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    Guest

    Turf to BMO?

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The press conference explaining the decision to fire Kevin Payne was going so well.
    Tim Leiweke was saying a the right things about the future of the club and fans could have been excused if they were starting to believe that things could actually be turned around.
    And then he was asked about the Argos.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Not only did Leiweke refuse to shut down talk of the CFL team moving into BMO Field, painting gridiron lines in the newly plastic pitch and, likely, driving the last remaining TFC loyalists away, but he actually seemed to suggest that it was likely.
    If TFC fans still have any fight in them they absolutely need to make sure MLSE understands that moving the Argos into BMO would kill TFC.
    No hyperbole. The club would not be playing in Toronto within 3-years. The soccer community would fully turn their back on the club. Many are looking for any excuse to do do now and this would be a legitimate reason to walk away.
    This can't happen. Leiweke needs to be loudly, consistently and aggressively told this at every opportunity.
    Do you still have fight left in you TFC fans? Your first opportunity to demonstrate it is next Wednesday.
    Guest
    I'm really just tired.
    Tired of the turnover. Tired of the constant instability. Tired of having to talk about what Toronto FC is doing off the field rather than what they're doing on it.
    And tired of having to justify continuing to support the team to the many people in this city (and elsewhere) who see it as a joke. I mean, they're right, of course. With no disrespect intended to the many people who have worked hard and done their best for the club on and off the field over the years, the decisions made over the past seven years, combined with the non-stop on-field ineptitude, have rightfully earned TFC its status as a league laughingstock.
    Of course, I'm also tired of pretending that I'm going anywhere. I have an ingrained sense of loyalty to my city and my fellow supporters that simply won't allow me to stop caring or -- as some heretics have suggested -- switch allegiances. Perhaps that makes me a dupe, or naive, or part of the problem. But I'm tired of arguing about it. I am what I am.
    And what I am is, above all, tired of sitting here in September talking about another impending regime change at Toronto FC.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Some felt it was inevitable that new Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment bigwig Tim Leiweke -- the man who revolutionized MLS by bringing David Beckham to town -- was going to "clear the deck" (i.e. fire team president Kevin Payne and head coach Ryan Nelsen). Others felt he "needed" to do it, as Payne had apparently poisoned the well so severely in Toronto after less than a year on the job that his retention would simply be untenable.
    We'll never know precisely why Payne was let go. Some theorize it's simply because he came across as a bellicose jerk in public -- that was seemingly enough to get Leafs GM Brian Burke canned, so perhaps there's merit to that belief. Or, as is usually the case in sports management, when a new sheriff comes to town, they like to appoint their own deputy. That's why, despite Leiweke's apparent faith in rookie head coach Ryan Nelsen, no one should be surprised if the new team president -- whoever it may end up being -- replaces him at the first sign of trouble in 2014 (assuming, that is, that he even survives the off-season).
    And around and around the TFC revolving door will continue to turn.
    New president means new direction. New players. Less familiarity, less camaraderie, more mistakes. More points lost. This is no knock on whoever ends up replacing Payne (and Nelsen), it's simply the reality we've seen played out in professional sports (specifically at BMO Field) time and time again. We're very familiar with it.
    Of course, Payne did little to endear himself to the TFC faithful (several good acquisitions and much-needed clearing of salary-cap room were offset by some bad moves, dodgy draft decisions and a confrontational public attitude), and so few are mourning his departure. But even his biggest detractors will likely admit that his firing once again afflicts TFC with the condition that has been responsible for the lion's share of the squad's ineffectiveness during its entire existence: Instability.
    Sure, stability for the sake of it isn't always the best way to go (see: bad relationships). But even if no one is crying about Payne leaving town, many followers of the team (current company included) argued repeatedly that he and Nelsen would need to be given at least two years at the helm, so that TFC could finally stay on the same path for a reasonable amount of time and see where it led.
    How much of that was based on admiration of Payne/Nelsen, and how much was based on sheer exhaustion at the constant turnover that's characterized TFC so far? Well, if we're being fair, it's likely the latter more so than the former.
    But Leiweke has shown little regard for the city's sacred cows in his short time north of the border. He'd barely settled into the chair in his new office at MLSE when he was already planning the Leafs' Stanley Cup parade route, a statement so at odds with the reality of fans' expectations that he may as well have signed on as the new GM of the Chicago Cubs and redecorated Wrigley Field with images of billy goats.
    Clearly, Leiweke is not overly concerned with the past of the teams he now helms. He's simply interested in assessing the current situation and making what he feels are the proper modifications. Quickly, ruthlessly and -- we would hope -- effectively.
    He's got the pedigree to suggest people should support his decision-making (having been part of championship teams in three different sports down in Los Angeles). He's already said some good things about much-needed upgrades to BMO Field. And judging by the excitement generated by TFC's ultimately-failed pursuit of Diego Forlan this summer, the sort of big-name acquisition that Leiweke would be uniquely suited to engineer would clearly do some good in revitalizing interest in this now-cynical marketplace.
    Of course, one aging European star won't make TFC an instant playoff contender, no matter how many jerseys he can sell. And of course, when it comes to "upgrades" to BMO Field, the prospect of the CFL's Argonauts becoming co-tenants continues to rear its head. So there is plenty for Leiweke and whoever becomes TFC's new brain trust to chew on going forward.
    But for now? All we can do is go through the same old tiring motions.
    Talk about the management. Talk about the coach. Talk about the stadium. Talk about the players the team didn't get, the players the team traded away, the players the team might get.
    More or less, talk about anything other than the things that sports fans are supposed to get most riled up about -- the results, and the performances of the players who are currently suiting up for the team.
    We have no choice, really. We know by now not to get too heavily invested in any Toronto FC player, since they'll be out the door before we can blink. And the results? Well, you could say TFC hasn't really played a meaningful league game since Oct. 24, 2009 -- and that was a humiliating 5-0 loss to a bad team.
    Payne is gone, Leiweke is in. Nelsen is here, but he'll be gone. Others are going, others will come in. New players, old players, hot players, cold players.
    So very, very, very tired.
    Someone please wake us up when this carousel stops turning, and when the story of Toronto FC is about the team on the field (and their actual success) rather than this laughable, endless revolving door.
    Image credit: Chris Hazard
    Guest

    Sources: Cochrane, Onstad out

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Multiple sources are telling CSN that Earl Cochrane is out at Toronto FC.
    It is believed that the two sides agreed to a mutual parting of ways.
    Additionally, it is being suggested that Pat Onstad is also leaving the club. It's thought that he will finish out the year before moving on.
    Although other front office firings have been rumoured to have taken place, no other dismissals can be reported as of Tuesday evening.
    CSN will update as the story develops.
    Toronto FC confirmed this morning that Cochrane and Onstad have moved on
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    This one is going to take some time to settle in. Kevin Payne has been fired by Toronto FC. It's a stunning development. No one saw it coming, with most assuming that he'd be safe for at least three years.
    Although this space has been highly critical of Payne, it had not gone so far as to demand that he be fired. Nine months doesn't seem like nearly long enough to establish an identity. So, as I did with Paul Mariner before, I will argue that Payne was a bit hard done by today's firing.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It's probably not fair to him.
    And, that's as far as I will go though. It would be disingenuous to not acknowledge my excitement at the news. Bluntly put, this is the best decision TFC has made in its history. The evidence was clear to anyone that cared to look. Payne wasn't good at his job. He hasn't been for several years.
    And, that evidence continued this year. Most damning of all was his failure to land significant targets in the transfer window, after trading away useful pieces for allocation.
    The Luis Silva trade will go down as one of the biggest blunders in Toronto sports over the last decade.
    Yes, sports. As in all of them. The trade was that bad. It should never have happened without the other half of the deal -- a signing that used the money -- in place. That Payne failed to deliver on a signing after moving Silva (and Silva was moved for Forlan, not Urruti) was reason enough to fire him for incompetence. There simply is no excuse for that type of mismanagement. Even Payne's supporters will likely acknowledge that.
    Although it wasn't the main reason he's out of work today, Payne also didn't do himself any favours when he attacked the supporter's groups during the Roma game. TFC simply can't afford to alienate its fans any further - especially those who, like the supporter's group members, are as engaged as they are. The fans may have lost the battle over friendlies, but they held the power in the end. MLSE needs them to renew and if Payne lost a single season ticket holder with his petulance that day, it would have been a black mark on his operation of the business side of things.
    The incident also betrayed Payne's biggest weakness — his arrogance. He doesn't play well with others and "Get Used To It" response was just another reminder of his Type A personality.
    Critics of the move will suggest that it's more of the same from TFC. The cliche that the only stable thing at TFC is the instability rings true.
    And there is little doubt that the optics are terrible. However, it is reassuring that they are sticking (for now) with Ryan Nelsen despite a bumpy first year. That would appear to demonstrate that the club is capable of showing some restraint. Nelsen is far from a perfect coach, but at this point it would be better to let him grow into his role. Firing both would have been a mistake and moreover tossed the club into further disarray.
    The bottom line is that if MLSE president Tim Leiweke doesn't believe that Payne is the right guy, it's better that they move on now, rather than let him fail for another year for the sake of stability.
    And before the comments light up, let me say that I'm well aware that I argued for Paul Mariner to be given time for the sake of stability. The situation remains different in my opinion. It's OK if we disagree on that. Can we please let this be the last time we ever compare Mariner with anyone? Please.
    So, regardless of the reason Payne is gone, he's gone. Some will view his firing as the last straw in their patience, while others will view it as a lifting of a dark cloud. I don't think I need to tell you where I stand.
    For the first time in nearly two years I now have hope that TFC can turn things around. It's a small hope. On a personal level though, that's a wonderful feeling.
    Guest

    Toronto FC parts ways with Payne

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Holy shit.
    The Toronto Star is reporting that Toronto FC has decided to part ways with General Manager Kevin Payne, only nine months after MLSE hired the American soccer executive to right the Reds ship.
    While there has been no official word from MLSE or Toronto FC, The Star quotes Payne in the article.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    And
    The Star report indicates that this is the first wave in a series of executive moves that will begin happening as early as Thursday. It also goes on to reveal more details about the relationship between new boss Tim Liewiecke, Payne and coach Ryan Nelsen. And dishes on the reasons the Forlan deal fell apart.
    This is truly a must-read article
    CSN will have more on the fallout
    Guest

    PODCAST - Season 3 Episode 1

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    Here's the first podcast of our third season and this time we have gone bilingual!!!
    We talk Impact, MLS, Quebec Cup and Ligue 1 with Cédric Ferreira in Paris, Jonathan Tannenwald in Philadelphia and two new voices you will be hearing on this show, former Impact players Pierre-Richard Thomas and Grant Needham.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Enjoy the show and drop a line if you have questions or comments.
    Cheers!
    Click here to listen to this week's episode: SoccerPlus - September 4, 2013
    Guest
    Club Olimpia of Paraguay surfed on the wave of success piled in July to hold on to first place in the SoccerPlus Standings of the Americas. The Paraguayan side becomes the first team to stay on top of the pack for two straight months.
    The standings below goes back on the last 12 months of results for each D1 club across CONCACAF and CONMEBOL, in their national championship and cup tournaments along with official international tournaments (CCL, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, Caribbean Club Championship).
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The point system was established by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) and used with the permission of the IFFHS. Each championship and tournament has a point coefficient set by IFFHS.
    It is foreseeable to have South American sides largely dominating the top positions due to the higher value of their national championships and the Copa Libertadores against MLS and CCL for instance. Each month we also publish the CONCACAF Top 10 and the complete standings of MLS sides, including Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.
    Once again this month, only one club is replaced in a very volatile Top 10, as Libertad of Paraguay jumped four spots to 10th, pushing down Millonarios of Colombia from 10th to 17th after only one month in the elite group.
    Libertad is also the club of the month after winning six of eight matches in August, to place fourth in its national championship and making its way to the Copa Sudamericana’s Round of 16 against Brazil’s Sport Recife.
    The Montreal Impact are up to a team-best 128th position (up 18 spots) after posting a 3-3-1 record, while the Vancouver Whitecaps are down two spots to 202nd with their 1-2-1 record in August and Toronto FC down 23 spots to 220th with a 1-2-2 record have lost ground this month.
    Nine MLS clubs have moved up in the standings in August, including Sporting Kansas City (up 26 to 107th), Chivas USA (up 18 to 260th) and New England Revolution (up 15 to 181st). The biggest drops were experienced by Toronto, Dallas (down 20 to 185th) and Seattle (down 32 to 78th).
    SOCCERPLUS STANDINGS OF THE AMERICAS - TOP 200
    (for results between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013)
    RANK CLUB COUNTRY PTS
    1 Olimpia (PAR) PAR/3 219,5
    2 Corinthians BRE/4 214
    3 Grêmio BRE/4 210
    Santa Fe COL/3 210
    5 Atletico Mineiro BRE/4 208
    6 Tigre (ARG) ARG/4 198
    7 Newell's Old Boys ARG/4 195
    8 Emelec ECU/3 189
    9 Sao Paulo (BRE) BRE/4 185
    10 Libertad PAR/3 178,5
    11 Vélez Sarsfield ARG/4 174
    12 Tijuana MEX/3 173,5
    13 Universidad Chile CHI/3 170
    14 Universidad Catolica CHI/3 169,5
    15 Deportes Tolima COL/3 165,5
    Real Garcilaso PER/3 165,5
    17 Millonarios COL/3 154
    18 Fluminense BRE/4 151
    19 Arsenal (ARG) ARG/4 149,5
    20 Monterrey MEX/3 146,5
    21 Boca Juniors (ARG) ARG/4 144
    22 Cerro Porteno PAR/3 140,5
    23 Atlético Nacional COL/3 136
    24 Barcelona (ECU) ECU/3 132,5
    25 Sporting Cristal PER/3 127,5
    26 San Lorenzo ARG/4 124
    27 Penarol URU/3 121,5
    28 Deportivo Pasto COL/3 120
    Lanus ARG/4 120
    30 Toluca MEX/3 119,5
    31 Nacional (URU) URU/3 115
    32 Cruz Azul MEX/3 112
    33 Itagui COL/3 110
    34 LDU Loja ECU/3 109,5
    Guarani PAR/3 109,5
    36 Santos Laguna MEX/3 108
    37 Independiente (ECU) ECU/3 105
    38 Nacional Asuncion PAR/3 103,5
    Deportivo Quito ECU/3 103,5
    40 Cobreloa CHI/3 102,5
    41 América MEX/3 102
    River Plate (ARG) ARG/4 102
    Estudiantes ARG/4 102
    44 Huachipato CHI/3 100,5
    45 Belgrano ARG/4 94
    46 Botafogo BRE/4 92
    Bahia BRE/4 92
    All Boys (ARG) ARG/4 92
    49 La Equidad COL/3 90
    Quilmes ARG/4 90
    51 Comunicaciones GUA/2 88
    Herediano CRC/2 88
    53 LDU Quito ECU/3 87,5
    54 Cruzeiro BRE/4 86
    55 Los Angeles USA/2 84
    Tigres UANL MEX/3 84
    57 Union Espanola CHI/3 83,5
    58 Deportivo Saprissa CRC/2 83
    Morelia MEX/3 83
    UTC Cajamarca PER/3 83
    61 Santos (BRE) BRE/4 82
    Godoy Cruz ARG/4 82
    63 Racing Club (ARG) ARG/4 80
    64 Melgar PER/3 79,5
    65 The Strongest BOL/2 79
    Bolivar BOL/2 79
    San José (BOL) BOL/2 79
    68 Houston USA/2 78,5
    Deportivo Cali COL/3 78,5
    70 Flamengo BRE/4 78
    71 Alajuelense CRC/2 77
    72 Ponte Preta BRE/4 76
    Vasco da Gama BRE/4 76
    Coritiba BRE/4 76
    Caracas VEN/2 76
    76 Cartaginés CRC/2 75,5
    77 Universitario (PER) PER/3 75
    78 Seattle USA/2 74,5
    79 Internacional (BRE) BRE/4 74
    Deportivo Lara VEN/2 74
    Deportes Iquique CHI/3 74
    82 River Plate (URU) URU/3 73,5
    Salt Lake USA/2 73,5
    84 Heredia GUA/2 73
    Deportivo Anzoategui VEN/2 73
    Leon MEX/3 73
    87 Junior COL/3 69
    Cesar Vallejo PER/3 69
    89 Olimpia HON/2 68
    90 Cienciano PER/3 67,5
    Leon de Huanuco PER/3 67,5
    Inti Gas PER/3 67,5
    Sport Huancayo PER/3 67,5
    Defensor Sporting URU/3 67,5
    95 Mineros de Guayana VEN/2 67
    Colo Colo CHI/3 66
    Colon ARG/4 66
    Medelin COL/3 66
    Deportivo Cuenca ECU/3 66
    Atletico Rafaela ARG/4 66
    101 Pumas UNAM MEX/3 65,5
    102 Portuguesa BRE/4 64
    Argentinos Juniors ARG/4 64
    104 Rangers (CHI) CHI/3 63,5
    105 El Nacional (ECU) ECU/3 63
    Alianza Lima PER/3 63
    107 Kansas City USA/2 62
    108 Manta ECU/3 61,5
    109 Oriente Petrolero BOL/2 61
    110 Sol de America PAR/3 60
    Once Caldas COL/3 60
    Juan Aurich PER/3 60
    113 Arabe Unido PAN/2 59
    O'Higgins CHI/3 59
    Zamora VEN/2 59
    116 Universidad San Martin PER/3 58,5
    117 Cerro Porteno PF PAR/3 58
    118 El Tanque Sisley URU/3 57
    Universidad Catolica (ECU) ECU/3 57
    Guadalajara MEX/3 57
    Sportivo Luqueno PAR/3 57
    122 Xelaju GUA/2 56,5
    123 Atlético PR BRE/4 56
    124 Carmelita CRC/2 55
    125 Municipal GUA/2 54
    126 Rubio Nu PAR/3 52,5
    Atlas MEX/3 52,5
    128 Montréal CAN/2 52
    129 Boyaca Chico COL/3 51,5
    130 Pachuca MEX/3 51
    Santos de Gualipes CRC/2 51
    Liverpool (URU) URU/3 51
    133 Sporting San Miguelito PAN/2 50
    Marathon HON/2 50
    135 Wanderers (URU) URU/3 49,5
    Palestino CHI/3 49,5
    Union Comercio PER/3 49,5
    138 Trujillanos VEN/2 49
    139 Goias BRE/4 48
    Audax Italiano CHI/3 48
    Santiago Wanderers CHI/3 48
    Uruguay de Coronado CRC/2 48
    143 Suchitepéquez GUA/2 47
    Malacateco GUA/2 47
    145 General Diaz PAR/3 46,5
    Querétaro MEX/3 46,5
    Juventud de Las Piedas URU/3 46,5
    148 Portland USA/2 46
    149 Danubio URU/3 45
    Envigado COL/3 45
    Chicago USA/2 45
    Union La Calera CHI/3 45
    Halcones GUA/2 45
    Cucuta Deportivo COL/3 45
    Racing (URU) URU/3 45
    156 Vitoria BRE/4 44
    San Francisco (PAN) PAN/2 44
    Wilstermann BOL/2 44
    Nautico BRE/4 44
    160 Jose Galvez PER/3 43,5
    161 Universitario (BOL) BOL/2 43
    Pérez Zeledon CRC/2 43
    163 Tauro PAN/2 42
    Deportivo Carapegua PAR/3 42
    Puebla MEX/3 42
    Nublense CHI/3 42
    Motagua HON/2 42
    Macara ECU/3 42
    Real Potosi BOL/2 42
    170 DC United USA/2 41
    Victoria (HON) HON/2 41
    Atlante MEX/3 41
    173 Patriotas Boyaca COL/3 40,5
    Deportivo Capiata PAR/3 40,5
    Atlético Huila COL/3 40,5
    Pacifico PER/3 40,5
    Cerro (URU) URU/3 40,5
    Fénix URU/3 40,5
    179 Atlético Venezuela VEN/2 40
    New York USA/2 40
    N.-Angleterre USA/2 40
    Marquense GUA/2 40
    183 Deportes Quindio COL/3 39,5
    184 San Jose USA/2 39
    Deportivo Tachira VEN/2 39
    Estudiantes de Merida VEN/2 39
    Dallas USA/2 39
    Blooming BOL/2 39
    189 Chorrillo PAN/2 38
    Real Sociedad (HON) HON/2 38
    Plaza Amador PAN/2 38
    Nacional Potosi BOL/2 38
    Deportivo La Guaira VEN/2 38
    Limon CRC/2 38
    195 Real Esteli NIC/1 37,5
    196 Mictlàn GUA/2 37
    Puntarenas CRC/2 37
    Colorado USA/2 37
    Philadelphie USA/2 37
    200 Cobresal CHI/3 36
    Everton (CHI) CHI/3 36
    Antofagasta CHI/3 36
    Platense HON/2 36
    Vancouver CAN/2 36
    Guest
    Two points most certainly dropped on Sunday as opposed to a point earned from a brave fightback.
    Vancouver Whitecaps now head off for three tough and very crucial away games and they need to get points. But will they be on the road to hell or heaven?
    For me, not one or two or even three points will likely do. It has to be a four point minimum haul by the time they return from their trip to Montreal, and ideally five or more.
    The upcoming three game road trip looks like being the decisive making or breaking of this team.
    Come back with points, and they’re still in the mix for the playoff places. Come back with one or none and it’s sadly going to be a case of being left in the hunt for dead October.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Kenny Miller’s post game comments on Sunday summed it up nicely:
    <i>"We've definitely got the players. We've definitely got the ability to go and do it, but it's not about standing here talking about it, it's about going away to Dallas next week, to San Jose after that and to Montreal after that and actually going out and crossing that white line and performing enough and well enough to go and get the results that we need, because let's be honest we're going to need more than one win. We're going to need a few points to make sure we give ourselves a chance going into those last five game."</i>
    Sunday was undoubtedly a major set back to the Caps' post season hopes.
    The Chivas game was always likely to be a potential banana skin with the way both teams had been playing. We said as much ourselves <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?4906-Caps-cant-allow-nannies-to-make-them-ninnies" target="_blank">>last week</a>.
    In Erick Torres, Chivas have made one of the loan deals of the season. As he starts to get more attention from the Mexican national team, we can at least say we watched him in his breakout season.
    Andy O’Brien can say that too.
    Torres had O’Brien all over the place in that first half on Sunday. He just didn’t know how to handle him and that’s a worry. Other teams will see that and look to have a guy do the same and try and exploit some of the same weaknesses.
    He wasn’t helped out much back there by Johnny Leveron, who failed to be in the right places and clear danger when needed. We missed Carlyle Mitchell’s height in the box at times, although Leveron is much more composed and talented on the deck.
    With Jay DeMerit close to coming back into the starting eleven, there has to be concern about an ageing central pairing, fast opposition and a lot of road travel. At least they are fairly fresh from missing so much time.
    A DeMerit/O’Brien pairing will likely be the way Rennie will go, but I’m not totally convinced that will be the best partnership to have out there in some of the games.
    Nigel Reo-Coker’s presence was certainly missed in the middle. To his credit, Gershon Koffie stepped up big time on Sunday and Matt Watson played an important supporting role.
    The third midfielder and the right wing spots are the two positions that are likely to prove crucial to the Caps’ playoff hopes.
    The shape of the team was hard to read at times at the weekend, as was exactly where Russell Teibert was meant to be playing.
    The Canadian’s star is certainly starting to wane in the run in and it will be interesting to see if someone steps up during his absence on international duty and makes that spot in the starting eleven his own.
    Kekuta Manneh could step up, but he definitely seems more impactful coming off the bench and needs to look up and pass more. That said, when the young Gambian streaks forward and finds seven Chivas players back defending, with no Caps up in support, what is he meant to do?
    That particular breakaway in the first half was the clearest sign of an attack not working as a team and I found it interesting after the game just how many players eluded to the need to be playing as a team.
    It certainly felt that the players and/or the management were clearly pinning the recent results on the lack of a cohesive team unit and that has to be addressed pretty quickly.
    The Caps need to try and find a way to shake up what they’re bringing to their offense. It’s just got too predictable. Trying to find a way to get Tommy Heinemann more minutes could be the key. Get a big bulldozer in to ruffle a few defensive feathers, get some knock downs and hopefully grab a few decisive strikes.
    With 24 points left, the Caps can’t just rely on what worked in June starting to click again.
    They need a spark, they need something fresh and unexpected, and they need it quickly.
    The room for error in these last two months is close to nil.
    Without repeating ourselves too much. For us, RSL, LA and Seattle are guaranteed playoff berths. That leaves the other five teams battling it out for the final two spots.
    San Jose are both most in danger of falling away and most likely to make a late push. A couple of results, including the Vancouver one, could decide their fate.
    They sit five points away from the final playoff place right now, having played a game less than three of the other five teams in the mix, including the Caps.
    The Whitecaps could in fact inflict a death blow if they can go to Buck Shaw Stadium a week on Saturday and come away with a win. If they don't, you can realistically see San Jose getting four wins and a draw from their remaining games, which will leave them in a very strong position.
    Before the Earthquakes task, Vancouver have to head to Dallas. The Whitecaps have never won there and nothing is screaming out at me that anything different is going to happen on Saturday. Dallas will pick up some points in their run in but I see them falling short, which would make dropping points to them all the worse.
    Chivas have been playing some attractive football and Martin Rennie’s comments after the game on Sunday were that he expects them to take more points in their remaining games. So do I, although that may not help the Whitecaps out too much.
    Of our playoff challengers, the Goats have only taken two points from Colorado in recent weeks. Looking at their eight remaining games, two are against Eastern Conference opposition and three are against the top three in the West, who, as we’ve already covered, we fully expect to be in the playoffs anyway.
    That leaves one home game against San Jose and possibly two key games at home to Portland. If Chivas can take four or six points from those two matches against the Timbers, then that could really help the Caps out.
    Despite how well Chivas played against New York and Vancouver, that’s still a pretty big if, but not an impossible one. Portland and San Jose will still be feeling it’s six and three points respectively towards their final tally.
    But like last year, we cannot sit back and rely on other teams failures to make the postseason.
    Looking at the remaining fixtures, I see the following points won and final standings:
    4th - Portland - WWWLDLLD - 11 points - Finishing with 50 points
    5th - San Jose - WWLWDLW - 13 points - Finishing with 47 points (more games won)
    6th - Dallas - WDLWLWLL - 10 points - Finishing with 47 points
    7th - Colorado - LDLLLWL - 4 points - Finishing with 43 points
    8th - Vancouver - LLLDDLLW - 5 points - Finishing with 42 points
    It may look depressing but a Caps win in Dallas and in Colorado and we're sitting on 48 points and 5th spot.
    This is how tight it could all be and should be one of the greatest motivations for the team to head to Texas and come back with three points.
    The whole success of the remainder of their season could depend on it.
    ‘Mon The Caps.
    <p>
    Guest
    There's a certain "r-word" that was prominently used in the promotion for the Canada v. USA match at BMO Field this past June, meant to hearken back to last summer's epic Olympic semifinal clash.
    But by the time Canada faces the Americans at an as-yet-undetermined location in the States on Jan. 31, a year and a half will have gone by since that showdown. The time to bask in the afterglow of that memorable performance will have indisputably expired. Canada's focus must be exclusively on preparing for its hosting duties at the 2015 Women's World Cup, with every match between now and then serving as a measuring stick of our status.
    Sure, sporting events are generally a little more special when Canada and the USA are involved (if you're Canadian, anyway). But while the Olympic ride was fun, some newer fans seem to be painfully unaware of how lopsided this supposed rivalry really is: In 53 all-time meetings, Canada has only won three times. The last time we did it was in 2001.
    So yeah, you're not going to see that "r-word" used on this site (or several other prominent Canadian soccer sites either), though you will likely see another r-word bandied about quite a bit: Reality.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The Americans won 7-0 on Tuesday night in a friendly against Mexico. Four of those goals, you may be distressed to hear, came from Canadian-born Sydney Leroux. And while they're ostensibly among the second tier of CONCACAF, Mexico is no pushover (well, they've become much less of a pushover in recent years, anyway). So to score four goals against them is pretty impressive.
    It's even more impressive when you remember that Leroux is, at best, third on the USA's depth chart at striker, sitting behind the most prolific goal-scorer in the history of international soccer and a 24-year-old who's arguably the best women's soccer player in the world right now.
    The American team is strong. And they are deep. (But then, what else is new?)
    Perhaps Canada will get a chance to see where they stand when they (probably) play against Mexico on Canadian soil later this autumn. Head coach John Herdman will be in Vancouver this Thursday to announce a friendly (and probably a residency camp), believed to be taking place in Vancouver this November. And Mexico's head coach told The Equalizer last month that his team would be heading north for a few friendlies in late 2013.
    So, the pieces all fit pretty snugly.
    The chances of Canada winning by a 7-0 scoreline are exceptionally slim. Our last matchup with Mexico was a 3-1 victory in Olympic qualifying last January (also in Vancouver); while that victory clinched Big Red a spot in London, the Canadians fell 4-0 in the qualifying tournament final to, guess who, the Yanks.
    Since then, new players have stepped up for the Americans -- Leroux being a leading example. At the Olympics last summer, she only played in four of the USA's six games; she came on as a sub in those four appearances, and never earlier than the 76th minute. Now, she's looking primed to fill the void that will be left when 33-year-old Abby Wambach eventually slows down (presuming that she ever does).
    As for Canada? Well, as has been said many, many, many times in this space, the team is in for an exceptionally rude awakening once Christine Sinclair retires -- or even once she stops being the same kind of threat that's propelled her into deserved status as one of the world's best.
    Who's going to fill the void in a few years (yes, we're only a few years away) when Sinclair can no longer perform at the level we (and Canada's opponents) have become accustomed to?
    That's not a rhetorical question, by the way. It's one I don't have an answer for.
    One player that's been raising hopes as of late, Adriana Leon, appeared in 16 NWSL games this season (10 starts), scoring two goals in a campaign split between Chicago and Boston. As for the only other Canadian in NWSL under the age of 24, Bryanna McCarthy? She played just 15 minutes for the Western New York Flash all season.
    (Note: The original version of this article cited incorrect stats for Leon.)
    Of course, looking too closely at those numbers is a bit unfair (and misleading), since Canadian players have other pathways for development (the university system, the W-League, foreign leagues) and many Canadian veterans (Sinclair, Diana Matheson, Sophie Schmidt, Desiree Scott) were successful and productive in the NWSL's inaugual campaign.
    Plus, the impact of having the CanWNT's core (albeit an aging one) playing regularly in a familiar, comfortable environment can't be understated, even if nothing much has been done to address the void that still exists between the generation that earned bronze in London and the one to whom they'll pass the metaphorical torch.
    Those are the players we need to keep an eye on. Those are the ones whose peaks are yet to come, the ones who will show us just where we stack up against the world's elite in the years to come. While the team's performance in London will always provoke strong feelings within the Canadian soccer community, the time to rely on those lingering warm and fuzzy feelings is over.
    Now is the time to look forward, to see just whether Canada has the personnel and the mettle to pull off a similarly plucky and inspired performance in 2015, or whether the upcoming World Cup will be as disastrous for Big Red as the previous edition was. That is what we'll learn against South Korea in Edmonton on Oct. 30, and what we'll learn against Mexico (presumably) in Vancouver (presumably) in November (presumably), and what we'll learn against the USA on Jan. 31.
    That's not to say the nationalistic extra-curriculars and built-in storylines (yes, we're still going to be mad about Leroux, deal with it) won't be a part of the American match. They will, and they should; it's what makes games like this extra exciting.
    But to use the "r-word" would be to purposely stick our heads in the sand, and pretend that the Olympic semifinal is the standard by which Canada-USA matches should be judged. It isn't. The upcoming match will be the 54th between the cross-border combatants, and we're still looking for our fourth win in the all-time series.
    Repeating all of this doesn't make me a "hater", though if you really need that explained to you, I'd humbly suggest that you stop reading what I write. Supporting our national team and sincerely hoping that they do well is not at odds with trying to paint a realistic picture of where they sit in the grand scheme of things.
    For most of the past two decades, women's soccer in CONCACAF has consisted of two tiers: Canada/USA and the rest. Mexico has made enough strides in the past few years that we can now identify three tiers: Canada/USA, Mexico and the rest. Things will still be split into three tiers for the foreseeable future, but the next few months (and the next few years) will give us a clearer idea of who Canada's sharing their tier with: The Americans or the Mexicans.
    Does the next generation of Canadians have what it takes to maintain our country's status among the global elite? Simply asking the question doesn't necessarily imply that they can't or won't -- it's just an admission that nothing is guaranteed, and that a favourable status must consistently be re-earned.
    Yep, there's no better occasion for a reality check than another showdown with the Americans. Bring it on.
    .
    Guest
    (Editors note from Ben Rycroft: These are nice sentiments from Duane but the reality is that Diana Swain, Harvey Cashore, Joseph Loreiro, Alex Shprintsen and the CBC investigative team deserve every bit of equal credit for this story. If not more. Not to mention Declan Hill, whose work remains the definitive guide to soccer matchfixing. Without them CSL matchfixing would have remained a story relegated to only Canadian soccer circles. It was through their resources, expertise and work that the story is one that has sustained and become as big as it has. For that, we can all be very thankful)
    The CSL matchfixing story is not mine to tell. It's not yours either. It's Ben Rycroft's (along with Declan Hill on an international level) and every reference to the story needs to start by acknowledging that it was Rycroft that put his neck out in Canada.
    It was Rycroft that pushed and pushed and kept pushing when no one else would and, when someone in authority finally does something to eradicate the cancer of matchfixing from Canadian soccer, it will be Rycroft that deserves all of the credit.
    With that said, it's time that all of us started to do more to support him in this fight. See, it may not be our story but it is our problem.
    If you love the Canadian national teams it's your problem.
    If you love local soccer -- and not just in Ontario -- it's your problem.
    If you love a MLS team, are involved in the game, or are just a fan of the sport it's your problem.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Basically, nothing threatens the health of the game in this country like matchfixing does. Yet, few, if any, of us are doing a single thing about it. Instead we are content to sit back and watch others do the work.
    Sure, we might shake our head in disapproval when the stories are published, but we quickly go back to ignoring the problem, downplaying it or hoping that it just goes away.
    And with the soccer community ignoring the issue those outside of the community are either unaware it's happening or happy to dismiss it as being unique to the sport. The latter, of course, just serves to further isolate the game in an "ethnic" bubble.
    The end result is that, as Hill reported today, Canada has developed a reputation as a country where fixers can operate with ease and little fear of prosecution.
    Is there any wonder we're viewed as a backwater in the game?
    The apathy is easy to understand. The problem is just so big and, as individuals, it is easy to convince ourselves that there is little we can do to stop it.
    Unfortunately, that apathy spreads to the highest levels of the game. Without anyone (or very few people anyway) demanding that the CSA tackle the problem it's easy for the association to ignore it.
    The CSA needs to stop ignoring it and we, as supporters of the game, need to start to demand that action -- real, demonstrable action -- be taken.
    As Hill reported today, the alleged CSL fixing didn't stop in spite of Rycroft's and the CBC's comprehensive reporting. It's clear that they can't fight this fight alone.
    We need to help them.
    We need to contact the CSA and demand to know what they are doing to stop this.
    We need to stop turning a blind eye to suspicious results (and, although there is no reported evidence of fixing happening there, it is worthwhile to point out that the Pacific Coast league is increasingly being listed in betting markets and that the same favourable fixing environment exists there).
    We need to share what we do know about fixing in this country -- too often these stories are told at the pub at midnight rather than to people who might be able to do something about it.
    We need to educate local journalists that cover leagues where fixing is suspected. They are the ones in the best position to report suspicious activity.
    We need to educate young players under our influence about fixing so they are better prepared to deal with it if they are approached by fixers.
    And most of all we need to realize that we are dealing with a very serious issue that is not going to go away without a serious effort by everyone that cares about the game in this country.
    Rycroft, the CBC and Hill have done the heavy lifting. It's time for the rest of us to join the fight.
    Guest

    Still not fixed

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Canadian soccer had another bomb dropped on it this afternoon.
    Declan Hill, author of the Fix, went on Prime Time on the Fan 590 Tuesday evening to describe how an investigation has revealed that a number of new Canadian soccer matches have come under scrutiny for match-fixing.
    Hill painted a bleak picture to the show's host Bob McCown, alleging several times that Canadian Soccer League games were fixed this summer. He elaborated about them on his blog.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    "There is a roster of dodgy, suspicious, in my opinion and some experts internationally, fixing in Canadian soccer in the last few weeks, here in Southwestern Ontario," Hill told the Fan 590.
    "(My sources were saying) Canadian Soccer League games (were) being fixed in June, July and beginning of August," Hill said. "...The reputation of this league, the reputation of Canadian soccer in general is rapidly going down the tube."
    While Hill did not go into which games were fixed, he did state he had confirmed the fixing with Asian bookmakers, Sport Radar and other sources. He continued, stating how disappointed he was that Canadian soccer officials had refused comment on what they were doing.
    "Unfortunately, I've been on the phone for the last two weeks trying to get Canadian soccer officials to take this seriously, or heck, just to comment to prevent this from happening. No dice."
    This news comes less than a year after the CBC documentary, and supplementary reporting on CBC.ca and Canadian Soccer News, showed how fixing in the CSL wasn't just a one off affair but was alleged to be a pattern of targeted attacks by a criminal gang in Germany.
    Guest
    An extension to Canadian Soccer News’ MLS Week in Review, this article provides a closer look at the performances of the Canadian players who saw the pitch this week.
    The top three spots this week go to Dwayne De Rosario – for a second week running, Doneil Henry, and Ashtone Morgan.
    Find out what they did to deserve recognition and who else earned their keep this week.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Dwayne De Rosario
    De Rosario made his third-straight start for DC United in their 2-1 loss at New York – it was his fourteenth start and nineteenth appearance of the season.
    Again playing alone atop the formation, with Luis Silva positioned slightly behind, De Rosario was spritely against another of his former clubs – as usual. The freedom to roam, shorn of any defensive responsibilities and apart from the bustle that is an MLS midfield, the veteran has come to life, using his experience and nose for space to great effect.
    He would regularly drift out to the left – where he could cut in on his right-foot, once laying a tidy ball down that side for Jared Jeffrey before squaring a pass from that side to Jeffrey for a blazing shot that drifted just over the bar.
    It was from the left that he hurried to get a throw-in back in play and served up an excellent cross to the back-post for Nick DeLeon; DeLeon would cut back inside around David Carney and level the match for United in the 36th minute.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8jpS7rkMiP0?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    It was his second assist of the season.
    Completing 19 of 27 passes, De Rosario took four shots – two on and two off – made two recoveries, and lost possession a mere thirteen times – good for a player pushing the attack - while winning two fouls and committing three – a measure of how combative and involved he made himself.
    The Scarborough, Ontario-native troubled New York keeper, Luis Robles, with a stinging shot, and would earn his side a chance at a draw when he forced centre-back Ibrahim Sekagya into a rash play, conceding a penalty kick and seeing a red card.
    Sekagya tried to shepherd a rolling ball back to his keeper, but it moved too slowly, got caught in his feet, and Robles failed to read his intention, allowing De Rosario the chance to cut in front of the defender forcing him to react rashly.
    De Rosario would step to the spot himself, but Robles would save the attempt, diving to his right. It was neither hit firmly enough, nor tucked far enough into the corner.
    David Lee, the Red Bulls performance analyst, would share the following image of De Rosario’s previous spot kicks – he went were he usually does, but left it too close to the keeper who got a good jump on the attempt.
    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>DeRo's penalties before tonight... <a href="http://t.co/Dru94KgYiI">pic.twitter.com/Dru94KgYiI</a></p>— David Lee (@davelee_NY) <a href="
    ">September 1, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
    De Rosario would have a late chance at redemption, diving to get on the end of a Collin Martin cross, but he could not keep it down on target.
    Post-match he was asked about the penalty miss, saying, “disappointed in myself that I missed that penalty shot at a time like that. I guessed right, I hit it on frame but still, at a time like that I think should bury it.”
    Doneil Henry
    Henry made a seventh-consecutive start – without picking up a red card to boot - for Toronto in their 1-1 draw under the shadow of the Alpine Express.
    Paired with Steven Caldwell as the left-sided centre-back, Henry was again immense, battling all night with the impressive Juan Agudelo.
    It is easy to not catch from afar, but live Agudelo is a physical specimen, and Henry did very well to keep a lid on the prodigious – and in-form – Stoke City-bound talent. The two engaged in running battles throughout the match – a clash of heads would leave Agudelo cut and bloodied, requiring a head-wrapping – and by the time the forward was removed, he was thoroughly frustrated.
    Henry prefers the one-on-one battle with a big centre-forward, he will take that all day and night, but midfield runners are a different story.
    Kelyn Rowe, the other red-hot New England player, blazed past the flat-footed defender on way to crafting the opening goal in the second minute. His shot was saved, but the rebound returned for him to square to the wide open Diego Fagundez at the left-post.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jHVYnpRT7qI?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    The Brampton, Ontario-native was fortunate to not concede a penalty kick to New England’s tricky forward shortly thereafter, when he barged over Fagundez inside the TFC box.
    Henry would make amends and help Toronto tie the match in first half stoppage-time, corralling a Jonathan Osorio shot and poking the ball to Andrew Wiedeman after a scramble in the box – Wiedeman would finish with aplomb.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XAymy_KYyW0?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    It was his second assist of the season.
    The young centre-back would complete 28 of his 38 passes, win four headers, four tackles, and one foul – conceding four (he was finally booked for tugging down Dimitry Imbongo in the 86th – his fifth of the season*), adding five recoveries, two clearances, and a single block, while losing possession ten times.
    *He will not be suspended for caution accumulation – listed as two bookings away from discipline in the pre-match literature, presumably for good behaviour, having gone four matches without a booking since his last yellow.
    Ashtone Morgan
    Morgan made his eighth-straight start for Toronto against New England – it was his thirteenth start and fifteenth appearance of the season.
    For all that Morgan looked passive, indecisive, and unsure of himself early in the season, he has come around, returning to the confident, involved, and at times, nasty, left-back Toronto fans came to love through his sharp rise to the first team.
    Against the Revolution, he was striding forward with abandon, directing a perfect cross for Robert Earnshaw, but the forward could not connect cleanly.
    He was a handful moving forward – forcing a booking out of Fagundez – and a thorn in the opposition’s side – booked himself for cutting in front of Agudelo; it was his second yellow card of the season.
    The Toronto, Ontario-native completed an impressive 33 of 43 passes – a measure of how involved in the build-up and possession he was – won two of three tackles, an impressive seven headers, and that one foul, while conceding just two (not bad considering he was up against the lively and troublesome Fagundez several times), adding five recoveries and an interception.
    If there are any positives to take from the withering death of another disappointing Toronto FC season, it is the return of a confident Morgan, the continued maturation of Henry, and the impressive debut campaign from Jonathan Osorio.

    Patrice Bernier
    Bernier made an eight-straight start for Montreal in their dour 0-0 draw in Philadelphia – it was his 22nd start and 25th appearance of the season.
    Paired once more with Hernan Bernardello at the base of the Impact midfield, Bernier operated a little deeper than he did against Houston last weekend – they were on the road after all, but was still allowed to push forward more than he did early in the season.
    From that position he was constantly on the prowl to start Montreal counterattacks, despite his team’s struggle to get into the match early; late in the first half he finally found Justin Mapp in space on the right, from whence he squared the ball, but nothing came of it.
    Bernier’s vision was on display with a sharp ball over the top for Mapp in the second half, but the service was slightly over-hit and skidded away.
    He had a bit of trouble with the marauding play of Danny Cruz, once done up neatly and turned by the aggressive wide midfielder, but no damage was done.
    In the final minute of play, Bernier nearly crafted a winner with a neat turn and slashing run to the right before laying off to Marco Di Vaio, but the Italian’s strike dragged wide of the post.
    The Brossard, Quebec-native completed an astonishing 55 of 64 passes, adding eight recoveries, four interceptions, and a pair of clearances, winning two of three tackles and a foul; conceding possession eleven times.
    There are few players more eloquent and consistent on the ball than Bernier in this league; he is a joy to watch.

    Jonathan Osorio
    Osorio started his eighth-straight match for Toronto against New England – it was his thirteenth start and 23rd appearance of the season.
    Once more paired with Jeremy Hall in the centre of the pitch – with Matias Laba injured – Osorio was solid, if lost a little in the congestion.
    He did well to intercept a New England pass and spring a counter, drawing a foul and yellow card from Lee Nguyen, and played a direct role in both of TFC’s best chances early in the match.
    His cross from the right led to a brief scramble in the box and it was his shot that was collected by Henry and fed over to Wiedeman for the Toronto goal.
    The Toronto, Ontario-native completed 35 of 49 passes, had one shot blocked, while adding six recoveries and two interceptions, though he lost his one tackle and possession sixteen times.
    Dejan Jakovic
    Jakovic made a third-consecutive start for DC – it was his fifteenth start and sixteenth appearance of the season.
    As the right-sided of the centre-back pairing with Daniel Woolard, Jakovic again had a mixed performance, alternating strong plays with careless mistakes, at times looking a step behind,
    He made a timely and biting tackle on Tim Cahill in the box on a cutback from Bradley Wright-Phillips, snuffing out the danger for a moment and leaving the Australian rolling around on the ground, but Lloyd Sam would collect the loose ball and score.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/C6D4dauryGE?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Jakovic was then dragged out wide and made to look foolish by the twisting and turning of Johnny Steele, prior to delivering of a cross to Cahill that led to New York’s second goal.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4sM6zKhSOKE?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    It’s hard to entirely fault Jakovic on his erratic play, the DC full-backs were committing forward leaving him with an awful lot of room to cover – hence his trekking out to face Steele – and very little cover.
    That said, he should have done better on his one-on-one with Thierry Henry – a play that looked striking similar to a confrontation with Marco Di Vaio a few weeks ago - allowing the striker to cut inside onto his right-foot far too easily, rather than forcing him to the outside.
    The Croatian-born defender was lucky to not concede a penalty when he left Henry get in front of him for a cross and wrapped both arms around the Frechman, pushing him to the ground in the box.
    His reading of the opposition was again on display, twice stepping in with timely pressure to force interceptions, and he did very well to recover to twice block Henry at the left-post after biting on a Steele dummy that dragged him inside.
    Jakovic completed a tidy 32 of 35 passes, won one header and a tackle, conceding just one foul, while making eight clearances, four interceptions, two blocks, and losing possession just three times.

    Russell Teibert
    Teibert made a seventh-straight start for Vancouver in their 2-2 draw against Chivas at BC Place – it was his seventeenth start and eighteenth appearance of the season.
    With Nigel Reo-Coker suspended, Teibert was moved into the centre of the midfield, paired with Matt Watson ahead of Gershon Koffie.
    In the hustle and bustle of the midfield – and far too close to the ogre-ish Oswaldo Minda (a vastly underrated player) – Teibert struggled to get on the ball and impact the game.
    Common opinion would suspect that a player with Teibert’s ability, speed, and trickery should excel in the middle, where he has vastly more options than on the wing, but at times, that can be optimistic.
    Options are overrated and more often than not effective play is borne of simplicity, such as the isolated outside or inside play fans have grown accustomed to seeing from the young player.
    He did have a nice free-kick to the back-post that Chivas keeper, Dan Kennedy, alertly came out to punch, following that up with a shot from above the arc that was blocked, prompting shouts of handball from the Whitecaps – they do that quite a bit, before a well-hit corner kick to the back-post found the noggin of Andy O’Brien, whose goal-ward header was cleared off the line without much fuss.
    Frustrated in the middle, Teibert began to push out to the right to his familiar stopping grounds, in search of more space, once finding it and squaring a ball for Kenny Miller, who could not keep his attempt on target.
    Down two goals, the match was not going Vancouver’s way and Teibert was replaced by Erik Hurtado in the 56th minute.
    The Niagara Falls, Ontario-native completed just fifteen of 26 passes, took one shot – it was blocked, making six recoveries and one tackle, winning and conceding a foul, and losing possession thirteen times.
    The Rest
    Kyle Porter was on the bench as an unused substitute for DC United.
    Will Johnson missed a fourth match for Portland in their 4-2 loss at Salt Lake, with that scapula injury.
    Early reports had listed it as a contusion – or a bruise in layman’s terms, but quotes from Timbers’ Coach, Caleb Porter midweek (Tuesday), seemed to indicate a fracture - “I mean he’s got a broken bone in there and it’s very sore. He’s not quite ready yet. He’s doing fitness, but obviously that's not the same as playing in a real game where you're banging guys and falling."
    He is still “day-to-day” according to Porter, not willing to disclose the full extent of the injury and how long they would be without their captain – at least it wasn’t just proclaimed to be an upper body injury.
    His absence – and rest – could be advantageous for a post-season run, as long as Portland doesn’t slip out of contention while he is gone.
    Brett Levis’ trial with Vancouver ended and he returned to the University of Saskatchewan, where his coach is, coincidentally, also the head coach of the Whitecaps regional academy centre.
    Highlights of his reserve league cameo – his cross for Carlyle Mitchell’s goal is around the 1:50 mark:
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QvbXQ5e30nA?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    On Wednesday, Vancouver signed homegrown defender Sam Adekugbe, adding the left-back to the first team roster – the announcement and his story.
    “This is truly a dream come true for me. I couldn’t be happier to sign my first MLS contract in Vancouver. Spending the last few years with the Residency program has been great for my development, and I look forward to taking the next steps in my career with Whitecaps FC.”
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yYuOUR_msgY?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    While both Martin Rennie and Russell Teibert would speak highly of the eighteen year-old and what his development means for Canadian talent in Vancouver.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/07qqae9fdw4?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Drew Beckie featured again for Columbus’ reserves.
    And finally, Montreal launched their charitable foundation with a video chalk full of Canadians.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_fzpJor5iII?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Canada announced a 33-man squad for their upcoming training camp and a pair of fixtures against Mauritania. Nine MLS players and two MLS academy standouts were called in by Benito Flores.
    Each week James takes a look at the contributions of Canadians in the league and the league as a whole.
    You can follow James on twitter @grawsee or read more of his writing at Partially Obstructed View
    Guest
    Lets start with the positive. The second half of TFC's 1-1 draw with New England might have been the most complete half the club has played all year. They competed, produced and, if not for one of the worst calls BMO Field has ever witnessed, got the goal they needed to win the game.
    So, that's something to genuinely build upon. Good stuff; full marks.
    The negatives mostly have to do with the things beyond their control. The referee for one.
    Wow.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    This space is not one to blame the man in the middle very often. Missed calls really do even out over the course of a game and there is no weaker excuse than to suggest that the ref is to blame for dropped points.
    But, he blew it Friday. You simply can't make a call like that and not have it be the biggest talking point on the night. Toronto has been the better team very, very few games this year. They were Friday and to lose the win on the error of an official is exceptionally hard to take.
    They said it really didn't matter a great deal whether TFC took home three points or one. It's not like they are in a playoff race after all.
    And, that points to the biggest negative of Friday. The negative? There is no hope. There hasn't been hope for more than two years. Actually, there probably hasn't been hope since 2009 and, possibly, ever. The cornerstone of sports fandom is hope. Without it we're just watching grown men in short pants chasing a ball.
    TFC doesn't need to win a title. It doesn't even need to make the playoffs, but it does have to figure out how to trick fans into hoping they can. At the very least the club needs to stop being a punchline.
    And when that happens maybe we'll get angry at bad calls again.
    Like Fridays. Because it was bad. Really bad.
    Guest

    The Caps Countdown: Player rankings v Chivas USA

    By Guest, in AFTN,

    "Caps Countdown" is our Vancouver Whitecaps player rankings with a twist. The starting eleven is ranked from eleven to one, from worst to first. Who was the 'man of the match' and who, if anyone, had a game to forget in the 2-2 draw with Chivas USA? Aaron Campbell makes his selections. Do you agree?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Two changes from last week's starting eleven brought goals but not the win.
    11 - Andy O'Brien
    Couldn't clear the cross away on the first goal. Horrible marking on the second goal by Torres. His worst game of the season.
    10 - Russell Teibert
    Was never in proper position all game long. Was all over the pitch. His go to cross move is getting predictable with opponents.
    9 - Camilo
    Was invisible most of the game. Brought some offensive play in the last 15 mins.
    8 - Johnny Leveron
    Wasn't noticeable most of the game. Was very calm with the ball when he was pressured.
    7 - Jordan Harvey
    Stepped up and was physical at times when he had to be.
    6 - David Ousted
    The more I see the first Chivas goal the more I think he should of stopped it. Had no chance on the second goal.
    5 - Kekuta Manneh
    Horrible marking on the second goal. Pushed attack most of the game. Had some chances but couldn't quite finish.
    4 - Kenny Miller
    Had a few great chances. Played his ass off the whole game. Lots of hustle.
    3 - YP Lee
    Best game in weeks. His crosses were on the money most of the game.
    2 - Matt Watson
    His hustle on Kennedy help set up the Koffie goal. Was dominant and played tough on the ball in the midfield.
    1 - Gershon Koffie
    With no Reo-Coker he stepped up big time. Calmed the midfield down when he had to. Attacked when he had to.
    The Changing of the Guard Countdown
    3 - Erik Hurtado
    Lucky to set up the Heinemann goal. Couldn't buy a goal if his life depended on it.
    2 - Daigo Kobayashi
    Came in and stepped in nicely.
    1 - Tommy Heinemann
    Have been calling for him to get more minutes for weeks. Always around the ball and finally was able to produce a goal.
    <p>
    Guest

    MLS Week in Review – Round 27

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The 27th round of MLS took place over the weekend; nine matches were played (two on Friday, five Saturday, and two on Sunday) resulting in four draws and a lonely away win – by Seattle in Columbus.
    It was unlikely that last weekend’s goal-explosion would be repeated – what with the playoff picture so densely packed - 24 goals were scored, including an own-goal and one from the penalty spot (another attempt was saved by New York’s Luis Robles).
    The referees were busy, but restrained after last round’s flurry; 27 yellow cards were issued, as well as three straight reds.
    Three particularly interesting matches were spread over the weekend: Friday’s Salt Lake-Portland tilt featuring two of the more impressive teams this season, the Atlantic Cup decider between New York and DC, as well as the latest rendition of the California Clasico with LA hosting San Jose.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Before the results, the goal of the round nominees:
    In chronological order, Salt Lake’s Javier Morales with a sensational overhead kick against Portland on Friday night:
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7-7CFU_drZo?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Kissed off the post and in; unstoppable.
    Kansas City’s Benny Feilhaber offered up a screamer off the outside of his right-boot from distance:
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gv51ODCnkNE?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Positively Brazilian from Benny.
    And finally, not to be outdone, Chivas’ Erick ‘Cubo’ Torres with a bicycle of his own in Vancouver:
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/O6gIrl4r3R0?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Oomph; one gets the sense he is not long for this league with Guadalajara in his future.
    Results in Brief
    Toronto 1 – New England 1
    The round began on Friday at BMO Field in Toronto, ringed by the sights and sounds of the CNE Midway.
    Unperturbed by the smells wafting over from the Food Building, New England kicked off the match in rapid fashion, scoring the first goal within two minutes of the opening whistle.
    Andrew Farrell played the ball up to Kelyn Rowe, who surged towards goal, stepped around Doneil Henry and held off Jonathan Osorio to work his way into the box and get off a shot on goal. Richard Eckersley, sensing the threat, had come over to block the effort, but the rebound fell to Rowe, who squared to Diego Fagundez above the left-post, unmarked, to sweep in with his right-foot.
    Toronto would shape up in search of an equalizer and New England struggled to play with their usual verve; that equalizer would come moments before the half-time whistle, when a deep Eckersley free-kick pin-balled around in the Revolution box until Henry touched over to Andrew Wiedeman, who spun and fired with his left-foot past Matt Reis in goal.
    TFC looked the better of the two in the second half and appeared to find a winner in the 88th minute when Steven Caldwell rose highest to a Bobby Convey free-kick, but the referee blew his whistled for a soft foul and cancelled it out.
    Ryan Nelsen was left dismayed at the decision, but will take some pleasure in TFC drawing their last two matches, even if both, in his eyes, if not those of others, could – and perhaps should - have been wins.
    Jay Heaps’ Revolution – who have still never won in Toronto - saw their two-game winning streak snapped and failed to make up any ground in the playoff chase, but remain in possession of fifth spot in the East, ahead of Houston on ‘Goals For’ - the second tie-breaker.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BAcUvGGrxrc?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Salt Lake 4 – Portland 2
    Two of the Western Conference’s premier powers met in the second Friday night match for the third time this month.
    With injuries mounting and a suspension to Pa Modou Kah, Caleb Porter threw a curve ball Salt Lake’s way, trotting out his side in a previously unseen 3-4-3; it came unraveled rather quickly.
    Just nine minutes in, Luis Gil ghosted into the box down the right – where a standard right-back would have been – to get on the end of a wonderful little flick from Joao Plata, hitting a low right-footer into the far bottom-corner of the goal to open the scoring.
    Plata himself doubled the lead six minutes later, blazing past Andrew Jean-Baptiste down the left-side of the box – where a left-back would have been - with a nifty step-over and push move before lashing a low, left-footer in off the base of the far-post.
    Darlington Nagbe snagged one back for the visitors in the 31st minute after Michael Harrington intercepted a lazy pass, surged up the left and played in to his teammate. Nagbe, backed off the Salt Lake defense before skipping a right-footer from some 25 yards to the left-post that hopped over the outstretched arms of Nick Rimando in goal.
    Ben Zemanski was red-carded in first half stoppage-time for a lunging challenge on Ned Grabavoy and Javier Morales would reinstate the two-goal advantage ten minutes into the second frame, popping up a left-sided Plata corner kick to himself and hitting a technically-superb, falling overhead-kick that caromed off the left-post and in.
    Alvaro Saborio would add a fourth for Salt Lake from a Morales free-kick, breaking free of Jean-Baptiste’s marking far too easily to rifle his header past a helpless Donovan Ricketts.
    Sal Zizzo would mop up the rebound from a Jose Valencia blast in the 78th minute, but it provided little consolation to the Timbers.
    Jason Kreis’ Salt Lake followed up their impressive four-goal outing against Columbus last weekend with another home win and another four goals; their offense hotting up at just the right time for the run-in.
    Porter’s Timbers fell to a third-consecutive loss on the road – they are winless in their last seven away – slipping down one spot in the standings and lost Diego Valeri to injury in the 32nd minute; hopefully, for their sake and the general public’s viewing pleasure, it is not serious and some of their absent players, namely Will Johnson, will be returning soon.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-pPua2w-SRo?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Columbus 0 – Seattle 1
    The Sigi Schmid derby – a meeting between his two most recent sides, spurred by his controversial departure from one to the other – should have kicked off the Saturday evening docket, but the local weather had other plans and a storm delay - lightning in the area - held off the start for nearly two hours.
    When the match finally began it took just seven minutes for the first act of consequence to alter the affair. Leo Gonzalez, the last line of the Seattle defense, tried to thread a ball through a crowd, but Ryan Finley, making just his first start of the season, blocked the attempt and looked to break in alone on goal.
    Gonzalez grabbed his arm and Finley dropped, prompting the referee to pull out his red card, reducing the Sounders to ten men.
    Undeterred, Seattle would take the lead in the 14th minute, when Eddie Johnson got on the end of another Mauro Rosales free-kick swung to the back-post from slightly right of centre. Johnson leaned back to direct the service down and on to the left-side of the goal past Matt Lampson, who could do nothing to stop it – it was his third goal in the last five matches; that is what they pay him for.
    Robert Warzycha and Columbus have never beaten Seattle at Crew Stadium – through form meetings – and this one was costly, putting a damper on their faint post-season aspirations.
    Schmid will have enjoyed the visit, slumming it in his old stomping grounds with his new flashier escort on his arm, but need act quickly to snuff out the discontent in his camp – more on that shortly.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/p8Dedr77MWs?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Philadelphia 0 – Montreal 0
    A crucial Eastern Conference tilt resulted in an incredibly tight match; Philadelphia pressed their home advantage, but Montreal was sturdy at the back and gradually played into the game.
    The less said about this one the better, but worth mentioning were Jack McInerney’s continued slump, now without a goal through ten matches – highlighted by a bungled header - and Marco Di Vaio’s potential winner that was ruled offside – denying him a sixteenth goal of the season and bringing his season total to 55 offside flags, a full 26 more than the second-placed tally.
    Philadelphia’s John Hackworth will be happy his side responded positively to a potentially soul-destroying defeat – conceding five goals – in New England last weekend with a clean-sheet and maintaining their form of never losing consecutive matches this season – a large part of why they are in the playoff picture.
    Mauro Biello, once more standing in for Marco Schallibaum as he served the second of a two-game suspension, was happy to see Montreal’s unbeaten streak stretched to three matches, but will have been even more delighted at collecting a second-straight clean-sheet – and on the road no less, where they have struggled, losing four of their last five (drawing the other), while conceding a staggering fourteen goals throughout.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/T2Kh8uzgxX8?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    New York 2 – DC 1
    Up next was the Atlantic Cup decider between two long-time Eastern Conference foes at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.
    A three-match winless run – and perhaps a small fracas at training - prompted New York’s Mike Petke to shake up his starting lineup and Lloyd Sam, making just his third start of the season and first at home, repaid that decision after eight minutes.
    Receiving the ball from Dax McCarty on the right touchline, Sam laid a pass down the outside for Bradley Wright-Phillips, himself making his first start; the Englishman bore down on goal before cutting back to Tim Cahill above the near-post. Cahill was cleaned out by a sharp tackle from Dejan Jakovic, but Sam collected the loose ball on the left-side of the box, backed off the attentions of James Riley and Nick DeLeon before chipping a delicious attempt to the back-post.
    Bill Hamid did well to get a hand to it, pushing it onto the post, only to see the rebound bounce off himself and trickle over the line.
    Nick DeLeon would draw DC Level before half-time, scoring his first of the season in the 36th minute after cutting around the falling David Carney and slotting past Luis Robles at the short-side having chesting down an excellent cross-field ball to the back-post from Dwayne De Rosario.
    United’s celebrations were short-lived; Cahill would put the Red Bulls back in front two minutes later with a towering header – of course - over Daniel Woolard from a left-sided Johnny Steele cross.
    De Rosario earned himself a chance to tie the match in the 73rd minute, winning a penalty and drawing a red card on Ibrahim Sekagya after the big defender attempted to shield the ball from the attacker, who deftly rounded him and forced Sekagya to pull him down in the box. But Robles was up to the task, getting a strong hand to a well-struck, but poorly-placed spot kick from the savvy veteran.
    Petke, who was demonstrative all night, wearing his emotions on his sleeve as usual, will have enjoyed winning the Atlantic Cup, getting one over on the rivals – and his old friend, Ben Olsen – immensely, while also putting themselves back into the reckoning at the top of the East.
    Olsen on the other hand must stomach an eighteenth loss of the season that has DC one point shy of mathematical elimination, clinging by a thread thanks to draws elsewhere.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6fqIIigRxmc?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Kansas City 2 – Colorado 1
    Two teams in opposite form met at Sporting Park. The visitors, on the verge of setting a new club record – a win or a draw would see their unbeaten run reach ten matches; the home team, losers of two-straight – shutout in both – and four of their last five.
    It took a wonder-strike to break the ice and Benny Feilhaber was the man to do it. In the 33rd minute, Dom Dwyer hustled to poke a ball away from Hendry Thomas, possibly fouling the midfielder in the process. Feilhaber took a touch and let the ball settle before lashing an audacious half-volley with the outside of his right-boot – it swerved past Clint Irwin, who could do nothing to stop it, into the left-side of the goal.
    Edson Buddle would revive the Rapids hopes of extending the streak with a deflected goal in the 77th minute. Martin Rivero’s right-sided cross was headed clear by Aurelien Collin, but straight to Buddle at the top of the arc – his left-footed shot clipped off Matt Besler and handcuffed Jimmy Nielsen in goal, squirreling to the left as the keeper dove right.
    This game can be cruel however, and Graham Zusi found a winner in the 88th minute after CJ Sapong did very well to nod a right-sided Chance Myers cross back to the fit-again midfielder. His low, left-footer from the left side of the box nestled into the right corner to win the match for KC.
    Peter Vermes, fiery as ever, was adamant post-match about the importance of this hard-fought result, waxing unusually effusively (for him) on it being a must-win game that will get the confidence back up to finish strong – the losing will have displeased him greatly.
    Oscar Pareja will take the positives from hanging with a strong side in their ground, but was disappointed to not make club history, nevertheless.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DinEao_JPng?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Los Angeles 3 – San Jose 0
    The latest installment of the California Clasico was the headline act of Saturday night - these matches are usually energetic and dramatic clashes; this was no such and without even a yellow card, if felt very much unlike recent incarnations.
    LA have found their form of late and put a tired San Jose – who fell midweek in Guatemala in the Champions League - to the sword.
    Landon Donovan, fresh off penning a new deal midweek, opened the scoring in the 26th minute, capping off a lightning-quick counterattack by rounding Jon Busch and slotting his fifth goal in the last four matches. Marcelo Sarvas collected an Earthquake free-kick, played up to Robbie Keane in the centre-circle, who lifted a pass over the San Jose back-line to spring Donovan in alone.
    Keane would double their advantage minutes before half-time from the spot after Steven Beitashour caught the trailing leg of Gyasi Zardes in the box and the official whistled for a penalty kick.
    San Jose Keeper, Busch, dove correctly – to his right, but could not make enough contact to stop the ball squirming under his outstretched arm.
    Keane added a third LA goal in the 67th minute on the volley after Sean Franklin cushioned a Zardes cross from the left down at the back-post to the Irishman above the spot.
    For Bruce Arena’s LA it was a third-straight win – their first such run of the year – and a second-consecutive clean-sheet for goalkeeper, Jaime Penedo, and re-jigged back-line that features Brazilian Leonardo in the middle with Omar Gonzalez and AJ DeLaGarza at right-back.
    Mark Watson’s Earthquakes fell to yet another disappoint road performance – just one away win this season – as their playoff hopes begin to fade (five points off the final spot with seven matches remaining).
    Embed Code unavailable at time of print - highlights can be found here
    Chicago 1 – Houston 1
    Sunday’s early match saw two Eastern Conference teams currently on the outside looking in, jostle for position. New England’s draw had opened the door for either side to make up ground on the team in possession of that coveted fifth spot, but neither side could press the advantage.
    The match required a moment of fortune to break the deadlock; it came in the 37th minute when Mike Magee’s left-sided corner kick struck the head of Bobby Boswell, rather than either Austin Berry or Jeff Larentowicz who were expressly looking for it, and bounded into the Houston goal.
    Chicago, content to sit back and see out the match, were punished in the final minute of regulation when they failed to see out a clearance, allowing Adam Moffat to collect a loose ball by the left-corner flag. Moffat played back to Andrew Driver, who relayed it further back to Corey Ashe.
    The left-back surged down the edge of the box, dropping off to Moffat who made his way in-field unfettered and hammered a signature Moffat-bomb with his a right-foot to the far-side of the goal past Tally Hall* to ensure an equal sharing of the points. (*Edit: Moffat did not score on his own keeper - he scored on Chicago's Sean Johnson; apologies)
    Chicago manager, Frank Klopas will rue not seeing out the match and strengthening their position in the standings – as well as the failure to stick a defeat on the team that knocked them out of last season’s play-in match.
    Dominic Kinnear will appreciate the effort and never-say-die attitude his side displayed after a despicable loss in Montreal last weekend and a tough Champions League game at home against the ever-frustrating Panamanian side, Arabe Unido.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yof7f8oYwvQ?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Vancouver 2 – Chivas 2
    The final match of the round was an all-West Coast affair, as Vancouver welcomed Chivas USA to BC Place.
    Chivas may be all-but eliminated from the playoffs, but they should not be taken for granted, as two goals in the first quarter of an hour against Vancouver proved.
    Erick ‘Cubo’ Torres, so named because of his square-shaped head (apparently) took three minutes to open the scoring – with a sensational overhead kick after Carlos Alvarez’ cross was popped up in the air by Andy O’Brien’s header – and eleven more to double his tally – with a header from a right-sided Edgar Mejia cross directed on to the far-side of the goal.
    The Whitecaps were handed a life-line in the 64th minute when Dan Kennedy’s clearance was hurried by the hard-charging Matt Watson. It fell to Gershon Koffie about 40 yards out; he settled it and got it out of his feet before hitting a long-range right-footer on the unguarded net.
    Kennedy recovered, but was caught moving to his right as the shot squeezed past him on his left.
    Vancouver made Chivas pay for that error in the third minute of stoppage-time, when Erik Hurtado nodded Kekuta Manneh’s cross through the goalmouth for Tommy Heinemann to sweep in with a strong right-foot.
    Martin Rennie’s Vancouver narrowly managed to end their two-match losing streak, but passed up the chance to tie Portland and Colorado for the last spots above the red line.
    Jose Luis Real’s Chivas failed to see out a second-straight win, but have looked a much better prospect – thanks largely to Torres’ goals – in their past two matches; something to build on for 2014.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Hza5poYo-Xw?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    CanCon
    As usual the extended look at this round’s Canadian Content will be posted midday tomorrow (Tuesday), featuring another strong outing from Dwayne De Rosario, impressive defensive contributions from Doneil Henry and Ashtone Morgan, as well as Will Johnson’s continued absence.
    Overheard
    Word leaked out midweek about a training ground bust-up between New York coach Mike Petke and French superstar Thierry Henry; apparently they had to be physically separated and Henry trained away from the first team in subsequent sessions.
    Petke offered the following explanation, “He’s a fiery personality, I’m a fiery personality; we get together, sometimes it’s like a tornado meeting a volcano. As far as what exactly it was about, that’s a team-related thing. … We immediately were in my office for two hours and had a civil conversation.
    “I heard him out, of course, he heard me out and we moved on immediately, immediately. It didn’t affect the team whatsoever, it didn’t affect Thierry; it didn’t affect me. He’s on board and that’s exactly what happened.”
    Henry was not in the starting lineup for Saturday’s match, though he did replace Tim Cahill around the hour-mark
    There was what could have been a sly little dig at Caleb Porter’s tactical-tinkering in Jason Kreis’ post-match interview.
    “Interestingly enough, they played with three defenders at the beginning, which I think had some tactical consequences.”
    The most subtle - and deniable - of jabs at the upstart manager from the old hand.
    And, though from last weekend, a few illuminating words from LA’s Jaime Penedo on his Superman save against Vancouver, “If a goalkeeper tried to explain a save like that, I think they're lying. The forward always has in his mind sort of the microchip that he's going to score. A goalkeeper has in his mind a microchip that says he can stop the ball. What I did, I just got up from the field and I ran, ran, ran until I got the ball.”
    See It Live
    Peter Vermes laying into an assistant referee for some call or another was entertaining – though hardly out of the ordinary.
    But the real talking point of the weekend was Eddie Johnson’s ‘Money Fingers’ while celebrating his game-winner in Columbus.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FrQvFCti6BE?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    The international symbol of rubbing one’s fingers together is hardly as incendiary as check-signing; or is it? What was that he was mouthing? Was it, “Pay Me”?
    Johnson has been quietly grumbling about his mediocre pay packet, taking the opportunity of scoring another important goal to step negotiations up a level.
    It will be interesting to see how Sigi Schmid handles this malcontent.
    Opinion Poll
    Does Eddie Johnson deserve more money? His base salary, according to the most recently released figures, is $150 000; rather low for a high-scoring forward, though word is he was forced to accept a low-ball offer after turning his back on a more lucrative one prior to returning to MLS with his tail between his legs.
    Even if he does, should a player ever act out in such a discouraging manner?
    Controversy
    Toronto’s Steven Caldwell had his game-winning header chalked off for a foul – a gentle hand on the shoulder of Jose Goncalves. Was it a foul or should the goal have stood?
    Seattle’s Leo Gonzalez saw red for his pull-back on Columbus’ Ryan Finley, but the Crew forward, though fouled, made a show of going down. Was the red card warranted or was he too far from goal to guarantee a scoring opportunity?
    And how about the penalty kick in LA, awarded when Steven Beitashour caught the leg of Gyasi Zardes - there was contact, but Zardes flopped. Was it worthy of a spot kick or harsh?
    Table Watch
    The Eastern Conference was tight before, but now three teams – Montreal, New York, and KC - are all tied on 42 points for the top spot.
    The rest of the playoff hopefuls stayed exactly the same, each picking up a single point with draws; only Columbus dropped off the pace, now eight points short of the fifth and final spot.
    The West remained consistent at the top – wins for both Salt Lake and LA saw the former maintain a five point lead over the latter; on 48 and 43 points, respectively – but Seattle leapfrogged over Colorado and Portland into third spot.
    LA has two games in hand on Salt Lake, and Seattle has two games in hand over LA – setting up a dramatic race for the lead in the West. Vancouver’s draw was enough to move into sixth spot – over a dormant Dallas side.
    Upcoming Fixtures
    Wednesday: Columbus-Houston; Seattle-Chivas Saturday: Dallas-Vancouver; Kansas City-Columbus; Seattle-Chicago; Los Angeles-Colorado; Portland-Toronto Sunday: Houston-New York; New England-Montreal; Chivas-DC; San Jose-Philadelphia
    Playoff implications lay heavy in every fixture, bar the Chivas-DC match - though a failure to win by DC will see them become the first club mathematically eliminated from contention.
    Keep an eye on that Seattle-Chivas match, could be a cracker, while Houston-New York sounds good, but will likely underwhelm. Dallas-Vancouver should see some goals.
    Each week James takes a look at the league as a whole.
    You can follow James on twitter @grawsee or read more of his writing at Partially Obstructed View
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