Nineteen points in 11 matches played. Shoes Canada Cheap . Tops in the Eastern Conference, second-best in all of MLS, an average of 1.73 points per game. Currently sitting in a playoff spot. Not a bad start, is it? Welcome to the new world of Toronto FC. Toronto FC entered the World Cup break with a combative 1-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, upping their record to 6-4-1. There is nothing cosmic about Toronto FCs newfound positive fortunes. The recipe has been simple: commitment to defensive workrate, sound team structure with a true game-breaker in front of goal. Its been that cliché, yet poignant never-say-die kind of stuff. Just how the team wants it. The first half Saturday was arguably the best 45 minutes played on the season. Toronto FC went toe-to-toe with San Joses physical play. The movement, the use of space, the passing and shape were prominent, but it was team commitment standing out the most: 50/50 battles. Getting stuck in. Getting forward and pushing onwards. The simple stuff. A winning attitude is being developed and dedication to the crest has never stood out so much. We sometimes focus too much on tactics, formations and Xs and Os. There are many reasons teams win or lose. Its oftentimes the basic intangibles that first need to be established before the more complicated follow. Thus far, the basics have been the difference between points and no points. This is the first step and its a big one. The bar will continue to be raised. Team approach will be tested. It will be up to the manager and individual quality to take this team from being good to potentially great. The appetite lived up to standing. The main course begins post-World Cup. Here are my five thoughts on Toronto FC at the World Cup break: 1. Trader Tim – General manager Tim Bezbatchenko has been a busy man in his first eight-plus months on the job. An off-season overhaul was required and mission accomplished, but it was evident the team was still a work in progress to start the year. Too thin at some positions and too weak at others. The ensuing in-season adjustments have followed and have come with purpose and all look to be solid moves. Gale Agbossoumonde, Issey-Nakajima-Farran, Alvaro Rey and allocation money go out, with Luke Moore, Collen Warner and Dominic Oduro coming in. With the acquired players come great salary, but more substance. These are all considerable moves and represent potential starters in exchange for players either battling for roles or ones who have fallen out of favour. Moore has two goals in four games and has paired well with Jermain Defoe up front. He holds up the ball and is a supplementary goal-scoring threat that was desperately needed. Warner filled a significant gap at defensive midfield. It is clear head coach Ryan Nelsen prefers a diamond in the midfield, with a central player sitting on top of the back four. Warner is the man tasked with the job and his true importance will come to light once Michael Bradley returns from the World Cup. He deservedly won Man of the Match Saturday, rarely out of position and confident on the ball. Oduro has just arrived, but adds more pace to an already dangerous counter-attack. Hes a proven MLS commodity and a useful player, adaptable to play either up front or wide right, particularly in a 4-3-3 if required. It may be early, but from the outset all three trades seem like a win for Bezbatchenko. The rookie GM deserves significant credit for these moves in addition to off-season trades for Jackson and always-impressive Justin Morrow. Bez knows the league and has massively upgraded the depth of the roster. No ego. No meddling agents. Just business. This Tim deserves credit. 2. Big money, big results – Defoe with seven goals in eight games. Check. Michael Bradley as on-field general, influential leader with a game-winning goal under his belt, looking to be among the top players already in MLS. Check. You get what you pay for. The early returns reinforce Toronto purchased absolute quality. No player may ever justify a $7 million per year salary in MLS, not even David Beckham, but if youre trying to reach for the stars, then get there. Any misplaced cynicism about either signing is gone. These two make Toronto FC an instant MLS Cup threat, no question. The waiting game on the third Designated Player, Gilberto, continues. He has more games missed through injury (two) than goals scored (none). Its been a tough transition for the Brazilian: new city, new country, new language and new life. Never mind the fact hes playing in a new league and with new expectations. Flat-out, Gilberto has been disappointing, but weve seen flashes. The hope is the flashes turn into moments that turn into games. One has to wonder how much patience will be given. DP spots are gold, especially for a club like Toronto FC that can pay for quality. 3. Points earned – It cannot be said the team has hit absolute stride. It has been ugly at times with Toronto FC grinding out results. They have only out-possessed opponents twice on the season and more consistent build-up is essential. Distribution needs work, as does movement off the ball. The learning curve has been made more difficult through injury in the team and a wonky schedule. Chalk up an early season 3-0 loss at Real Salt Lake in the ugly category, while a 2-1 home loss to New England disappointing. Other than that, a difficult schedule has played out favourably and late goals have come, more often scored than conceded. Late tallies against Columbus (twice), New York, and Sporting Kansas City have either won or secured points. Its these kinds of performances that bode well long term. Its characteristic of winning teams to win while not at their best. Progress. 4. Nellies team – We are witnessing the maturation of a head coach. Nelsen was in a difficult position last year, coming straight off the field as player, late into the fray, into a completely new context as a first-time coach with a subpar team. It was as tough an introduction to coaching as one can imagine. Nelsen survived the off-season purge and was given requisite tools to succeed for his sophomore adventure. He may still have critics, but patience is needed. Week by week, Nelsens in-game management has grown. His substitution patterns have been spot-on and his read for the game is becoming more apparent. It was a calculated gamble by the previous regime to hand over the reigns to a man with no experience, but a natural leader and well liked within the game. Its paying off. Nelsen was essential to the recruitment of the likes of Defoe, Julio Cesar, Steven Caldwell and Bradley Orr. And its no secret his players love to play for him. Nelsen doesnt apologize for his team, but he sticks up for them, stands by them and doesnt throw any player under the bus. The culture created is a positive one and the benefits are being reaped. 5. Areas for Improvement – It must be kept in mind the team is still a work in progress and there are clear areas in need of improvement and/or upgrades. Deficiencies in ball possession and passing have already been documented, as have the struggles of Gilberto. Doneil Henry needs to find stability in his game with more consistent one-v-one defending, decision-making and positioning. With Henry, its worth having patience, as he is a budding stud centre-back. Improvement on the wings is also required. This may come through trade or transfer. The team often plays too narrowly with Jonathan Osorio more comfortable playing inside than on the left side. Tactically, after early season relentless high pressure, the team has become too comfortable sitting too far back in defence. There needs to be a balance here, and it hasnt been found yet. Most importantly for TFC, they must get Defoe the ball. It needs to be much better and more frequent. Defoes been relegated to being too much of a chaser. Service at his feet is mandatory to ultimately get the most out of their prized striker. Toronto FC is off until a June 27th trip to New York to take on the Red Bulls (4-5-6). Shoes Canada Free Shipping .The seventh-seeded Raonic was scheduled to play U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori of Japan, but was replaced in the Group B pool by Spanish substitute David Ferrer.Raonic, who was 0-2 at the year-end event, said he suffered the injury late in the first set of Tuesdays 6-3, 7-6 loss to Murray. Fake Shoes Canada 2020 . Western and the second-ranked Laval Rouge et Or (7-0) once again received 20 and 10 first-place votes from the Football Reporters of Canada panel, respectively. Rounding out the Top 10 are the Calgary Dinos (7-0), Queens Gaels (7-1), Guelph Gryphons (7-1), Montreal Carabins (5-2), Bishops Gaiters (5-2), McMaster Marauders (5-3), Manitoba Bisons (4-3) and the Saskatchewan Huskies (4-3) Western crushed York 50-10 last Saturday in its league finale to secure first place in the OUA standings and a bye in the first round of the conference playoffs. https://www.shoescanadaonline.com/ . The D-Backs came into being in 1998 and appear destined to finish second in the AL West after the Tsunami that is the Los Angeles Dodgers swept over them. I thought it might be interesting to see what the D-backs have done over their 16 years compared to what the Blue Jays have done over their past 16 campaigns. MANCHESTER, England -- Arsenal felt the full force of Manchester Citys rampant attack to slump to a wild 6-3 loss in the English Premier League on Saturday, cutting its lead over Chelsea to two points and throwing the title race wide open. Chelsea pounced on Arsenals implosion at Etihad Stadium by edging past Crystal Palace 2-1 at home, with Ramires scoring the winner to lift Jose Mourinhos team provisionally into second place. But approaching the halfway stage of the campaign, City is likely to be most peoples favourite for the title after following up big home wins over Manchester United and Tottenham already this season with another masterful attacking display against Arsenal. What had been the tightest defence in the league was ripped apart, with Citys eighth straight home win sealed by goals from Fernandinho (two), Sergio Aguero, Alvaro Negredo, David Silva and Yaya Toure. City enhanced its tag as the leagues entertainers -- it has 35 goals in eight home matches, including six past Spurs and four past United -- and is a point adrift of Chelsea in third. "It was a very complete game in attacking," City manager Manuel Pellegrini said. "It is not easy to score six goals against Arsenal, the best defence in the Premier League." Everton brushed past Fulham 4-1 with three late goals to jump to fourth, while Newcastle drew 1-1 with Southampton in a match that saw the referee receive a bloody nose after accidentally colliding with a player, and ended in a scuffle between the two benches. West Bromwich Albion fired head coach Steve Clarke hours after a 1-0 loss at Cardiff, the visitors fourth reverse in a row, and there were 0-0 draws for West Ham-Sunderland and Hull-Stoke. Arguably the standout match this season lived up to its billing, with weary Arsenal run ragged by City less than three days after the Gunners grueling defeat in the Champions League at Napoli. Arsenals title credentials were always going to be tested in this crucial three-game period, starting with last weekends 1-1 draw at Everton and ending with a home match at Chelsea on Dec. 23, and cracks have been ffound. Wholesale Shoes Canada. "We made too many mistakes," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "Our strength until now was our defensive discipline but that went as the game went on." The prolific strike pairing of Aguero and Negredo put City 2-1 up by halftime, with Theo Walcotts goal having made it 1-1. Fernandinho scored in the 50th, moments after Aguero went off with a calf injury only for Walcott to score again, but Arsenals creaking defence was breached in the final 24 minutes by Silva, Fernandinho and Toures penalty. Per Mertesacker netted Arsenals other goal in injury time. Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere could face disciplinary action after being pictured raising his middle finger toward Citys fans during the second half. With Liverpool not playing until Sunday, Chelsea is Arsenals closest challenger after an unconvincing win over Palace at Stamford Bridge. Fernando Torres scored in the 16th minute for the Blues before Joel Ward set up Marouane Chamakh to equalize for the visitors in the 29th. Six minutes later, Ramires grabbed the winner with a right-footed shot from outside the area to the top left corner. Everton maintained its challenge for a top-four finish by scoring three goals in the final 17 minutes to see off Fulham. Leon Osmans 18th-minute goal in his 300th league game put Everton ahead but Dimitar Berbatov equalized from the penalty spot in the 67th. Seamus Coleman regained the home sides lead before Gareth Barry and Kevin Mirallas completed the victory. The Newcastle-Southampton game ended with ugly scenes on the sidelines as coaches on both benches clashed in reaction to a foul on the pitch. The goalkeeping coach from each team was sent off. Earlier, referee Mike Jones required treatment for a bloody nose after being floored by the flailing arm of Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko. Peter Whittingham scored the second-half winner for Cardiff against West Brom, which proved to be the end for coach Clarke after 18 months in charge at The Hawthorns. On Sunday, its: Aston Villa vs. Man United, Norwich vs. Swansea and Tottenham vs. Liverpool. ' ' '