Every week, sportsnet.ca will talk to a member of Sportsnet’s soccer broadcast team (Craig Forrest, Paul Dolan or Gerry Dobson) specifically about one of Major League Soccer’s three Canadian clubs.
This week, sportsnet.ca chats with Craig Forrest about Toronto FC, and the team’s lack of midfield creativity.
The last time we talked, Toronto FC was 1-0-2 and you said there was no need for coach Ryan Nelsen to switch starting goalkeepers, and replace Joe Bendik in favour of Stefan Frei. A few more weeks have passed. Do you still feel Bendik should start ahead of Frei?
Craig Forrest: Yes, I do. He’s looked solid and I think he’s a good kid. He’s done very well. The club is happy with him, I know that. They have two good goalkeepers and it’s great for TFC. It’s unlucky for Frei, with his injuries and the timing of his injuries. But I don’t think Bendik has done anything to lose the starting role.
Some NHL teams rotate their goalkeepers or use a platoon system and the goalie position. Can that work in soccer?
Forrest: That’s an interesting question. We’ve seen it to some extent with clubs using different goalkeepers depending on the competition – the backup will play exclusively in the FA Cup, League Cup or Europa League, but they’ll have a firm starter in the Premiership. Tottenham did that with Brad Friedel and Hugo Lloris this season. But I think it all depends on the individuals involved. Some goalkeepers, like a Gianluigi Buffon, you could play him every day and he’s going to be fine. The same thing with someone like Iker Casillas. But then there are goalkeepers who tend to physically and mentally get tired, and they could do with a little rest now and again. Some goalkeepers need to be playing every day to keep sharp; coming into the odd game now and again won’t work for them.
TFC has five points through the first five games of the season, with one win and two draws and a pair of losses. What have you seen from this team early in the season that differs from 2012?
Forrest: Well for one, I think they press their opponents quite well in the opponent’s half of the field. I think the dressing room is a lot better than it was under Aron Winter; the players have a lot of respect for Ryan Nelsen and the coaching staff. And I think the fans, at the moment, are giving them an opportunity to build; there’s changes coming and more players coming in, and as long as that’s the case the fans will continue to give them time and remain pretty positive.
Where does the team need to improve on the field?
Forrest: Well, they need some more players in midfield. Defence, as well. The centre-back position, for me, has never been great here. There needs to be a few changes, with creative midfield players brought in; somebody who can help out the forwards and get some service to them. They seem to be struggling to create anything from midfield and Robert Earnshaw doesn’t get a lot of service to him, and all strikers need it for the most part. I don’t think Toronto has ever had a really great creative midfielder who could run the show. They’re still three or four players short, in my view.
What have you made of newcomers such as John Bostock and Hogan Ephraim? And what’s your view on TFC bringing in these guys on loan deal before signing them to permanent contracts?
Forrest: So-so. I would they’ve been average; they haven’t been brilliant. They need to be better. The club has been burned before by giving contracts to players who didn’t pan out, so I get the loan deals. But at the same time, I wonder if it’s the best way to build team unity, because you have to think some players are saying to themselves, "are they part of the team or not?" and wonder about if they’ll be here in the long term. It’s a tough one. I think it’d be nice to have them signed to permanent deals but they don’t want to be caught and burned again. From a team standpoint, it’d be nice to have players signed full time, but it is what it is, and if they do well, they’ll catch on.
NEXT WEEK: sportsnet.ca talks to Paul Dolan about the Vancouver Whitecaps. Do you have a question you want to ask Paul? Send your queries to John Molinaro via Twitter and he’ll use the best one in next week’s Q&A.
