The Week That Was - October 29th

Here are the updated standings:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3qPRqJFXHoRaVhYdm0yWUxoZ2c/edit?usp=drive_web

Toronto FC

We did our part but the necessary results did not fall our way to eliminate Montreal from the playoffs but what we did do was make them have to take the hardest path to MLS Cup and probably, with the poor form they showed against us, will not make it past the first round.

But on to what we did right.  Earnshaw made a goal-scorer’s deflection to put us up early in the game and we continued to push and could have scored 2 or 3 more if not for the framework and Troy Perkins.  Finally Bendik showed again why Stefan Frei has been able to get games making two incredible game saving stops in the 53^rd and 87^th minute.

But it could have been completely different if the referee had made the correct call in the Earnshaw skirmish where he hit a Montreal player in the face and should have received a red card for his actions.  This kind of officiating is one of the major roadblocks to the growth of MLS and the refs need to be called out on every bad call not just the ones that affect each supporters own team.  If we do not speak up nothing will be changed in the quality of officials in MLS.

The win was a good way to end the season but now is when the real work begins and we will see if something will finally change with this club and if this group of people in control does not change it I don’t see many people being around for when the group that does change it comes around.

Movers of the Week

The Western Conference kept the same order of the 5 playoffs teams after this weekend’s games.  But the Eastern Conference saw a lot of shake ups.  Chicago fell from 4^th to 6^th just outside of the playoffs, which New England took advantage of and jumped from 6^th to 3^rd. Houston followed suit and moved up from 5^th to 4^th as Montreal slipped from 3^rd to 5^th.  All of this movement will surely lead to some exciting playoff soccer.

Predictions

Last Week

Chivas USA @ Real Salt Lake	RSL Win	Correct RSL Win 2-1
Sporting Kansas City @ Philadelphia Union	SKC Win	Correct SKC Win 2-1
Montreal Impact @ Toronto FC	TFC Win	Correct TFC Win 1-0
FC Dallas @ San Jose Earthquakes	SJ Win	Correct SJ Win 2-1
Portland Timbers @ Chivas USA	POR Win	Correct POR Win 5-0
Houston Dynamo @ DC United	HOU Win	Correct HOU Win 2-1
New England Revolution @ Columbus Crew	NE Win	Correct NE Win 1-0
Chicago Fire @ New York Red Bulls	NY Win	Correct NY Win 5-2
Colorado Rapids @ Vancouver Whitecaps	VAN Win	Correct VAN Win 3-0
LA Galaxy @ Seattle Sounders	SEA Win	Wrong Draw 1-1

Last Week’s Prediction Record	9-1
All Time Record	67-62

For a 51.94% success rate in my predictions across the season since July 23^rd

Playoffs

Knockout Round

Colorado Rapids @ Seattle Sounders	SEA Win
Montreal Impact @ Houston Dynamo	HOU Win

Conference Semifinals (Home & Away)

Houston Dynamo vs New York Red Bulls	NY Win
New England Revolution vs Sporting Kansas City	SKC Win
Seattle Sounders vs Portland Timbers	POR Win
LA Galaxy vs Real Salt Lake	LA Win

Conference Finals (Home & Away)

New York Red Bulls vs Sporting Kansas City	SKC Win
Portland Timbers vs LA Galaxy	POR Win

MLS Cup Final

Portland Timbers @ Sporting Kansas City

POR Win

The Week That Was- Sept 17th

Here are the updated standings:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3qPRqJFXHoRdHRENDVDaGluUnM/edit

Correction: Last week I did not update the standings correctly I missed Seattle’s win vs. Chivas and Columbus’ win vs. Houston.

Toronto FC

So we are now mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, although we were really out in June.  We got a draw at home versus Chicago, 1-1, and lost on the road to New York 2-0.  The one real bright spot of the week our only goal scored was followed by the goal scorer, Robert Earnshaw, needing to be subbed off after pulled a leg muscle because the ground gave way as he took his shot.  That’s how it is for TFC.

The superficial story line of the week has been, with the release of a part of the MLS 24 under 24 list, Jonathan Osorio and Matias Laba made the list, at 24 and 21 respectively.  These “awards” do not really matter if their talent goes wasted on an uncompetitive team such as Toronto.  An actual MLS team needs to be built starting now and continuing into the off season with the addition of players of influence.  Leiweke, Nelson and co. need to get it right next year or it will be the sign that MLS soccer will, in my opinion, fully succeed in Toronto.  Too much has gone wrong in the seven years of playing, and another season like this one could end it all.

Movers of the Week

In the Western Conference Colorado and Seattle tied with moving 6 points closer to clinching a playoff spot through their wins and Dallas’ lose.  While on the other side of the table, FC Dallas dropped 4 points closer to being eliminated from being in playoff contention.  In the East, NY moved 4 points closer to a playoff spot with a win against Toronto and the highest max points of a non-playoff team dropping by 1.  Chicago had the biggest drop of 4 points through a draw vs. TFC and the point total of the 5^th place team moving up by 2.

The under 10 club currently has no members, all of the possible members DC United, Toronto FC, and Chivas USA have all been eliminated from playoff contention while 2-3 clubs are just outside the below 10 zone. 

Predictions

Last Week

Chicago Fire @ Toronto FC	TFC Win	Wrong Draw 1-1
Real Salt Lake @ Seattle Sounders	SEA Win	Correct SEA Win 2-0
Columbus Crew @ Montreal Impact	MTL Win	Wrong CLB Win 2-1
LA Galaxy @ DC United	LA Win	Wrong Draw 2-2
Toronto FC @ New York Red Bulls	NY Win	Correct NY Win 2-0
Houston Dynamo @ Philadelphia Union	Draw	Wrong HOU Win 1-0
New England Revolution @ Chicago Fire	Draw	Wrong CHI Win 3-2
FC Dallas @ Colorado Rapids	COL Win	Correct COL Win 2-1
Vancouver Whitecaps @ San Jose Earthquakes	SJ Win	Wrong Draw 0-0
Portland Timbers @ Chivas USA	POR Win	Wrong Draw 1-1

Last Week’s Prediction Record	3-7
All Time Record	37-38

This Week

Colorado Rapids @ Portland Timbers	POR Win
Vancouver Whitecaps @ Montreal Impact	MTL Win
Sporting Kansas City @ Toronto FC	SKC Win
DC United @ New England Revolution	NE Win
Chicago Fire @ Columbus Crew	Draw
Chivas USA @ Houston Dynamo	HOU Win
San Jose Earthquakes @ Real Salt Lake	RSL Win
Seattle Sounders @ LA Galaxy	LA Win
FC Dallas @ New York Red Bulls	NY Win

The Week That Was- July 30th

Here are the updated standings:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3qPRqJFXHoROVdPSmxSQ2ZTN1U/edit

Toronto FC

After giving up a soft goal in the 17^th minute, Joe Bendik bounced back making save after save to get Toronto through the early onslaught of Columbus.  This made it possible for Toronto to mount a comeback in the dying minutes with goals in the 87th minute and 90’+4 minute, by Jonathan Osorio and Andrew Wiedeman respectively, to get the win.  New addition Alvaro Rey put in 20 minutes of work coming on as a sub in the 76^th minute and added something new to the equation.  But the biggest change of the second half was Jonathan Osorio being moved into the centre of midfield instead of being out on the wing. This gave TFC an attacking option through the centre of the field, with them playing more of a diamond midfield with one attacking and one defensive midfielder instead of our normal flat line with two central defensive midfielders. This new formations effectiveness was seen in Osorio’s goal where he was able to push up through the centre and latch on to Jeremy Brockie’s laid off pass. 

I hope to see this same formation used in Toronto’s next game vs New England on Sunday.  Furthermore another change that should be made is, if Robert Earnshaw and Danny Koevermans are still injured, Wiedeman should get the start next game beside Brockie.  His great finish on the game winning goal, in my opinion, is worth a lot more than Justin Braun’s recent “workmen” like performances.  When looking at the standings, after this week’s game TFC got one point closer to being eliminated from the playoffs after the Houston Dynamo earned a point increasing their point total as the 5^th place team in the east.  Toronto will have to go on a pretty big winning streak to even have a chance of being in the playoff picture, hopefully this win starts that run.

Movers of the Week

After this past week’s two teams, Colorado Rapids and New England Revolution, moved up into playoff positions as the two Texas based clubs, FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo, dropped down.  No current playoff bound team moved closer to clinching their playoff spot. While, Chivas USA got 3 points closer to being eliminated in the West, while both Columbus Crew and DC United got 4 points closer to being eliminated in the East.

Predictions

Last Week

Columbus Crew @ Toronto FC	TFC win	Correct TFC win 2-1
LA Galaxy @ Colorado Rapids	Draw	Wrong Colorado Win 2-0
New England Revs @ DC United	NE win	Correct NE win 2-1
Real Salt Lake @ New York Red Bulls	NY win	Correct NY win 4-3
Sporting Kansas City @ Montreal Impact	SKC win	Wrong MTL win 1-0
Philadelphia Union @ Vancouver Whitecaps	VAN win	Wrong Philly win 1-0
Chicago Fire @ Houston Dynamo	HOU win	Wrong Draw 1-1
Portland Timbers @ San Jose Earthquakes	Draw	Wrong SJ win 2-1
Chivas USA @ Seattle Sounders	SEA win	Correct SEA win 2-1

This Week’s Prediction Record	4-5
All Time Record	4-5

This Week

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