Die Regenbogenbrücke » als, 4 assists), now looks lik

Toronto FC lost ground in the MLS Eastern Conference playoff race on Wednesday night, losing 1-0 to the Philadelphia Union at PPL Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. The loss sees the Reds drop into a tie for 4th place with the Union and the Columbus Crew, who are logjammed at 33 points apiece. Toronto FC has one game in hand on both the Union and the Crew. THE FORMATIONS New head coach Greg Vanney lined Toronto FC up in a familiar 4-4-2 formation. With both Gilberto and Bradley Orr on the bench nursing slight injuries, Dominic Oduro pushed up front to partner Luke Moore in attack, while the inexperienced duo of Doneil Henry and Nick Hagglund were left to marshall the defence. Phildelphia played a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Conor Casey leading the line. Cristian Maidana returned to the lineup after missing the last 5 games with injury, playing just behind Casey in an attacking midfield role. THE GAME In his first game in charge of the club, Vanney wanted to see more energy and effort from his side, who were coming off a humiliating 3-0 defeat at home to New England. In that respect, Vanney should be pleased - Toronto looked more energetic, and threatened on a few occasions in the first half through the speed of Dominic Oduro. If not for the alertness of Zac MacMath in the Philadelphia goal, Oduro would have had two breakaways. Unfortunately for TFC, MacMath played the sweeper-keeper role to perfection. Despite the increased effort on Torontos part, the same defensive failings continued to haunt the club. An inexperienced back four - missing the leadership of injured skipper Steven Caldwell - were exposed on numerous occasions by the craft and guile of Casey, Maidana, Sebastien Le Toux and Andrew Wenger, who is quietly making a name for himself as a left-sided midfielder for Philadelphia. With no clear leader at the back for TFC, it was only a matter of time before the Union would get their opportunity to take the lead. There were warning signs in the first half; Doneil Henry being too aggressive, leaving Le Toux in space to try to win an aerial duel that he was never going to win; Torontos inability to get the ball from Henry and Hagglund into midfield, meaning that Collen Warner and Michael Bradley had to drop deeper and deeper to help, which in turn drew Moore and Oduro deeper themselves. The lack of a commanding, authoritative presence at the back hurt Toronto in both offensively and defensively. The inevitable Philadelphia goal came in the second half. Many will point the finger of blame solely at Doneil Henry for getting drawn into a wide position by Maidana without ever getting close enough to prevent the Argentinian from turning and playing the ball in behind to the streaking Le Toux. Henry does, of course, deserve a share of the blame. But Ashtone Morgan, Nick Hagglund and Mark Bloom were all culpable for the goal. When Maidana picked up the ball on the left hand side, Morgan needed to make a recovery run in behind Henry, who had gone out to pressure Maidana. Morgan didnt – he instead decided to pressure the ball. This left acres of space in behind Henry for Le Toux to run into. When Maidana played the ball in behind Henry to Le Toux, Hagglund should have been 15 yards closer to his defensive partner, in a position to at least put pressure on the winger, if not intercept the through ball. But Hagglund was nowhere to be seen - he was instead man-marking Conor Casey some 30 yards away. With Le Toux striding towards goal under no pressure, he had all the time he needed to measure his centering pass to Casey. Bloom failed to get goal-side of the striker, leaving Casey with the simple task of side-footing past the helpless Joe Bendik - who was otherwise magnificent in goal for Toronto. A series of preventable mistakes at the back that resulted in a simple goal for the home side. Over 20 years ago, former Canadian national team defender Enzo Concina (now an assistant coach with the resurgent DC United) told me that to be a great defender, one must be able to "smell danger". Great defenders, he said, "sense when something bad is about to happen, and the hairs on the backs of their necks start to tingle." And therein lies the problem with Toronto FCs young defenders: they dont smell danger. Ask them to man-mark a single player, and they do an admirable job. If the game stays in front of them, they are able to physically compete. But as soon as there is movement in front, beside and behind them, its as though they are reaching around in the dark looking for the light switch. Former TFC head coach Ryan Nelsen has come in for his fair share of criticism, some justified and some unfair. But if there is one thing that I think he and his coaching staff deserve to be critiqued for it is their failure to develop the young defensive talent in their charge. Doneil Henry has all of the tools a central defender needs to succeed at the highest level of the game. But his development has gone sideways - even backwards, at times - this season. The same argument can be made about Ashtone Morgan, who was sent off in the second half for hauling down LeToux after the winger pounced on a mistake from Hagglund. All three youngsters should have a promising future in the game, but their development is happening in the shop window for all to see. Every mistake is magnified, and every goal conceded leads to more and more criticism. They will have to fight their way through this rough period, and if they come out the other side, they will be mentally stronger for it. It is a big challenge for TFCs new coaching staff to develop and refine the potential of these young players, but if they can succeed where Nelsen and Co. failed, it will be worth the effort. It isnt only the youngsters who are struggling to live up to expectations, though. The same can be said for designated player Michael Bradley. The undercard of the "Bloody Big Deal" that was Jermain Defoes arrival in Toronto, Bradley returned to MLS from Roma in Italy amidst much fanfare. This was the best midfielder on the United States World Cup team returning to play in the league where his career began. At just 26 years of age, it was argued that Bradley still has the prime years of his career ahead of him - an ideal signing for a struggling team on life support. However, with the exception of a few games prior to the World Cup in Brazil, Bradley has struggled to find his groove with TFC. This can be put down to many factors; adapting to a new league, new coach(es) and new teammates; settling in to life in a new country after living abroad for many years; fatigue after coming off the European season, joining TFC and then competing for the U.S. in the World Cup. These are factors, not excuses. Bradley should be the fulcrum around which TFC operates, regardless of circumstances. But he hasnt been - and that is a major concern for Greg Vanney. It has been suggested by some that TFC is a more balanced team when Bradley isnt in the lineup. In fact, Torontos record with Bradley in the lineup is five wins, three draws and nine losses, totalling 18 points. Without Bradley in the lineup, Toronto has recorded four wins, three draws and one loss, totalling 15 points. The challenge for Vanney is to come up with a tactical game plan that best utilizes Bradleys strengths. Michael Bradley is a very good footballer - he can, and should, be a perennial All-Star in MLS. He has an excellent passing range - TFCs best chance in the second half came from a perfectly weighted ball from Bradley to Oduro, who cut the ball back for Gilberto to strike - is strong in possession of the ball, uses it intelligently and is capable of scoring goals from midfield. The problem lies in the definition of Bradleys role and responsibility in the TFC midfield. Bradley is guilty of trying to do too much, at times. I believe that he is a hard-working, earnest player who wants nothing more than to succeed in a TFC jersey. He strikes me as being very single-minded when it comes to setting and achieving his goals. But with a player like Bradley, it is important to establish his parameters within the team. If TFC are going to persist in a 4-4-2 formation, a diamond is the best approach with Bradley operating at the top. The diamond is naturally a narrow formation that encourages the fullbacks to join in when the team is in possession, giving Bradley width as an option. It also allows TFC to play with two strikers, giving Bradley multiple forwad options with which to play. This formation takes advantage of Bradleys passing ability, which is one of his biggest assets. An issue with Bradleys earnestness is that he often drops very deep to get the ball. When he plays alongside Collen Warner - who has been an excellent signing for TFC - this is a problem, because Warner is naturally much more defensive-minded. He doesnt feel especially comfortable drifting into an attacking midfield role when Bradley drops deep, as he should do if the two players operate as a double pivot, meaning that TFC cannot build through the centre of midfield. This encourages the opposition to be extra aggresive defensively, as they know the ball is always going to go wide or be delivered long, as opposed to through the midfield. Finding pockets of space centrally is the key to unleashing TFCs offensive prowess. But in order to do so, Bradley will have to concede the deep-lying playmaker role to Warner, so that Bradley can then operate further up the field. A small tactical tweak that will pay dividends for Toronto. THE GOOD Both goalkeepers were outstanding. Joe Bendik made a number of clutch saves for TFC to keep his team in contention, while MacMath cut out numerous through balls and denied Gilbertos effort to preserve the clean sheet. Conor Casey was superb for an hour before being replaced. He gave a lesson in crafty movement and hold up play, and deservedly capped his performance with the games only goal. He had the excellent Sebastien Le Toux to thank for the goal; Le Toux ran himself into the ground for Philadelphia and was at the heart of virtually all of their offensive play. THE BAD Costly defensive errors continue to plague Toronto FC. My worry is that the youngsters will be hung out to dry - not by the coaching staff, but by the court of public opinion. Yes, these mistakes are costly, and fans want nothing more than to see the team win now. But TFC needs to be wary of throwing the baby out with the bathwater; there is plenty to work with defensively if the coaching staff can put in the time and effort to develop the players. THE STAR MAN Conor Casey just shades it over Sebastien Le Toux. Both players caused havoc for TFC defensively, but in different ways. Caseys movement, strength and hold up play was a clinic on how to play as a targetman, while Le Touxs energy and tireless running gave TFCs back four palpitations. It was only fitting that the two players linked up to score the only goal of the game. Toronto FC gets a chance at redemption on Saturday when the two teams face off at BMO Field in what could prove to be a crucial game in the Eastern Conference playoff race. (2pm ET / 11am PT, TSN2) Cheap Dallas Cowboys Jerseys Online . A larger-than-life personality known for his intimidating style in the 18-yard box, Schmeichels career spanned some 20 years -- including a memorable tenure at Manchester United. Discount Dallas Cowboys Jerseys . That was OK with him. He was just happy his team came away with two points. Letestu redirected Jack Johnsons shot from the point with 2:38 left, lifting the Blue Jackets past the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Monday night. http://www.cowboyscheap.com/94d-cheap-co...ey-cowboys.html. Louis Blues, having added Ryan Miller and Steve Ott from Buffalo, remain the No. Cheap Dallas Cowboys Gear .Fiji striker Roy Krishna scored in the 14th minute to give Wellington its fourth win, along with a draw, from its past five matches, putting the Phoenix fourth but only a point behind third-placed Adelaide. Dallas Cowboys Trysten Hill Jersey .C. -- The Charlotte Bobcats said head coach Steve Clifford underwent a successful procedure Friday to have two stents placed in his heart.OTTAWA -- Eugene Melnyk expects to make the playoffs every year, and when his team misses out he plans to make sure it doesnt happen again. The Ottawa Senators owner voiced his disappointment over the teams performance this season in a conference call with media Tuesday, and said changes could be coming. Melnyk said he and general manager Bryan Murray are "in the process of evaluating everything, our players, our prospects and our coaching staff." "Definitely not a wholesale change, we just need to show up more often," Melnyk added. "I think we need leadership. I think we need accountability from top to bottom and thats more of a mindset and it could also reflect the maturity of the team and as they mature, dont kid yourself, because I did some exit interviews and these are not happy campers." While there had been speculation that head coach Paul MacLean could be relieved of his duties, that doesnt appear to be the case. "I think its pretty certain, well I can assure you Pauls our coach," said Melnyk. "And hes going to be our coach going into next year, but were evaluating everything within the hockey operations, but as far as the leadership is concerned thats staying put." Thats not to say management was overly impressed with MacLeans performance this past season. "They should have done better," said Murray of the coaching staff. "Unless you win a championship I think you can say that about everybody. I think there were some stages in the year where maybe a different decision could have been made." On Monday MacLean admitted that he went into the season with the belief that he needed to be more demanding of his players, and Murray said it probably wasnt the wisest strategy. "My note to him today was the players like the old Paul," Murray said. "They like the guy that sat and talked to them, treated them in a more easy-going fashion, that taught, not confronted. "There were some mistakes made obviously. You dont go to some of your better players and confront them early in the year and expect change. The change is usually in the negative form. I think what Paul did two years leading up to this was a real strong indication of the type of coach he is. I think as you go through your career you learn lots of things and I think its a stage that hell be much better because of it." Murrays biggest decision in the off-season could be whether or not to move captain Jason Spezza. Spezza has one more year remaining on a contract that has a cap hit of US$7 million, but a salary of $4 million. Speculation of Spezza being traded surfaced at the trade deadline and one has to wonder if the Senators feel now is the time to make a significant change. "I think Jason understands what his role was and is," said Melnyk. "Hes a professional. He understands youre here today, could be gone tomorrow. "Its very dependent on what other pieces we have to put together and I think at the end of the day hes just one of 20 plus players that participated this year and we just didnt get it done. " Murray said Spezza was one of five players going into the final year of a contract and that all five, in addition to this years three unrestricted free agents, would be evaluated.dddddddddddd "Im not sure why Jason is the single guy here being evaluated," Murray said. "Number one I guess maybe he wore the C and thats part of it, but we, I believe, have five guys going into their last year and decisions have to be made and they will be made at the right time." The Senators actually have six players entering the final year of their contract including Spezza. Bobby Ryan, Clarke MacArthur, Erik Condra, Marc Methot and Craig Anderson will all be looking for new contracts next season. At this point it seems Ryan could be the first to re-sign as both parties seem eager to come to terms on a new agreement. Milan Michalek, Ales Hemsky and Matt Kassian are all unrestricted free agents this season and it appears Michalek could be the only one returning. Murray said Kassian isnt in his plans and he didnt believe the Senators were in Kassians plans. As for Hemsky, it doesnt appear he will return. Michalek has expressed an interest in returning and its likely term and money will play a factor. The Senators have a number of young players who will be pushing for playing time and they want to ensure theres room. Murray said Mark Stone, who played 19 games this season and had eight points (4 goals, 4 assists), now looks like an NHL player and was impressed with Jean-Gabriel Pageaus play late in the season. He also mentioned that Curtis Lazar looks to be NHL ready and will be pushing for a roster spot as well as a few others who are currently playing in Binghamton. In addition, Murray said the Senators would like to find a tougher forward. The Senators have three restricted free agents, Mike Hoffman, Eric Gryba and Robin Lehner, that Murray will need to make decisions on. Lehner, 22, will likely be the priority, considering Anderson will be heading into the final year of his contract. "I still think to be a good team in the league you need two goaltenders," Murray said. "You need both that can win games for you. I think Robins very close (to being a number one goalie). I think if we gave him the stick and said go in the net and play every night I think he could win a lot of hockey games for us." Financially the Senators are in good shape, but they dont anticipate significantly increasing their salary structure. "Its very, very easy to increase payroll, any idiot can do it and a lot of idiots do and they overspend and they go to the cap and Ive done it twice and both times it didnt make an impact," Melnyk said. The Senators owner says he prefers to spend money on various resources that can be used in the development of players on the roster and in the minors. Notes: Much was made last Saturday when Kassian didnt dress for the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but Murray said a decision had been made earlier in the day when a call between he and Toronto GM Dave Nonis took place. Nonis wanted to call up a young player, but was concerned that if Kassian was in the lineup things could get physical and so Murray assured Nonis he wouldnt play Kassian. Cheap Buffalo Sabres Gear Wholesale Calgary Flames Jerseys Cheap Adidas Colorado Avalanche Jerseys Montreal Canadiens Outlet Store Wholesale New Jersey Devils Jerseys Adidas Arizona Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Adidas Boston Bruins Jerseys Cheap Adidas Carolina Hurricanes Jerseys Chicago Blackhawks Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Columbus Blue Jackets Jerseys Dallas Stars Shop Free Shipping Cheap Adidas Detroit Red Wings Jerseys Anaheim Ducks Jerseys China Wholesale Edmonton Oilers Jerseys Florida Panthers Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Los Angeles Kings Jerseys Minnesota Wild Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Nashville Predators Jerseys Cheap Adidas New York Islanders Jerseys New York Rangers Winter Classic Jerseys Cheap Adidas Ottawa Senators Jerseys Cheap Adidas Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys Wholesale Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys Cheap Adidas San Jose Sharks Jerseys St. Louis Blues Winter Classic Jerseys Wholesale Tampa Bay Lightning Jerseys Toronto Maple Leafs Outlet Store Vancouver Canucks Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Adidas Washington Capitals Jerseys Cheap Adidas Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '