A playoff spot that at one point in the MLS season appeared to be a lock is looking less certain for Toronto FC these days.
Toronto dropped a 2-0 decision to the expansion New York City FC on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, the Reds’ third loss in a row and a game that once again underlined the gravity of this team’s defensive issues.
In the 13 league matches that TFC have played since the start of July, they’ve given up a staggering 30 goals, or 2.31 per game. 30 goals in 13 games. Let that sink in for a second.
Little wonder, then, that the Reds sport the second-worst defensive record in the entire league with 49 goals against in 28 games. Only the expansion Orlando City is worse (with 51 goals). Again, let that sink in.
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The Reds sit precariously in fifth place in the Eastern Conference (the top six make the playoffs) but any chance of a fourth-place finish and a home playoff date that goes with it is looking unattainable with each passing game. Toronto trails Columbus by seven points for fourth, and what’s more the trailing pack is closing in on them, with three teams within six points of the Reds.
A home date in the post-season? At this point, with six games to go in the campaign, let’s just hope they can hang on and clinch a playoff berth.
The good news for Toronto is that their next five matches are at home. Make no mistake, this is a crucial stretch for the Reds, one that will not only define their season but possibly determine the future of the current regime in charge.
“These are defining games for us as we continue to work towards the playoffs and build our momentum as we go into playoffs. But right now, we need to get out of this funk,” coach Greg Vanney said after Wednesday’s loss.
It’s a little presumptuous of Vanney to be talking as though a playoff spot is a given. It’s not. Based on current form, Toronto is trending in a downward direction, and seeing how Vanney is unable to bring in any more reinforcements, it’s hard to see how TFC’s defending is suddenly going to get much better when this problem has been allowed to fester all season long.
No doubt injuries and suspensions have played a major part in the team’s defensive woes. By this correspondent’s count, Vanney has used 17 different defensive combinations in 28 games. You’re not going to win many games without a consistent—or something at least approaching consistent—back four.
The problem is, Vanney doesn’t have any options but to go with what he’s got—and what he’s got ain’t that great.
It’s not just the back four, though. Too often, the players in front of them are too eager to venture forward, leaving the defence badly exposed. What’s needed is more discipline, and the team maintaining its overall shape in order to protect the back four at all times.
TFC also needs other players, other than its defenders, to make big defensive plays on a consistent basis.
“We still need to be stingier about the goals we give up. It’s not just the back four—it’s all of us being able to go the extra two yards to close things down … Right now teams are finding ways to make us pay,” Vanney said.
He later added: “We can’t take any play for granted or any moment for granted because it’s costing us.”
Quite right.
Vanney also badly needs more offensive production out of a side that has scored just two goals in three games. In Sunday’s loss to New England and again on Wednesday night, Toronto created many chances but they couldn’t finish them. A few more goals would take some of the pressure off the defence, and force opponents to chase them, instead of TFC always doing the chasing.
“We’ve got to score some of those chances to force teams to open up, so that we can create some space for us to play,” Vanney said.