This Sunday, at 3pm, time stops. For the last time of this regular season, the Bleu-blanc-noir hosts rivals Toronto FC at a sold-out Stade Saputo (RDS, TSN, ESPN, 98,5fm & TSN Radio 690). Here are 10 things to know about the Reds.
Context
The defeat against the Impact – and, most of all, the loss of Sebastian Giovinco – seems to have stopped TFC in its tracks. Before they faced the Bleu-blanc-noir, the Reds had only lost one of their last 11 games. Since then, they’ve only picked up six points out of a possible 15. Still, Toronto FC has clinched its second-ever MLS Cup Playoffs berth. The team sits in third position in the Eastern Conference, two points from first place and five points ahead of the Impact.
Current form
L-W-D-D-D-L
Head coach
Greg Vanney (30-30-16 all-time as Toronto FC head coach) became TFC head coach on August 31, 2014. He is also the club’s technical director. A professional player for 13 seasons in the United States and in France, Vanney then worked on youth development, most notably at Real Salt Lake and at Chivas USA, before joining TFC in December 2013. After taking on jobs as assistant general manager and TFC Academy director, he became the ninth head coach in club history, replacing Ryan Nelsen.
Current top scorer
Sebastian Giovinco (16)
Players to watch
1. Jozy Altidore (#17) – The US international forward has been on fire since he returned from injury, raking in nine goals and two assists in 13 appearances.
2. Justin Morrow (#2) – Ever-present on the left of the defence, Morrow pushes forward but can also cut inside to finish a play or three.
3. Michael Bradley (#4) – The Reds’ midfield leader remains a key contributor, but he’ll be glad to pick out Giovinco again.
Team profile
An eight-game road stretch to start the season gave TFC an opportunity to focus on its defence, and the team has kept on reaping the benefits of that work. The Reds have posted the best defensive record (just over one goal per game) and the second-best goal differential (plus-11) in the Eastern Conference. They are organized in a relatively low block – slightly higher at BMO Field –, with a dense midfield populated with players able to recover the ball and play it forward quickly – the Johnsons, Osorios, Delgados and, most of all, Bradleys. TFC has tried to play deeper into the opposition’s half of late, after relying on its speed and transition abilities for some time, but quickness and spaces between the lines remain its bread and butter. With Altidore’s hold-up play creating gaps for Giovinco to exploit, passing combinations down the middle punish opponents. TFC is also one of the teams that shoots the most in MLS, especially through the Italian forward, and shots come from pretty much everywhere – meaning that Toronto scores its fair share of goals from outside the box. Set plays are generally useful for TFC, but the team hasn’t been as sharp on those in recent weeks. Defensively, opponents often try to move around TFC’s compact block and cross the ball, but the Reds have conceded more down the middle since their last game against the Impact, and they’ve committed a few costly mistakes that led to goals. Still, the backline has mostly held strong, forcing the opponent to look for gaps instead of leaving itself open to a plethora of shots.
Tactical formation
Greg Vanney has played different systems this season, but the diamond 4-4-2 formation has been a trend for some weeks. Lineup v. D.C. United (October 1): Irwin; Bloom, Zavaleta, Moor, Morrow; Bradley, Cooper, Lovitz, Osorio; Altidore, Babouli.
Most recent games against the Impact
Don’t even try and tell us that you don’t remember the last game against TFC. Despite being down a man, the Impact picked up its first-ever win at BMO Field on August 27. Nacho Piatti scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win, stunning the Toronto crowd. The Bleu-blanc-noir thus avenged its 2-0 home loss on April 23 and a 4-2 aggregate loss in the Amway Canadian Championship semifinal against the Reds earlier this season.
Injuries, absences and call-ups (as of October 12)
D Ashtone Morgan (foot)
M Will Johnson (medial collateral ligament – questionable)
F Sebastian Giovinco (quad – should be fit to return)
Next games
Toronto FC v. Chicago Fire (MLS, October 23)
MLS Cup Playoffs
