Toronto FC made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history last season and will now look to use the 2016 season as a stepping stone past their one-and-done wildcard effort against the Montreal Impact.
The defensive atrocity that plagued the franchise heading into its tenth MLS season was obvious and for now, the additions of Drew Moor, Will Johnson, Steven Beitashour and Clint Irwin, suggests the Reds may not just clinch a playoff spot, but be in contention for the Supporters’ Shield come October.
It’s a bold statement considering the organization’s monumental feat is highlighted by one playoff appearance. Clubs on the upswing are always looking to take the next step and therefore exceeding the next set of expectations without hitting a plateau. That being said, the familiarity between goalkeeper and defender, between Irwin and Moor can set up to be the difference maker between Toronto’s 15 wins and the New York Red Bulls’ 18, who eventually went on the claim last year’s Shield. The veteran leadership and experience that was brought onto this club has the ability to weather the opposition’s offensive storm – like the Red Bulls’ Bradley Wright-Phillips for example – and prove their team looks better on the pitch than they do paper.
Opening the 2016 campaign with eight-straight road games is a route that’ll surely put the offseason’s acquisitions to the test. To say the Red Bulls have dominated TFC in the Big Apple would be an understatement. The club holds a 1-9-1 all-time record in New York and along with a minus-24 goal differential at Red Bull Arena. A win – let alone a tie – could start the season with a much-needed vote of confidence.
Sebastian Giovinco will be looking to repeat his 2015 MLS MVP performance for Toronto FC. He scored 22 goals in 33 games last season.
Head coach Greg Vanney has been lining up his squad in 4-3-3 throughout the preseason with the hope of complimenting his improved defensive acquisitions. The most surprising speculation suggests 2016 first-round pick Tsubasa Endoh may line up to Giovinco’s right. During his collegiate career with Maryland, the Tokyo, Japan native was recognized as one of the team’s most dangerous players in the final third of the pitch.
Barcelona used their rendition of the 4-3-3 back in 2005 and 2006 when they won back-to-back La Liga championships, while the latter also witnessed a UEFA Champions League title. The formation’s proven success extends over into England as well, where Jose Mourinho used the similar 4-5-1 to help Chelsea win consecutive Premier league titles in that sane two-season span.
The club frequently flipped between 4-1-2-1-2 and 4-4-2 last season, evidently epitomizing the team’s downfall by season’s end. The switch to 4-3-3 will undoubtedly put more immediate pressure and responsibility on the rookie winger’s shoulders if he is to slot in for an injured Jozy Altidore Sunday. Management’s expectations of returning to BMO Field with eight points in eight games may come across a little more complicated if it takes the MVP of the 2016 adidas MLS Player Combine a few games to shake the first-year jitters within the 20-yard box.
However, general manager Tim Bezbatchenko joined Sportsnet 590 The FAN’s TFC Pitchside earlier in the week and reiterated the confidence he and his coaching staff have developed with Endoh. Even though Endoh is entering his first year in the MLS, Bezbatchenko was more than impressed with his draftee’s professionalism in terms of his awareness and understanding of making smart runs. When that sense is combined with Giovinco and Michael Bradley’s play-making ability and experience, Endoh is sure to be a beneficiary.
Endoh, whose ink is still drying on his first professional contract, hopes to be a significant part of a core foundation going forward. He joins Justin Morrow, who was recently re-signed to a multi-year contract and Toronto-born Jonathan Osorio, who also took huge strides in 2015 since entering the league a few years ago.
Potential can be a convoluted term, one with outcomes as unpredictable as a game of roulette. Bezbatchenko put his money on red and now it’s time to see if the investment pays off.
