Let’s start by stating the obvious, but seemingly forgotten:
There are 29 games left in the season. That’s 87 points. Considering Toronto is just six points out of a playoff spot, the season is hardly over. Yes, Toronto has struggled, but to play the doom and gloom card at this point is beyond reactionary.
Even pulling out the worst sports cliché in the book – A MUST WIN GAME!!1!!!one! – when talking about Saturday against Chicago is misguided.
It’s a it-would-be-really-good-to-stop-the-bleeding game, but unless MLS shortened its schedule to six games, it’s not a “must” win. Actually, the must-win-now mentality of the Toronto fan has contributed to the mess that the franchise is in.
Still, at 0-for-five, it’s clear that the team does need to do something to turn itself around. Below the jump, six things we would do to “fix” TFC in 2012:
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1 – Not panic
If you were to identify one main characteristic that all successful MLS teams have, it would be stability – they don’t have massive player turnover from year to year and they most certainly do not see more than 100 players come and go in just five seasons.
As much as a fan might want to KILL ‘EM ALL right now, TFC can’t. They must be patient and committed to keeping its core group together. To blow it up again would be the single stupidest thing TFC could do.
It’s important to remember that TFC is the youngest team by median age in the league. To use a local sports analogy that most will understand, TFC is doing exactly what Toronto hockey fans have been screaming at the Leafs to do for years – get young and build for the future.
So far VERY, VERY ANGRY TFC fans are illustrating exactly why it is so hard for sports teams in this city to do that.
2 – It’s the midfield, stupid
For all the talk of defenders blowing assignments and forwards missing sitters it’s the middle of the park that’s the problem.
Forget the 4-3-3, Toronto has been playing something that looks like a 5-0-5 at times this year. The holding midfielder is forced back into a sweeper role and the forward mids are playing high and wide. As a result, opposing teams are coming at TFC in waves on the counter.
Carles Puyol would look bad in the middle of Toronto’s defense with the lack of support the centrebacks are getting. Ty Harden looks like he was pulled from the stands six beers into his day.
One of the biggest problems is that Toronto’s midfield lacks physical size. Since wholesale changes are not a good idea (see above) we need to fix the problem from within. How do we do that?
Well, it won’t be easy, but let’s start by playing a formation that better fits the talent. Forget the 4-3-3, Toronto needs as much stability as it can find – a 4-5-1 would make more sense with two holding mids protecting the centrebacks. Yes, Toronto would be giving up a little going forward, but with just two goals in five games so far…something is sick with the attack anyway
3 – Change up the attack
This comes down to a change in approach as well. The biggest asset TFC has going forward is Danny Koevermans. Although the Dutchman has struggled with just one goal in five starts, he has been creating chances, often from truly terrible service.
TFC has been incredibly predictable on the attack, and thus easy to defend. They play the ball down the flanks and whip a cross in. Opposing teams simply pack the middle of the park, give up the flank, and double-team Koevermans.
Unless the Reds have Jesus Navas stashed away in the bowels of BMO Field, they need to move away from the winger/wingback-based attack.
Move Koevermans up high and play him as a target forward. Ryan Johnson and Joao Plata are both players that can create from the top of the 18 either through a shot (Johnson) or by beating a man on the dribble (Plata). Koevermans, meanwhile, is a wonderful garbage man that can bang in 10-12 goals from 10-yards in.
All this once again depends on moving away from the 4-3-3.
4 – Keep the German healthy
It is painfully obvious that TFC will go as far as Torsten Frings takes them. That the 5-game losing steak has happened with him on the sidelines is reason one through 1,000 for why it’s not time to panic. You cannot evaluate Toronto until a significant amount of games have been played with him in the line-up.
5 – Do right by JDG
Julian de Guzman is not a bad player. It’s absurd that that even needs to be written. Less than 5 per cent of players in the league can play a 45-yard pass to an attacker's feet in the way that de Guzman does routinely – and without notice – several times a game.
However, he’s a terrible fit for a physical league like MLS. He does get pushed off the ball too often and a referee style that favours more physical play does not help the situation.
And he’s overpaid. Also, he’s a DP. These two factors make him a target of every single Dougie from Oshawa that fills BMO Field. He can never do enough and the amount of negativity that is constantly being thrown in his direction is toxic.
The two need to part company this summer before his salary counts against the cap. The free DP slot can then be used for an upgrade where it’s more needed
6 – Add a piece, not 10
As we said in point number one, the summer window cannot be used to overhaul the team. However, it should be used to add something. Most will demand that the Reds upgrade the back-line. And if a top class centreback can be found then sure, of course they should.
Don’t hold your breath, however. There is likely no position harder to fill in MLS than CB. If you go the DP route you’re bound to have a guy near the end of his career. The “name” you bring in will need to still be physically strong, quick, and, most importantly, have the drive to compete. There aren’t many players that are willing to come to MLS that fit that description.
There is a reason many of the best centrebacks in MLS are domestic players and those that are not were brought into MLS prior to their peak years. The position is demanding and not sexy – the very opposite characteristics that most DPs bring to the league.
True defensive improvement might have to wait until the off-season. For 2012, TFC would be as well off trying to upgrade another, less talked about problem area.
Attacking midfield. So far in 2012 the attacking midfielders have been invisible. Vastly improved play from that position is needed and it might be an area a DP salary could address.
What would you do to improve TFC in 2012?