RSL Punishes TFC For First Home Win

Luis Gil added a goal as RSL beat TFC 3-0 Saturday night at the RioT. (Yahoo Sports).

There has quite understandably been a lot of excitement around Toronto FC so far this season.  The club, which up until now has been a doormat in the Eastern Conference, made vast improvements to their side during the offseason with the additions of USMNT midfielder Micheal Bradley, former Spurs striker Jermain Defoe, and Brazilian National team keeper Julio Cesar.  All three of these guys took to the pitch at Rio Tinto Stadium Saturday night, but in the end, it was a different look, but the same old TFC  for Real Salt Lake as they took apart the visitors in a masterful performance.

The crap hit the fan early on for TFC as Doneil Henry threw Alvaro Saborio to the ground in the box with the a wrestling move in the 10th minute.  Referee Baldomero Toledo immediately pointed to the spot and Sabo stepped up to take the penalty kick.  With the extra motivation of TFC coach Ryan Nelsen calling for his suspension earlier in the week, Sabo iced the PK to give RSL the 1-0 lead after 11 minutes.

It didn't get any easier for TFC after that as they looked semi helpless against an organized RSL squad that was hell bent on keeping the ball, and defended very stoutly when they lost it.  TFC tried to find some joy over the top a few times as Micheal Bradley attempted to connect with Jermaine Defoe, but for the most part, RSL dealt with both of these guys confidently.

RSL was nowhere near done after the Sabo PK either, and the next goal came in the 28th minute after some classic RSL build up.  Javier Morales, who was SPECTACULAR all night, fired a ball along the ground that looked to find Sabo at the top of the area, but at the last minute, the big Costa Rican dummied it, and let it through to an onrushing Chris Wingert, who smashed a shot on target.  Cesar made the save, but the rebound fell to a perfectly placed Luis Gil, who calmly slotted past the befuddled 'keeper to make it 2-0.

TFC came out of the halftime break in an attacking mood though, and nearly got one back.  Early on in the second stanza Michael Bradley launched a shot at the RSL goal that from the other end, I was sure was going in.  He had Nick Rimando absolutely frozen.  Fortunately for RSL, the ball slammed off the post and out of danger, and the lead was intact.

Then in the 55th minute, the Claret and Cobalt put the points in the bucket for good.  Kyle Beckerman connected with Morales, who flicked the ball over the defense to Sabo, who put a tidy chip inside Cesar's left post to make the score 3-0, and cap the night off right for RSL.

It really was just clinical from RSL on the night, and you have to wonder if Ryan Nelsen took notes.  RSL came out and played like a team with great chemistry and TFC came out and played like a team with three high priced players and some other guys.  Think about it folks.  Outside of Keane and Beckham, none of these big dollar DPs have won the Cup yet, and those two guys had a much better supporting cast than TFC has.  They also have that guy named Landon Donovan, and Bruce Arena is a much better coach than Nelsen will ever be.  Henry and Cahill have yet to sniff MLS Cup, and their cast is better too. It remains to be seen how well TFC will gel for the rest of the season, and it is quite possible that the drubbing handed to them by RSL might facilitate that process.

However both sides came away from the match with injury concerns.  For RSL, Chris Wingert left the match in the 58th minute with a tweak to his groin.  Rich Balchan came on filled in very well, however.  Cassar has now commented that it looks like Wingert might not be able to go when RSL faces Sporting Kansas City this weekend at Sporting Park.

The news is arguably worse for TFC.  In the 62nd minute Jermain Defoe came off and headed straight to the locker room for what TFC have confirmed is a hamstring injury.  He is currently listed as questionable for this weekend's match at undefeated Columbus.   Julio Cesar took a knock in a collision with Olmes Garcia, but stayed in the match and should be ok to go for TFC.

So now here are my three stars for the match:

FIRST STAR--Alvaro Saborio, RSL.
It would be easy to give Sabo the first star just for the goals, and the fact that he earned the PK that resulted in his first.  However, there was much more to his performance than that.  He was all over the place for RSL, both on offense and defense.  Some RSL fans like to knock Sabo for a percieved lack of work ethic, but he was definitely above reproach on Saturday night.

SECOND STAR--Javier Morales, RSL.
RSL's midfield maestro was on fire against TFC, with pinpoint passes, flicks, creativity...he had it all and TFC had no way to deal with him.  He showed why he is still one of the best play makers in MLS.

THIRD STAR--Chris Schuler, RSL.
It wasn't a flashy night from the RSL defender, but he was very solid.   If he was at all intimidated by the flashy big names of Defoe and Gilberto, he didn't show it.  He was equally good passing at the back even when the TFC forwards were closing in on him trying to make something happen and force an error.

MLS Top 5/Bottom5: Week 3.

Where do Will Bruin and the Dynamo sit in my first rankings?

So I really wanted to try my hand at some rankings and trend spotting this year in MLS.  The fact that there is so much parity in the league makes this kind of thing really fun and challenging for me, and gives me something to think about during long lulls at work, and to keep me up at night with my mind turning over and over.  I decided to wait a couple of weeks though, until everybody had at least a couple of games under their belt, though I suspect that rankings like this are always fairly inaccurate this early in the season anyway.   What I'm going to present to you are my top five and bottom five, with comments on each.

TOP 5--   


1. HOUSTON DYNAMO --The Dynamo were quite impressive in their opening matches, and Will Bruin (above) was on fire.  According to the league site, he is one of the most captained fantasy players going into week four as well.  Dom Kinnear's side has also yet to give up a goal.  However, they still might be a paper tiger.  Their first match was against the Revs, who have been absolutely awful so far, and their second was against the almost equally hapless Montreal Impact, sans Marco Di Vaio.  Also, both of those matches have been at home, where they're always good.  This week they travel to Vancouver, who should provide a better test.

2. TORONTO FC--I've been pretty skeptical about TFC in the offseason and through the preseason.  These new additions are great, but at this point, I still have to see it to believe it from them.  However, I just might be starting to see it.  The win at Seattle was definitely a quality win, though a 1-0 victory over DC at home was slightly less impressive.  Defoe and Bradley have been the real deal for sure, and Cesar is big time keeper in net.  However, their job gets a little harder this weekend coming to RSL, especially without speedster Jackson, who has been suspended by the disciplinary committee. 

3. REAL SALT LAKE--RSL's biggest problem in the opening weeks has been a failure to land the knockout punch, or the inverse, letting some rather simple defensive mistakes put teams back on level ground.  Still, undefeated with 5 points from 3 games with LA and San Jose (2 of them on the road) is a pretty solid start.  The other issue is injuries, especially up top, with Big Dev, Joao Plata, and Robbie Findley all injured. 

4. SEATTLE SOUNDERS--It wasn't a pretty performance, but Seattle took down Sporting in the first match at home at beat the Impact on the road last week.  Those two results were sandwiched around that home loss to TFC.  The Sounders played well at Montreal and executed their game plan and counter attack very effectively, despite not having Clint Dempsey.  If Obafemi Martins stays healthy, he's gonna cause MLS defenses some issues this year, without having to compete with the large "Pay Me" ego that he used to partner with.

5. COLUMBUS CREW--The Crew opened the season with an absolute smack down of DC United at RFK, and then beat the Union at home in week three.  They had to hold on a bit in that one, but it was still an impressive performance against a Union squad that I think is gonna be pretty good.  This weekend they travel to Seattle, where the local supporters will be less than welcoming after the fiasco that surrounded the "Seattle is sending capos to Columbus for the USMNT" article that happened last summer.  They have potentially the biggest test of any of my top five this weekend.


BOTTOM 5--

15. PORTLAND TIMBERS--Sorry, I'm still not sold on the Portland Timbers.  Apparently "Porterball" still means draw at home and lose on the road, at least so far this year.  Their defense is still suspect, and while the midfield is a strength, they still lack a true target guy up front.  Urruti doesn't cut it for me, he's just a bull in a china shop.  The Timbers have yet to show me that they can take the next step by converting all those draws from last year into wins and gain points consistently on the road.  It doesn't get any easier for them this weekend as they play at FC Dallas, who just missed out on my top 5.

16. CHIVAS USA--The Goats are definitely an improved side, and looked decent in their first two matches, even though they had to largely resort to packing it in to try to keep the Whitecaps out after going a man down at home.  It didn't work.  This last weekend they were largely pasted by FC Dallas on the road.  They're better, but not good enough, yet.  This weekend they travel to New York, where the Red Bulls will be looking to smack them around and get their season on track.

17.  MONTREAL IMPACT--I'm not rating them lower because they've been without Di Vaio, and hey, that  road swing through Texas isn't going to be easy for anybody.  However, they never really threatened the Sounders at home either.  They were in the match, but I never really thought, "Oh yeah, here they come."  Getting Di Vaio back will help, but as of right now, I really can't see Montreal really making a push for anything.  This weekend they play at Philly, and I'm forecasting a Union victory.

18. NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION--I'm so disappointed in the Revs so far.  I really thought they were gonna build on the playoff run from last year, and they still might.  However, it's hard to really find much that they did right in their opening three matches, though they did get their first point this last weekend, albeit without managing to score a goal.  It's too bad that they didn't get to hold on to Juan Agudelo.  This week they travel to play at San Jose, and you'd have to figure in a win for the Quakes, maybe without having to pull the "Goonie" stuff.

19. DC UNITED--DC was another team that ostensibly got better this offseason, at least they threw a bunch of money at players, particularly one Eddie Johnson.  They then paired Mr. "Pay Me" with Mr. "I Dive and Miss Big Shots" in Fabian Espindola, who also is known to be a bit combative.  Both Seattle and RSL fans predicted that this experiment was not going to go well.  For all their spending and revamping, DC have shown nada, zero, zilch.   This week they host the Fire, and Mike Magee will probably look to feast on DC's back line.

MLS Murky Offseason....The Story So Far.

While MLS trumpeted high profile new signings, it's Golden Boot winner went South

You could say that the last couple of weeks of this MLS offseason have been.....eventful.  Personally I would describe it as a soap opera almost juicy enough to pass that English soccer soap opera, you know the one, "Dream Team."  Love MLS or hate it, you've been able to look around the last couple of weeks and find plenty of ammunition to support your point of view.

The rumblings began before the playoffs were even totally underway.  After the Colorado Rapids lost to the Seattle Sounders in the first round, a rumor spread through MLS like wildfire that Rapids manager, and my pick for Manager of the Year, Oscar Pareja would be packing his bags and heading for the open job at FC Dallas.  That rumor was laughed at and even went away for awhile, until a couple of weeks ago when reports hit that Pareja had resigned from the Rapids.  This was eventually followed up with an announcement that Colorado and Dallas had reached a deal for Pareja to coach in Dallas.   But that wasn't all for the Rapids either.  On January 9 Chivas USA announced that Rapids assistant Wilmer Cabrera was now the head coach of the Goats.  This left Colorado without a head coach on draft day, and Colorado legend Pablo Mastroeni was named as "Assistant to the Technical Director."  The Rapids website suggests that they will take their time looking for a new coach, and that they may hire an interim coach for the short term.  That's rattling a few sabers as the beginning of preseason training is nearly upon us.

Now as rough as that might sound for our friends in Colorado who still have an outstanding young squad, it's nothing to what supporters of the Vancouver Whitecaps have endured so far.  The Caps, despite just missing the playoffs last year, had some things to be positive about.  They won the Cascadia Cup and ended up with the MLS Golden Boot winner, Camilo Sanvezzo.  Camilo looked to be a dynamic player that their new coach could build around in the offseason.

Then Mexican side Queretaro posted a picture of Camilo wearing their kit on twitter and introducing him to their fans as a new signing.

This seemed to take both the league and Vancouver completely by surprise.  After all, the 'Caps had exercised a club option for Camilo at the end of the season.  Chaos reigned.  The 'Caps said they still had Camilo's International Transfer Certificate, and that Camilo would be expected to report for preseason training.  New pictures soon emerged of Camilo training with his new side south of the border.  There was much snarling and gnashing of teeth, and nearly every MLS pundit on twitter turned into a Lawyer that specialized in International Contract and Commerce Law.  The 'Caps had a strong case.  The 'Caps had no case.  Rulings of the International Court of Arbitration for Sport were cited.  FIFA precedents were mentioned.  In the end all the poor folks in Vancouver got was a half hearted apology from Queretaro, a transfer fee that might have been put to use earlier, and a statement from Don Garber saying he was "disappointed" in the situation.

Really Mr. Garber?  You should be outraged.  Your league's top scorer just went to a rival league.  Not just a rival league, THE RIVAL LEAGUE.  Now, nobody's saying that Camilo was the next Pele or anything, but he was clearly a dynamic player that leaves a huge hole in Vancouver's lineup right before the start of preseason training.  I'm glad that Mr. Garber is disappointed, but I'd like to see him be as outraged as the Vancouver supporters that I follow on Twitter are.

But why should he be outraged?  While the league's leading scorer was sneaking out the back door, MLS was too busy pointing to a brand new shiny object for us all to love.  Ok, actually two brand new shiny objects, Jermaine Defoe and US International Michael Bradley, who signed with Toronto FC.  Now I'm not here to bag on these great signings.  I'm thrilled for TFC Supporters, who now actually have something to be excited about.  TFC's season tickets looked to sell out in a manner of days and depending on who you were, you were either putting MLS Cup in their hands or at least putting them on par with Sporting Kansas City and New York Red Bulls, which they are clearly not.  But hey, new signings generate excitement which is great for the league, and I look forward to seeing them play when TFC visits Rio Tinto.

The question I have is this: more league money was used to sign up Defoe and Bradley, one way or another, just like it was for Dempsey.  On the surface I don't have an issue with this, these players are extremely talented guys who will help raise the profile of MLS.  On the other hand, the league couldn't spare a little cash to throw at Camilo so the 'Caps could keep the Golden Boot winner around?  That's followed up by reports that the league is having issues with the Philadelphia Union's pursuit of Maurice Edu, even after the Union traded up to the top allocation spot to get him, of course neither Dempsey or Bradley were put through allocation, the reasoning being that they are DPs.  The Union want to pay Edu, but the league doesn't believe that he is worth that money.

Now the league is probably right in that regard.  Edu is no Dempsey or Bradley.  Coaching moves aside though, this all underscores the need for more transparency in the way MLS handles these things.  Garber flat out said in the State if the League that they were kind of "making it up as they go along."  Really?  The game itself has rules, supposedly MLS has player acquisition rules and procedures as well.  However these rules, which were already murky in the first place, seem to have gone right out the window in some very high profile matters while they are more strictly applied in other cases.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a set of rules that applied to everybody in this "single entity structure?"

On top of that, Garber announced during the draft that MLS is still bleeding money to the tune of  7-10 million dollars per year.  Of course, if you've read "Soccernomics" you don't REALLY expect soccer organizations to turn a profit, but I know my job would be in trouble if my company was losing 7 mil per year.  My employers wouldn't be out dropping extravagant money on new employees either.  Of course all of this hits as negotiations are set to be going forward for a new CBA between the league and it's players, and you couldn't begrudge the rank and file MLS player for wondering where his piece of the pie is in all this.   I'm hoping for a salary cap bump and a salary bump.  We could also do away with this stupid allocation process which the league only uses when it suits them anyway.  Let the players play where they want within the confines of the salary cap structure.

In the end, it probably seems like I'm really ripping on MLS here.  It's true, I do have concerns.  Bradley and Defoe aren't Beckham.  I think the future of the league will be cemented by bringing up academy talent  and perhaps more players from Latin America to help raise the total standard of play in the league.  Bradley, Defoe, and Dempsey aren't going to do that by themselves.  Ticket sales and jersey sales are great, and help the league's bottom line.  However if the league really wants to raise it's profile, we need to keep raising the standard of soccer on the pitch by providing a set of rules for all clubs to follow, raising salaries and the cap to make the league a more attractive destination, and be a little bit more careful throwing huge chunks of league money at players while we're still bleeding money.

But that's all just my two cents.  I can't wait until the season starts so we can actually talk about the product on the pitch instead of "MLS: As the Brazuca Turns."

MLS Eastern Conference at the Halfway Point: Entirely Up For Grabs

The failings of Ben Olsen's DC United headline the first half back east.

Interestingly enough, the major story of the Eastern Conference in the first half is not who is at the top of the table, but rather who is at the bottom.  No disrespect to the Montreal Impact, who sit up top, but they've really slipped in recent weeks, and the fact that they remain in 1st place is more of a monument to the inconsistency of the teams behind them than a tribute to their play.  At the bottom though, DC United have been a league worst all season.  This from a team that I personally thought might compete for the Cup this year.  Here is my rundown of the teams and their top players for the first half.

1. Montreal Impact, 31 Points

The Impact have really shown that they are a force to be reckoned with this year, and they got off to a huge start, including road wins in Cascadia, to jump way ahead of the East.  However the shine has come off in recent weeks, especially on the defensive end.  The Colorado Rapids came from behind to beat them at Stade Saputo, and then last week they dropped points at home to the lowly Chivas USA, who actually led for a good portion of the match.  Still, the Impact lead the league in PPG, but my main concern for them going forward is can their aging roster (Di Vaio and Nesta types) keep up with the grueling MLS schedule in the second half, especially considering that they'll be playing in CCL.  

First half Team MVP--Marco Di Vaio.  The Italian leads the league in off-side calls, but he's right there in goals as well.  Until recently he has been a shoe-in for your three goal monte, but has kind of cooled off of late.  Still, he is a great scorer and gives opposing defenses plenty to think about.

2. Sporting Kansas City, 30 Points 
I didn't really think Sporting Kansas City was going to go away, despite the fact that they've struggled a bit more at home than they're used to.  In particular, they seem to be more prone at giving up goals at Sporting Park.  I still think this team has all the tools, particularly with the return of Kei Kamara from his loan in the EPL.  I think he's one of the most fun players in the league to watch and is almost always a danger man.    Like Montreal, Sporting will be dealing with CCL play later on this year, so it will be interesting to see how they hold up and if that gives some of the teams behind them an opening.
First half Team MVP--Graham Zusi.  Zusi is one of the best, if not the best, midfielder in MLS in my opinion, and he's made significant strides with the National Team. To me, Sporting seem to be lacking security in their play when he's not around, and he should help propel them through the congested second half.

3. New York Red Bulls, 28 Points.
I still don't think the Red Bulls have gotten it.  They seem to continue to believe that bringing in guys on basis of name recognition is the way to MLS Cup, regardless of the player's age.  At the beginning of the year they signed former Brazilian international Juninho.  Hey that's great, but he was 38 years old.  Did it work? Nope.  Red Bulls did help solidify their back line with the addition of Jamison Olave, but some injury issues, the same that affected him in recent years at RSL, have started to crop up again, as well as a red card every once in awhile.  However, I do like the signing of Ibrahim Sekagya, a 6'1 defender from Uganda.  He could step in beside Olave and help out a lot.  Tim Cahill has also started to come around, which should bolster their attack.
First Half team MVP--Tim Cahill.  Yeah, I'm not going with Henry here, mainly because I haven't been all that impressed with him this year.  To me the times when the Red Bulls have really been able to hit a higher gear is when Cahill has been in form and in the lineup.  They'll need him to stay consistent to keep threatening the top of the conference.

4. Philadelphia Union, 27 Points.

Well hello there, Philadelphia.  It seems like this team has finally recovered from the junk and the drama that Peter Nowak put them through at the end of his tenure.   Jack McInerney has been the star of the squad, and the return of Sebastian Le Toux has reignited his form and given the Union another weapon.  Speaking of weapons, how about Conor Casey?  Has there been a more underrated pick up in MLS this year?  I kind of figured Casey might be through after being jettisoned from the Rapids, but not only has he stayed healthy, but he has proven that he can still be one of the most productive big men in the league.  My question about the Union is in goal.  Zac MacMath is progressing, but the youngster is still essentially learning on the job and has been fairly inconsistent. I think he'll need to step it up a bit going forward, but still the Union look pretty solid as a playoff team right now.
First Half Team MVP--Jack McInerney.  This is pretty easy to justify.  He's turned into a big time goalscorer who has also proven his ability to pass off to teammates to help create.

5. Houston Dynamo, 26 Points.
Injuries and international absences have hit the Dynamo hard so far this season.  They've been without Brad Davis quite a bit, as well as Oscar Boniek Garcia.  Will Bruin has played well, but is also in the USA camp.  Meanwhile the Dynamo acquired former Rapids man Omar Cummings, but unlike Casey for the Union, Cummings has failed to yield any real dividends for Houston.  To make matters a little more pressing, Houston lost their unbeaten streak at home.  It seems like more and more opponents are figuring out the stadium, and the Texas summer heat only lasts for so long.  I have my doubts as to whether the Dynamo can retain their playoff position, but they always seem to stick around somehow.
First half Team MVP--Tally Hall.  I look at Hall a lot like I do Clint Irwin of the Rapids.  He keeps Houston in matches, and with a little more support he can keep them in the playoff hunt.

6. New England Revolution, 24 Points.
Don't look now, but here come the Revs.  They've been kind of quiet about it, but I think they're one of the more improved sides in MLS.  Diego Fagundez has really come on strong, as has Bobby Shuttleworth in goal.  As you probably know, GK Matt Reis's father in law was severely injured in the Boston Marathon bombing, and the emergence of Shuttleworth has been great to let Matt and his family focus on that.  Saer Sene continues to be a force in attack as well.  Right now they're just a little too inconsistent, especially playing from a winning position.  They seem to be learning how to close matches out.  Still, this team just might fly under the radar right into a playoff spot.
First Half Team MVP--Diego Fagundez.  Sure, he isn't scoring all the goals, but he's proven himself to be highly capable both attacking and creating.  This young man is the future of this club and the future is now!

7. Columbus Crew, 23 Points.
The Crew have been a little disappointing for me this year.  However, they have a completely valid excuse.  They've lost a few key players, including Eddie Gaven, to season ending injuries, and it's wreaked havok.  Jario Arrieta has also missed significant time for national team duty.  Federico Higuain has struggled a bit more than last year, it's possible that the league is adjusting to him somewhat.  What is of more concern however is the fact that he is among a group of Argentinian players who have been suspected of doctoring their passports.  We'll have to see where this goes, but whatever happens, I think the Crew could use multiple reinforcements if they want to stay in the playoff race.
First Half team MVP--Dominic Oduro.  You may not have heard much about him in the rest of MLS, but Oduro has really settled in nicely in Columbus and fashioned himself into one of their top weapons.  His speed is always tough to deal with and his eight goals show an improvement in finishing.

8. Chicago Fire, 21 Points. 
When you talk about the story of the Fire's season so far, you have to talk about Mike Magee.  Some folks wondered if he could continue to play as well as he has after departing the Galaxy.  Yes he has, and he's been the man for the Fire.  Bakary Soumare came over from Philly and helped solidfy things at the back in front of Sean Johnson, one of the better young 'keepers in the league.  However, it seems like the Fire are still having a little trouble putting all the pieces together on a regular basis.  Right now I don't see them as a playoff team.  Sure, they've gotten better, but I can't see them cracking the top five.
First Half Team MVP--Mike Magee, cause duh.  #MikeMageeFacts

9. Toronto FC, 13 points.
At some point the long suffering fans in Toronto are going to get a winner, but it doesn't look like it's going to be this year as TFC have already lost touch with the playoff group.  Last week local media trumpeted the arrival of Diego Forlan, and MLS even asked via Facebook if TFC were now contenders.  Forlan and his agent shot down the reports the very next day, but for a few hours the fans had something to be excited about.  The revolving door of players continues, and I don't see Ryan Nelsen bringing in the stability that the club needs, at least not yet.  I look for the carousel of players to continue as Nelsen looks for guys that fit his mold, whatever that is.
First Half Team MVP--Robert Earnshaw.  One of the new additions that has stuck, Earnshaw has been one of the few bright spots for TFC.  He is probably their only consistent goal scoring threat, for what it's worth.

 10. DC United, 10 points.
How do you go about pinpointing what in the world is wrong at RFK?  Both Dwayne De Rosario and Chris Pontius have been injured, and that hasn't helped, but the defense has been a disaster in front of Bill Hamid.  The front office has seemed clueless for much of the year, and Ben Olsen's penchant for blaming the referees has gotten real old, real fast.  United needs help everywhere.  If they can solidify the lineup and make a run ahead of Chivas USA and TFC, that might be something to build on.  If they can't, Olsen's days may be numbered.
First Half Team MVP--Dwayne De Rosario.  The former MVP has to get healthy and stay healthy.  He is the best hope this team has of getting out of the cellar.

So there you have it, my thoughts on the East.  In the end I suspect that Sporting KC, Montreal, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia, and the Revs will be your five playoff teams, but there is a lot of football left to be played.

Your Monday Transfer Papers: Forlan Denies TFC Move, Notable European Switches.

Could Diego Forlan soon be wearing red in MLS? (Guardian.co.uk)

I don't do transfer gossip here on the blog, and there's a reason for that: so much of it is total BS.  Generally I try to stay away from transfers altogether until a player is officially unveiled by his new club.  Last night, MLS social media exploded prior to the end of the weekend's matches with a report from The Globe and Mail that Uruguayan star Diego Forlan was set to join Toronto FC and could be on the pitch for the Reds this week against Sporting KC.

Not so fast, my friends.  Multiple sources, including the Toronto Star, have now confirmed that Forlan, his current club, and his agent have all denied that this was the case.  Forlan himself cited his remaining contract and his desire to stay in Brazil through the 2014 World Cup.  Indeed, a switch to TFC might severely hamper Forlan's usefulness to his national side.

What I personally find hilarious is the reaction to this denial by various MLS fans and outlets.  "Oh, they're just denying it because they want more money.  He's definitely coming, this happens all the time." It smacks of the same line that was put out about Frank Lampard, who was supposedly a done deal to come to the Galaxy.  Now, I'm not saying this isn't the case, maybe he does show up, but you know what else happens all the time?  Transfer gossip gets blown out of proportion by media outlets and ends up being total BS.  In fact, I'd say this probably happens a lot more than players issuing false denials.  Perosnally, I don't think Forlan does that much for TFC if he does show up, but we'll wait and see.  Don't put all your eggs in the red basket just yet.

That being said, a couple of notable moves have gone down today in Europe.  First off, Barcelona striker David Villa will moving to Atletico Madrid, where hopes are that he can replace the goals taken away by the recently departed Falcao.  Villa was always likely to be deemed excess by Barca since the arrival of Neymar, and Barca's website has confirmed that the deal is worth up to 5.1 million euros.

Another Champions League caliber attacker is on the move today on the continent.  German international Mario Gomez has left Bayern Munich to join Italian Serie A side Fiorentina.  Bayern confirmed the departure today, saying it was the "player's wish to go to Florence."  The deal is set to be worth about 16 million euros.  Personally I think it's a great move for Fiorentina.

RSL Warned, TFC Fined Over Saturday Incident.

There has been disciplinary fallout from the TFC vs RSL clash last weekend.

Many folks expected some fallout from the disciplinary committee following the confrontation between TFC and RSL late in the match last Saturday.  Tony Beltran and Doneil Henry were given red cards and Robbie Findley was given a yellow as RSL held on for the 0-1 win.

All the cards stand, as expected.  Tony Beltran will not serve his suspension until he returns from US International team duty for the Gold Cup.  Henry will serve his suspension this week against Montreal.  Toronto FC and head coach Ryan Nelsen were fined an undisclosed amount for violating the league's mass confrontation policy.  TFC had been warned about this previously.  RSL were given a warning over the incident, meaning they will be subject to a fine the next time they violate the policy.  TFC's Luis Silva was not sanctioned for trying to kick Tony Beltran in the back of the knee, which started the whole thing.

In other disciplinary news, San Jose's Shea Salinas was suspended for one game.  He was busted for elbowing Robbie Keane "above the shoulders" in the 5th minute of Saturday's Cali Clasico.  The red card (2nd yellow) to Victor Bernardez stands, so he will miss a game for that offense and another game for yellow card accumulation.

Three other coaches got hit by the league as well.  DC United's Ben Olsen was fined for public criticism of officials for his meltdown after DC's loss to Vancouver.  Apparently he was right, the league didn't want to listen to the coach in last place complain about officials.  Montreal Impact's Marco Schallibaum was fined and suspended for entering the field of play during the Impact's loss to Colorado on Saturday.  His assistant, Philippe Eullaffroy. was also fined and suspended for a game for entering the field of play and throwing the ball at a Rapids player.

It's Ok to Win Ugly: RSL Captures First Win in Canada

Nick Rimando was a major force in preserving three points for RSL (RealSaltLake.com)

RSL has been playing some sexy football lately, but that wasn't quite what we got in Toronto.  Coach Kreis tried a new look 4-3-3 formation that was previewed in the win over Carolina in the Open Cup.  To my mind, it didn't do much, but was as good a time as any to try it out in MLS play.

It was a rough and tumble match that was hard to behold on a few occasions.  It seemed to me as if TFC was really taking an "if you can't beat them, BEAT them" approach.  Though to their credit, I thought RSL did a decent job of keeping their discipline, well until late, but more on that in a minute.

The lone RSL goal came from what might be an unlikely source.  MF Yordany Alvarez got the start and made good with an absolute MISSILE from outside the box in the 45th minute.  The TFC 'keeper had no chance as the ball sliced into the back of the net to make it 0-1 to the Claret and Cobalt before halftime.

TFC came knocking in the second half, but Nick Rimando was more than up to the task.  However, the big talking point of the match came in the 79th minute when TFC's Luis Silva appeared to kick Tony Beltran in the back of the knee after a scuffle.  Tony boiled over and pushed Silva down.  Toronto's Doneil Henry then came charging in from behind and shoved Beltran, sending him flying a few yards.  Robbie Findley stepped in for RSL, confronting Henry before referee Chris Penso stepped in and took over.  Beltran and Henry both received red cards for their troubles, and Findley got a yellow.  Silva got off without punishment.  I can't really argue with any of the cards that were dished out, but I hope that the league takes a good hard look at what Silva did to initiate the proceedings.  In my mind, it was purposefully done in an attempt to injure Tony.

Pretty much the entire defense came up big in the closing minutes as TFC assaulted the RSL goal.  Rimando made a couple of huge saves, and Nat Borchers cleared a potential equalizer off of the line.  Even Aaron Maund, who had a tough match in his Open Cup run out, played big most of the day and showed that he was definitely capable of playing on our back line.

Now our three stars for the match:

THIRD STAR: Olmes Garcia, F, RSL:
Sure Olmes didn't score a goal, but it's so fun to watch him harass opposing defenses, and he really got in the heads of the TFC folks, drawing several fouls.  He, along with Beltran, helped set up Alvarez's goal as well.

SECOND STAR: Aaron Maund, DF, RSL:
Much, MUCH better from this young man, he even earned the praise "Super" from Coach Kreis after the match.  I thought he made very few big mistakes, and looked much more comfortable than he did in the open cup, though again I wonder how much playing in front of Nick Rimando helps with that.  Now, with the injuries to Schuler and Watson-Siriboe, we need to see him step up and continue to improve when he gets the chance to play.

FIRST STAR: Nick Rimando, GK, RSL:
Seriously, what more is there to possibly say about Rimando?  He preserved the points for RSL on a couple of occasions on Saturday, and I think you can go back and really see that without him, RSL would not have been as successful over the years.  Now he's leaving for the Gold Cup, and we'll see if Josh Saunders can help us as he helped LA over the last couple of years.

MLS 2013: Eastern Conference Predictions and Questions

With the MLS season finally starting tomorrow (yay!) it's time to sit down and pound this out.  I'm not gonna call it a preview this year, because hey, what we all come up with during these prognostications means exactly SQUAT.   I watch as much MLS as anyone who's not paid to do it, and hey, even I'm not sure what's going on.  I think the league could be wide open this year, especially in the Eastern Conference.  So, I'll give my predictions on the order of finish from the ground up, and make a couple of observations about each club.  Then I'll pose a few questions that I think might have an effect on the conference race.

10. Toronto FC--Sorry guys, I just can't see anything better happening for TFC just yet.  I really want to, for their fans' sake, but I just don't see it there.  Last year I predicted they would make the playoffs for the first time.  I'm not going anywhere NEAR that route.  Kevin Payne and Ryan Nelsen can provide a solid foundation, I think, but they don't have the players.  Robert Earnshaw could be a good signing though, and their fortunes might improve if Danny Koevermans can stay healthy.

9. New England Revolution--I'm not sure what New England has really been up to to improve in the offseason either, except for the addition of Juan Toja, which, while solid, isn't a huge "move up the table" move for me.  Jerry Bengston and Saer Sene have quality, Sene showed it more, but I think the Revs will need more from these guys.  Matt Reis is as solid as they come in goal, but they have to keep him from facing firing squads all season.  The other thing this team desperately needs is their own stadium.

8. Philadelphia Union--What do you do with the Union?  I put them above New England pretty much because they got Sebastien Le Toux back.  He'll do good things, but who else will?  Freddy Adu is, what exactly?  Gone I guess.  Carlos Valdes is out on loan, and come on, there is a reason the Rapids got rid of Conor Casey.  I would tab Antoine Hoppenot to up his contribution though.

7. Montreal Impact--The Impact continue to strive to be the first Serie A team from the last decade to be located in North America, but to what end?  Does anybody really think Alessandro Nesta is gonna last all year without getting injured?  The Impact were pretty decent last year, and they have most of their guys back, but I just don't see it as enough to catch the top 5 in the Eastern Conference.  Stranger things have happened though.

6. Chicago Fire--To me. the Fire are the question mark team out east.  They were VERY active in the offseason, and I think they made some nice additions.  Think Jeff Larentowicz, Joel Lindpere, and Maicon Santos.  Sean Johnson is certainly up to the task in goal, and the defense is solid.  They could easily be a 3,4, or 5 team, but I've got them just on the outside looking in.

5. Columbus Crew--The Crew were one of the toughest games for opponents late last year, and I think they've just gotten better.  If Dominic Oduro finds his form, watch out.  The team brings back Federico Higuain and Jairo Arrieta, plus they're always tough score against, especially at Crew Stadium.  I think they'll hit the playoffs this year, and they could do some big damage if they get there.  Don't sleep on this club.

4. Houston Dynamo--Ok, we get it.  Two-time defending Eastern Conference Champs.  The quality on this side is undeniable, and I think they'll still have a significant edge at BBVA Compass Stadium.  Ching is back as player/coach, so his influence is still there.  I don't see why this team couldn't at least follow the same map as they have the last couple of years.  Plus, I wouldn't bet against Dom Kinnear, unless they're playing the Galaxy in the MLS Cup Final.

3. Sporting Kansas City--The loss of Espinoza and Kamara are going to hurt this club.  The addition of Benny Feilhaber is cringe worthy in my opinion, but I will admit I'm biased because I don't care for his attitude.  Their trump cards are Graham Zusi and Jimmy Nielsen.  Plus, like Houston, they're one of the few clubs that I feel have an actual home field advantage at Cheatstrong, err, I mean Sporting Park.  It's not fair to chide Sporting over that though.  They're still one of the top sides out east and should continue to play like it.

2. New York Red Bulls--You'd think this team almost couldn't help but be in the top two just by showing up on the pitch.  The addition of Jamison Olave is a MAJOR step toward addressing their defensive concerns, provided he stays healthy and doesn't continue to fall prey to some of those mental lapses that seem to plague him the last year and a half or so at RSL.  They also have arguably the best player in the league in Henry.  If they can pull it all together, a big "if," they could finally get their hands on some silverware this year.

1. D.C United--I'm a huge fan of what Ben Olsen has done with this team, in fact I see it as being very similar to what Jason Kreis has done with RSL.  Sure, it would be nice if DeRo stayed healthy and stopped head-butting people, but Chris Pontius is one of the the most dangerous players in MLS to my mind, and they added Carlos Ruiz not only to score some goals, but help rub some people the wrong way.  Hamid is a great talent in goal, and their defense, though not the flashiest or meanest, is more than up to snuff.  This could be the year that DC adds another star over their crest.

Eastern Conference--Three Big Questions

1--Can the New York Red Bulls put it all together and make the run people have been predicting since Henry signed on?

My Answer--YES.  My big beef with the Red Bulls has been defense, and they've definitely improved.  Ultimatey I think DC takes the regular season, but I'd love too see these two squads in the conference final.


2--Who is the "sleeper" team in the conference this year?

My Answer--The Columbus Crew. The middle of the east could be pretty crowded with Houston, Columbus, Chicago, and maybe even Montreal all getting into the mix.  If the Crew can get to the playoffs, they could follow the Houston Blueprint very easily.


3--Is this year when the East catches, and eclipses, the West?

My Answer--YES, in a way..... I still see the top couple of teams out west being better than the top couple of teams in the east.  However, I really see this as being the year those middle teams in the east might outpace the mid-table teams in the west.  That would have a bigger impact, pardon the pun, if we still had a balanced schedule.

So there are my thoughts for the east this year.  Starting tomorrow, we'll get to see just how full of BS and hot air I am.  Good luck to all of the clubs and their supporters.  A couple of you are going to need it.

MLS Inquest 2012: Toronto FC

A midseason injury to Danny Koevermans scuttled TFC's recovery

This is one of the most ambitious things I've ever tried to do here on the blog, a wrap up of every MLS team as their season ends.  Of course, the season is now over for nine teams, and two more will be added before the week is out.

An inquest is an investigation that takes place after a death to determine the cause, so I've I decided to go with "MLS Inquest" as the name for the series.  We'll see if I can keep up with it.  Here is the first entry, a look the unfortunate season of Toronto FC.

2012 MLS Inquest: Toronto FC
Final Record: 5-21-8
Points: 23
Final Position: 10th, Eastern Conference

Player of the Year: Luis Silva
This rookie midfielder from UCSB was one of the few consistent bright spots for TFC this year.  Silva scored 5 goals and tallied 5 assists in 30 league appearances for the club this year.  His speed and ability often resulted in headaches for opposing defenses, and he should be heavily involved in whatever TFC's plans are going forward.

Flop of the Year: Torsten Frings
The wear on the on the legs of the soon to be 36 year old TFC captain really started to show at times this season as Frings spent ample amount of time on the sidelines, appearing in only 20 league matches.  While always a hard worker, Frings was often played all over the pitch and many times out of position.  No matter where he was, he was rarely able to provide the leadership that TFC needed to get over the hump

The Good:
Forward Danny Koevermans was having an outstanding year before suffering a season ending injury on the turf at New England on July 14.  His 9 goals still were tops on the team when the regular season ended.  The team also made a run to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League, and once again captured the Canadian Championship.

The Bad:
TFC struggled to find a consistent goal scorer after the injury to Koevermans, even with the addition of former Whitecaps' man Eric Hassli.  Meanwhile, they continued to bleed goals, giving up 62 goals for a goal difference of -26.  That mark was second worst in MLS.

The Ugly:
Any league hopes for the season were squashed early on when the Reds lost their opening 9 matches of the season.  They finally picked up their first win on May 26, 1-0 over the Philadelphia Union.

The Verdict:
Things were supposed to get better for the Reds after Aron Winter was sacked, and they did for awhile. TFC picked up at least a point in 8 of 9 matches from mid June to late July.  However, results eventually fell off again, as their last league win came July 18 over the Colorado Rapids.

The revolving door personnel policy over the last couple of years hasn't worked, only resulting in fans showing up at BMO Field with bags over their heads.   If Paul Mariner really is the man to lead the club going forward, they need to get the players he wants and see what happens, banishing all traces of the Aron Winter "era."

I predicted that TFC would finally crack the MLS postseason this year.  I've never been more wrong about anything.  Next year could look bleak as well, especially if the team does not reinforce it's defense.  Late last week TFC aired some dirty laundry about this aspect, accusing MLS of scuttling it's move for former Swedish International Olof Mellberg on a DP contract.  Listen for more on this story.  If the league really did shut that move down, it will raise a lot of questions about the DP situation going forward for smaller market teams and defenders.

MLS CONCACAF Round-Up: Week 1

All things considered, it was pretty good opening week for Major League Soccer clubs in CONCACAF Champions League play.  I'm sure Real Salt Lake fans would have liked to see a different result in Costa Rica, but both Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders put forth convincing wins on their home grounds.

The league kicked off action Tuesday night with 2010-2011 finalist Real Salt Lake in Costa Rica to take on Herediano, the most recent Costa Rican champions.  Folks were excited because RSL was playing their first choice XI for the first time in awhile.  These guys had only played 59 minutes together all season.  However, RSL lacked an attacking impetus for much of the match and gave up an early goal as Elias Aguilar scored for the home side in minute 14.  Things would get worse for RSL as Nat Borchers was dismissed with a straight red card in the 58th minute, then Jamison Olave went down with a hamstring injury just five minutes later. The Claret and Cobalt gamely hung on though, keeping Herediano out of the net for the last 30 minutes.  That could be huge as goal difference should be major in this tournament.

Canadian Championship side Toronto FC started off their new run Wednesday night at home against CD Aquila.  Last season TFC went to the semi finals, and they started off this campaign by putting the El Salvador side to the sword by a 5-1 score.  TFC recorded the first two strikes of the match, but in the 37th minute Aguila capitalized on a howler by Milos Kocic to make it 2-1.  TFC scored again just three minutes later and the route was back on.  Reggie Lambe scored a brace for the Reds and Luis Silva, Terry Dunfield, and Ryan Johnson all found their way onto the score sheet as well.

Seattle Sounders rounded out the week by hosting Trinidad and Tobago side Caledonia.  They took care of business, slapping a 3-1 win on the visitors.  Seattle got first half goals from Sammy Ochoa, Fredy Montero, and Andy Rose to take a 3-0 lead into the interval.  Caledonia tried to claw their way back into the match in the second half.   Seattle defender Jhon-Kennedy Hurtado conceded a PK in the 50th minute, which the visitors converted.  Caledonia would go on to threaten some more, but in the end Seattle rather easily held serve to claim the win.

Aron Winter Out at TFC

Aron Winter has been relieved of coaching duties at Toronto FC

People have been waiting for the axe to fall at Toronto FC for a few weeks now.  The Reds got off to the worst start in MLS history, losing their first nine matches.  Somewhat curiously, the aforementioned axe did not fall until TFC won the Canadian Championship and earned their first MLS win over Philadelphia. 

Today that day finally came though as TFC announced that they were parting ways with manager Aron Winter.  Winter is a former Dutch International who came to TFC in January 2011, promising to implement  the Dutch "total football" style and lead the team to the promised land of the MLS Playoffs.  Neither happened.  In a year and half at the club, Winter won only 7 league matches.  The high point of his tenure was reaching the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League this year, where the Reds were dispatched at the hands of Mexican side Santos Laguna.  According to ownership, Winter was offered a different role with the club, but declined.

TFC has named Director of Player Development Paul Mariner as manager.  Mariner has an impressive footballing pedigree.  He's a former England International who represented the Three Lions in both the European Championships and the FIFA World Cup.  He also spent time with Arsenal during his playing days.  As far as coaching goes, he was an assistant to Steve Nichol in New England and also managed English side Plymouth Argyle in the League Championship before taking the development job at TFC in 2011.  His first match in charge will be at Sporting Kansas City on June 16.

Match Thoughts: Real Salt Lake vs. Toronto FC

Kyle Beckerman and Eric Avila of TFC fight for possession. (Getty Images.)

This was probably a great match to watch for a casual soccer fan or for a neutral.  For supporters of the two clubs, not so much.  It was nail-biting time through much of this hard fought 90 minutes.   RSL came into the match after a 3 game road swing on which they only picked up one point, despite playing pretty well.  Times were more desperate for Toronto FC.  They were winless and pointless in their first six matches of the league season, and their nice run to the CONCACAF semi finals was quickly fading into the rear view mirror.

Neutral pundits and commentators on both sides expected a battle, and that's exactly what they got.  They could have also predicted one other thing: lax defense from TFC.  The Reds paid for that early on as RSL got their first corner of the match in the 7th minute.  Javier Morales whipped it in, and it bounced from Jamison Olave to Chris Schuler, and finally fell to Kyle Beckerman.  The RSL captain knocked the ball over the line to give the Claret and Cobalt the 1-0 lead.

Credit to TFC though, they responded well.  They could have rolled over but instead they attacked and put RSL back on their heels.  In the 16th minute Olave brought down Eric Avila in the area and conceded a penalty to TFC.  The Reds looked poised to equalize, but captain Torsten Frings slapped his kick wide of the post and the RSL faithful  breathed a sigh relief.

Things coasted that way through the rest of the first half, but TFC stood the match on it's head early on in the second half.  Eric Avila got the Reds on the board in the 48th minute as he took a pass from Ryan Johnson and managed to get around Olave and beat Nick Rimando to make 1-1.  It looked like RSL might have been a little shocked at the energy with which TFC came out.  It looked more like the TFC team that played well in CONCACAF.

Offensive production or not, TFC's defense still struggled though, and RSL pulled ahead again in the 57th minute.  Alvaro Saborio made a run into the box and collected a cross.  Fortunately for RSL, the ball deflected both off of Sabo and TFC's Richard Eckersley and past Kocic into Toronto's goal to make it 2-1 to Real Salt Lake.

Fans at Rio Tinto now figured that normal service had been restored and expected RSL to button things up for the three points.  Toronto had other ideas though.  They fought back and equalized again, this time in the 76th minute.  Sabo lost his mark on TFC's Doneil Henry on a corner kick and the Canadian U-23 international rose up to head in the goal make it 2-2.  I looked to my friend in the North end zone and commented, "I think I'm gonna throw up."

However RSL had one last trick up their sleeve, and that trick was named Jonny Steele, the hero of RSL's stoppage time win in Portland.  The match went into 4 minutes of stoppage time and TFC looked to have finally locked up their first point of the season.  However in the third of the four minutes, Morales sent a ball across the 18 to Kyle Beckerman, who slid down at full stretch and touched the ball back to Steele, waiting just outside the area.  The former Wolverhampton youth product rifled the ball into the back of the TFC net to seal the 3-2 win for RSL.  The Toronto players collapsed to the pitch in fatigue.

I think TFC outworked RSL through large portions of the match, though I don't think it was by any fault of RSL.  The Reds obviously took it up a notch in the second half, and with Salt Lake playing their third game in 8 days, they couldn't quite match it.  However, once again they showed their true colors and fought back all the way to the end, picking up a vital three points keeping them right with San Jose at the top of the Western Conference. 

The misery continues for Toronto FC.  They have now tied the worst start in MLS history at 0-7-0.  The only other team to do that was the 1999 Kansas City Wizards.  Did they play better?  Absolutely.  Did they play well enough to earn a result?  Probably.  Is their defense good enough to compete week in and week out in MLS?  No.  They need to get the back solidified.  This team is close, but the defense has to better.

Match Thoughts: Toronto FC vs. Chicago Fire

Chicago's Marco Puppo and TFC's Matt Stinson battle for the ball (AP Images)

So NBC's game this week was Toronto FC versus the Chicago Fire.  My first thoughts on seeing this were pretty drab.  Chicago hasn't been off to the best of starts, and TFC is off to one of the worst starts in MLS history.  They came into this one losing all 5 of their league matches, mired on the bottom of the Eastern Conference with zero points.  They had also not led in a league match once in 2012.  I was curious to see if any of that would change.

I will say this for the match, it was pretty entertaining, which is what you often hope for from a neutral perspective.  However, both sides showed some woeful gaps at the back that facilitated the end to end action.  TFC came out with a three man back line, including Torsten Frings in the middle of it.  This was somewhat mind boggling as Frings is such a rock in the midfield for TFC.  The choice cost the Reds right off the bat.  Just 25 seconds into the match, TFC 'keeper Milos Kocic tamely rolled the ball out of the area to Frings.  Frings didn't seem to know that the Fire's Patrick Nyarko was right bight behind him.  Nyarko deftly took the ball off of him, and slipped it over to Dominic Oduro.  The speedy Chicago striker slipped the ball easily past Kocic near post to give the Fire a 0-1 lead and shock TFC.  It was the 5th fastest goal in MLS history.

Toronto did manage to respond fairly well though.  They didn't implode, at least right off the bat.  They got the ball forward with regularity and seemed to find some space to work on the wings.  Soon enough, Chicago 'keeper Sean Johnson was facing a red firing squad, made up largely of Reggie Lambe and Joao Plata.  Finally the pressure paid off late in the half.  The Fire lost track of Lambe on a corner kick, and he worked his way out into space in the 36th minute.  He got the ball outside of the area and blasted a shot home into the upper near post corner to make it 1-1.  Then just four minutes later, Lambe scored again.  TFC carved up the Fire at the back and they passed out to him as he dashed toward the six, hammering it in to give TFC the 2-1 lead, their first of the MLS season.

However the TFC lead would last less than 2 minutes.  In the 41st, Sebastian Grazzini set up a set piece from distance.  He floated it into the 18 and found Gonzalo Segares unmarked.  The Fire defender easily flicked the ball into the TFC net to make it 2-2 heading into halftime.

TFC deserves a lot of credit for the way they came out in the second half.  They were much more aggressive, knowing they needed a win in this one both for themselves and their fans.  The camera shots around BMO Field revealed a lot of empty seats.  Keep in mind the fact that this is a team that has never made the MLS playoffs.

Unfortunately the Fire caught them asleep at the back after a spell of pressure and capitalized on a counter attack.  Oduro and Nyarko shot up the pitch on the break, and Nyarko found Oduro going into the box.  He worked his way easily around Kocic and slapped the ball past the two TFC defenders who were trying to get back to make it 2-3 in the 58th minute.

Still TFC didn't give up.  Aron Winter finally pushed Frings up into the midfield and flipped his formation into a 4-4-2.  Frings himself would get two great looks to tie it up.  He hit a shot just wide in the 63rd minute, then forced a great save out of Johnson in the 88th.  Ryan Johnson also hit the post with a header late on.  In the end, it wasn't enough and the Fire held on for a hard fought 2-3 win.  TFC drops to 0-6 on the season, and the pressure mounts on Aron Winter.

Match Thoughts: Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC

Montreal Impact's Tyson Wahl in their win over TFC (AP Images)

I'm sure the Montreal Impact would have loved to have picked up their first MLS win before now, but I doubt they'll argue with getting it over their Canadian rivals Toronto FC.  Both of these clubs played, and lost, midweek but under different circumstances.  The Impact put out a gutsy performance and lost 1-0 at Real Salt Lake.  Toronto got put to the sword by Santos in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League, 6-2.

Despite their drubbing in Mexico, Toronto FC looked pretty decent coming out in the opening minutes, creating a couple of chances.  In the 10th minute Logan Emory put a header wide of goal off of an attacking set piece.  Then in the 16th minute Nick Soolsma had a good look but tapped his shot just wide as well.  Soolsma was probably on TFC's best performers on the day.

Unfortunately it was bad defense and possession play that proved to be the Reds undoing in this one as well.  In the 18th minute Montreal's Sinisa Ubiparpovic got the ball from Lamar Neagle, who took it off of a lazy Terry Dunfield.  Ubiparipovic side footed the ball past Milos Kocic to make it 1-0 to Montreal.  Later, in the 28th minute, Sanna Nyassi had his chance on a break well saved by Kocic, and the teams went to the break with the Impact leading 1-0.

Montreal continued the attack in the second half as Toronto just looked war weary.  Both Felipe and Neagle had decent looks in the opening 20 minutes, but Kocic came up big and denied them.  That poor guy has just faced a firing squad this last couple of weeks.  Things didn't get any better for TFC when Emory was hit with a straight red card in the 66th minute for denying Nyassi a clear goal scoring opportunity.

There were more goals to be had in this one though.  Montreal looked to seal the match in the 81st minute when Andrew Wenger slotted the ball past Kocic on the break to make it 2-0.  It was Wenger's first MLS and professional goal.  Danny Koevermans pulled one back for Toronto in the 88th minute, heading in a cross to make it 2-1 and end the Impact's clean sheet, but it was too little, too late as the Impact held on for the 2-1 win.

The win is the first for Montreal, the former NASL side, in MLS play.  It puts them on four points.  The loss keeps Toronto in the cellar with 0 points.  They're the only MLS side to still not have a point this season.  The LA Galaxy are last in the west with three.

CCL Semis: Toronto FC vs Santos Laguna

TFC's Ashtone Morgan in Wednesday's match (Mexsport/MLSSoccer.com)

I think a lot of us thought that Wednesday night's CONCACAF Champions League match between Toronto FC and Santos was going to get ugly.  However, I for one expected it to be ugly on the scoreboard, not in the red card/fighting kind of ugly.  Toronto was playing without their captain and key defensive player Torsten Frings, and the smart money was on the Mexican power house side to put a real whipping on TFC, but to the Reds' credit, it didn't work out that way.

It really could have though.  Despite a little early possession by the Canadian champs, Santos looked to be the much more dangerous side.  TFC's trap wasn't working well and was resulting in good runs and chances for the Mexican side.  In the 12th minute, TFC turned the ball over in their own end and Darwin Quintero nearly made them pay, but his shot was well saved by Milos Kocic.  In the 19th minute, it was American international Herculez Gomez's turn to test Kocic. but the TFC 'keeper saved his shot as well.  Finally in the 30th minute, Gomez broke free off of a pass from Quintero and slotted the ball past Kocic to give Santos the 0-1 lead.

I really thought Toronto would just fold here.  I even commented to that effect on my twitter stream live during the match.  To their credit, they didn't.  In fact, they responded really well.  In the 34th minute Danny Koevermans had a shot barely cleared off the line.  Then in the 37th minute, TFC equalized off of a set piece, as Miguel Aceval knocked the ball through the Santos wall and into the goal to make it 1-1 at halftime.

There would be no goals in the second half, but there was plenty to talk about.  Both sides created multiple chances, but both 'keepers played well and were up to the task.  The story of the match started to become it's physical nature.  I had trouble believing what I was seeing, but TFC actually looked like they got into Santos's heads.  Marc Crosas earned Santos's first yellow in the 76th for a hard tackle on TFC's Ryan Johnson.  Then just over a minute later Osmar Mares earned a straight red for a studs up follow through into the chest of Richard Eckersley.    However, in the end, TFC couldn't take advantage of the Santos shortage and the match finished at 1-1.

Then the extra drama really started.  Right at the whistle, Quintero head butted TFC's Ashtone Morgan, who had been physically tangling with the Santos player all match long.  The linesman saw it, called the referee's attention to it, and Quintero was issued a red card.  Then an all out brawl started, with players and staff from both teams.  Santos claims there were TFC players sucker punching Santos players during the melee.  I didn't see it, so I don't know.  Gomez claims to have seen Morgan punch Quintero in the face before the head butt, so who knows?

All I know is, TFC managed a good result that will give them a shot in the next leg.  However, they still gave up an away goal, and my advice is that they should probably think twice before starting a fight down in Mexico.

Still, it was somewhat ironic to see a Mexican side complaining about an American referee for a change!

Torsten Frings Out 4-6 Weeks

Huge injury news on the MLS front this morning, and it's a big blow for Toronto FC. Defensive DP Torsten Frings suffered a hamstring injury on the plastic pitch in Seattle and will be out 4-6 weeks. Ouch.

Frings will not only miss league matches, but the entirety of TFC's CONCACAF Champions League semifinal series against Santos. This will leave a big hole in their defense, a hole that Santos will be very keen to exploit. Frings backup is a rookie, so it could get really scary.

So the question is, will TFC try to bring someone in to help out?

I hope Frings makes a speedy and full recovery. I'm kind of pulling for TFC a bit this year. These guys need to make the playoffs.

Puddle's 2012 CCL Quarterfinal Preview

I want to point all of the Puddle's readers that are interested in MLS, Mexico Primera Division, and CONCACAF Champions League to an excellent article on FoxSoccer.com about the Mexican sides that will be participating in the last 8 of CCL. Eben Lehman does a great job hashing out the chances of each side. Check out the article HERE.


Also here's my take on the Quarter-Final matchups:


Morelia vs. Monterrey
The defending CCL Champs will probably be the underdog in this one. However, Humberto Suazo's in form return to the club should help bolster Monterrey and give them a better chance to defend their title. However, Morelia has been in great form and I'll give them the edge in this one. Might be tricky with the 2nd leg being at Monterrey though.

Seattle Sounders FC vs. Santos Laguna
The advantage that Santos is going to have here is that they're in midseason form, and are playing pretty well. Seattle is just coming off the end of preseason. Plus the second leg is in Mexico. I look for Seattle to put a up a great fight, but come up short. They must NOT let Santos secure an away goal, that will be a key. If they can come out of the Clink with a clean sheet, they'll have a much better chance. I'll take Santos though.

Toronto FC vs. LA Galaxy
I look for Toronto to be much improved this year, and to sew up their first MLS playoff spot. However, I just don't see them overcoming the Galaxy here. Tough draw for them, especially with the second leg being in LA. I think TFC is leaps and bounds better than before, but the Galaxy are just too good for this matchup.

UNAM Pumas vs. Isidro Metapan
Remember when the Rapids said Metapan were the weakest team in that group? Oops. Metapan could be a sleeper here. Pumas have not been all that great in league play, and were less than stellar at times in the CCL group stage. The winner of this series gets either Morelia or Monterrey, so while I think Metapan will takes this, I think it will ultimately be the winner of Morelia/Monterrey in the final.

Puddle's MLS 2011 Wrap Up.

Last night the 2011 MLS season came to an end at the Home Depot Center with the Galaxy defeating the Houston Dynamo 1-0 to take the Cup. Not the greatest Cup final ever, but Don Garber said during half time that the season itself was the best in the league's history and I have to agree. Here's my take on various things in the 2011 campaign, and I'll try my hardest not to be an RSL homer.

Best Surprise Team--To me, this comes down to two teams from the east, Sporting KC and Toronto FC. Sporting overcame their monster road trip at the beginning of the year to make it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, I'm going to go with TFC. This is a team that looked like they were just going to tank at the beginning of the year, even trading away the eventual MVP, Dwayne De Rosario. In the end, Aron Winter and TFC front office acquitted themselves well by totally changing up their roster and becoming a very competitive team toward the end of the season. They also won the Canadian Championship and made it to the CCL group phase for the first time, even though they ultimately missed out on a playoff spot. I see that finally changing next year for TFC.

Most Disappointing Team--This absolutely has to be the New York Red Bulls. With all the money they've spent, they barely scraped into the playoffs ahead of an expansion team. The obtained DeRo from TFC, only to trade him later in the year to make room for a DP GK--Frank Rost. Now it's believed Rost might not be back. One of their other DPs, Rafa Marquez, imploded toward the end of the season, and the Red Bulls actually had a better record without him in the line up. Tim Ream continued to stink, and the GK situation never did get settled. The only positive in the season was Thierry Henry, who finally came into his own in the league.

GK of the Year--MLS gave this award to Kasey Keller, which is asinine to me. No way did he have the best season in MLS. It was basically a life time achievement award. While Keller is a good sentimental choice and a US Soccer legend, I'm going to go with.....Josh Saunders of the LA Galaxy. I'll give an honorable mention to RSL homeboy Nick Rimando, but again, I'm trying not to be a homer. Nicky had one of the best years in MLS, but Saunders really stepped up for LA down the stretch, turning in some unreal performances late in the season both in the league and CCL. He then proceeded to guide them to the trophy, putting up a clean sheet in the final. Supporter's Shield and the MLS Cup. Trophies do matter.

Player of the Year--DeRo got the MVP, but I can't go along with that. Yes, his individual season does warrant it, but he played for three different teams, two of which failed to make the playoffs. Yes, he had an MVP TYPE year but not the Player of the Year. This goes to Brek Shea of FC Dallas to me. My friend and I have said every time we watched FC Dallas, if you want the goals, go through Brek Shea. Dallas could have totally fallen apart after the injury to Ferriera, but Shea steadied the ship, stepped up, and guided them into the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Dallas fans, the grind of the league and CCL was too much for them and led to an opening round playoff exit.

Well, that's my take. It certainly was a great season in MLS, though as an RSL fan, I would have loved to see it end differently. However, only one team is going to hoist the Cup, and the Galaxy certainly deserve it. Now, onto the expansion draft and into a new season!

Two more MLS squads learn their playoff fates

Coming into this weekend, LA, RSL, and Seattle had clinched playoff births and Vancouver had been eliminated from playoff contention.

Tonight, LA pretty much clinched up the Supporter's Shield with a 2-1 win at home over RSL. Toronto FC was officially knocked out of the playoffs by virtue of a 1-1 draw against NY. The New England Revolution were also knocked out after their loss to Seattle. San Jose is barely alive after a draw with Sporting KC.

If you're scoring at home--

IN THE PLAYOFFS--
LA Galaxy
Seattle Sounders FC
Real Salt Lake


OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS--
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Toronto FC
New England Revolution

CONCACAF Champions League: Toronto FC vs. Tauro FC

So tonight in Toronto it was Canada vs. Panama. Both of these sides needed 3 points to have any chance of staying relevant in a group topped by FC Dallas and Pumas. So, knowing that, you'd think this might be a pretty fun match to watch, right?

Wrong.

Toronto took control of proceedings right from the outset. They had a lot of good development play and a nice, attacking look about them. However, they seemed to be having a hard time getting quality chances. It looked like Tauro was largely trying to soak up the pressure and maybe catch a goal on the counter. We've never seen that from a Central American side before, right?

Danny Koevermans was by far the most active and effective offensive player all night for TFC. He continued to look impressive after dropping a brace on Colorado over the weekend. He had a couple of nice strikes and headers on target. He finally broke through for TFC in the 40th minute with an ugly back header that managed to elude the keeper and trickle over the line. It wasn't pretty, but it counted all the same. The Reds led 1-0 at half time.

Tauro tried to push things in the second half, but honestly never seemed to trouble Kocic in goal for TFC. They got a couple balls in on target, but not much that was very threatening. However, both sides got physical late as frustration set in for Tauro, and several yellows were issued. In the end TFC held on to the 1-0 win and three points to keep them at least in the picture for the next round should Dallas or PUMAS slip up. Stuck on 2 points through 4 games, you have to figure Tauro is pretty much toast.