If overweight stand-up comics have taught us anything it is that jokes mask insecurity.
John Carver must have felt a similar insecurity on Saturday when Toronto FC fell 2-1 in the final of the Carolina Challenge Cup.
"The one thing for sure is that we are going to be in great condition if we keep playing games with 10 men," Carver said; clearly agitated in the wake of the 2-1 Carolina Challenge Cup loss to Real Salt Lake.
I tweeted on March 8 how the opening game in South Carolina might be a microcosm of the season to come: Adrian Serioux sent off and Dwayne De Rosario carrying the offence. Much like Carver, I meant the one-line analysis to be tongue-in-cheek.
It turned out to be more foreshadow than flippant
The Reds played close to 115 of the 270 minutes in Carolina with 10 men; De Rosario scored three goals in as many games; and TFC managed to win two of the three matches.
But in between it lost the fight to find a centre back.
Now the Serioux sending off (two yellows) in Game 1 is not a cause for concern. Coloured cards are collateral damage for a player who favours an aggressive style. However, the second sending off, another set of yellows to Kevin Harmse (Apologies, I got it wrong the first time and had written it was a straight red) in the Cup final, is an area of concern.
But why be alarmed over Harmse and not Serioux? Easy; Serioux is playing a natural position and Harmse is not.
Now I am not about to place the blame for a pre-season Cup final loss to a playoff team on the shoulders of Harmse, as three games do not a season make (or break). However, I'd settle for some kind of recognition that the experiment to play Harmse out of position -- and in a position that is clearly a team weakness -- is over.
Carver has and will tell anyone that his players need to fight for the badge on their shirts. But a great corner man will also recognize when his fighter is over-matched.
