For most Toronto FC fans, the sting of a disappointing 2014 season has nearly passed. The Los Angeles Galaxy defeated an up and coming New England Revolution in the MLS Cup final, Landon Donovan and Thierry Henry have rode off into the sunset, and brand new franchises in New York and Orlando have started shaping their rosters for 2015. Before anyone can blink really, January will be upon us and the promise of 2015 will be in full focus.
Update on Toronto FC: Are Recent Player Changes Just the Beginning?
Folks in Toronto will remember last January as a tumultuous time, with the arrival of Michael Bradley, Gilberto, and of course, Jermain Defoe. The naive promise of a playoff appearance has now been put firmly into perspective as everyone realizes that beyond the decent squad that did indeed exist on paper, the intangible grit and will to win were sadly lacking.
It will be hard to match the news of last winter, and so it should be. The commitment and leadership of Bradley, the steady improvement and adjustment shown by Gilberto, not to mention the consistency brought by rearguard Justin Morrow, all indicate that some key ingredients are already there. The reality is, as most would agree, that some tinkering is still necessary.
Some support in the offensive end is a wise priority to take. The recent (December 12th) acquisition of Robbie Findley from Real Salt Lake in the first phase of the re-entry draft would appear to be a step in that direction. Skeptics feel that Findley is well past his prime, but a quick review of his stats along with some recent video portraying his nose for the net, impressive pace, and solid ability to win in the air, reveal him to be at least worthy of an opportunity. Coming from a winning tradition with Real Salt Lake, he has the MLS experience and pedigree that has been sorely lacking. With Jermain Defoe’s future with the team a mystery yet to be solved, players like Findley are hard to pass up when the opportunity presents itself.
Earlier in November, Toronto FC was by all accounts, fortunate to find Marco Delgado still available when their 14th placed turn came to pick in the Chivas USA dispersal draft. Toronto FC decided to take the nineteen year old prospect. Delgado was the very first acquisition during this off season and the event actually turned some heads. Delgado is considered to be a versatile midfielder who was an evident bright spot in the Chivas system. Many reports on him are quite positive. He came through the American National Development Program and has played internationally for the US National 17 and 18 and Under teams. He was originally signed by current Toronto FC coach Greg Vanney when Vanney was with Chivas. Most reports speak highly of Delgado’s ability to cover lots of space and play at a high pace. In 37 appearances, he did score 2 goals for Chivas. He has also been described as a versatile asset, with the ability to move to the backline when needed. For a team needing to add some depth, Toronto FC may reap some benefit with such a promising prospect. The management piece will be high however. Delgado is coming off 2 knee surgeries and may need some patience and a tempering of expectation before he may possibly make the kind of contribution folks are expecting. A similar approach will be needed with Warren Creavalle if both “versatile” players are to be brought along properly.
The commitment to offense also appears to be continuing with the resigning of Bright Dike. For the most part, Dike was a non-factor in 2014, with limited minutes even after returning from last winter’s achilles injury. But Dike has long been looked to as an offensive force in waiting. No one has really seen what his imposing physical stature my bring once he is at full fitness and in the company of adequate service. With a rising Gilberto and a deftly capable Luke Moore, Toronto FC may have something potent in terms of attack. While Andrew Wiedeman has been let go, Jordan Hamilton has returned from a European stint and by all accounts, may very well be a solid addition if he stays on the same path.
In terms of the midfield, there is still a mountain of work to be done. Manager Tim Bezbatchenko has shown commitment to Daniel Lovitz. Lovitz was taken by NYFC in the expansion draft on December 10th, but Toronto FC reacquired him on the same day for a small amount of allocation money. Lovitz looked increasingly confident as 2014 went on. He was enough to turn heads with NYFC and will no doubt continue to add to Toronto FC’s depth going forward.
The real question marks surround the likes of Jackson and Dominic Oduro. While they add speed, they do little in terms of finish. Something else is needed in creating an attack that can complete the territorial advantage and build up play that Toronto FC was able to demonstrate in 2014. Even if Bradley is able to move forward and provide the distribution that is needed, without adequate links in front of him, history will repeat itself. One also has to wonder where indeed Bradley will serve best. HIs energy as a break up man who links well with the back line may be his greatest contribution. If that’s his role, someone else will be needed to perform the attacking mid role. Many would suggest Jonathan Osorio, but Osorio appeared to have trouble in this capacity throughout the year. As a youngster still learning his trade, he seemed most comfortable in link up play going deep, and operated best as a finisher. Dwayne DeRosario is apparently not being re-signed and Kyle Bekker has been reduced to a defensive, off the bench role. In short, an experienced attacking midfielder is on the shopping list.
The back line is perhaps the highest priority going into January. Bezbatchenko needs to pursue this aspect furiously. Ryan Nelsen had built a defensive unit around the strength and experience of Steven Caldwell. Caldwell’s absence due to injury and his occasional lapses exposed Toronto FC’s back line as once again a vulnerable and beatable entity. The re-signing of Mark Bloom, the progress of Nick Hagglund, and the presence of Justin Morrow are all positive, but they are not enough to secure a tough and organized group that could cope with a creative and well paced attack. The search for a central midfielder is paramount. Indeed, Doniel Henry was not the immediate answer. He was improving however, and would have continued to make an increasing contribution. His wild attacks in the box were settling down and his ability to clear his lines was evident. Only at the end of the season did we become aware that he was really on loan to Toronto FC in 2014 by a Cypriot team (Apollan Limassol) that appeared to be expecting his arrival. The recent twist in his story, and a testament to his value, has come in the form of a further loan out (on December 20th) by Apollan to West Ham United. In essence, Henry has arrived and his European dream may very well have been fast tracked. With his work permit just approved, the opportunity is now his to take.
Ryan Richter’s option has been declined and Jeremy Hall has recently been traded to New England for a 4th round pick in 2015. Hall had seen very little action in 2014 and his future was very much in doubt. Beyond a new, and hopefully experienced centre back, Toronto FC will need multiple acquisitions to build the depth needed to improve upon the porous defensive performance of this past season.
The looming question of course surrounds Defoe. Heading into late December, he is still on the roster has had surgery on the troubled groin and appears by all accounts, to be returning. Even Harry Redknapp, long the rumoured architect who was plotting Defoe’s transfer to Queen’s Park Rangers, has downplayed the possibility of any move in January. Though many are still doubtful, Defoe may very well once again be the face of Toronto FC. Whatever the outcome in January, Toronto FC management confident that they have “contingency plans” in the event of a departure. The ultimate reality is the key piece in this storyline is money. Arguably, anyone who wanted Defoe in September may find him just as expensive to acquire in January. Whatever the scenario, Toronto FC will either benefit from Defoe’s return or use the financial resources resulting from his departure to sign further talent. How this affects the outcome next season is anyone’s guess.
Against the backdrop of recent and pending changes, Greg Vanney appears to be plugging along. With Bezbatchenko by his side, he recently laid out a vision for improvement going forward. It was a highly technical and analytical approach to player development, one seemingly more suited to youth movement than a team of rich DP’s seeking a championship. If there are two things that could possibly be concluded, it’s that a replacement for Vanney has yet to be found and that he may very well be the manager going forward (for real), and secondly, that a focus on youth development means that expectations for the experienced type of additions that are so badly needed are actually quite low. Consequently, January may do very little in providing any more “bloody big deal” talk, regardless of any new faces that may appear. Indeed, the bulk of the shopping may be done, even if Defoe does transfer out. In that case, it will definitely be Bradley’s team, but he will have work to do, as he will be surrounded by mainly familiar faces and little more than a hopeful, “more bang for our buck” approach.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @DEddy66LWOS. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport and @LWOSworld – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for?
Feel free to discuss this and other footy related articles with thousands at r/football.
