It’s a big week for Toronto FC.
The club will square off against the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday night and then welcome Inter Miami CF to BMO Field on Saturday.
As the only team in the league not playing on October 19, the final match day of the regular season, TFC has these two home games this week to earn a place in the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
“Just one game at a time,” said John Herdman on Tuesday afternoon. “Take what's in front of you, control what we can, which is two great opportunities at home.”
“That's what we've been saying to the players: put everything here, don't leak any energy on anything else other than what you influence, which is what we've done here tactically today, the nutrition you put in your body, and how much sleep you get. That's probably about all we can really control,” he continued. “And then it's about the intensity and effort we're willing to show up with.”
“I keep saying, the teams we're playing against, these matches mean more to us than it does them. We've got a lot more to play for in these games than our opponents,” Herdman added. “We have to be able to show that.”
The side is up for the challenge.
“We’re confident,” said Matty Longstaff. “Our main concentration is on tomorrow, we know we've got to win and we’ve got players in there with a lot of experience.”
“I've been in something similar myself in the lower leagues in England. We had to win the last two games to get into the playoffs and we done it on the last day,” he recalled of his time with Mansfield Town. “We've got a good chance. We’ve just got to concentrate on tomorrow and make sure we win.”
Heading into the midweek round Toronto are one of three teams tied on 37 points jostling for the two play-in spots in the Eastern Conference. Three more teams are hot on their heels.
Toronto missed a chance to open up a two-point gap with the draw in Chicago on Saturday.
“It was really disappointing. We had the chances to kill them off and to concede the late goal the way we did was a killer,” said Longstaff. “If we [had] beat Chicago, it would have made it a bit easier for the playoffs, but that's the way football goes sometimes, it doesn't always go your way.”
“We knew we had to reset and said we've got to get focused on Red Bulls now,” he continued. “We know they're on a tough run themselves, but they’re a good team, so we just had to make sure we’re ready to go tomorrow.”
The playoff permutations and the ramifications of this or that result at this time of the year can be overwhelming – Miami can clinch the Supporters’ Shield on Wednesday with a win in Ohio over the Columbus Crew – so better to just keep it simple.
“I've not even put my focus out on that side,” explained Herdman. “I made a promise to myself just to avoid looking at all of these different variations of what could happen.”
“For the last few weeks, I haven’t really been looking at what other teams have been doing [in the standings], it's just been what was ahead of us,” he continued. “It was Charlotte, then it was Orlando, then it was Charlotte, and then it was New York. We were chasing those. We weren't even really trying to look at what was behind us, but obviously when teams have landed on the same points, it's a realization we’ve got to take care of business now at home.”
“We get two wonderful opportunities in this stadium. If Miami win [midweek], great, well done, they've been brilliant this season. And if they don't, it just doesn't matter,” Herdman underlined. “We have to be ready for whatever comes on Saturday and realistically we've got to win. That's the plan.”
The out of town scoreboard is secondary to the one in Toronto.
“The thing we’ve learned is the results can go your way, but if you don't take care of business it doesn't do anything for you,” levelled Longstaff. “We know we've got to win tomorrow night. We've got to put points on the board, so that's all we're concentrating on.”
Wednesday will be the third meeting of the season against the Red Bulls. Sandro Schwarz’ side won the MLS meeting in June 3-0 in New Jersey, but Toronto battled to a scoreless draw at Red Bull Arena in the Leagues Cup encounter at the end of July before taking the result in a shootout.
“They're a hard team to play against,” said Herdman. “We know that it'll be difficult conditions. The pitch is going to be a little bit bumpy, so it fits their style, which is an aggressive, transitional style. The last time we played, we [had] like 68% possession, a lot of opportunities, but they just find a way to keep hitting you in transition and are very good at it.”
New York are coming off a heavy defeat at home against NYCFC and are winless in their last six. Lewis Morgan leads the side with 12 goals on the season; Dante Vanzeir has chipped in with 10 assists.
“They're a high pressing, high energy team,” said Longstaff. “We know what they're going to bring.”
“They're going to bring the intensity, they're going to fight, and coming off the back of getting beat in a derby 5-1 we know there’s going to be a reaction there,” he closed. “All we can do is concentrate on ourselves, make sure we're at it, perform how we need to, and I'm sure we'll take care of business.”
