This post is dedicated to the memory of the late, great Jacob Noseworthy. Passion like his will burn forever.

In case you missed it amid the hype about TFC guaranteeing they can’t finish any lower than seventh in a twelve-team conference (talk about bare minimums!), those pesky flamingos put TFC II out of their misery Sunday, officially dumping them out of the playoff race.

That said, any hopes of the Young Reds getting their first taste of post-season soccer died three weeks ago. The killing blow came in the form of Chattanooga Red Wolves’ late equalizer in a 2-2 draw with the kids back on September 6th.

The Young Reds’ executioner was itinerant 35-year-old Irish striker (and Libyan international) Éamon Zayed, who blindsided the backline with exactly the kind of move that made him my preseason pick for the golden boot. Thankfully, he’s well out of that race.

So, why was the Mediterranean Knight’s strike so fatal?

Well, of the six games the Young Reds had left (including the aforementioned dance with the Red Wolves), five were eminently winnable. The one they had a fart’s chance in a wind tunnel of taking anything from was the away trip to Greenville last Friday, which went as well as expected.

The result in North Carolina was all the less surprising given the meal they made of beating Orlando City B on the 13th. Having gone behind early, they did win (eventually) , breaking an eight-game winless run in the process.

Honestly though, you’d expect nothing less against a team who were riding an eight-game losing streak, and whose best player – 25-year-old Argentine Lucas Ontivero – has already played professionally in ten countries.

What’s Gone Wrong?

First and foremost? Missing pieces, and I’m not even talking Shaffelburg.

I’m talking Dante Campbell – still one of the best right-backs in USL1 – whose main stunt-double, Panamanian loanee Jesus West, is most definitely not the messiah. Though it must be said he shares his namesake’s generosity, especially in regard to sharing possession with the opposition.

The lad’s also a tad overzealous about the offensive aspect of his role. It’s not uncommon to see him go flying up the wing well ahead of the ball, to join attacks that don’t materialize half the time. About the best thing about having him out there is that it frees up Griffin Dorsey.

Another guy who’s made his absence felt is Matt Srbely. What TFC II lack without him is their only honest-to-God attacking midfielder and most potent scoring threat besides Jordan Perruzza. Luca Petrasso, a bonafide winger, has had to fill in to, uh, limited success.

Besides personnel issues, the kids have momentarily forgotten how to score from open play. Since Ayo Akinola’s consolation goal against Greenville on August 8th, six of the Young Reds’ last eight goals have come via set-piece, and one of the two that weren’t was an own goal.

What’s Gone Right?

Of the four goalkeepers Rabasca’s cycled through this year, he might’ve finally have one worth keeping in Eric Klenofsky. The big Jersey boy more than made up for that Richmond howler in July with three win-saving stops against OCB, and he’s shown no appetite for the Manuel Neuer-lite bullsh*t Yann Fillion seems to love.

Elsewhere on the field, one upshot of Petrasso covering for Srbely has been the gap that’s opened up for Bramptonian wunderkind Jayden Nelson. Even though that glorious mane’s now gone, the 16-year-old still looks every bit a shoo-in to take over Shaff’s left-wing spot full-time next year.

He was cruelly denied the game-winning assist versus OCB after his cross ricocheted into the net off the wrong player’s buttocks. He’ll hopefully have other opportunities before he (and, one assumes, the indomitable Ralph Priso) fly out to Brazil for the U-17 World Cup.

Speaking of Bramptonians, Jordan Faria enjoyed something of a mini-renaissance against Chattanooga and OCB. You might’ve seen the free kick he put away against the Red Wolves – it proved rather popular – and while he’s still wildly over-hitting most of his crosses, he assisted on the solitary open-play goal Perruzza put past Orlando.

What’s Left To Play For?

For starters, Perruzza’s still in with a shout of catching North Texas’s Haitian sensation Ronaldo Damus in the golden boot race. Granted, it would take a small miracle, but the Texans only have one game left to play, which gives JP two games in hand.

Elsewhere, on the list of more obtainable feats, the kids have another shot at trying for that elusive first win at Richmond’s City Stadium on the 2nd.

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Gwyn Richards An Englishman with no worldly connection to Canada. Descended from a long line of Queens Park Rangers fans but whose own interest in European football was killed by Florentino Pérez's credit card. Was indoctrinated into Toronto FC fandom at the hands of some irresponsible podcasters. "Professional football is philanthropy on a grand scale." -David Dome, New Zealand soccer executive

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