East Side Stand Up

It was a shootout at BMO Field, as the Vancouver Whitecaps had more pace and firepower to see through a 4-3 win over Toronto FC. There was plenty of blame to go around on this night as several players on TFC did not step onto the pitch with the required intensity and as a result Vancouver capitalized and put the Reds in a hole they had to dig out of for almost the entire match. Jozy Altidore missed a penalty and then injured himself, which leads to what is next with injuries and tournaments on the horizon? It will be a trying 6-8 weeks for TFC and one where much good work could come undone.

Even though TFC have an obscene amount of chances on goal, enough to say they could have won 5 or 6-0, the 1-0 victory over FC Dallas was a solid victory to keep them well on pace atop of the Eastern Conference. It was a comprehensive display throughout the pitch as Clint Irwin was up the challenge with key saves, the midfield was dominant against a tricky Dallas side, and Giovinco again was pulling all the strings creating chances for himself and his teammates. It was a good result, with some red flags on finishing, but if it begins to come together, TFC could be making the statement they are a legitimate top side in MLS.

Toronto FC might have ended their road trip with a loss, but they did well to start off the year at a huge disadvantage. A 2-1 defeat to the Portland Timbers, while should have been a win, still is framed through a road trip that had three wins and eleven points. There are still some areas to fine tune, but others such as defending, that supporters can begin to look at as legitimately improved. We discuss the road trip and what to expect at BMO both on the field and in the stands.

Toronto FC keep piling up points to start the season, surpassing club President Bill Manning's initial goal and with a 2-0 win over the Montreal Impact are sitting on 11 points in their first seven games. It wasn't just a win, it has been a steady climb for the team, who put in their best all around performance of the year where there were no weak links and everyone played a role. Defensively the Reds continue to lock it down, and moving forward it is Giovinco's finish ability that cannot be stopped, either from the penalty spot, or from distance. It was an encouraging display ahead of Portland as the club eagerly comes closer to their 2016 home opener.

Toronto FC did the job they needed to do, which was get three points and hit Bill Manning's magic number for the first eight games of 2016. A 1-0 over DC United, while most of it was in TFC's end, showed strong defensive character as Clint Irwin had another strong outing and the defenders in front of him each played an aggressive, gritty match. The early Giovinco goal also showed some cohesion starting to form in the midfield as four players were involved in the sequence and this bodes well for two more tough away games before finally getting the home opener on May 7.

The Reds did well however to come back from an early deficit to draw with the Revolution 1-1. There were many positives to look at from this match, beginning with what could and should be close to the ideal starting eleven. Clint Irwin is emerging as a noticeable upgrade between the sticks, and there was a glimpse of what the attack could look like if Jozy Altidore and Giovinco reestablish cohesion and work off one another. It was a bigger picture result where if the team stays healthy and gets in sync, it could be the start of a good run of form.

Toronto FC went into Colorado looking to take all three points, but an early red card accumulation from Benoit Cheyrou put them behind the eight ball and then a 1-0 deficit. It was a disappointing result as the road trip only gets harder from here and while the defence looks a bit stronger, the attack of TFC outside of Giovinco simply is not pulling their weight. The lads run all over Toronto to find a venue to watch the game, and discuss the second half, who performed, and then discuss who our most overrated and underrated TFC players of all time are.

Despite being soundly defeated at home, 3-0 to Mexico, the pod keeps the result in perspective. There is no question Mexico is the superior team and program and with that in mind, these games are also about staying positive and competitive heading into the final two matches against Honduras and El Salvador. There were certainly moments to be disappointed, as Canada could have capitalized on several chances throughout the match. It will be tough to go into Azteca stadium, but if Canada can come out relatively unscathed, it will go a long way in being prepared for the final games of the fourth round.

Despite being soundly defeated at home, 3-0 to Mexico, the pod keeps the result in perspective. There is no question Mexico is the superior team and program and with that in mind, these games are also about staying positive and competitive heading into the final two matches against Honduras and El Salvador. There were certainly moments to be disappointed, as Canada could have capitalized on several chances throughout the match. It will be tough to go into Azteca stadium, but if Canada can come out relatively unscathed, it will go a long way in being prepared for the final games of the fourth round.

TFC villain Brad Davis strikes again - this time with Sporting Kansas City and a controversial non-call from Baldomir Toledo. Has that ever happened? The single goal was all that was needed to keep the Wizards perfect on the season and hand the Reds their first defeat. We look at Toledo's non-call, and call against Espinoza, TFC's less than stellar TV numbers but hype up Canada's huge World Cup Qualifier against Mexico later this week.