As Toronto FC supporters prepare to “occupy” Rogers Centre for the Reds’ 2013 home opener the ever present danger of Southern Ontario sports fandom – hope, with maybe even an inkling of expectation – has started to once again creep into the discussion around TFC. In many ways it’s probably not unjustified.
A better than expected performance, more organized if offensively tepid, against the Vancouver Whitecaps last weekend was achieved with a patchwork line-up, parts of which were still seemingly being introduced to each other in the locker room pre-game. If that group, with an actual week of training together under new head coach Ryan Nelsen, can be reinforced by the return of a few expected regulars who were unavailable for the season opener it starts to be possible to see the outlines of a Reds’ side capable of hanging around in Major League Soccer.
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While fitness doubts remain for Luis Silva, Julio Cesar, Justin Braun, and now rookie Kyle Bekker – who missed some practice in the week due to flu – there are some things that Toronto supporters can be fairly certain they won’t see: Eric Avila, Torsten Frings, Adrian Cann, Milos Kocic, Ryan Johnson, Eric Hassli, Quincy Amarikwa, Aaron Maund, and Freddy Hall. Every single one of those players started in 2012 in one TFC’s three losses to Saturday’s opponent Sporting Kansas City. Add to that Richard Eckersley as a centre back, Andrew Wiedeman on both wings, and the injured Danny Koevermans amongst players still on Toronto’s roster and you’ve got more than a complete 11.
The scale of the rebuild in Toronto, which management insists is far from done, should be clear from just that list. As has so often been the case in the past, opening day in Toronto will be an exercise in learning to recognize all the new players in red.
Sporting heads to Toronto on the back of a 3-1 away win in Philadelphia but, if you’re inclined towards looking for positives, showed an unexpected defensive vulnerability in the first half against the Union. While SKC’s domination of the second half ultimately paced them to victory on opening day it was, once again, a reminder that no team, particularly no MLS team, is invincible.
That said, away victories are never automatic and it’s important to remember that Sporting were the consensus pick of both the contributors to Canadian Soccer News and editors of mlssoccer.com to win the Supporters’ Shield in 2013.
Peter Vermes’ side retains the high-pressing, athletic 4-3-3 style that has seen them push into the elite of MLS over the last two seasons but have been forced into a degree of turnover themselves. Reds’ fans will of course be aware of the departure of midfielder Julio Cesar but Kansas City are also now without the services of Honduran Roger Espinoza. Between the two of them Cesar and Espinoza formed the combative central pairing of KC’s midfield in 2012 and it may take a while for Sporting to adjust to the duo's absence.
While the addition of American international Benny Feilhaber and elevation of Spanish midfielder Oriol Rosell to a regular starting position possibly provides a more creative dynamic it is not hard to imagine that the defensive balance of the midfield has been compromised.
Up front, the story has been Kansas City’s inability to prevent the loan of forward Kei Kamara to Norwich City of the English Premier League. Sporting had already recruited Argentine Claudio Bieler from LDU Quito of Ecuador as their new Designated Player but the loss of Kamara did not seem planned.
The long term injury forced absences of regular forward Teal Bunbury and former TFCer Jacob Peterson mean that Vermes is actually fairly limited in his options. While C.J. Sapong remains available, as in Philadelphia, expect to see Bobby Convey on the left and Graham Zusi employed as a right winger. Zusi’s influence on the game in Philadelphia was decisive and whoever Ryan Nelsen pairs with Ashtone Morgan on the left of Toronto’s formation will have to be prepared to help the Canadian left back deal with one of MLS’s most dangerous players.