Columbus.- No controversy this time. Toronto fought back and almost get the three points from Mapfre Stadium in a goal Carnival game. Disappointment is the first word that comes to your mind. The second one? Concern. Gregg Berhalter agrees with the first word but not with the second one. He usually is up front with his responses about the team’s performance, and while his words didn’t acknowledge preoccupation, his facial expression did.
“I look at the match as a whole and I’ll say we’re disappointed. I think the effort was certainly there. No question the guys are exhausted, everyone worked as hard as they could. The execution wasn’t there, both on the offensive side and the defensive side and we’re disappointed. If you go up 3-0 at home, you expect three points.”
The truth is that there is a situation that needs to be addressed it when Crew SC lead games. Their closing is not strong enough to put away the matches for good. Last week they defeated Chicago 3-1, but the Fire created enough opportunities to tie the game, the difference is they are having serious problems finish. Toronto doesn’t. Especially Giovinco who scored six goals in five of their last six games.
Everything was going smooth for the hosts. They went into the half-time break with a 2-0 lead (Kamara and Tchani scored). They opened the second half with another reward for Ethan Finlay and his seventh goal of the season and then.. they just vanished it from the game. What happened?
“I didn’t think we were brave enough, I didn’t think we wanted to play. When we did, they couldn’t get the ball. But when we stopped moving, and we stopped offering to get the ball, it was over. And it didn’t matter if it was 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, it was going to be difficult for us.” Berhalter said
The decision to play a 3-5-2 it didn’t seem to work for Toronto during the first half, they left open channels for Finlay and Meram to go deep to find Kamara and Higuaín as targets. And with the absence of Bradley in the center mid facilitated a fast inner ball rotation. But the Reds were working the flanks constantly with speed.
In the post game press conference, Gregg Berhalter said of Giovinco: “Players like that, they find their own space. They’re very difficult to deal with, and he’s one of those guys. I tell you, I think the best in the League” And it’s true, but there is a difference between find your space and utilize a space that has been given to you.
When you face Playmakers like Kaka, Higuaín, Keane; defenses have to make them uncomfortable, not let them receive the ball forward, you must forced them to play facing their own goal. It didn’t happen wit the “atomic ant” tonight. He had plenty of room to operate and as a good as a surgeon he is, he dissected the Crew SC defense meticulously.
The lesson was hard for the hosts tonight. This is a chapter that they should study to the detail because when the playoffs time arrives they going to asks about how to not blow up a lead. And they should be ready to answer without hesitation.
