Before carving up the turkey and dolling out the stuffing, millions of Canadian families will take a moment to go around the table, with each person proclaiming what they are thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day.
With this in mind, here’s what Major League Soccer’s three Canadian teams might say if they were sitting together around the same table today.
WHAT DO THE MONTREAL IMPACT HAVE TO BE THANKFUL FOR?
That the season is almost over.
There was so much hope for the Impact at the start of the campaign after they pushed Toronto FC to the limit in last year’s Eastern Conference final, and came achingly close to advancing to the MLS Cup final. The belief in Montreal was that they could build upon last year’s success and go on another run in the playoffs.
But a failure to properly strengthen the defence in the off-season, combined with the injury to left fullback Ambroise Oyongo in June that ruled him out for the rest of the year proved incredibly costly. With 54 goals against in 32 matches, Montreal is tied for the second-worst defensive record in the Eastern Conference.
The New York Red Bulls’ 3-0 home win over the Vancouver Whitecaps this past weekend officially eliminated the Impact from playoff contention with two games left in the season. The killer blow, though, came when Montreal went on a four-game losing streak from Aug. 27 to Sept. 16, a losing skid that was preceded by a four-game winning streak that suggested the Impact might be playoff contenders.
Montreal has shown its true colours in the last five weeks, losing seven of eight matches, and must now watch bitter rivals TFC hoist the Supporters’ Shield trophy when they visit BMO Field this weekend.
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WHAT DO TORONTO FC HAVE TO BE THANKFUL FOR?
Its depth.
Toronto’s three designated players – forwards Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore, and captain Michael Bradley – are incredibly important to coach Greg Vanney’s plans. Giovinco and Altidore alone have combined for 28 goals this season, or 39 percent of the Reds’ offence. Together, the three DPs elevate this TFC side from a very good team to a great team.
But TFC is much more than just Giovinco, Altidore and Bradley. Giovinco has missed nine games this season, but the Reds boast a very impressive 6-2-1 record without their top scorer. When any one of the three DPs have been ruled out, Toronto’s record is 9-6-3. So, suggestions that TFC live and die by their designated players simply aren’t true.
Critically, GM Tim Bezbatchenko has built a balanced team that is noted for its depth, and that’s a major reason why the Reds are the class of the league this season.
Second-year pro Alex Bono has been impressive in winning the starting goalkeeper’s job, pushing the more experienced Clint Irwin to the bench. Midfielder Marky Delgado has won a starting job, and established himself as one of the best young prospects in MLS. The addition of Victor Vazquez has added a touch of class to the midfield. Injuries to defenders Drew Moor and Nick Hagglund have been mitigated by the solid displays of Chris Mavinga and Eriq Zavaleta, while Justin Morrow has become one of the best wingbacks in MLS this year.
WHAT DO THE VANCOUVER WHITECAPS HAVE TO BE THANKFUL FOR?
Coach Carl Robinson.
The Welshman doesn’t get much recognition within MLS circles for the job he’s done, and that’s a shame because he’s one of the league’s brightest coaches. He’s renowned for getting the most out what he has and squeezing every drop of talent out of his players. That’s a big reason why Vancouver sits atop the Western Conference table, and is likely to earn a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The Whitecaps are far from flashy, although newcomer Yordy Reyna and Fredy Montero are dynamic attackers and give the Robinson’s side a bit of a spark in the final third of the pitch. Robinson was a no-fuss, workman-like midfielder during his playing days, and he’s imparted that attitude into his players, with influential defenders Kendall Waston and Tim Parker best exemplifying the “Robinson ethos” on the pitch.
When key midfielder Matias Laba suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee in August, it was a big blow. But it barely slowed down the Whitecaps, as Robinson rebuilt the midfield on the fly, with newcomer Aly Ghazal holding things down in the centre of the park in Labas’ absence.
Robinson has also shown great confidence in fullback Jake Nerwinski, who had a shaky start to the season but has turned out to be one of the better rookies in MLS this year.
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