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    <b>KEY PLAYERS :</b>
    ATTACKING
    After a couple of impressive performances in his past few games, including with the Reserves, <b>Atiba Harris</b> should see a start on the right side of the midfield. The Whitecaps will need the MLS veteran to become a presence in the box, especially on set pieces, while tracking back in order to slow down a potent KC attack.
    Despite playing most of his time on the pitch as a right sided player, <b>Kei Kamara</b> leads Sporting KC and MLS in shots attempted and on target. After bouncing around with a couple of clubs, the native of Sierre Leone has established himself as one of most dangerous scorers in MLS.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    DEFENCE
    The Whitecaps need a bounce back game from <b>Jordan Harvey</b> as he matches up against one of the better right wingers in Kamara. If Harvey can slow Kamara down on his own it will lessen the need for the other defenders to help, which will keep the backline more compact.
    After being exposed in the 2010 MLS expansion draft (where the Caps selected Leathers) <b>Chance Myers</b> had a breakout season in 2011 and has become one of the best young wing backs in MLS. A graduate of the Generation Adidas program, and former 1st overall pick, Myers is finally getting over his injury woes and is living up to his promise.
    <b>WHO'S ON FORM :</b>
    While he is still trying to find chemistry with all his teammates, <b>Sebestien Le Toux</b> is one of the hardest workers at the Club. Despite starting as a striker, Le Toux was running all over the park in the last game against San Jose, intercepting passes and consistently getting fouled for Caps free kicks.
    One of the bigger reasons that Sporting were comfortable in letting Jack Jewsbury go to Portland was the development of <b>Graham Zusi</b>. The League leader in assists has settled into a central midfield role, where he is an excellent distributor and one of the biggest threats in the MLS to score from set pieces from any distance.
    <b>2012 RECORD :</b>
    Vancouver:
    2W-2D-1L
    7th in Western Conference
    Last Match: 3-1 Loss at San Jose Earthquakes
    Kansas City:
    6W-0D-0L
    1st in Eastern Conference
    Last Match: 1-0 Win at home to Real Salt Lake
    <b>PROJECTED LINE-UPS :</b>

    <b>INJURIES/MISSING :</b>
    Vancouver:
    Out: FW Darren Mattocks (shoulder), DF Alain Rochat (knee), GK Brian Sylvestre (knee)
    Doubtful: MF Floyd Franks (back), MF Michael Nanchoff (heel contusion), FW Etienne Barbara (groin strain)
    Kansas City:
    Out: GK Eric Kronberg (lower back), MF Julio Cesar (hamstring)
    Doubtful: DF Cyprian Hedrick (Achilles)
    <b>GAME PREDICTION :</b>
    After playing the first 428 minutes of the season without allowing a goal, setting the MLS record in the process, the Whitecaps backline imploded, allowing three goals in ten minutes. Very few at the Club expected the streak to continue through another 90 minutes but it was disappointing that mental errors were the cause, especially on two of the goals. After a week and a half of stewing with this defeat, the Whitecaps will face an undefeated Sporting Kansas City side, as they look to bounce back from their first loss of the season.
    With Alain Rochat still not fully recovered from a knee injury, Joe Cannon will have the same backline of Lee, Bonjour, DeMerit and Harvey for the third straight match. Martin Rennie is hoping that the four can seal the cracks that were exposed by the Earthquakes, with DeMerit and Harvey needing better performances especially. With two games this week, it looks as though Jun Marques Davidson will be given a rest for the SKC match, which will mean that Koffie and Thorrington will pair in the middle of the park.
    With the switch to a 4-4-2 formation, Chiumiento will move outside to the left side and Atiba Harris enters the lineup on the right. Up top, Eric Hassli will be joined by his country man to form the striking pair, but expect Le Toux to drop deep in to the midfield to support the defensive efforts of central midfield.
    At first glance the Whitecaps look to face a vaunted attack, but Sporting is one of the better defensive clubs in MLS allowing only one goal through six games and that was scored on a free kick. The backline, along with the holding midfielders, have started every game and have allowed the fewest shots against (9), meaning Jimmy Nielsen has only had to make eight saves this season, the lowest amongst starting keepers. There will be a new starter in the midfield, as Julio Cesar has been ruled out and his spot will most likely be taken by Paulo Nagamura.
    The MLS League leader in assists, Graham Zusi, will be the key to their attack and he has two dangerous scorers at his disposal. Both Kamara and Sapong are off to fast starts, with each scoring three goals, and both are not afraid to unleash their shots on the net. Kamara is especially threatening, leading the League in shots attempted and shots on goal, while Sapong is a handful in the box.
    It was about a year ago when these visitors from the Midwest stormed out to a three goal lead at Empire Field, before the Whitecaps got two in stoppage time to salvage a draw and create one of the most memorable moments of their first MLS season. The players involved in that game are unlikely to have forgotten it and it is unknown whether it will assist them or be a detriment in this match. The Caps also find their opponents playing their second of three games in a week which could see some players rested. These factors, including a certain player hearing it from a Canadian crowd, could assist in the Whitecaps handing Sporting KC their first loss of the season.
    <b>Predicted Score: Vancouver Whitecaps 2 Sporting Kansas City 1</b>
    <p>
    Guest
    The reality of being an expansion side caught up with Montreal after their first ever victory in MLS, allowing two goals in 11 minutes in Dallas to drop a 2-1 decision on the road.
    We analyze the Impact's behaviour with Pat Leduc (LaPresse/RDS) and Marc Tougas (CP) and we already look ahead to Wednesday's visit to the U.S. capital with Washington Post writer Stephen Goff.
    We review the action during the seventh weekend of activity in MLS with Jonathan Tannenwald (Philly.com) and Lisa Erickson (centerlinesoccer.com).
    Marc also talks to us about the opening game of the new Quebec Premier Soccer League.
    We conclude the show with Cedric Ferreira in Paris who attended the French League Cup final with comments from Lyon's president Jean-Michel Aulas and Marseille coach Didier Deschamps.
    All this and more in this week's commentary and analysis show.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Click here to listen to our 40 minutes show.
    Our show is now on Stitcher! Listen to us on your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and other devices with Stitcher.
    You can also find us on the Canadian iTunes Store.
    Guest
    In early 2011 a prevailing theory emerged around the Canadian mens’ national soccer team that went something like this: although Canada was being forced to play an extra (slightly humiliating) round of World Cup qualifying against national sides that represent countries in only the loosest sense of the word, the extra six matches would come in handy as preparation for more serious World Cup qualifying.
    Then those six games arrived and included both blowouts and stinkers like the two 0-0 draws with Puerto Rico and St. Kitts. Many pundits and fans declared both Canada and its opponents so mutually useless that at best there was nothing to read into the matches and at worst playing them at all was pointless.
    A quick glance at the number of games group rivals will have played in preparation for the third round of World Cup qualifying says Canada should probably, in retrospect, be thankful for any time on the pitch it had.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    According to Fifa.com, Honduras will have played 10 friendlies between the end of last June’s Gold Cup and the beginning of the third round of Concacaf qualifying. Panama will clock in with seven (plus four qualifying matches last fall against weak opposition for a total of 11), and Cuba with four. The number of friendlies Canada will have played between last June and the first kick against Cuba this June 8th? Two. They will have played two friendlies – one against Armenia in February and the centennial blast against the U.S. at the start of June.
    Now, one likes to think that the CSA didn’t schedule more friendlies because Canada did have those six competitive matches against the likes of Saint Lucia and St. Kitts last autumn. Add those to the total and the Canadians will have played eight matches in the intervening months between major competitions, more in line with the likes of Panama and Honduras. Although it must be said, the latter two’s friendlies have been more evenly spaced and included far tougher competition than the six matches Canada had against semi-professionals clumped together last fall.
    People accuse the Canadian Soccer Association of many things -- ineptitude, inaction, inflexibility, nepotism, mismanagement, corruption, bureaucratic bungling, lack of long-term planning, lack of business acumen and lack of transparency, to name a few. Some of these criticisms are genuine while some are misplaced and simply the product of a long-suffering and marginalized fan base. The calls for more friendlies have merit though. It seem logical that the only way the Canadian mens' team can show more cohesion together on the pitch, is to spend more time together on the pitch.
    But friendlies cost money. Wouldn't the CSA love to preside over a geographically compact country with a robust domestic league full of clubs willing to fork over their players mid-season for non-Fifa-date friendlies? And to be surrounded by soccer-mad countries in generally the same boat to play such friendlies against. Case in point, the Clásico Centroamericano friendly last week between Costa Rica and Honduras. Both sides broadly consisted of young, domestic-based players who were being handed a pre-World-Cup tryout by managers with the luxury to do so. (Though old dogs Carlos Costly and David Suazo did figure for Honduras.)
    Stephen Hart doesn’t have that luxury. Because the CSA apparently doesn’t have the luxury of scheduling 10 friendlies in 12 months. The lack of consistent preparation will surely cost Canada at some level when qualifying kicks off again this June, but given the alternative of facing Cuba having played only Armenia and the U.S. in the preceding 12 months, maybe those excruciatingly painful matches last fall will be shown to have served some grander purpose after all.
    Guest
    Tonight, we’re joined by Toronto Star beat reporter Daniel Girard to talk about the struggles of Toronto FC this season, the return of Adrian Cann and the mood the dressing room of late.
    We’ll also talk about what it means for Liverpool to play Toronto FC in a midseason friendly, follow up on the Smoke and Fire article and cue up a coming interview series with some CSA election talk.
    The show is now up
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Our next show will be Monday but we'll be airing CSA election interviews before then.
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/31015/apr162012final.mp3%27,initialScale:%27scale%27,controlBarBackgroundColor:%270x778899%27,autoBuffering:false,loop:false,autoPlay:false}" width="400" height="25" scale="fit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>
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    Guest
    You know what the biggest irony is, when it comes to the MLS mid-season friendlies against European sides?
    Those doing the organizing probably still believe that these sideshows are effective in dispelling the myth that MLS is a two-bit Mickey Mouse operation, pandering to a footie backwater.
    But I'd say that they have the exact opposite effect, merely reinforcing the same old, outdated stereotypes about MLS (despite the fact that soccer culture in northern North America is clearly coming into its own). After all, the thinking would go, if MLS is a legitimate league, worthy of being followed on its own merits, why would it rearrange its schedule for the sake of mid-season friendlies against foreign opposition?
    And yet, the heavily-rumoured-but-not-yet-confirmed friendly between TFC and Liverpool appears even closer to reality today (as reported by Luke Wileman). Five years, no playoff appearances. Five league games in 2012, no points. But don't worry, TFC faithful, you'll get a chance to (pay to) watch Liverpool's reserves jog around at BMO Fi... wait, sorry? Oh, the Rogers Centre. Right. Happy days!
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The news, if officially confirmed, will surely delight the thousands of British expats and other Liverpool supporters who call Toronto home. Let's hope so, as they'll likely be buying the majority of the tickets (and fair enough; I'm sure that for many of them, the love of Liverpool predates TFC's existence).
    But as for Toronto's ardent supporters, the club's de facto marketing team for the past five years, the ones who live and die by the team's results? I can't imagine much delight swelling up in those ranks. Disillusionment and anger would be more apt adjectives in the context, I'd reckon.
    Now, the argument could be made that a meaningless game against an out-of-season English club at a cavernous, non-soccer stadium (likely on artificial turf) at surely exorbitant prices is just what's needed to reinvigorate excitement about Toronto FC, and expand the team's potential fan base.
    It's possible, I suppose. English fan with no time for MLS otherwise comes out to the game, brings his kids. Kids get wrapped up in the excitement, develop a passion for the team in red. When they're old enough, they go out and buy tickets, jerseys, scarves, support the team... yeah, y'know what, this actually is a very effective marketing exercise for Liverpool.
    Wait, did I say Liverpool? I meant... no, wait, I did mean Liverpool.
    Don't get me wrong, I'm all for expanding Toronto FC's footprint. Every new fan of a Canadian club team is a good thing for the game in this country, in the long run. But I guess I just fail to see how giving 30,000 Liverpool fans an opportunity to pretend they're back in the old country is, in any way, an effective marketing tool for Toronto FC, or Canadian soccer. How is being presented with a live reminder of the talent gap between MLS and the EPL supposed to win new fans over to the local league, exactly?
    I'm not advocating isolationism. Toronto FC, like every club, exists within the massively expansive web of global soccer. MLS should not pretend to be separate from that. But changing the dates of league games, and subjugating domestic success to one-off wankfests against on-tour super-clubs, does nothing to foster a belief that MLS is on equal footing with these global powerhouses. If anything, it fosters a belief that MLS is just the pathetic loser of the global game, waiting desperately by the phone for the pretty girl to call, then jumping up and catering to her every whim when she does deign to pay a bit of attention.
    If MLS clubs are so desperate to make a statement in global soccer, put themselves on equal footing with the world's elite and play a bunch of non-league games during the summertime, here's an incredibly novel idea: Why not put more focus on the CONCACAF Champions League?
    Yeah, you know, that tournament where the winner goes to the Club World Cup, to play (ostensibly) meaningful games against continental champions from Europe and South America? You want to establish yourself as a brand? You want to fuel excitement in your local market? That is how you do it.
    It was just last month that 48,000 people filed into the Rogers Centre, with the overwhelming majority of them there not just to watch some kickabout between two foreign middleweights. No, save for the few thousand there to swoon over David Beckham, this was a raucous crowd feverish to see the home team succeed in a meaningful match. It was a massive moment for supporting local soccer in Toronto.
    Some likely believe we'll see the same at the Rogers Centre if Liverpool drops by. Then again, some believe the planet is flat.
    So, to summarize, a mid-season friendly against Liverpool (and to clarify, I take umbrage with the principle of the thing, not Liverpool in particular) would create unnecessary fixture congestion for Toronto FC, temporarily divert their focus at a time when they'll desperately need points in league play, further alienate the long-suffering hardcore fanbase, and create an environment where those who actually do show up to support TFC will almost certainly be outnumbered by opposing fans.
    Tell me, what's the benefit here? The hope for another "Gabe Gala moment" (his goal against Real Madrid didn't exactly shoot him, or the club, into the soccer stratosphere)? An attempt to give local youngsters "something to aspire to"? Is it really as simplistic and cynical as a straight-up cash grab?
    If the goal is to entrench TFC in the city's sporting consciousness over the long haul, there are better ways to do it. Things the club is already doing, but which won't bear fruit for a few years. Continue expanding the academy and developing relationships with local clubs. Provide local youth with an avenue to pursue their passion and, perhaps, suit up for their local club. Work more closely with the Canadian national teams and remind the public that the club is part of a holistic Canadian soccer system. These aren't quick fixes, but they are sustainable and productive long-term strategies.
    And, of course, the #1, can't-miss way to build, maintain and reward a fanbase, in any league or sport, is to win games that matter. It's that simple.
    A friendly against Liverpool deprives Toronto FC of time and energy that should be spent trying to win games that matter. That, above all, is why such a game would be a waste of everyone's time.
    .
    Guest
    The Montreal Impact were 13 minutes away from their first ever road win and a second result in a row on Saturday when the Texas sky fell on their head.
    Goals from Blas Perez (77) and Brek Shea (88) turned a 1-0 win into a 2-1 loss for Les Bleus in Dallas.
    Much was said and written in the last 48 hours on the smile Impact defender Zarek Valentin had following that heart-breaking result for his club and he explained the situation on Monday after the training session.
    In this 20 minutes special, you will also hear from captain Davy Arnaud, Italian defender Matteo Ferrari and coach Jesse Marsch.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Click here to listen.
    Also, you can listen to SoccerPlus on Stitcher and iTunes.
    Guest
    These are the images and emotions from Toronto FC's 1-0 loss against Chivas USA. All photos are courtesy of Chris Hazard at Hazard Gallery.
    He is shooting for Canadian Soccer News again this year.
    You can purchase these and other photos here
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    'Hey guys, do you know how much they're paying me to sit on the bench today?"

    "Like, your whole salary for a year"

    "If Julian didn't play. And I didn't play. How much did I make today compared to Julian?"

    "Fuck it. If Julian is making more than me and sitting on the bench... then I get to use my hands"

    "I don't really care if Julian is making more than me. I'm just confused by this guy. I'm like 5'3. Why you roll around so much?"
    Guest
    These are the images and emotions from Toronto FC's 1-0 loss against Chivas USA. All photos are courtesy of Chris Hazard at Hazard Gallery.
    He is shooting for Canadian Soccer News again this year.
    You can purchase these and other photos here
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Off the line for a first time

    Off the line for a second time

    Similar facial expressions could be found throughout BMO Field as the ball was played off the line on this day.

    And speaking of which, try and find the one guy who is smiling. It's like Waldo. For masochists.
    Guest

    More questions than answers

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    What’s wrong with Toronto FC?
    It’s the million-dollar question that everyone has the answer for.
    Fire Winter. He’s the cause.
    Ty Harden too. He’s a bum.
    While you’re at it, get rid of Julian DeGuzman – his salary is too high, drop Joao Plata, his height is too low and get a new ownership, because MLSE is only out for itself.
    They’re the reasons you hear each week, after every mounting loss, but the reality is, they only scratch the surface and if you’re only offering up simple solutions, you’re not looking for answers.
    Here are three things to consider:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Torsten Frings’ return will save the defence
    It certainly won’t hurt but it’s far from a bullseye. As Daniel Squizzato illustrated last week, Toronto has been rotating through a small cast of thousands when it has come to their centrebacks. Consistency simply hasn't been in the conversation as Toronto has tried pairing after pairing and then discarded them as quickly as they have reserve trialists. Eventually the pairing du jour turns into the whipping boy of the week and the next couple is ushered in.
    So much of what makes a player successful at that position is communication and familiarity - how they can expect to track the opposition when they're spending all their time tracking their partner? Toronto got a taste of that consistency when Adrian Cann and Nana Attakora were partnered. Most will agree that neither are exactly MLS All-Stars but what they did do well was keep things simple and intuit the hell out of the other's movements. To date it was Toronto's best year for goals allowed.
    On the flip side, take the 2012 side. Five games in, Logan Emory, Ty Harden, Adrian Cann, Doneil Henry and Miguel Aceval have all already had a chance at organizing the final four. None - repeat none, have shown a sole ability to do so. And it's never more obvious that they're not on the same page as when they're trying to defend set pieces and the game of 'You got em? I got em. I thought you had 'em?' ensues. Even Adrian's return Saturday - which showed promise of at least some solidity - shouldn't be held up too quickly as a solution. What should however, is the decision to pick a pair and stick with them. This idea of rotating players in and out each game - depending on their opponent or current form of last week's whipping boy - isn't working. There isn't enough skill at this level - or among the current crop - to drop players in and out of the lineup like that.
    If not, it won't matter when Frings returns because he'll be charged with the same problems he faced towards the end of last year - covering up problems for players who don't know one another.
    The goals will come once their luck turns
    Blaming anything on luck is always dangerous. As much as I believe that the football gods govern our game, I equally believe that any team that spends time talking about luck, has lost the plot. Luck had nothing to do with Ryan Johnston's goal being saved off the line against Chivas - it was timely defending. Luck didn't have anything to do with Dan Kennedy's wondrous save on Danny Koevermans either - it was good positioning on Kennedy's part (and perhaps rushed decision making on Koevermans' to take it with his left instead of letting it come across his body.)
    If you're going to blame anything, perhaps look to their refusal to do anything but work the ball down to the corner and whip it into the box. As good as Ashtone Morgan is getting at making those overlapping runs, it matters little if he isn't connecting with anyone's head. The one real chance in the air came late from Eric Avila, who sent a direct line towards the net, which Johnson did well to control as the momentum was carrying it away from his body.
    Outside of those futile attempts, the few chances they've had to score this year have come on two fronts. The first is route one, which no one wants to see and moreover, Winter won't let them play. Of which, it should be mentioned though, that they have created the most opportunities against San Jose, Columbus and Chivas by playing that straight ahead game. The other is when they've managed to maintain possession in the final third, work the ball around a little and then make a piercing run in behind the defensive line.
    Neither has been particularly successful, as evidenced by two measly goals in five games, but in four of those five league games Toronto has bettered their opponents in attempts on goal. If they've been outscored 10-2 over that same stretch, it might lend itself to the idea that is it time to look at how they're getting those attempts.
    4-3-3 doesn't work in MLS
    The thinking goes: that in a physical league, which depends much more on athleticism than it does skill, a formation like 4-3-3, asks too much of its players and simply doesn't work within that framework. And while that is true to a point (tactical awareness is a necessity and it's not something all MLS players possess) there is still plenty of evidence to suggest it can and does work. Sporting Kansas City (currently atop the Eastern standings) and Real Salt Lake (currently atop the Western Standings) have been playing a 4-3-3 (which resembles 4-2-3-1, or 4-1-2-1-2 at times) all year long. They move the ball forward well, varying their attack and defend well, limiting their exposure on the counter.
    So, perhaps the problem isn't as much in the formation as it is in who is being sent out to deploy it - or perhaps who is deploying it. That was on full display for Toronto last game.
    Aron Winter's decision to use Reggie Lambe and Joao Plata in the way he did is baffling. Either Lambe was playing woefully out of position all game or Winter sent them out there to play a 4-2-4. And if you look at where Plata (typically a left forward) and Lambe (typically a right midfielder) had most of their possession, that's exactly what he did.
    I don't know about you, but playing a 4-2-4 - either by design or uncorrected positioning - with a backline as fragile as it is, with Terry Dunfield as the only holding midifielder and with a team which has been so demonstrably vulnerable to counterattack, is, in my books, akin to throwing up Hail Mary from the first play forward.
    The addition of Eric Avila would bring some shape back to the squad later on - and probably can be directly linked to their resurgence late in the game - but it was too little too late. Aside from the first 15 minutes of the first half and the last 15 of the second, Chivas' five midfielders were left to run wild over Dunfield and the rookie Luis Silva. The very fact that it took until the 71st minute before Winter made a tactical change to shift their fortunes is now the head on some very pointed questions.
    Is Aron Winter tactically experienced enough to be a head coach?
    His last coaching job was as head coach of the Ajax Young Boys. A great pedigree no doubt, but is there evidence to show that it has translated into the skills needed to be head coach of a professional side? There is some debate to be had there.
    Do Aron Winter's expectations match an MLS reality?
    If the decision to play Lambe the way he did is any indication, he may have higher expectations, responsibilities and roles envisioned for his team, than the players at this level are presently capable of delivering.
    Is Aron Winter a good judge of talent?
    It's hard to know because the club isn't about to put a 'Aron Winter' or 'Paul Mariner' tag on any of the signings. But collectively, given the number of players that have come and gone in such a short time - coupled with the finding of a few gems - the consensus, is at best, muddled.
    Muddled. It's an apt term for Toronto FC of late. And while many will continue to look for that 'aha!' moment - one that solves the world's problems in one full swoop - the reality is there are more questions to Toronto's problems, than answers.
    It's time we started asking them.
    Guest

    Sober Second Thoughts: Dear TFC

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Hey you,
    You know I love you, right? I have from the moment I first saw you. We’ve had some incredible days down at the park – fun afternoons that I will always remember. There have been times when our days together have left me dizzy, unable to think about anything else for days after.
    There have been times when I’ve allowed our relationship to engulf my life – the intensity of my feelings too strong to manage. That doesn’t happen as much any more – I’ve found a good balance – but that doesn’t mean I care about you any less. The truth is I deeply, deeply care about you. And I always will.
    One of the things that allowed the early part of our relationship to feel so natural and easy was that there were no expectations. We didn’t have to define anything about us, we just were. Relationship goals were as simple as just trying to enjoy each other’s company.
    But, things have changed. It’s time to figure out what this all means. Maybe it just is what it is – an occasional distraction, but nothing more. You’ll remain an important part of my life, but the intensity will be reduced. Others will fill the role you once did.
    Or, we could change things just a little bit – take a risk and see if this can’t be better. Personally, I think it could be really special.
    I honestly don’t know which way things are going to go, but I do know we’re at a crossroads. There are lots of different ways to love someone. It’s time to figure out how I love you.
    Yours,
    Me
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    By Michael Crampton
    From 2007, when Toronto FC joined the league, to 2010 Major League Soccer employed a 30 game regular season schedule. After a run of four consecutive losses to start their league campaign that is essentially what TFC’s season has become; just everyone else gets to play 34 games. The exertions of a CONCACAF Champions League campaign are no longer there to provide distractions (or excuses) and Aron Winter’s men must start picking up points soon or supporters face the bleak prospect of another summer and fall of increasingly meaningless games at BMO Field.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    First up in this second phase of the season is a visit from Chivas USA for the teams’ only meeting in 2012. Second year coach Robin Fraser’s side are a real enigma at the moment. To their credit they’re not allowing many goals – Chivas has only conceded four goals in their first five games and no side has scored on them twice – but they’re also not scoring many either. Like Toronto FC the Goats are currently winless and goalless at home after three listless performances there.
    Completely contrary to the idea that MLS is a league that favours home teams however Chivas have, incredibly, won both their away games so far. In the first, a 0-1 win at Real Salt Lake, keeper Dan Kennedy had an outstanding performance leading some observers to begin suggesting that he may be the best keeper in MLS. Then, last weekend, Chivas came from behind to win at Portland. Fraser may have made polite noises about Toronto in his comments to It’s Called Football but, realistically, he will be viewing this weekend as a great opportunity to continue earning points on the road.
    Fortunately for Toronto striker Juan Pablo Angel will not be making the trip. Chivas’ designated player has been an absolute TFC-killer over the years and bagged a brace in their last meeting but is currently listed as out with concussion symptoms. TFC old boy Nick LaBrocca meanwhile has not exactly recaptured the form that saw him earn an unlikely MLS All-Star selection in 2011 but did pop up with the winning goal versus the Timbers. He’ll be expected to pull the strings of the Goats offense and feed the forwards while wide man Ryan Smith will hope his own success continues after a two assist performance in Portland as a half time substitute.
    Exactly what Toronto FC team Chivas will be facing remains to be seen. After the loss in Montreal Winter suggested in comments that he’s “going to change some things.” Defensive blunders and a lack of offensive punch have been costing the Reds games so far this season but with captain Torsten Frings still unavailable to act as sweeper it’s unclear whether Winter intends to revert to the 3-4-3/5-4-1 formation used to great effect against LA or simply rotate players. Supporters are clamouring to see different faces after such a poor start to the season but how those pieces can fit together in a coherent system is also uncertain. Handing starts to players like Eric Avila, Efrain Burgos Jr., Matt Stinson, and Doneil Henry might be a popular kneejerk suggestion but outside of Avila the remaining three are still relatively untested and playing them together would be a significant risk in what’s become a vital game.
    One piece of good news for TFC fans coming out of training on Friday is that it looks like defender Adrian Cann is set to make his return to the first team on the weekend after nearly a year on the sidelines. Cann may have fallen slightly out of favour with the club’s new management at the start of 2011 after a stellar year in 2010 but with the Reds in desperate need of a stabilizing influence in the centre of defence he will be a welcome sight to Toronto supporters. With two appearances in the reserve side under his belt apparently Winter feels confident enough in Cann’s match readiness to prefer him to the other available options. Whether or not that results in lightning rod Ty Harden losing his spot remains to be seen.
    Against a stingy Chivas who will likely be more than happy to kill the game goals should be at a premium and the match is unlikely to offer much in the way of spectacle. That said, rather than seeking to entertain the fans, keeping a clean sheet for the first time in 2012 has to be a priority for Toronto and is the basis upon which points can be secured even if the offense sputters. Sorting out the defense would also be the first step towards resurrecting their season and giving back fans the sense of hope that has too quickly disappeared early in the year.
    Guest
    (10) They win the coin toss and do a lap of honour
    (9) Your top striker keeps losing possession during his frequent cigarette breaks
    (8) Just to be on the safe side, they're playing ten at the back
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    (7) Team beaten by local school kids brought in for the half-time entertainment
    (6) Your midfield playmaker got winded licking envelopes
    (5) During second-half, you notice players leaving early to beat the traffic
    (4) Inner-ear condition makes it impossible for your right-back to stay between sidelines
    (3) Your end of season party was held during the all-star break
    (2) Your new winger runs so fast that he goes back in time to when they didn't even have football and the local savages gather around him, make fun of his shorts, then beat the shit out of him
    (1) You support a team from Toronto
    <p>
    Guest

    Smoke and fire at Toronto FC

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    It was a hot day in the early part of the summer of 2010. I was alone, waiting to do some Canadian national team work when my phone rang. Picking it up I heard the familiar voice of a well-connected Canadian soccer observer that I had used several times in he past as a news source.
    “You’re not going to fucking believe this,” he exclaimed.
    As he isn’t prone to hyperbole, I was all ears.
    “TFC is fucking losing it again,” he said. “Unbelievable.”
    It was unbelievable. On the surface things looked OK. The club was playing unattractive, but fairly effective, soccer and was middling around a playoff spot. It seemed that under Preki Toronto had finally found a way to meet the uninspiring expectations of a fan base desperate for any taste of success.
    However, the source told me about a meeting that the players had held with management about their manager. The message the players gave management was clear – get rid of Preki, or this thing is going to end badly.
    I don’t need to remind you of how it all turned out.
    The memory of that interaction is fresh in my mind as of late, as rumblings of another TFC front office meltdown are growing louder. Like it was in 2010, it is next to impossible to get anyone on record to talk about the alleged problems. It’s mostly rumblings about dirty looks and broken communication chains.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]And when it comes to Toronto FC people are predisposed to think the worst. What might be seen as a healthy internal debate in some clubs is viewed as a cancer waiting to happen with the Reds. It’s because of that perception and the instinct to think negatively that I am reluctant to talk about the alleged issues. My instinct tells me that it’s probably not as bad as some are suggesting.
    My instincts told me that in 2010 as well and I sat on the information. By the time it had been verified it was pointless to talk about – everyone knew.
    So with some reluctance, this is what’s being suggested now:
    All of this is based on conversations I’ve had with several MLS and TFC sources.
    It’s being suggested that there is a fatal conflict between Paul Mariner – and those within the organization that have a MLS or English background – and Aron Winter, along with the Dutch thinkers. There is a personality conflict involved, but the root of the issue is about player Personnel decisions.
    For simplicity sake let’s call the divide the 4-3-3 idealists versus the MLS pragmatists.
    The MLS pragmatist’s suggestions are being mostly ignored (either literally, or being brought in only to rot on the bench) while players that the 4-3-3 idealists favour -- that the MLS pragmatists have no time for -- are consistently starting.
    The recent release of academy prospect Stefan Vukovic can be best understood by the divide in thinking. MLS pragmatists liked him, 4-3-3 idealists did not.
    I’ve been told by one well-placed MLS source that the thinking around the league is that one of the two men will be gone by the end of the summer. Based on player moves until now, it would seem that upper management prefers the 4-3-3 idealists. However, that might change if the team doesn’t start winning.
    As stated, this is mostly smoke right now. No one is talking on record. Unfortunately, when it comes to TFC over its five-year history, smoke usually means fire.
    Guest
    Today, we're joined by Robin Fraser, head coach of Chivas USA, to help preview Saturday's match against Toronto, talk about how they''ve gone into difficult grounds this year and won results and how Canadian Ante Jazic has found new life with the Goats.
    We'll also get into Vancouver's front office moves, talk about the latest from Canadian head coach Stephen Hart and the dangers of bringing back Torsten Frings early.
    The show is now up
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The next show will be Monday.
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    Guest
    Every week we’re going to bring you our look at the upcoming games that weekend and what we hope to see from those to benefit the Caps to the max, along with what impact the different results from the Whitecaps own match has to our playoff hopes.
    The Caps aren’t in action until midweek, so let’s have a look at the Week 6 games that are to be played and what <i>”Best Case Scenario”</i> we’re hoping to see in each…..
    <center>********************</center>
    Last week, the Caps did more damage to their playoff hopes than anyone else. In the other four matches that mattered we had a <i>BCS</i> success rate of 62.5%.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Nine games this weekend. Only two all-Western Conference clashes, with four intra-conference match ups and three all-Eastern ties, so six matches to keep a really close eye on.
    <b><u>Philadelphia Union v Columbus Crew</u> - No impact on Caps</b>
    All eastern clash. No real interest or impact on Caps playoff hopes.
    <b><u>New England Revolution v D.C. United</u> - No impact on Caps</b>
    Another all eastern clash where we have no real interest who wins.
    <b><u>Seattle Sounders v Colorado Rapids</u> - Draw</b>
    As much as we want Seattle to lose every match, a draw is the best result for the Caps in this early stage of proceedings. A Seattle win wouldn’t be all that bad if we’re being honest, as Colorado may end up in a crucial points battle with Vancouver as the season wears on. Seattle, you would have to expect to be in the playoff mix.
    <b><u>Toronto v Chivas USA</u> - Chivas win</b>
    East v West, so normally we would have to root for a TFC victory here. We pretty much want all the eastern teams to take points off our western rivals after all at this stage.
    In this case you do have to consider just how funny it would be to see TFC languishing winless after five games and then just sit back and watch their fans explode in anger on message boards and twitter. It could also help us in the long run in the Voyageurs Cup if their spirit is well and truly crushed!
    Chivas shouldn’t be anywhere near the playoffs, so maybe, just maybe, we can cheer for a western victory this one time!
    <b><u>New York Red Bulls v San Jose Earthquakes</u> - New York win</b>
    Real Salt Lake are already opening up a gap at the top of the west. We can’t have San Jose joining them. The more teams that start to run away with things, the harder it will be for the Caps to try and reel them in, with less playoff places becoming available as a result. Have to root for a New York win all the way.
    <b><u>Dallas v Montreal Impact</u> - Montreal win</b>
    Another East v West match up and this time around, we have to cheer on the eastern team. Dallas are another side who could be battling the Caps right down to the wire, with every point counting and proving crucial by the end of the season.
    <b><u>Sporting Kansas City v Real Salt Lake</u> - Kansas City win</b>
    East v West again, as the two Conference leaders clash. Someone needs to knock Salt Lake out of their stride and I see Kansas City as being just that very team. The ultimate BCS for Vancouver would be a KC win, whilst picking up some suspensions and injuries before the Caps face them on Wednesday at BC Place.
    <b><u>Los Angeles Galaxy v Portland Timbers</u> - Draw</b>
    The second all-western clash of the week throws up a toughie. Like TFC, it’s funny to see LA in the bottom feeding position that they’re in. Unlike, TFC though, you have to expect them to turn things around pretty dramatically and start climbing the table.
    It would still be a major surprise if LA aren’t in the top three in the West come the end of the season. Portland on the other hand, are likely to be battling with the Caps for one of the last playoff spots.
    We’ll still go for the draw here, but a Los Angeles win wouldn’t exactly be the worst case scenario either, and may in fact prove to be the best one in the long run.
    <b><u>Chicago Fire v Houston Dynamo</u> - No impact on Caps</b>
    This all-eastern clash is the only Sunday game this week and holds no importance to the Caps playoff hopes.
    <center>******</center>
    So that’s what we’re rooting for this weekend. Let’s see how it all leaves the Caps looking come Sunday evening.
    <p>
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