What could have been...

Our season has been slowly slipping away since July and last night's loss to Chivas USA could be the crushing blow that kills our playoff hopes. Since I am so mad about last night's game and how things have become, I am going to go through our season and pick out the games that we should have, or could have, drawn or one.

1. Saturday, May 17, 2008 - Toronto FC 0 - 0 Columbus Crew

We really dominated this match for long periods of time but created no clear cut scoring opportunities. Laurent Robert had the game's best scoring chance - a rocket from about 20 yards that hit the post. If that shot had been maybe 3 inches to the right, we would have had a 1-0 win.

2. Saturday, May 24, 2008 - Toronto FC 2 - 3 DC United

Marvell Wynne conceded a penalty and Greg Sutton gifted Luciano Emilio a late winner as we fell to DC United at RFK Stadium. I'm not going to suggest we should have won this game - DC United was all over us and they did deserve the three points. If, however, Greg Sutton had held on to the original shot or parried it away from goal, we may have walked out with a 2-2 draw.

3. Saturday, June 21, 2008 - Toronto FC 0 - 0 Kansas City Wizards

This one is because of John Carver's tactics. He fielded the same team that beat Colorado 3-1 the previous weekend - leaving Amado Guevara, Jim Brennan, and Maurice Edu on the bench. After an uneventful first half, the three come on in the second half and immediately create some scoring opportunities. I have to think that if they had all played for the full 90, we would have scored at least once, for a 1-0 win.

4. Saturday, June 28, 2008 - Toronto FC 1 - 2 New England Revolution

Yes, New England did dominate us for periods of this match, however we really poured it on at the end. Maurice Edu scored a header that made the score 2-1, and both Jim Brennan and Jarrod Smith had excellent opportunities to get us the equalizer. Smith had a header that was cleared off the line. If that had gone in, we'd be walking away with a share of the spoils, a 2-2 draw.

5. Saturday, July 12, 2008 - Toronto FC 1 - 2 Chicago Fire

Chris Rolfe scored in the sixth minute for the Fire before Ibee Ibrahim's debut goal leveled the score in the second half. An injury time winner from John Thorrington for Chicago though ensured we left Toyota Park with nothing. Maurice Edu was denied a penalty shout shortly after Chicago's opening goal. If we had at least been able to defend for the entire match, we would have had a 1-1 draw.

6. Saturday, July 19, 2008 - Toronto FC 0 - 0 San Jose Earthquakes

Thanks to Mo's inability to find us a striker, our attack was being lead by a 16 year old for this one. We dominated the Quakes - we knew it, and they knew it. The match really should have been ours when we were awarded a penalty, however Joe Cannon saved Guevara's shot. If that had gone in, we would have taken 3 points from this one.

7. Monday, July 28, 2008 - Toronto FC 1 - 2 Real Salt Lake

This match was painful to watch, mainly because of the American Football lines on the pitch. After going down 1-0 early in the second half, Amado Guevara scored a world class free kick to even things up with less than ten minutes to go. However, in typical "away from home" style, our defense turned off and we conceded the winner to RSL three minutes later. Again, if we could defend for 90 minutes away from home, we would have taken a point.

8. Sunday, August 17, 2008 - Toronto FC 0 - 2 New York Red Bulls

Down 1-0 in the 46th minute, we looked to have been handed a lifeline when New York's Gabriel Cichero was sent off for an elbow on Danny Dichio. We had the man advantage for 44 minutes, and created absolutely nothing. In fact, it was so bad, that New York even scored a second. If we had played at all like a real football team on the day, we more than likely would have equalized, giving us a 1-1 draw.

9. Saturday, August 23, 2008 - Toronto FC 1 - 1 New England Revolution

Let's face it, Rohan Ricketts should have had a goal in this match. Twellman headed the Revs ahead in the first half before Chad Barrett's volley evened things up. Rohan Ricketts had a free shot at the far post but could only put it wide. If he had been able to put that in the back of the net, we would have had a 2-1 win, and 3 more points.

10. Saturday, August 29, 2008 - Toronto FC 1 - 2 Chivas USA

This is of course our latest disaster away from home. Jim Brennan's goal was cancelled out by Alecko Eskandarian before Atiba Harris scored an injury time winner for the Goats. Chad Barrett missed two open chances that easily could have made this result 3-2 in our favour. As well, if we could learn to defend for 90 minutes, we would have at least taken a point.

So, there you have it. If we could capitalize on opportunities and defend for an entire match away from home, we could, right now, be 11-4-7, and on 40 points, tied for first in the league. It's amazing what stupid little mistakes can do to us.

Toronto FC 1 - 2 Chivas USA: Match Report

Brief Synopsis

Toronto FC defended like incompetent little girls and gifted Chivas USA a 2-1 win last night. Jim Brennan scored a fantastic goal that Alecko Eskandarian cancelled out two minutes later. In the 93rd minute Atiba Harris scored the winner off of a corner kick. Chad Barrett missed two glorious opportunities but shot wide on the first and was saved by Zach Thornton on the second.

Starting Eleven and Player Ratings

We started with a 4-4-2 but John Carver switched to a 3-5-2 after about 25 minutes. The positions show below will reflect the 3-5-2.

GK: Greg Sutton - 6 - The man stood on his head all game, making save after save, only to finish with a completely thoughtless play.

RB: Marco Velez - 3 - He was a useless pylon on the pitch. Razov's pass somehow got past him for Esky on Chivas' first goal.

CB: Tyrone Marshall - 6 - Our only decent defender on the evening. He played well considering Velez and James looked so incompetent.

LB: Julius James - 4 - James has potential but needs time. He is a solid defender however when he has the ball he seems to lose it more often than not.

RM: Marvell Wynne - 6 - He contributed very little to the attack but saved Velez' ass numerous times. He had a phenomenal block to prevent Razov from scoring.

CM: Rohan Ricketts - 4 - Ricketts drifted in and out of last week's match versus the Revs and was invisible last night. A player with so much skill has to drive our team.

CM: Carl Robinson - 4 - Robbo has been phenomenal all season however last night he looked about as useful as Kevin Harmse.

LM: Jim Brennan - 7 - Out of everyone on the pitch, Brennan stood out. His goal was phenomenally taken and was solid when he was moved back to defense.

CAM: Amado Guevara - 6 - He was solid however never really had the opportunity to shine due to our inept defense.

FW: Chad Barrett - 5 - The man's work rate it phenomenal however his lack of finishing touch shone in this one. He should have had two.

FW: Carlos Ruiz - 5 - Ruiz had no scoring opportunities however set up Barrett on what should have been a goal. He had lots of useful touches but was somewhat invisible.

SUB: Johann Smith - 4 - He has good control and blistering pace, now if only we could stick a football head on him. He really contributed very little when he came on.

SUB: Ibee Ibrahim - 4 - The kid really should only be playing with the reserves right now. He's just not quite there yet.

Final Thoughts

I am pissed. Even a point would have helped us a little, but we couldn't even hold on to that. Why is it that every time Toronto FC steps on a pitch other than BMO Field they look like they should be playing in USL-2?

First of all, something has to be done about Marco Velez. I've defended him in the past - he slowly adjusted himself to MLS and looked like a competent defender - however he has been horrible as of late. How did he not intercept Razov's through ball? As usual, he screws up and asks for an offside call.

Secondly, what was wrong with Carl Robinson tonight? Possibly our biggest match of the season and he has his worst match. The pitch at the Home Depot Center is huge. Robbo had lots of time on the ball yet was sending stray passes all night long. He's been our rock in the midfield all year, however I have to call it as I see it - he was useless last night.

On to Chad Barrett. His worked rate is incredible. At one point in the match he evaded three Chivas defenders before nearly sending Wynne in alone on goal. How, though, does he not at least score one of those two opportunities? As a professional striker, you dream of having those open chances and to not score those is inexcusable. Barrett has incredible skill and is a huge asset to us, but he has to take his opportunities.

Finally, I am going to rag on Rohan Ricketts a bit. The man has heart and he loves being here. He lives for his football. A man with as much skill as Ricketts has to be able to be a driving force for us. We cannot keep waiting for him to deliver - he has to deliver now.

I really cannot see us making the playoffs after this pathetic display. All the pieces had come together for us to finally have a good showing on the road and it just didn't happen.

MLS this Weekend: DC United v. New York Red Bulls

Aside from our own match at Chivas, Saturday's match between DC United and the New York Red Bulls is absolutely massive for our playoff chances. If we can notch a win at Chivas, depending on the result, we could be within 2 points of one of these teams. So, what is the best result?

If this match finishes up in a draw, each team will have 32 points. If this result happens and we win later, we will be within 3 points of each side with 29. If we win, and DC and NY is not a draw, we will be within 2 points of one of the teams.

Say DC wins this match, and we beat the Goats shortly after. That pulls us to within two points of the Red Bulls. This makes our match against the Bulls on October 4 very significant.

The important thing is that we win. The result of this match will only gain its importance if we can get three points later.

Chivas USA v. Toronto FC - Match Preview

An away match at Chivas USA could provide our revamped squad with some much needed points. Last season we lost 2-0 in our first ever MLS match and lost by the same score later that season.

What: Chivas USA v. Toronto FC

Where: The Home Depot Center, Carson, California

When: 10:30 PM

TV: Rogers Sportsnet

Last Meeting

We last played the Goats over a year ago at BMO Field. Sacha Kljestan and Maykel Galindo scored as we fell 2-0.

Chivas USA Player to Watch

This would have to be midfielder Sacha Kljesten. The Olympian has been in fine form this season for Chivas, leading the team in both goals and assists. He received his first call up for the USMNT for their World Cup Qualifier against Guatemala.

Predicted TFC Starting Eleven

I'm not sure what formation John Carver is going to use - either 3-5-2 or 4-4-2. The pitch at the HDC is quite large so I suspect Johann Smith will start on the left wing hoping to exploit his pace. Based on who we have available, I'm going to predict the following:

GK: Greg Sutton

RB: Marvell Wynne

CB: Marco Velez

CB: Tyrone Marshall

LB: Jim Brennan

CDM: Carl Robinson

RM: Rohan Ricketts

LM: Johann Smith

CAM: Amado Guevara

FW: Chad Barrett

FW: Carlos Ruiz

Predicted Score

Amado Guevara will want to shine in front of Preki, who basically got rid of him last season. As well, I suspect Carlos Ruiz will want to have an impressive debut. Mix this with Chivas injury problems and poor form, I think we can squeak out a result here. I'm going to predict a 2-1 finish. Guevara and Ruiz will score for us with Ante Razov scoring for them.

2009 Season Ticket Renewals Released

Just to follow up on my post last night, Toronto FC did in fact release the season ticket renewal packages today. Click here for more information.

Check back tomorrow as I hope to have my match preview for our encounter with Chivas USA on Saturday.

2009 Season Ticket Update

Yes, the time of season ticket renewal is nearly upon us. No prices or ticket packages have been disclosed as of yet, however in this thread on the Red Patch Boys forum, mlsintoronto (aka - Paul Beirne), has given us a hint as to what they are thinking...

- 15 MLS Games
- 2 Canada Cup Games
- 1 Friendly (worth twice the amount of a regular season match)
- 1 Potential CCL Qualifier

If we don't qualify for the CCL the money for this ticket will be refunded.

CCL: Montréal Impact v. Real Esteli FC

Canada's lone representative in the Concacaf Champions League, the Montréal Impact, begins its tournament tonight at the Stade Saputo. Click here to read a press release from the Impact's official website. They will be taking on Real Esteli FC of Nicaraugua. Tonight's match is the first of two, with aggregate goals determining the winner, similarly to the UEFA Champions League.

The match will be shown live on the French CBC at 7:30.

CONCACAF Champions League Kicks Off

The inaugural CONCACAF Champions League kicks off tonight. If it weren't for some pitiful performances, we'd be able to support TFC in this international competition. Here is what's going on tonight:

Joe Public FC (TRI) v. New England Revolution (USA)
Tauro FC (PAN) v. Chivas USA (USA)
CD Cruz Azul (MEX) v. Hankook Verde (BLZ)

Hopefully this competition can develop into something pretty significant in our region.

Chad Barrett's TFC Goals

Chad Barrett gave us a win with a fantastic free kick and earned us a draw last night with a left-footed volley. Since they've both been awesome, here they are...

Toronto FC 1 - 1 New England Revolution - Match Report

Brief Synopsis

Taylor Twellman scored a free header in the first half and Chad Barrett scored for us in the second half to give us a 1-1 draw against New England. The Revolution had the run of the play in the first half meanwhile it was Toronto FC who had the better of the chances in the second half.

Starting Eleven and Player Ratings

GK: Greg Sutton - 7 - He was hung out to dry when Twellman scored but made some great saves throughout the match.
RB: Marco Velez - 6 - Velez played well tonight and was a much improved player than last week.
CB: Tyrone Marshall - 7 - It was great to have him back from injury as he was solid all game.
LB: Julius James - 5 - He played out of position and wasn't too strong. He will look much better at centre back.
RM: Marvell Wynne - 7 - Wynne did a lot of running tonight and was quite present in our attack.

CDM: Kevin Harmse - 4 - I know he's not known for his finishing, but anyone else on the field would have put those two chances away.
CDM: Carl Robinson - 7 - Seeing him battle it out with Shalrie Joseph in the middle was quite entertaining to watch.
CAM: Amado Guevara - 7 - Our offense is a lot more cohesive when he is at the heart of it.

LM: Jim Brennan - 7 - I personally like him more at left back but he got forward quite well tonight.
FW: Rohan Ricketts - 6 - He was playing quite advanced and should have scored twice. He played his heart out though.

FW: Chad Barrett - 7 - He was well worth his goal and impressed for most of the match.

Final Thought

We were a much improved side tonight compared to last week's. It ended up being a game we could have won, possibly by two or three goals. A draw is sometimes disheartening, however after fighting back against the league leaders I'm satisfied with the result. Kevin Harmse continues to be a pylon in our midfield, however with Carl Robinson there we have been getting away with it. Rohan Ricketts left it all on the pitch tonight. I suppose I could fault him for missing two fantastic chances, but with everything else he did tonight he continues to be a vital part at our club. We play Chivas USA both home and away in the next two weeks. Chivas hasn't been that great this year and I'm remaining cautiously optimistic on taking 6 points from the two matches.

MLS Tonight

Here is what's on schedule in Major League Soccer tonight. Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids could do us favours against Columbus and DC meanwhile a Kansas City loss against FCD would be ideal. The Earthquakes will be looking to continue their fine form at the Home Depot Center against Chivas USA.

Columbus Crew v. Real Salt Lake - 7:30 PM - MLS Live TV
DC United v. Colorado Rapids - 7:30 PM - MLS Live TV
Kansas City Wizards v. FC Dallas - 8:00 PM - MLS Live TV
Chivas USA v. San Jose Earthquakes - 10:30 PM

Toronto FC v. New England Revolution - Match Preview

Our uphill road to the playoffs gets no easier this weekend as we take on the league-leading New England Revolution. In four matches against them, we are 0-1-3, being outscored 11-3.

What: Toronto FC v. New England Revolution

Where: BMO Field, Toronto, ON

When: 7:30 PM

TV: Sportsnet

Last Meeting

We last played the Revs at Gillette Stadium on June 28. Steve Ralston scored twice and Maurice Edu scored for us as we lost 2-1. Jarrod Smith had a fantastic chance in the 88th minute to earn us a draw but his header was stopped on the line by a Revolution defender.

New England Revolution Player to Watch

TFC defenders will have to aware of Taylor Twellman at all times. He's been injured for a majority of this year but appears to be healthy now and has been one of the best forwards in MLS for a number of years. He has scored in each of the last two MLS Cup Finals against Houston before the Dynamo finally won each match.

Predicted TFC Starting Eleven

This week's starting eleven will have a different feel than last week's. Laurent Robert was of course waived on Tuesday and Maurice Edu completed his move to Rangers today. The most significant difference will be Carlos Ruiz' likely presence up front. Here is how I think we'll line up tomorrow night:

GK: Greg Sutton

RB: Marvell Wynne

CB: Julius James

CB: Marco Velez

LB: Jim Brennan

RM: Rohan Ricketts

CDM: Carl Robinson

CAM: Amado Guevara

LM: Johann Smith

FW: Chad Barrett

FW: Carlos Ruiz

Predicted Score

Given our current form and past troubles against the Revolution, I'm not going to this one expecting a win. The match is a must win, but I don't think we'll pull it out. I am going to predict a 1-1 score. We'll score in the first half and have it cancelled out in the last 15 minutes or so. Toronto FC 1 - 1 New England Revolution

TFC Trades for Ruiz

Soccer By Ives is reporting here that we have indeed traded with the Los Angeles Galaxy for Carlos Ruiz. No trade details have been disclosed yet. This trade could be our most significant of the season - if Ruiz comes to play. The 29 year old has scored 82 goals in 150 games in his MLS career and should be looking to impress after a less than adequate return to the Galaxy. He is currently in Guatemala for a World Cup Qualifier against USA and hopefully will be available for selection on Saturday against New England.

With Robert gone and Ruiz all but added, what will our starting eleven look like on Saturday? Here is what I think:

GK: Greg Sutton

RB: Marvell Wynne

CB: Julius James

CB: Marco Velez

LB: Jim Brennan

RM: Rohan Ricketts

CDM: Carl Robinson

CAM: Amado Guevara

LM: Johann Smith

FW: Chad Barrett

FW: Carlos Ruiz

It seems like we have an entirely different look to our squad now. Stay tuned for further developments.

Laurent Robert Waived

PRESS RELEASE

Toronto FC waives Laurent Robert
Toronto FC Media Relations

Toronto FC have announced that they have waived midfielder Laurent Robert.

The 33 year old midfielder joined the club April 2, 2008 signing as a free agent. He started in 16 of 17 games logging 1,364 minutes scoring one goal and adding three assists.

--------------------------------------------------------------

This certainly does come as a surprise - not that it is him - but that someone was in fact waived this week. Back in April when he signed he was one of our best players in his first three or four matches. It looks as if Johann Smith was brought in last week to directly replace him on the left flank. A move that promised so much has turned out to be a bit of a flop. Robert had the potential to be a legend as Toronto FC's first major signing however things didn't work out. His skill is not the question, but his effort is. With Robert's skill he should have been a star in Major League Soccer, however he wasn't. He rarely looked motivated - seeming like he was just here to kick the ball around every week.

Daily Update: Transfers and trades

Click here to read Mo Johnston's comments on player movement on TorontoFC.ca. For a more specific summary, click here to read Kristian Jack's thoughts on the Footy Blog at thescore.ca. It looks like Maurice Edu's move to Glasgow Rangers is a go, but is not yet complete. As well, Mo talks about one player leaving, one being added from outside MLS, and one being added from inside MLS.

The player leaving? Kristian Jack points to Laurent Robert. The Frenchman is making around $350,000 but this is not reflected in his play. In my opinion, it seems like Laurent may come alive and score one or two screamers one game and disappear for another five. I would, at this point, be disappointed if he is waived. Another possibility is Kevin Harmse. The Canadian has been, in my view, useless. He's a spectator both on and off the pitch and contributes next to nothing.

The player coming from outside MLS? Apparently it's Paul McVeigh, a Northern Ireland international who worked under John Carver at Luton Town. Kristian Jack reported he has been training with us this week. I've never seen McVeigh play, but his goal count in the English Championship isn't overly impressive. Neither though, was Dichio's, and we've appreciated him since his arrival.

The player coming from inside MLS? Many of us could have guessed - Carlos Ruiz. The man is one of the most lethal in MLS history. He is a bit of a headcase apparently and some compare is temperant to Jeff Cunningham's. Ruiz has been less than significant for the Galaxy this year, mostly thanks to hampering leg injuries. Ruiz could prove to be very significant for us if he comes with the right attitude and motivation. On his day he is phenomenal.

Toronto FC 0- 2 New York Red Bulls - Match Report

Brief Synopsis

A goal by Mike Magee in the 37th minute and another in stoppage time by Juan Pablo Angel gave us our ninth loss of the season. Gabriel Cichero was sent off in the 46th minute and TFC looked lacklustre in its attempts at an equalizer. Looks like its back to the drawing board, again.

Starting Eleven and Player Ratings

GK: Greg Sutton - 7 - Sutts was hung out to dry on both goals. Made a couple of nice saves, nothing special beyond that.

RB: Nana Attakora Gyan - 5 - He sent lots of stray passes to no one. Lots of promise, but not quite ready yet.

CB: Julius James - 6 - The rookie was our best defender on the day - a day where we looked out of sorts.

CB: Marco Velez - 4 - He sent stray passes, longs balls upfield to no one and his lack of pace showed on the goal.

LB: Jim Brennan - 5 - A particularly poor match for Jimmy. Was pretty much invisible out there.

RM: Rohann Ricketts - 6 - Ro did what he could to create some plays but is ideally a winger. At least tried to test Conway.

CM: Kevin Harmse - 4 - He cannot connect on simple passing plays and generally looks lost.
CM: Carl Robinson - 6 - He was still played quite well amongst a poor performance. Mr. Consistent for us.

LM: Laurent Robert - 3 - He only played 45 minutes and contributed very little. A player of his quality should be contributing more!

FW: Chad Barrett - 6 - He forced his way through defenders on several occasions. It just didn't happen for him today.

FW: Ibee Ibrahim - 4 - He did very little in the first half and was subbed out after 45 minutes.

FW: Danny Dichio - NR - He went off injured after 2 minutes thanks to Cichero's elbow.

FW: Jarrod Smith - 2 - Back to the developmental roster, thanks for coming out. He was particularly poor.

LM: Johann Smith - 6 - He has phenomenal pace but had no help today. His potential is a positive.

Final Thought

After going up a man in the 46th minute we should have been off and running on the attack. We really missed Amado Guevara as there was no one to spark our attack. Until Dichio is healthy again, we should start with Johann Smith and Chad Barrett up front. Jo Smith's speed looks like it could be lethal. With 10 games left in the season, we are 7-9-4. At home, we still face New England, Columbus, Houston, and Chicago. As the points slip away so do our playoff hopes. All is not lost however, and I will optimistically hope for a late playoff push.

Toronto FC v. New York Red Bulls: Match Preview

So, my match previews have had different formats and information throughout the year. I'm going to try and make a standard format. I'll start today, with my preview of tomorrow's match against the New York Red Bulls.

What: Toronto FC v. New York Red Bulls

Where: Giants Stadium, New Jersey

When: 5:00 PM

TV: The Score

Last Meeting

On a cold and rainy night in Toronto on May 1, the Red Bulls managed a draw with us at BMO Field. Laurent Robert's free kick found the head of Marco Velez to give us an early lead before Dave Van Den Bergh beat Greg Sutton with a free kick.

NYRB Player to Watch

We obviously need to focus on shutting down Juan Pablo Angel. The man has been in fine form recently and scored a brace in last weekend's 4-1 demolition of DC United. Another player to watch will be Jorge Rojas. The Venezuelan playmaker was recently signed by New York and tore apart the LA Galaxy in his league debut.

Predicted TFC Starting 11

I'm not sure about Danny Dichio's health before this one but I will assume he's near 100% after playing in Colorado last weekend and training with the team this week. As well, Marvell Wynne just got back to training with us on Friday, so he remains a question mark. Many of us know about Edu's imminent departure to Rangers, so I will not include him. Here is my predicted starting eleven:

GK: Greg Sutton

RB: Marvell Wynne

CB: Marco Velez

CB: Julius James

LB: Jim Brennan
RM: Rohan Ricketts

CM: Kevin Harmse

CM: Carl Robinson

LM: Laurent Robert

FW: Danny Dichio

FW: Chad Barrett

Predicted Result

We just got our second road win of the year in Colorado meanwhile the Red Bulls just crushed DC United 4-1. Both teams will be confident going into this one. I will predict a 1-1 draw in this one.

MLS Tonight

Here is a breakdown of what is going on in MLS tonight. For those of you who have MLS Live TV, I've indicated which matches will be shown live. If you don't have it, click here to sign up. It is only $9.95 for the rest of the year.

Columbus Crew v. FC Dallas - 7:30 PM

Both Columbus and Dallas could takeover first place in their respective conferences with a win tonight. The Crew will be looking to keep pace with Chicago and New England while the Hoops will be hoping they can continue their climb up the Western standings.

Chicago Fire v. DC United - 8:30 PM - MLS Live TV

The Fire host DC United in a massive Eastern Conference clash at Toyota Park. DC is currently tied with us on 25 points, meanwhile Chicago is 1 point behing New England for first in the East. This match could mark Brian McBride's return to MLS.

Houston Dynamo v. Real Salt Lake - 8:30 PM - MLS Live TV

This match puts the MLS Cup Champions v. the Western Conference leaders in Houston. These two clubs are #1 and #2 in the West right now adding incentive to this one.

Colorado Rapids v. Kansas City Wizards - 9:30 PM - MLS Live TV

The Rapids will be hoping they can stay in contention for a playoff spot as they host the Wizards tonight. Kansas City is, like DC, tied with us on 25 points so a loss for them in this one would be ideal.

San Jose Earthquakes v. New England Revolution - 10:00 PM - MLS Live TV

The revamped Earthquakes will look to claim three points from the current MLS leaders. With the recent additions of Arturo Alvarez, Darren Huckerby, Francisco Lima and Mikel Arce, the Quakes could make a late playoff push.

Friday notes: Transfers...

I just came online for a minutes. For those who haven't read, here is a recap on all the latest news coming out of Toronto FC....

Mo Edu is headed to Rangers

It looks like MLS has accepted a $5 million bid from Rangers for Maurice Edu. Click here to read an article about it from Sky Sports. In my opinion, Edu hasn't been in good enough form for us this year to warrant this move, however I will let the scouts do their jobs. Apparently they saw something that Rangers needed. He definitely does have the potential to make it, best of luck to you Mo!

Reds sign Johann Smith

Our search for a big name striker is not over, however some help up front did arrive today in the form of former Bolton Wanderer's striker Johann Smith. Smith, 21, was included in the U.S. squad for last summer's U20 World Cup but was forced out through injury. In the words of John Carver, he has the "speed of Wynne," which is never a bad thing. Click here to read the press release from TorontoFC.ca.

Manuel Diego Tello training with TFC

According to this article from TorontoFC.ca, former Real Madrid player Manuel Diego Tello has been training with us all week. His arrival would make sense given Mo Edu's imminent departure.

That's all for today. I'll be posting my preview for our match on Sunday at New York. 

US eliminated in Beijing, Philippe Christanval to Toronto FC?

Yes, I've managed to find an Internet connection up here.

I saw Chad Barrett's free kick and that we actually won on the road - which is a VERY nice feeling. Hopefully it can act as a momentum swing before we head to New York. After the Red Bull's win over DC United last Sunday, this weekend's match has even greater significance.

Will Maurice Edu and Marvell Wynne be available for selection on Sunday? The US men's olympic team lost 2-1 in a vital game to Nigeria today. The Netherlands won their match therefore Nigeria and the Dutch are advancing from their group. Here's hoping they come back for the game on Sunday!

As well, Philippe Christanval, formerly of Barcelona, and currently at Fulham, is rumoured to be coming over here. He would probably act as a replacement for the recently-departed Olivier Tebily. With Tyrone Marshall likely out for a few weeks with injury Christanval would probably be able to slot in beside Marco Velez in the centre of our defense.

Gone on Holidays

I'm heading up north for the week - time to vacation. Unless there is some random internet connection in the woods in Muskoka I doubt I will be able to post and news or match reports.

Have a good week folks.

Toronto FC @ Colorado Rapids - Match Preview

If ever there was a time to turn our road woes around, this weekend's match would seem like a good opportunity. The Colorado Rapids are 6-9-3, only 1 point behind us. This, however, was not reflected in our 3-1 win at BMO Field in June. Rohan Ricketts put on a dominating performance notching a brace after Danny Dichio opened things up with a fantastic volley. An 85th minute free kick by Christian Gomez brought the Rapids little consolation right at the death.

That match, of course, was our last win in all competitions. We were 6-4-3 after and have since dropped to 6-8-4.

Maurice Edu and Marvell Wynne are still with the U.S. Olympic team in Beijing and Todd Dunivant is of course out with a broken ankle. Marco Velez and Amado Guevara will also be out due to suspension.

The good news, though, seems to have put all the bad news to bed. Danny Dichio participated in his first full training session with the team since his injury and could very well play in Colorado. I don't expect him to start, but he could very well figure as a substitute.

Here is my predicted starting eleven:

GK: Greg Sutton

RB: Tyler Hemming

CB: Julius James

CB: Tyrone Marshall

LB: Jim Brennan

RM: Rohan Ricketts

CM: Carl Robinson

CM: Kevin Harmse

LM: Laurent Robert

FW: Chad Barrett

FW: Ibee Ibrahim

We will really need Laurent Robert and Rohan Ricketts to be a significant force in our attack as we will be forced to play with two central defensive midfielders. If Dichio is near 100% he could start in place of Ibrahim, however I would expect him to come on as a substitute for the kid.

A point on Saturday would be a start and a win a bonus. We really need to turn things around and with a huge game in New York on the 17th it would be a great confidence boost to get some more points on the board.

I'm going to predict a draw in this one. We will tie Colorado 1-1 with our goal coming from Chad Barrett and their's from Christian Gomez.

OFFICIAL: Cunningham to FC Dallas

Jeff Cunningham has finally been traded. We have he was leaving for some time now and it was announced today by TFC that we have received a third round super-draft pick in return. Click here to read the official press release from TorontoFC.ca.

Early last season we traded fan favourite Alecko Eskandarian to RSL for Jeff Cunningham who was coming off of a golden boot winning season in Utah. In 32 appearances with us he managed only 6 goals.

Danny's Back!

Some good news came out of training today for us. It looks as if Danny Dichio was back in action and will travel with the team to Colorado. Larry Millson at the Globe reported it here. It is still not determined whether he will take part in the match against the Rapids on Saturday but it is still an encouraging sign.

As a side note, Paul Dickov officially signed with Leicester today meanwhile Ali Gerba signed with Milton Keynes Dons.

Dickov Deal Dead

It looks as if we are going to have to seek new answers to help our scoring woes. As reported here by the Sun, it looks as if Dickov is going to end up at Leicester City in League One. Gerry Dobson also hinted at this here on his latest blog post. If help is going to come our way overseas it will have to be fast as the MLS transfer window closes on August 15.

Revs win Superliga

The New England Revolution and the Houston Dynamo were drawn 1-1 after 90 minutes in last night's Superliga Final. The following 30 minutes were end to end with 2 goals, one from Kei Kamara for Houston, and another from Shalrie Joseph for the Revs, to bring the scoreline to 2-2 after extra time. This of course meant the match went to penalties. Matt Reis saved Dwayne De Rosario's shot and Corey Ashe hit the upright as the Revolution went on to win the tournament in style.

Dave Simpson on Trial?

A mystery striker was in training with Toronto FC today. According to this thread on the Red Patch Boys forum, Canadian international striker (yes, I know he only has 1 cap) Dave Simpson was in training today.

TorontoFC.ca has confirmed this at the end of this article.

Simpson is currently at SK Kladno, on loan from AC Sparta Prague in the Czech Republic. It would appear that he would add some size and strength up front.

Toronto FC 0 - 2 FC Dallas. Who's to blame, ourselves or the referee?

On a day where it seemed our luck may change it has indeed gone and changed for the worse. Chad Barrett limped off with cramps 65 minutes into his debut, meanwhile Amado Guevara and Marco Velez were both sent off. Two goals from Kenny Cooper put us to the sword as we surrendered our first league defeat at BMO Field, and it has to be said, some controversial officiating definitely gave FC Dallas an upper hand at the end of this match.

We can blame the referee all we want, but I think the problem lies deeper than that. Given the opportunities we had earlier in the match, those last 20 minutes very well could have meant nothing to the result. I can think of Velez' volley off of a corner and two headers missed by Jeff Cunningham. That right there would have been 3 goals. Chad Barrett had a half-volley in the second half as well which could have been a fourth.

I have watched replays and I can't tell if Guevara actually did hit Richetti, however I don't think he got a bloody nose from running up the pitch. Marco Velez was sent off for two yellow cards, the first of which was questionable, the second was his own doing. As well, one of our trainers was sent off from the team bench.

Here are my player ratings from the match:

Greg Sutton - 6 - I know penalties give the keeper little chance, but he always seems to guess wrong. I do think he should have saved Cooper's second as well.

Julius James - 5 - So many long balls that lead to nothing. He is a tank in the air, however, which makes me think he'd be a good starter at CB.

Marco Velez - 4 - He got sent off for talking at the ref. He had a solid game, but was sent off. He put the name on his back ahead of the name on the front of the shirt.

Tyrone Marshall - 6 - He was fairly invisible. Didn't make any noticable errors.

Jim Brennan - 7 - Our attack always flows so much better when he gets forward. He got a yellow card for dissent, but good on him.

Rohan Ricketts - 6 - I have to say I'm a little disheartened by his performance today. He should be tearing defenses apart with his skill.

Carl Robinson - 8 - Made some vital tackles and controlled the midfield, as usual. Nice to see him with his kids for the anthems.

Amado Guevara - 5 - A moment of madness? I couldn't tell. We will miss him against the Rapids.

Laurent Robert - 7 - He was our most offensively active midfielder, swinging in good crosses and corners for a majority of the match.

Jeff Cunningham - 6 - You know what? He did okay. Sure, he missed some opportunities, but we expect that. He ran though, and looked like he was trying...

Chad Barrett - 7 - An upgrade on any attacking option we have now. It's unfortunate he went off hurt.

For me, the bottom line is that Dallas had just lost its playmaker, Juan Toja, to a club in Europe. It's star Mexican defender, Duilio Davino, was not playing. Marcelo Saragoza limped off the pitch 5 minutes in. We should have been able to take three points from this match. In the end, our inability to finish the ball has cost us yet again.

Third time's a charm for Quakes

The California Classico had late drama as Ryan Cochrane scored a 90th minute winner for the Earthquakes in San Jose against the Galaxy. Arturo Alvarez scored in his debut and Darren Huckbery added a second before halftime. Two goals, one from Landon Donovan, and another from Edson Buddle, had it looking as if LA would walk away with a point until a late scramble in the area somehow ended up with the ball in the back of the net via Ryan Cochrane.

It has to be said - any TFC supporters still not mad we didn't get Huckerby? He has two goals in three appearances for the Quakes since coming over. He has blistering pace and will be giving defenders nightmares this season.

Toronto FC v. FC Dallas Match Preview

On Sunday afternoon we welcome the Hoops to BMO Field. We will be without Maurice Edu and Marvell Wynne who are of course with the U.S. Olympic squad. Danny Dichio is still out and could very well be out for the season however Chad Barrett will start.

MLS All-Star Juan Toja, from FCD, just completed his move to Steaua Bucharest so he will not be with Dallas. They will, however, be bringing Kenny Cooper, who has been on fire this season.

We've only played FC Dallas twice in our brief history. On Fathers Day in 2007 we put on our best performance of our inaugural campaign, ripping them apart in a 4-0 win. At Pizza Hut Park later in the year, however, we lost 2-0.

I suspect John Carver will continue to use the 4-4-2 that we saw against Real Salt Lake on Monday. Given our international absences and injuries, here is my predicted starting eleven:

GK: Greg Sutton
RB: Tyler Hemming
CB: Marco Velez
CB: Tyrone Marshall
LB: Jim Brennan
CDM: Carl Robinson
RM: Rohan Ricketts
LM: Laurent Robert
CAM: Amado Guevara
FW: Chad Barrett
FW: Ibee Ibrahim

To be honest, I can't see us losing this one, and a draw will be disappointing. I expect us to get back to .500 with a record of 7-7-4 and 25 points.

Predicted score:

Toronto FC 2 - 0 FC Dallas. Goals from Chad Barrett and Laurent Robert.

Ali Gerba to TFC?

I haven't read any news about TFC signing Ali Gerba however rumblings on the Red Patch Boys Forum suggest that he is close to signing with us. Click here to read the thread. One poster claims the Canadian international is in Toronto and the two parties are working out a deal - and based on the past, he has been very credible.

If you watched the latest episode of TFC TV, you will have heard John Carver talking about how we were hoping to add another striker on top of Chad Barrett for Sunday's game. Paul Dickov is of course one of the names being tossed around. Is Ali Gerba an option as well? I'll leave that for you to decide.