Is this the week Toronto FC finally put one in the win column?
TFC haven’t won a game since September, and while the last three weeks saw the Reds take points off three of the best teams in Major League Soccer this season, it’s at the front of everybody’s mind with Toronto FC back on the road for Saturday night clash with Real Salt Lake.
“I think I feel this way every season I’ve ever coached, you can’t wait to get the first win,” Fraser said on Friday. “And when you win your first game of the year, it’s the best feeling, because now that monkey’s off your back. And when you’re into the ninth game and you haven’t won yet, then that monkey gets bigger and it’s more like a gorilla now.”
Now there’s something TFC fans and the gaffer would unanimously agree on.
Another thing Fraser and the TFC Faithful can admit is that there simply aren’t enough goals in this team and that could get more difficult with Deandre Kerr unavailable for two months. That’s right. As if you didn’t have enough to stress over.
Fraser looked utterly defeated when asked casually by John Molinaro of TFC Republic for an update on Kerr’s ankle injury.
“To be honest, John, I haven’t asked in a while, just because it’s been in my mind that this is two months down the road, or whatever it’s going to be,” Fraser responded. “It’ll be a little while. So I haven’t asked in a while, but I don’t think he’s close.”
On bright-ish side, Fraser said Henry Wingo, Ola Brynhildsen and Nickseon Gomis have taken positive steps this week and could “potentially” feature against RSL.
“They’re still not training, but with a couple days to go, they’re still doing some individual work, and should get into team training tomorrow.”
Later on Friday, Toronto FC’s official player status report listed Wingo as OUT with a “lower body” ailment, along with Kerr, Zane Manoulis and of course, Richie Laryea.
“Over the years, the results haven’t been great there, because it is a tough place to play. But I do think they’re all winnable games,” Fraser responded to Molinaro’s question asking if Saturday’s match was winnable.
“But you have to perform. You have to be engaged, you have to execute, you have to be really alert. I think that that applies really anywhere, whether it’s Salt Lake City, whether it’s here, whether it’s who, knows where I think to win games in this league, you have to be engaged, and you have to, you have to execute.”
Would it even be a Robin Fraser press conference if he didn’t rail on about engagement?
A major factor that presents a challenge for all visiting teams in Utah is the altitude. But Fraser, who played there once as a player with the Columbus crew and of course, managed the Colorado Rapids in the Mile High City thinks it’s not as big of an influence on a match as people make it out to be.”
“It’s funny, we’ve talked about it, I felt like altitude in Colorado and Salt Lake I never felt affected. I think it was maybe because I just wasn’t fit,” Fraser said. “So I was tired at sea level and I was tired at altitude, it felt all the same to me.
“When I was in Colorado, there’s a particular game in mind where a team came in and out, worked us out, ran us and beat us, and they never looked one bit affected by the altitude. So I do think that part of it is psychological. I know there are physical components to it as well, but I do think that if you’re prepared and you move well as a team, and you’re efficient in how you do things, than the altitude isn’t as penal as it is sometimes made out to be.
One factor that could be far bigger and the shadow he casts on the pitch under the lights is Real Salt Lake star Diego Luna.
“He’s really good. His his technical ability with the ball is excellent. His engagement is excellent. His engine is very, very good,” Fraser said without hesitation. “He’s gone from being a young kid in that organization to really kind of being the focal point of their attack. And it’s not by coincidence. It’s because he’s really been improving year in year out, and I think rightfully so. He is the focal point of their attack.
”I really started noticing him when he played with the United States U20s. He exudes a level of confidence for a young player that you don’t normally see, and I think he’s done nothing but really back that up over the last couple of years.”
Toronto FC have played much better over the last few weeks, but need to start putting wins on the board to have any chance of ending their four-year MLS Cup playoff drought.
