"Results" and observations

On "results"

One drawback to the the "post-game interviews on stationary bikes" era at TFC is that it's much tougher for observant reporters like yours truly to gauge the team's post-game mood.

Last year you'd walk in after a win and catch the team in mid-celebration -- music blaring, players joking, laughing, maybe playing video games. After a loss you'd find guys looking glum in a silent room, but trying to find reasons to keep the faith. One of my lasting memories from 2007 occurred minutes after the 2-1 loss to Columbus, the same day Miguel Canizales snapped the league record goalless streak.

Don't quite know why, but can't forget seeing Jeff Cunningham, who had missed a point-blank shot that day, sitting next to his locker, hands folded, staring at the floor. As he brooded Jim Brennan walked by and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Cunningham then rose and slapped hands with Kenny Stamatopoulos, who had surrendered two goals that day.

Tender moments during a tedious losing streak. Small acts that reveal a team's character.

Tough to stumble across scenes like those at home games this year. Instead, win or lose, you've got guys riding bikes.

Again, not complaining about that, but it just means that instead of observing the team's mood directly, you sometimes have to take people's word for it.

In Thursday night's case, nobody seemed annoyed about the 1-1 tie. The result seemed fair in a game that featured few scoring chances for either team. Still, I believe Carver when he said his guys weren't happy earning a single point from that game.

"I'm disappointed," Carver said. "And the fact that I'm disappointed tells me how far we've come."

When I first started covering soccer I found it funny that guys would head into games looking to get "a result." Not necessarily a win. Possibly a tie. Just not a loss. A result.

Now, I'm not trying to reopen the soccer semantics debate we had a few posts ago. I'm just saying I'm used to guys who play to win the game.

So TFC got "a result" Thursday night and Carver swallows it but says everyone involved senses they could have accomplished more.  And that really is a long way from last season, when it seemed like any "result" was a good "result."

It's also on the record. A starting point of sorts, and something to watch out for the rest of the season. Does TFC continue to head into every game seeking three points, or at some point do they relax and content themselves with "a result"? What happens to their killer instinct after a few more wins? After a string of losses? After a few more "results"?

As I said in Wednesday's story, Carver treats his job as a daily crusade against complacency, so I know what my hunch is on how this will play out. Still, as the season wears on, more than wins and losses I've got my eye on how this team's character develops.

On bye weeks

With sixteen days between games, some of TFC's new additions are headed back overseas to attend to unfinished business. Carver said both Laurent Robert and Olivier Tebily will head back to England to gather some belongings and ship them over here. Living in a hotel is no fun, apparently.

Carver knows. He recently moved out of one and into a house in Oakville. He, too, will fly back across the Atlantic to sell the house he left when he took the Toronto job.

On the Man of The Match

Thursday night, Marvell Wynne hoisted the trophy. Kicking myself right now because I forgot to ask him whether he gets to keep it, or if they just engrave his name on it.

Anyway, it's his first since coming to TFC a year ago, which is a surprise considering how often he snuffs out scoring chances by his damn self. Did anyone else catch the play he made just before halftime as New York's Danleigh Borman sped deep into Toronto's zone with the ball and a few options?

If you missed it, Wynne swooped in and made the field real small in a hurry, trapped Borman along the end line, relieved him of the ball and sent it the other way.

Threat averted.

In the second half he was tasked with shutting down Jozy (Villareal?) Altidore, and did that, too.

Still, he didn't think his effort would win him the trophy. Nor did he even think about it.

"When I'm playing I'm not thinking to myself, 'I might be man of the match," so it's a nice little surprise to get noticed," he said.

Well, people notice.

Just so you know.

-- Morgan Campbell

Comments

[Troy Kolar]

You might be over thinking the whole "result" thing Morgan. No football player wants to end a game with a tie, but it's so damn hard to score goals (compared with any of baseball, hockey, football, or basketball at least), that tie's happen, even in leagues that have extra time (and why the h-e-double hockey sticks doesn't MLS? but that's another question).

Anyway, teams have to reconcile themselves to ties quite often even if they try for wins every time, and that kind of "result" against such a talented and well-organized side (there're 2 more footie terms for you, but one's worth using I think) as New York is "result" worth having even if a win would have been better. Surely that's better than 'elite' baseball teams like the New York Yankees being happy with the result of losing 62 games in a year (and subsequently winning 100), isn't it?

Anyway, here's to even better results than last night's. All for one!

[Troy Kolar]

By the way, what happened with Robert's yellow card? I saw Jozy Altidore shove him (definitely a foul if not a yellow, but the ref couldn't see the shove). Then Robert gets up composed, but freaks at another player and pushes him down. What was that? Delayed reaction emotional outburst from the mercurial frenchman? Did he think he was pushing the guy who pushed him? Bizarre, unless you can explain.

And how egregious was the yello against Guevara? The poor guy competes cleanly for the ball (even puts his hands in the air at one point to show there's no shoving), and then gets carded. I guess TFC is getting a rep now. Could be worse; could be getting a rep and not getting any "results" (cue ironic chuckle)

[Morgan Campbell]

Yeah, I don't know exactly what happened with Robert's yellow card. I didn't get a chance to ask him about it after the game, but here's how it looked from the press box:

- Altidore flattens Robert.
- Enraged, Robert rises from the turf looking for some payback, but realizes that Altidore's a BIG dude and reconsiders.
- Robert finds someone closer to his own size (in this case, Hunter Freeman) and decks him, earning the yellow card.

And I agree, that card on Guevara came from nowhere. I didn't see any foul, but what do I know? I'm not a referee. I just tell stories for a living....

[Morgan Campbell]

Oh yeah, and the bigger point here is that last year this squad would have been real happy with "a result," whereas these guys aren't. I learned pretty quickly that yu can go a long way in this league with mere "results," witness Houston's championship run in 2006 (11-8-13 in the regular season). I was jut looking to set up a contrast between last years squad and the current one....and I also wanted a reason to link to that Herman Edwards clip. Classic.

[M Phillips]

Actually I believe Robert became incensed when Freeman booted the ball away thus preventing a possible quick start. What I saw when Alti and Robert got up were a couple of knowing smiles to each for essentially a good play / penalty on Altidore's part. The Bulls were constantly kicking the ball away to prevent a quick start all game and so Freeman got what he deserved. Next time though Robert needs to pick his moment and to then introduce the underside of his shoe to the others legs when only the fams are looking!!

[M Phillips]

Oh, I forgot to mention that Wynne was outstanding. He is constantly improving which is a delight to see in a young player. Velez is also getting his game together and with his size is a natural to take over from Marsh man when his time comes.

Great job back 5!!

[voislav]

A good game by TFC, especially Wynne who had Altidore in his pocket. I do feel that Carver should've brought Cunningham on earlier, Dichio looked tired towards the end. It looks like a very good team already, can't wait to see what happens as they start to gell as a team.

[Mash]

Ultimately, "results" is a term that is applied differently depending on the respective team.

If Toronto FC tied to Manchester United (humour me here), it would definitely be categorized as a "result" for TFC, while on the flipside, it would not be classified as a "result" to Manchester United.

Sometimes, even a loss can be categorized as a "result".

Take for example, the hypothetical situation whereby Toronto FC is playing Morgan United in the final match of the Campbell's Premier League. TFC is tied with Team Z for 3rd last place, with Toronto sitting in 4th last place because of their marginally better goal differential (for which we will assume is 3).

If Toronto "only" loses 2-0, they still have a "result". While a loss like that will never be classified a "massive result" (soccerese), it is a "result" nonetheless because it has ensured success in some sort of fashion.

Keep up the good work, kind sir!

[Timmy]

Result... went home kinda disappointed. Last year we'd have been over the moon with a tie, but not this year. The three points would have put us in first (tied).

Velez' goal was delicious.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

Great job with the blogs Morgan!
Keep up the good work.