The dust is still settling from Jaap Stam's dismissal as head coach of FC Cincinnati, and the club doesn't have much time to lick its collective wounds.
With just one full-team training session under an interim coaching staff, FC Cincinnati on Tuesday traveled for its Wednesday match against Toronto FC at BMO Field.
The game constitutes a bottom-of-the-table scrap that's significant to both clubs, and would see the winning side avoid last place in MLS.
Toronto (4-15-7,19 points) would overtake FC Cincinnati (4-13-8, 20 points) and push FCC into last place with a win. Transversely, the Orange and Blue could pad their narrow advantage over TFC in the standings with a win.
The odds would seem to be in FCC's favor in some respects after two 2-0 wins against Toronto this season, but FC Cincinnati travels to BMO Field facing many questions.
In the aftermath of Stam, along with assistants Yoann Damet and Said Bakkati, being fired Monday, observers and fans on the outside of the club can only speculate about what the on-field product will look like the rest of 2021.
MLS veteran Tyrone Marshall, who is FC Cincinnati's current Under-19 and future U-23 head coach, will serve as interim head coach. It remains to be seen what Marshall's mandate is as the interim head coach, though.
It's unclear if Marshall's tactics and personnel preferences will differ significantly from his predecessors. So, how the club lines up and how those players play is an unknown ahead of the Toronto match.
That could play to FC Cincinnati's benefit or lead to an unflattering showing.
"It’s new again and it’s a new game," FC Cincinnati midfielder Haris Medunjanin said. "We play against our rival. They are just one point behind us, so it’s gonna be very important and, you know, with a new coaching staff. They were just two days here before this game so it’s going to be very difficult for them also to prepare that quick. But, you know, it’s all about the players still. We have to have that winner mentality on the road. It’s a tough game, tough environment to play over there. They’re a good team, so if we’re not 100 percent ready it’s going to be a very tough night for us."
The coaching staff could employ more of the same tactics that the club's first-team players have been drilled on all season. There's also enough experience on Marshall's interim staff to conceivably make significant adjustments to the playing style.
Marshall be joined in the technical area with ex-players and veteran coaches of vast experience. That group is led by Larry Sunderland, FC Cincinnati's director of player development.
The staff also includes Ricardo Páez, a veteran coach in FC Cincinnati's academy, and Cristiano Scapolo, a veteran U.S. Soccer scout and youth coach. Scapolo also played in Serie A, Italy's top-flight soccer league, for 15 years at Inter Milan, Roma, Napoli and Atalanta.
Jack Stern, FC Cincinnati head of goalkeeping, is still on staff with FCC. Stern was hired in 2017 is now the club's longest-serving coach.
Unfortunately for FC Cincinnati, TFC's hit a run of good form ahead of Wednesday's match and is 2-0-1 in all competitions in its last three games.
Toronto upset Nashville SC, 2-1, on Sept. 18, downed York United, 4-0, on Sept. 22 in Canadian Championship play and played to a scoreless draw with Colorado Rapids last weekend.
Cincinnati could sweep the three-match season series against Toronto after beating TFC Sept. 12 and June 26 by identical 2-0 scorelines, but the turbulence at FCC and Toronto's recent success suggest that won't be easily accomplished.
"What we control is with our attitude, our effort and our mindset going into the game Wednesday," FC Cincinnati center back Geoff Cameron said. "That should be our main focus. When we have time to digest this, kind of after all (the season), I think that will be the time for it. I think now we just have to keep our heads down."
More:Analysis: Did results or FC Cincinnati's GM search lead to Jaap Stam's firing?
More:Jaap Stam out as FC Cincinnati head coach. Tyrone Marshall named interim head coach.
The Game
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Wednesday; BMO Field in Toronto
TV/Radio/stream: Star64/ESPN-AM (1530)/fccincinnati.com.
Series info: Toronto leads the all-time series against FC Cincinnati, 3-2-0.
Cincinnati.com prediction: Toronto FC 1, FC Cincinnati 1.
FC Cincinnati
Record: 4-13-8, 20 points; 13th in Eastern Conference
Goals for: 26
Goals against: 48
Coach: Tyrone Marshall – interim head coach (announced Monday).
Projected starting lineup:
Przemysław Tytoń, GK
Ronald Matarrita, left back
Gustavo Vallecilla, center back (left)
Geoff Cameron, center back (right)
Nick Hagglund, right back
Yuya Kubo, midfielder
Luciano Acosta, midfielder
Haris Medunjanin, midfielder
Isaac Atanga, midfielder/winger
Alvaro Barreal, winger
Brenner Souza da Silva, forward
Toronto FC
Record: 4-15-7, 15 points; 14th place in Eastern Conference
Goals for: 28
Goals against: 51
Coach: Javier Pérez - interim head coach of Toronto (announced Aug. 9).
Projected starting lineup:
Quinten Westberg, GK
Kamar Lawrence, left back
Chris Mavinga, center back (left)
Omar Gonzalez, center back (right)
Auro, right back
Ifunanyachi Achara, midfielder
Noble Okello, midfielder
Michael Bradley, midfielder
Tsubasa Endoh, midfielder
Patrick Mullins, forward
Alejandro Pozuelo, forward
Player to watch: Brenner Souza da Silva and Luciano Acosta – Big players need to show up for big games, and it remains a priority for FC Cincinnati to avoid a third consecutive last place finish in MLS. That makes the Toronto match hugely important. Therefore, FC Cincinnati's two biggest play-makers – Brenner and Acosta – need to show up, just as they did in the two previous matches against Toronto. Strong performances from them, and perhaps a goal contribution or two, would likely come as an incredible relief to a weary fan base if it helps FCC pull out a result.
Noteworthy: You might not recognize Tyrone Marshall's name if you're new to MLS. You might not even know he was hired by FC Cincinnati back in the winter, but he's plenty qualified to lead FC Cincinnati. Marshall's MLS career was described by Real Salt Lake, where he previously served as an assistant coach, as "storied." Over more than 300 career appearances for multiple MLS clubs, Marshall claimed two MLS Cups and two Supporters’ Shields, as well as three U.S. Open Cups. Marshall also made 81 appearances for the Jamaican national team. Some wonder if Marshall might get consideration to be FC Cincinnati's next head coach after the new, forthcoming general manager is hired. In any case, FCC seems fortunate to have a soccer mind like Marshall's serving in the organization in any capacity.
Source link
