TFC changes course TFC 2 Impacted 0

TFC showed up last night. I am not going to say it was "Hollywood" to have the team turn around just in time to dominate Montreal. I would have liked this team to have shown itself during the second half down in Mexico and throughout the eight lost MLS games in 2012, but you embrace turnarounds even if they are incredibly overdue.
Even before the first goal TFC played differently when attacking. Smaller intricate passing, many more options for the man with the ball as players worked themselves into great anticipatory positions. Perhaps it was a bit of the Clockwork Orange dutch football or it was a combo of effort and a breakthrough in understanding. I think the central pairing of Cann and Henry worked well. The sending off of Eckersley was a puzzle from my opposite corner of the field. I thought he was trying to pull away from a low rugby tackle. That he was walking away while Montreal had been called on the original foul had us guessing that he had said something? The biggest indication that things had changed was the way that TFC went forward in search of the second goal in that first half.
Who knew that Reggie Lambe is such an excellent right back? He must have held the fort back there for close to an hour..
Plata and Johnson worked well together. Johnson scoring the second goal must have felt like vindication of his complaining of late against defensive tactics. Then, of course playing with ten men, the entire second half became an exercise in defensive tactics. Frings, Dunfield and even DeGuzman were always pressuring, in position and shutting down their midfield. Sad that Winter seems to only have a proper midfield after a player has been sent off. Last night gave me some midfield hopes for the future.
I am always pleased to see DeKlerk losing his cool, it is a smart tactic to both squawk at bad calls and have the second in command in danger of being sent off the bench. He wasn't going to make the big decisions anyway and you can always skype him in his office. 21st century coaching.
I was surprised that no cards were issued from the scuffle just before the half. The ref was too often buying whatever Montreal was selling. It was pathetic late in the game to see the huge Montreal keeper Ricketts act like he had been clobbered from minimal contact.
Now a week and a half before the visit to DC United and here's hoping that last night's performance was a taste of things to come and not a rare celestial event.