Now, we can probably move on. If there was a miracle charge to the playoffs for TFC were to have happened it probably involved beating Chicago, one of the worst teams in the league. Prior to the game, they could afford to drop 7 points to hit 40 on the year. Now, it’s four.
So, that’s where it’s at.
It was a bit of a harsh result. Toronto played well, had a lot of the ball and hit the bar twice. When you consider the travel week they’ve had, it’s hard to get too worked up about things. Certainly, you should walk away with some hope for Wednesday’s Champions League match against Dallas.
At this point you have to look for the positives and last night they came in two forms. Miloš Kocić, a man most were ready to throw off the Bloor Viaduct last month, and Matt Stinson, a young Canadian clearly thriving under Winter’s system.
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Is Kocić better than Stefan Frei right now? Clearly not, but he has shown that he is more than capable of stepping up. Distribution is the weakness, but he is a terrific shot stopper – a fact underlined by another MLS Save of the
Week worthy effort in the first half last night.
Although I don’t think Europe is as close for Frei as many think (his EU passport helps, but it’s still not a sure thing), Kocić’s play of late should make TFC fans less nervous of the day he does leave.
Winter has shown himself to be a manager that plays those he thinks are on form regardless of their history or resume. So, don’t be surprised if he gets another run out even if Frei’s injury is fully healed.
Stinson is quietly becoming the best story of the season, especially for Canada-first fans. The academy graduate took a lot of time to make his debut, but is thriving now. His confidence moving forward betrays his youth and is decidedly un-Canadian (but hopefully a sign of what Canadian kids might play like moving forward after the academies really start to grind out players).
In the off-season, CSN first reported that Stinson was leaving school and looking to turn pro. At the time, it was speculated that he would be a player making regular appearances by the end of the year. If we got the TFC to finish 10th prediction wrong, then this isn’t a bad secondary prize.
Although Winter’s first season in charge has not been without reason to legitimately criticise, one refreshing development has been his trust in the young, mostly Canadian, kids. Unlike past TFC managers he doesn’t seem blinded by their passport and, more importantly, he seems to be able to bring out the most in their game. Ashtone Morgan, Doneil Henry and, now, Stinson have all stepped up. That makes the year a little more tolerable, don’t you think?