The Week That Was - Sept 10th

Here are the updated standings:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3qPRqJFXHoRVHh2UVBsWEFtbTg/edit

Toronto FC or as shown through events of this past week “Shitshow”

What a game.  The team was able to get a goal just as the first half was ending, and when their opponents came at them they were able to sustain the pressure and punish their attacking mentality by playing the counter attack and were able to score three more times.  Oh wait, that was Portland not Toronto.  Seriously though, Toronto FC did have a ten minutes stretch where they looked like they could get back into the game.  But it must be bad when we, the players, and the coach cling to that ten minutes and see it as some kind of growth.  This team is just bad. Alright the second goal which opened the flood gates was just a mistake by Agbossoumonde, but the next two occurred because of players being out of position after needing to cover for someone else.

But the game this weekend, for how bad it was, was the least of Toronto FC’s worries this past week.  Before the game, Kevin Payne Toronto FC President/General Manager left the club as seen here.  But after his release and the game this past weekend, his most hyped acquisition Maximilliano Urruti was traded to Portland along with an International Spot in exchange for 26 year old striker Bright Dike, not a fake name, a 2015 first round draft pick, and allocation money.  This one transaction is a microcosm for how Toronto FC has been run; each person in a position of power is pulling in their own direction while in the media they portray a united front on how they will collectively change the culture of Toronto FC.  How is it allowed by the organization to have people on completely different pages of the type of players to bring in?  It looks like the team is now Tim Leiweke’s to run, he wants to and probably will bring in two big Designated Players with the supposed $26 million that he has secured to use on these acquisitions. 

Movers of the Week

In the Western Conference Seattle, Colorado, and Portland all tied each getting 3 points closer to clinching a playoff spot.  While Vancouver had the biggest drop in the West this week, getting 6 points closer to elimination through a loss and 5^th place team points going up by 3.  Whereas in the Eastern Conference Montreal, New York, and Kansas City all got 6 points closer to clinching a playoff spot through a win and the highest max points of a non-playoff team dropping 3 points.  Coincidentally all teams in the Eastern Conference not in the playoffs all got 3 points closer to elimination all through losing their respective game. 

The under 20 club is getting filled up with almost everyone with the season coming to an end, so next week it will become the under 10 club. But for this week Chivas USA, Toronto FC, Columbus Crew, San Jose Earthquakes, Vancouver Whitecaps all are under 20 points till being eliminated. Former member, DC United, was eliminated from playoff contention this past weekend.

Predictions

Last Week

Houston Dynamo @ Columbus Crew	CLB Win	Correct CLB Win 2-0
Chivas USA @ Seattle Sounders	SEA Win	Correct SEA Win 1-0
Vancouver Whitecaps @ FC Dallas	FCD Win	Correct FCD Win 3-1
Columbus Crew @ Sporting Kansas City	SKC Win	Correct SKC Win 3-0
Chicago Fire @ Seattle Sounders	SEA Win	Correct SEA Win 2-1
Colorado Rapids @ LA Galaxy	LA Win	Wrong COL Win 1-0
Toronto FC @ Portland Timbers	POR Win	Correct POR Win 4-0
New York Red Bulls @ Houston Dynamo	Draw	Wrong NY Win 4-1
Montreal Impact @ New England Revolution	MTL Win	Correct MTL Win 4-2
DC United @ Chivas USA	CHV Win	Correct CHV Win 1-0
Philadelphia Union @ San Jose Earthquakes	PHI Win	Wrong SJ Win 1-0

Last Week’s Prediction Record	8-3
All Time Record	34-31

This Week

Chicago Fire @ Toronto FC	TFC Win
Real Salt Lake @ Seattle Sounders	SEA Win
Columbus Crew @ Montreal Impact	MTL Win
LA Galaxy @ DC United	LA Win
Toronto FC @ New York Red Bulls	NY Win
Houston Dynamo @ Philadelphia Union	Draw
New England Revolution @ Chicago Fire	Draw
FC Dallas @ Colorado Rapids	COL Win
Vancouver Whitecaps @ San Jose Earthquakes	SJ Win
Portland Timbers @ Chivas USA	POR Win