Toronto FC concede stoppage time goal to lose in Austin
You can’t win games if you can’t score goals.
Toronto FC are still yet to score in an MLS match this month. TFC registered zero shots on target Saturday night against Austin FC, in a 1-0 loss that will undoubtedly frustrate both the club and its fans.
Lorenzo Insigne was not included in the squad Saturday, to the surprise of practically everyone. Without the Italian or captain Michael Bradley, Richie Laryea was handed the captain’s armband and started on the right side of a front-three next to C.J. Sapong and Federico Bernardeschi.
Themi Antonoglou started his first match for the club at left-wingback, while Matt Hedges made his return to the starting XI for the first time since April 8th and Mark-Anthony Kaye came back into the team after a brief two-match absence.
The first significant action occurred in the first 10 minutes when Austin FC’s Irish full-back Jon Gallagher ran through TFC’s half untouched before Kobe Franklin intervened with a challenge to halt the Austin attack.
Maxi Urruti, who came to MLS as a short-lived Toronto FC Designated Player, came very close to scoring against his former club in the 15th minute when his shot struck the base of the post.
Bob Bradley made two changes at the half-time interval, taking Antonoglou and Brandon Servania off for Hugo Mbongue and Kosi Thompson.
Goalkeeper Sean Johnson made a crucial save on Daniel Pereira’s shot in the 59th minute. He is one of the few players that is currently keeping this team afloat, although some would argue that this team is not.
Four minutes later, Aimé Mabika blocked a shot from Urruti that was headed towards goal.
On a quieter evening without much help up top yet again, Federico Bernardeschi was substituted in the 66th minute for debutant Jordan Faria. He looked visibly shocked to see his number on the substitute’s board — Berna went off in his post-match availability, which I will get to shortly.
Former Houston Dynamo defender Adam Lundqvist wasn’t far away from scoring what would’ve been an impressive goal. His powerful shot from outside the box did not miss by much in the 88th minute.
It looked as though a lacklustre TFC, that looked lost for ideas and disconnected, was going to leave Q2 Stadium with a very valuable point from a scoreless draw. But, in the first minute of stoppage time, the hosts found a hero in substitute and wily MLS veteran Gyasi Zardes.
TFC embraced Austin’s city motto of “Keep Austin Weird” as they conceded quite the odd goal as a result of not clearing the ball.
In post-match media availability, coach Bob Bradley shared his two cents on tonight’s proceedings and his team’s reaction.
“It’s a very tough loss. In the first half, we struggled to connect passes. They were all devastated, there’s no words in that moment. It’s a very tough goal to give up at the end,” said Bradley.
With the team now winless in their last four league matches, Bradley gave his view on this difficult stretch.
“Each game is different. I think there are some games where we created advantages and have some pretty good chances, some opportunities on set pieces. Tonight’s a night where there’s not much. I thought our passing into the midfield against their pressure wasn’t good enough.”
Bradley explained his decision to take off Bernardeschi midway through the second half when asked if the move was injury-related.
“No, Fede had put a lot into it. After the game on Wednesday, he had a little bit of a stomach bug. It’s humid down here and I thought he gave us 67 big minutes,” Bradley said.
Bradley was also asked to explain the surprise absence of his other star Italian.
“There was a play in the match on Wednesday, [Insigne] stepped in a funny way – was still struggling yesterday. In the end, he was not able to work through it. Hopefully, it’s not a big thing,” said Bradley.
Federico Bernardeschi was brutally honest with his answers on the post-match media Zoom call.
“We need to change something, we need more tactics, we need an idea of how we play. This is the real problem for me, it’s impossible to play like this,” Bernardeschi said.
“To play like this, it’s difficult for everybody. We play long passes, we don’t have any ideas of how to play. Unfortunately, we lost the game again, for me this is not good. I think this team, this city, the fans, everybody doesn’t deserve this,” the 2020 European champion professed.
Shortly before Bernardeschi was substituted, the broadcast cameras showed the Italian visibly frustrated with Kobe Franklin after the 20-year-old carried the ball halfway up the pitch and unleashed a shot that was blocked, rather than feed Bernardeschi with a through ball on the left side.
“When the player has the ball, we don’t know how to pass. This is the real problem. We lose every game, we tie, sometimes we win. I can’t believe this, this is not good for the young players, they need to grow up with an idea of football. The players with personality need to help us understand and follow the idea of football – but we need the idea of football, this is the real situation,” Bernardeschi said.
TFC attempted just 300 passes Saturday night, with an accuracy rate of less than 70 percent. With just 38 percent possession, the Reds had just three shot attempts without once testing Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver.
“This is another problem, we cannot score without shooting. If we don’t shoot at the goal, we can’t score,” Bernardeschi added.
A theme is emerging of Bernardeschi being on an island going forward with little to no help from his teammates.
“When a player has the ball, we don’t have ideas for the movement of another player. If you create [chances] by yourself? Good. If you have three, four [opposing] players around you, it’s impossible,” said Bernardeschi, when asked about the lack of support around him.
The man from Carrara ended the press conference with these comments:
“I’m really proud of the team and about every player because it’s difficult to play like this. Every week, we found a mentality to keep going but it’s difficult – this is the reality. I think the guys have to be proud about their job on the field. I see every training, the young guy, the experienced guy, they put everything on the field. For me, we need something different,” Bernardeschi concluded.
Will Bob Bradley still be in the dugout when Toronto FC host D.C. United in their next match Saturday night at BMO Field? We’ll have to wait and see.
“We don’t play….we don’t have any idea to play…It’s impossible to play without an idea”
– Federico Bernardeschi
That sums up the Bob Era.
Respect to Bernardeschi for finally saying it. The team has no tactics whatsoever, no movement, no plan, nothing. We’ve been saying this for a year and a half and if we can see it then Insigne & Bernardeschi can definitely see it.
Bob’s clearly lost the respect of the DPs, no point in keeping him now. Scrap the coaching staff & physios while you’re at it. Time to start fresh, this club needs a good spring cleaning like you wouldn’t believe.
The real whopper for me in this interview is when he said, “We don’t know how to pass the ball, this is a real problem. We don’t training about that”
Take that in, did Bernardeschi literally just say that they don’t train their passing………..if that’s what he actually means than that is fucking insane.
What Berna is saying is that these are all clueless no better then 4th division footballers posing as professionals. I mean Servania?? Petretta highest paid LB in the league??? How old is Criscito? What 38 someone get on the horn and see if he will come back, we signed VV for some strange reason, and our iron man captain is now the glass man as he is broken down and will sadly be back next year running around at a snails pace. I will go to BMO next year and lend him my walking stick,
Bye bye BB! Finally. Those words from Freddy are the ones that get BB canned. Not soon enough.
When your MF has been shredded by injuries and your two remaining DPs are averse to playing anywhere but on the touch line, this is what happens. As for Berna- he blew off steam. He got all pissy with Franklin who was in the midst of a run before that shot- Berna tactically felt it was best to run beside him for some reason rather than running off him.
However, Bradley built this team. Too many mistakes in that area by him.
As an aside. Franklin was MOTM
Um incorrect the dps should be played up top in a 4 4 2 but bob doesn’t play a 4 4 2 with them up top so that’s on bob and u know why we have so many injuries because bob kept playing 30 somethings in the midfield over and over and over again for 90 minutes in the beginning of the season and therefore the demands on their bodies were too much which is why u see so many injuries. Yes there were some fluke injuries as well but bob doesn’t know how to sub properly..this disaster is completely on the incompent bob.
Tough loss, though I was expecting a bloodbath given recent TFC performance and the level of the opposition. In all fairness, the defensive organization and coverage have been fairly reliable. I don’t feel the same nervousness when oppositions press anymore.
I think Fede is referring to ball movement, pace, attacking. He’s right, they need to shoot, and he can be lethal. Why he just puts his head down and tries to dribble through a whole lineup is puzzling. Maybe looking for an outlet and communicating might help. He has just as much power to share the idea of football as anyone else.
I wouldn’t let Bob off the hook either. He’s getting close to Aron Winter territory. Cash aside, in the summer window, adding extra squad depth in critical areas is a must. He hasn’t finished what he started and time is running out.
“In all fairness, the defensive organization and coverage have been fairly reliable.” Are you jocking?
Two balls in the woods in the first 20 minutes, countless goal situations and a final 1-0 that was extremelly generous and made justice. Do you seriously believe that this makes a good “defensive organization”?
Haha, point taken. Those two into the wordwork certainly looked shaky. I’ll give ya that. I’m just thinking about the five clean sheets so far, the fact that they’re hardly ever down by two after the first 20 minutes like last year, the better goals against so far, and the fact that some reporters, such as Michael Singh on Homestand Sports have spoken of better defending.. You could chalk some of it up to luck and add in the late collapse goals and you’d have an argument against better defending. This time last year, a visit to Austin would likely have been a bloodbath. The only real blowout on the road so far was in Philadelphia.
Haha, point taken. Those two into the wordwork certainly looked shaky. I’ll give ya that. I’m just thinking about the five clean sheets so far, the fact that they’re hardly ever down by two after the first 20 minutes like last year, the better goals against so far, and the fact that some reporters, such as on Homestand Sports have spoken of better defending.. You could chalk some of it up to luck and add in the late collapse goals and you’d have an argument against better defending. This time last year, a visit to Austin would likely have been a bloodbath. The only real blowout on the road so far was in Philadelphia.
FOBM. FOBB.
I think that says it all, except perhaps that, with or without Lorenzo Insignificant, there’s no difference to how we perform. SOooooo. Cut them all loose, and let’s not bother watching for the rest of season, at least until MLSE actually does something about TFC, instead of focusing on the Maple Leafs losing again. Season after season after season, MLSE promise to fix things, we buy into it every time, but, for me, no longer.
Bob “No Idea How To Play” Bradley.
bye bye Bob .. Mikey.. and GM.. adios.
The DPs are used to playing with Serie A talent. None of the players on the pitch could start for a Serie A team, so it’s frustrating to them when they cannot complete an easy pass. The DPs have given up a while ago realizing it’s not going to get any better, as Fede has brought up they don’t even practice passing the ball. BoB Bradley is long past his expiration date; if he is still employed this week I wouldn’t be surprised to see the DPs looking to leave.
I get all the comments that BB should be fired. No doubt. But surely it should start with Bill Manning (BM). He’s overall responsible, for hiring, keeping and not firing BB. He should be fired first. But MLSE don’t give a s*** about the fans, so ling as the money keeps rolling in. Look around, folks. TFC are not the only franchise this piece of **** owns, but we all get the same result. I am out of here next season. I’ll be at the Forge games instead. At least they might be in Champions League!!! Unless Montreal ban their fans too (TFC fans in disguise)!!!