Ali Gerba is the latest in a long line of TFC castoffs to start filling the net with regularity since leaving Toronto.
So Ali Gerba has done it again.
Yes, we all agree that doing it in the second division is not the same as doing it in Major League Soccer.
Although, really, is there that much of a difference?
At any rate the Toronto FC castoff scored both goals in Montreal's 2-0 opening round playoff victory over the Austin Aztex Wednesday night.
That brings Gerba's tally to an astonishing 11 goals in 14 matches.
So it has got me thinking: What about some of the other high-profile, former Toronto FC strikers still active in Major League Soccer. How many goals have they scored?
More specifically, how many have they scored since leaving Toronto?
I decided to look at the obvious players: Jeff Cunningham, Conor Casey and Edson Buddle were all with Toronto at one time or another, just like Gerba. And they’re all scoring goals, just like Gerba.
The numbers are not only staggering, there's an incredible coincidence. After doing the math, here's what I came up with.
Cunningham has scored 33 goals in 63 games since leaving Toronto.
For Buddle, its 40 goals in 84 matches for LA.
And for Casey, similar numbers; 40 goals in 83 games.
It’s basically a goal every other game for the three of them. If you include Gerba's 11 goals with the Montreal Impact, the four strikers have scored exactly 124 goals in the league for their clubs since leaving Toronto FC.
Here's the coincidence. Heading into this weekend's match at Chivas USA, Toronto FC have scored exactly 124 goals in their entire, four year history. Four players who once suited up for the team, have now scored the same number of goals for their new clubs as Toronto has scored since joining the league in 2007.
Of the current Toronto players, Dwayne DeRosario is the only player who fits into this group, with 24 goals in 53 matches for the Reds.
What's the point to all this?
There's nothing new here really, that we didn't already know.
Player recruitment under Mo Johnston was a shambles. We've beaten that one to death. But it really is incredible to think that four players deemed not good enough to play here are simply filling the net by the bushel full elsewhere, and have scored as many goals as Toronto's entire roster over four years.
