Toronto FC: Not time to panic about the defending champions, yet

The 2018 MLS campaign for Toronto FC hasn’t exactly gone to plan, with the team struggling to find their championship form in the early going.

After dominating last season to win the Supporters Shield and the MLS Cup, many favoured Toronto FC to do it all over again.

TFC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko decided to keep the majority of his lineup from last season. Additions primarily came on the back-line, with Gregory Van der Wiel and Brazilian full back Auro.

The Reds have the talent to go back-to-back; they just need the performances from their crucial players. However, it definitely hasn’t gone that way just two games into the domestic schedule.

The Columbus Crew got their revenge after last year’s loss to the North in the playoffs, defeating TFC at BMO Field on opening day. Maybe a bit more disappointing was the loss to the Montreal Impact, as they dropped their first two fixtures in rapid succession.

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Two defeats have seen Toronto drop to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and thus has created a lot of worry among the fan population. Yet, it shouldn’t be the time to panic for now.

The most obvious reason for this is the number of games that have been played. Two games is six points maximum, which is an easy amount for the Reds to claw back in later games.

Plus, Greg Vanney’s men get a good break between now and their match against Real Salt Lake on Mar. 30.

Speaking of Vanney, his decisions in terms of the lineup have been rather confusing. The Reds saw the opportunity to replace Steven Beitashour with Van der Wiel in the far right of the midfield, but things haven’t been working there for the former PSG man.

Passing success was a big worry for Beitashour, but Van der Wiel hasn’t been much better. The 30-year-old’s 84 percent pass success rate is the second-lowest among players that feature in regular minutes.

Victor Vazquez was too banged up to play in the tie with Tigres in the Champions League, so his presence on the bench is understandable. However, Ager Aketxe is a lot better off the bench, so Vazquez’ seems more preferred in the starting eleven.

Having Auro as a substitute is a major concern as well. Fans have to remember his stunning cross to Sebastian Giovinco in the opening leg against the Colorado Rapids. He provides speed down the wide areas, and he would honestly be a better option than Van der Wiel at this point.

Vanney’s lineup decisions can be criticized, but it all falls to the players to pick up the pace. There’s no excuse that they can’t handle two competitions at once. Top teams find a way to get it done, and with the amount of talent the Reds contain, they should be able to compete in an array of competitions.

Lack of production on the attack

One of the biggest issues so far is the absence of Jozy Altidore. This time last season, the striker’s goal rate and shot count was the highest it would be all season. March and April were his best months, while he started to support through other areas of his game for the rest of the season.

It hasn’t been that way so far for the American this year. Altidore is just putting out two shots per game, which won’t come anywhere near his total for last season if he continues at this rate. He also has the lowest match rating with a 5.94 according to WhoScored, which is completely unacceptable.

More luck is needed in the attack for Giovinco, too. The Atomic Ant tallies six shots per fixture, but with no goals, the conversion rate is going to be pretty poor.

A lot of the problem seem to be luck in the attacking portion of the pitch. The defense has been doing decent as Chris Mavinga, Drew Moor and Eriq Zavaleta all rank towards the top of the squad in match rating.

Alex Bono hasn’t been getting the scoring supply to keep TFC in some fixtures. Supporters can’t ask for the same clip as last season, but Bono seems to perform when his team can score the first one.

All of these factors can be fixed. The lineup will surely have to be altered soon, and luck will find Altidore, Giovinco and Vazquez at some point. The only question that remains is when all of this will happen?

It’s no thought to cross fans’ minds yet. The Reds are in a good spot to make some noise for more silverware in the Champions League, while they also have plenty of time to catch up ground in MLS play.

However, Toronto can’t let it slip too far. St. Patrick’s Day went by, so here’s to hoping that a Leprechaun struck TFC with some luck for the fixtures ahead.

Next: Chris Mavinga's contract looking to be worth it

What’s your analysis of the season so far? What kind of success of you predicting for Toronto FC in the months ahead? Share your thoughts in the comments below!