they were last year or like the team that smashed through Mexican opponents all the way to the CCL final. Yes, there have been huge numbers of injuries and other extenuating circumstances. I'm not expecting the team to win every game. That said, last year's TFC and the TFC from this year's CCL would have found a way to win games despite the obstacles. We'd be reading about how TFC used its depth to push on. No way does that team let DC score four. No way does that team cough up a three goal lead to Columbus. I still think TFC will get better when Altidore and others return. We aren't a bottom of the table team. But we also seem to have lost the mental toughness to just go out and win despite the obstacles. The question is whether we can get it back.
The strange thing is that there isn't one reason why the team has been utter shit this year. Some games it's effort, others it's injuries, individual errors, refereeing, and even luck. Kingston is right. TFC used to have a certain swagger about them. Right now, their confidence is as low as it's been since Nelsen was the coach. Not sure what you can do about the injuries though. You can argue that they're in such dire straits that they have to push certain guys back early. But when they do that, then they get injured again and they miss more time. Just look at what happened to Mavinga and Morrow. I think the biggest decisions they will have to face this summer is what to do with Osorio and Aketxe. IMO, if there's less than a 50-50 chance that they can re-sign Oso, they have to sell him and get something for him. Aketxe hasn't settled into the team at all. Everything has to be on the table for him including patience, a sale, or mutual termination.
I've been underwhelmed by this year's major off season signings. Auro and van der Wiel have been okay on defence but just that - okay. At $200 k Auro is acceptable but at $800 k van der Wiel should be a big upgrade from our existing defenders, not someone to fill in until they get back from injury. Aketxe has been a disaster. If I was Osorio I'd be asking the team why they don't switch Osorio's $200 k salary for Aketxe's $1.2 million. Adrenaline11 is correct to point out that there are different reasons why TFC has lost each game that they have lost. In the end, however, it comes down to the fact that they seem to have lost that intangible something they had last year which let them win despite adversity. At this point they either need to get it back right now or it will be too late for the playoffs this season.
A lot of the issues are related to injuries to be sure. Haggalund and Zavaleta are just coming back from injuries and they are our 3rd and 4th best options for CB. The big difference between TFC in 2016 and TFC in 2017 was the improvements to our back line. I'm not sure we've seen Moor and Mavinga playing together at all so far this season. But that being said it does appear to be more than that. Few of the bench players seem to be stepping up aside from say Telfer. Rickets has been a no-show in most games so far this season. They don't seem to be taking it to teams like they did last year, or even towards the end of 2016. Sure the injuries are one thing, but it's starting to seem like it's more than that. I don't think that Betashur and Cooper were the key pieces keeping this team together in 2017.