Changes Coming...but when? And how?

It's not hard to tell TFC's in a slump right now.

Two games, two losses.

The first one is understandable, going down 2-1 on the road against New England, the top team in Major League Soccer and perennial contender for the MLS Cup.

But if you're a TFC player/coach/supporter this latest one is a little tougher to explain away.

Sure, TFC dominated play in the second half and probably should have scored on at least one of those tantalizing chances, but the fact remains they didn't.

So playing at BMO Field (AKA "The Fortess"), against a team from a lower league, they lost.

If your a glass-half-empty type you'll note that TFC is winless in their last three.

I think English people call that a "dip in form."

But if you're a glass-half-full type you have also noticed that in each of their last three games TFC has received a huge boost from its second-half subs, most recently Jeff Cunningham, Jarrod Smith and Julius James.

Now you could point to that fact as evidence of TFC's depth, but what does depth mean if you're not winning?

I'm more inclined to think it means Carver's going to shuffle the starting lineup between now and the next league game July 12 in Chicago. That was my hunch as the game ended, confirmed at the post-game news conference when Carver said a new starting XI was "a no brainer."

So we know changes are coming, but I'm not yet comfortable guessing what the starting lineup in Chicago will look like because....

DARREN HUCKERBY AND PAUL DICKOV WERE AT THE GAME

I didn't see them but confirmed it with more than one person who did.

Folks a lot closer to the situation than I am said they were just checking things out and not on the verge of signing, but their mere presence is pretty significant.

Think for a minute about the sheer number of players who have been connected with TFC via rumours, innuendo, and "news reports" since the club was founded.

It's more than I can count.

Now think about how many of them have showed up at BMO to watch TFC play.

Very short list.

Savo Milosevic appeared late last season, but besides him, it's just these two...unless I'm missing someone.

Anyway, it's not my job to speculate on what their presence at Tuesday's game might mean, but remember that Carver said earlier this spring that TFC was in fact interested in Huckerby.

Looks like we've got a bona fide story line to follow for the next few days and I'll do my best to keep you informed.

ON GUEVARA

Can't remember who it was who asked me if Amado Guevar planned to play for the Honduran Olympic team, but the answer is no.

Honduras has a World Cup qualifier against Mexico on August 20 and he says the Honduran federation has told him that game takes precedence, so no trip to Beijing for Guevara.

Hope that helps.

-- Morgan Campbell

Comments

[charliehustle]

The performance Tuesday was a disgrace. We were played off the pitch by a team that was more motivated, better organized and fitter than us.

This fortress Toronto nonsense has gone to the players' heads. You can chant all you want that "this is our house" but Vancouver deserved its win and then some.

[Gary]

John Carver was quoted in the newspaper today saying that a fan was ejected from the game for abusing him after the final whistle. I was sitting 3 rows behind and 4 seats to the guy's right. Carver's quote is nonsense. Firtly, the game had about 20 minutes left to go. Secondly, the fan was shouting simply "Carver, you suck". Carver heard, turned around and wanted to know who shouted it. The fan stood up and shouted the same thing again. Carver lost his cool and shouted things back that I couldn't hear. Then one of the assistant coaches started shouting also and told security the guy should be ejected. That was when security ejected him! It's a disgrace that fans are not allowed to shout like that. This man was not using offensive language nor was he throwing anything or threatening in any way.
I happen to be a fan of John Carver but this incident was disgraceful on his and his coach's part.

[chris]

Disgraceful. Just bloody disgraceful. There's no way in hell a team like Toronto should lose at home to a lower level team like Vancouver. Yet they played as if victory would be assured. Nothing is guaranteed in life, boys. How are you gonna succeed in MLS if you approach each match like yesterday's. Wake up!

[keano16]

I was at the match on Tuesday and saw Carver getting into it with the Vancouver coach...any idea on what was said...or as to the Whitecaps' coach background?

It looked like a heated battle.

[Dave]

Yeah, I got eject because I told Carver he sucked and had the guts to stand and identify myself, and frankly he did suck yesterday. I've watched him rant, usually at the 4th officials, all season, but what has he really done to inspire the boys. The fans provide far more inspiration than he does unfortunately. I would have expected him to have much thicker skin than he does. Unfortunately he can't seem to handle the heat in Toronto and has supporters removed for calling him out on it, which apparently he feels we should do if his post game comments are to be believed.

[Scott]

Hey Dave maybe Carver was talking about you when he said this,

"Carver said one fan was ejected by security for "having a go" at him after the final whistle and voicing his disapproval. Carver said the team deserved the abuse, and he will do anything in his power to make sure the fan isn't punished." From The Globe.

I also read somewhere that Carver wanted to meet that fan and apologize but can't find it now.

[sunny natt]

to Chris: Teitur Thordarson is the coach of the whitecaps...hes an icelandic who played in france for Lens among others and is a very experienced coach, coaching top sides in Norway and estonia. The whitecaps organization surprised to be honest as a well oiled machine.. With Saputo in the east and now possibly Steve Nash in the west I think MLS will take big strides in canada...will TFC turn into its big brother maple leafs which sells out and makes huge amount of money but fail to deliver results?? to me an educated crowd is a healthy crowd and the gentleman above who stood up to what is happening was shut down for doing so...JC coached in newcastle and we all know how nasty them geordies can be, if we win something the managment will get the glory alongside the players, now when we have hit a tad bit of a slump they better take the bit of stick we chuck at them aswell...

[doug]

thanks for the info on guevera, morgan!

as for TFC's current problems, if jarrod smith could find the back of the net life would be a lot rosier at BMO field. has a man hit the post, crossbar or just plain missed the net more than him?

he looks great out there until he gets within striking range.

[greedman]

Marc bircham & Steve lomas were also @ BMo last year & did not sign for tfc

[Tim]

we NEEEEEED a striker for Guevara.
Dichio just isnt cutting it, and is spending most of the games walking, which means he is trying to play thru his various injuries.
And i agree with above, Jarrod Smith cant find the back of the net, and Cunningham is trying too hard for goal 100, which is leading to dumb mistakes.