Arsenalist

I don’t have much to say about the game itself, I just wanted the season to end on a positive note and it’s looking more and more like it’s not going to happen. Having a lead at the half was nice but after that things went downhill so fast that the 1-0 scoreline is nothing but a distant memory. Improvements have to made in all aspects of the game for Toronto FC, from top to bottom, from goalie to striker from east to west, from….you get the point. There’s no point in mentioning how individual players are coming up short on their responsibilities and in some cases, effort. The first season was one big tryout and at least at the end of it we’ll know who to take with us next year and who to waive goodbye to.

So let’s get to some of them:

• Kenny Stamatopoulos: He’s shown that he can be a good goalie in stretches, he doesn’t make too many fatal mistakes and tends to be in good position most of the time. His reaction time leaves something to be desired and his footing could be better. We need to find a better starting goalie but Kenny’s shown enough to warrant a fight for the backup spot.
  Andrew Boyens: He’s gone from good to bad to pathetic to decent to bad to ok to something nobody quite understands. Playing at the heart of the defense requires an awareness that Boyens doesn’t possess. He has the height but lacks the physical strength to match up with strikers with that low center of gravity. If Boyens is starting for Toronto FC next season, our defense will have issues.
• Adam Braz: He’s slow, he doesn’t have skill and gets caught trailing the play too often. You can respect his effort but don’t confuse that with talent, especially at a defensive position where he was caught trailing the play too many times. I don’t feel comfortable with him at the back and there are plenty of reasons and examples why.
• Maurice Edu: He’s probably our most skilled player but that hasn’t translated into goal scoring which I can live with. Edu’s dribbling skills have gotten better over the season and the improvement in him is evident. A talented player who can become the heart of this franchise if he’s not swept up by some European side.
• Jim Brennan: The captain was playing out of position for most of the season and despite that was a stellar part of the defense.
• Todd Dunivant: When he was acquired for Goldthwaite many questioned the move but his vision on the left is something to take into next season. He’s not a goal scorer but can supply the crosses, either we find him some real strikers or find a goal scoring right midfielder because he just isn’t one.
• Chris Pozniak: The most anonymous player on the team. Never contributed anything on offense and was a part of more than a few goals given up. You can’t pick one aspect of his game and say it’ll be something we could use.
• Tyrone Marshall: Great acquisition who plays with his heart on the sleeve, his skill is good and so is his emotion. An ideal player for us.
• Marvell Wynne: The experiment of him on the wing was a failure but he’s shown he can be a relialbe back who can occasionaly burst forward. His physical presence is much needed, he just needs to stay healthy.
• Collin Samuel: Has shown nothing except great effort, unfortunately for him that’s not enough to be on an MLS roster, especially as a striker.
• Carl Robinson: His performance tailed off considerably as the season went on, when we were playing well he was playing exceptionally well. Him and O’Brien are the engine of this team.

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