Sunday, May 31, 2009

MAN ALIVE


Well that was something. Thank god for that six pack, it's amazing how well beer heals the heart. 3-0 to Houston and I guess the only good thing was that I could really start pounding them back after 24 minutes without any worry of my judgment of the game getting any worse. It's crazy how TFC have the capacity to look so dialed in one week and completely useless the next. I had this one a draw (on paper it looked as though) but still factored in the fact Houston is consistently one of the top teams every year. Unlike the Chicago game, where I felt they came for the draw and were able to cash in on their opportunities, Houston was there to destroy us and they did.

The one thing I think this game proved is that our defence definitely got exposed big time. We might be able to hang tough against New England who is missing their top strikers, or Columbus as well, but when we match up against teams with big, strong forwards who challenge our (let's be real - midfielders converted to defenders) back line they can't handle it. I think their are two puzzle pieces left (this is no shock to many I am sure), a big defender and a legitimate goal poacher. Everything else is in place - young talent in the back, the midfield looks good and we have young forwards to develop, they just aren't there yet.

Like I said, really the best thing about last night was these luscious green bottles with their oh so tasty elixir. Mmmmm I had good nachos too. Actually the other good thing was my main mang Vitti who has to get a start in this week the guy works hard out there and his dribbling is badass. I can admit it, I'm a total fanboy I want this guy to work out at TFC. Ok just kidding I just love the headband. Other than him, gotta say there was almost nothing to take out of that game except maybe they were able to stop the bleeding at half-time. Right now we sit right in the middle of the league if you ask me, we definitely aren't shit anymore, but haven't done what needs to get done to be in the top 4-6. Anyway ... I still have a Tuborg left! I think I'll down that now, and look forward to Tuesday - Vancouver is going down!

Monday, May 25, 2009

The future?

Ok well Simeon Jackson is in Leauge Two right now, but will be playing in League One due to playoff promotion next season for Gillingham and it will be interesting to see what his goal tally will be with a bit tougher competition. He was key down the stretch for this team and ended the season almost with a goal every game ratio - 21 in total this year. This is good news for Team Canada as well as we could use a potent striker to pair up with Rob Friend up front. From what's been out there in terms of pre-Gold Cup line-ups there's quite a few young players named to the friendlies - like Tosiant Ricketts, Jamie Peters and Andrew Ornoch. As much as we have lost out on a great group working their way to the World Cup, we now can see the young talent develop which we probably wouldn't have if we were still qualifying. Well I guess we get to wait and see if the CSA screws up the potential for 2014. In the meantime, here is the clip of Simeon Jackson playing in the game that got Gillingham up to the League One. He's number 10 and get's alot of airtime! And nothing says football like Green Day!!!

NOTE: I really have to start downloading these youtube clips when I copy them in. My apologies, hang tight for the next one.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

What a lad!


Woooo! Guevara! I'm feeling it - I said it before the season starts, this season hinges on whether or not this guy can recapture '05 or is he fading. Well he is ON right now. Toronto FC handles New England 3-1 and looked pretty sharp in the process. We went down 1-0 and it didn't even phase anyone, because Amado fired back within a minute to level the score. It was a great day all around (see above) weather, scoreline, girls, a few lame things which we will get toooo now!

Here is where it all begins



This was the key match up today - Serioux v. Joseph. This was fun to watch all afternoon.


Aaaaand Joseph gets the better of us on a soft header that beats Frei but ...


Seriously one minute later WOOO


This guy was grabbed for some "lame fan for the TFC eye" or whatever. He was wearing an Italia basketball jersey which is lame regardless of being at BMO field.


Second half kicks off and not sure who is lamer - the New England fans or ...


Yes that is the wave. Congratulations MLSE and Guest Services, you have officially turned sections 104/5/6 into the Rogers Centre. Instead of fun people singing and cheering we have drunk jabronis (yeah, I said jabroni!) trying to get the wave started W ... T ... F?


Well at least De Ro took control


Then Amado for the brace!!




Frei keeps us in the game


TFC is IN second place for sure as of now, first if ChiTown loses!!!


MOM! Looking forward to the next couple of games - Houston next saturday, then off to VanCity! Man they are going down! Also, the word of the day seemed to be LAME. I am not one to judge, it just seemed an appropriate adjective!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

It's a f$#@ing obsession

Moooore than ever! Name that early 90s hardcore band. 10 scene points up for grabs. So sometimes you just get that feeling inside of you, an epiphany almost, where you find something new to drive you. I've been feeling it lately. As I've said several times over the last year, I've been rotating between reading one book on football and one on whatever else I'm feeling like. So over the last year I've read around ten books mostly giving me a much needed history lesson on the game. Soccer in Sun and Shadow is up there as one of the best, and Brilliant Orange is what I'm almost finished now. As I've been gathering all this history now I'm getting a serious motivation to gather up some sort of memorabilia from the old days.

Well right now I am kicking myself because what you see above is a pretty sweet vintage Barca jersey I picked up last year in Rome. I'm not sure if this store was super cheesy but either way it was cool to go to a store where all they sold was old kits from the 40s-80s and had most teams you'd hope to find. Club kits and international ones. I almost bought a Soviet Union one but I'm not communist enough.

So until I can get my hands on that again, now I'm feeling print memorabilia. With another trip back to Europe in the works, I'm hoping to look for some cool stuff but in the meantime I have my eye on these guys. Specifically that Spain '82 is amazing. I'm all grown up now so it's time to take down my beer posters and get some real nice pieces of art. FOOTY ART!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Serenity now (part II)


Well I'm glad I'm in the pattern of writing this the day after the game. After yesterday's humiliating 2-0 defeat to the Chicago Fire, I needed a day to chill out and let the venom subside. But the truth is there a many things that are still boiling inside from this brutal performance from yesterday. Not sure if it was five games in two weeks or just getting a bit lazy after a good run, but pretty much front to back it was a horrible effort from TFC. Yeah there were a few bright spots but man, sorry, the non-finishing is getting a bit tired. Ok many points to go over so i'll just get to it!

So I guess the one good thing that happened was despite these skies, it never opened up and poured at all even though it was calling for it.


The Fire fans owned us. It is true. Sorry everyone in the south end and the north west. Truth is unless the ENTIRE south end is in unison, it doesn't dominate the stadium, same thing with the NEE. But these guys did not shut up the whole game and it was all we could hear in the east side. And to throw on top of it once again these 'guest services' douchebags were throwing out TFC supporters left and right - for standing. Not for being wasted or belligerent but for trying to get 104/105 to match up the the away supporters. AND the Chicago fans were pointing out standing fans to kick out and security was listening to them!! What a joke.





Well that first half was so boring this was pretty much the most action we saw before the second half.


Chicago scores the first goal and this was the second by Brian McBride. Man look at the posture from Frei. That really says everything about what this game was all about.


We had our chance but once again ... finishing anyone?? Pretty sure I have the order wrong here but you get the point.




Chicago wins. BARF.


Really there were only two things to come away from this game - #1


#2


Hopefully we shape/rest up this week and take it to New England who is not the team they've been in the past.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Les Tete-Carées gagne bein sur!!


Come on now, let's not kid ourselves. TFC dominated this game front to back to pull out a 1-0 victory, a scoreline that is very flattering to Montreal. They had chances but few and far between, with hardly any possession and have nothing to complain about because it could have easily been 5-0. If they had come away with points it would have been by pure luck and not by design or any kind comparable gameplay. One great thing about this game for sure was it didn't rain! Man, what gives, it was calling for it all day and we got hardly a drop. Ok so this is how an exciting night went with TFC now having SIX, count 'em, SIX big points to lead the pool.

First things first, Rick and I had some podcast levels to sort out. Peeps be complainin' about the volume but this shit is DIY so give me a break.


Here is the beautiful walk up to BMO field and discovery of the Montreal "Ultras" (oooooooooh).





Everyone's looking good in the warm up.



Ok let's get this started Canada.


OH MY


Lots of action early on and with Wynne getting injured, Barrett comes on and ...


GOOOOOOOOOL. For real best goal so far this season. Chad Barret we'll get to you later though.

Ok so take a good hard look at this guy. This seriously gets boring but his blunders of possibly 2, but 1 definite penalty might have been the worst call I've seen this year. We're in 106 so it was right in front of us, so maybe most people didn't see exactly how brutal his 'non'-penalty was but trust me, it was something else!


Second half gets chippy with lots more chances, red cards and MISSED BREAK-AWAYS.




So my take on Barrett is this - I don't really care so much the guy can't finish when he's all alone. But for real I don't think he should be the target man. That should go to Vitti, who on his few chances at that position, has shown (unfortunately offside) that he can place the ball exactly where it needs to go. Barrett would look really good where Vitti is now, a bit behind because the guy can score mid-range and has an amazing work ethic to win battles and create chances.

Well after all that *deep breath* we came out with the 1-0 victory, which was well deserved.



Vitti the MOM, which could have been him or De Ro who has been a beast three games in a row. But Vitti's dribbling and ability to get back to help out was what does it for me. He hasn't scored, mostly because he really needs a good chance to be the target man, but his skills and football I.Q. are far above most of the players on that pitch.


Good game, great form, bring on Chitown.