Waking the Red Weekly - Joshua Kloke

MLS Is Back. Or at least it was.

Because after a hugely disappointing loss to NYCFC in Monday’s elimination game, TFC have left the building, and the Waking The Red crew are sifting the crime scene for clues.

In another knockout episode, hosts Mitchell Tierney,  Michael Singh and Jeffrey P. Nesker are joined by The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke to review all the action from TFC’s final game, and to look back on what we can learn from three long weeks in Orlando.

With 17 year old Jayden Nelson handed a surprising debut, the crew asked whether the pressure of a round of 16 tie may have been too big of an ask for such a young player. And with a less than effective false nine compounded further by a lacklustre midfield, the crew questioned Greg Vanney’s lineup and tactics for the match. 

Joshua Kloke argued that a sustained high press will always cause TFC problems and that even now, Vanney may not know his best starting 11. The crew agreed that Liam Fraser needs more minutes but disagreed on whether or not he’ll get them, while Patrick Mullins is also highlighted as a player with much more to offer.