Philadelphia Union Vs Toronto FC - A Chat With Waking The Red

Duncan Fletcher of Waking the Red, SB Nation's Toronto blog, and I chatted ahead of this afternoon's Union-TFC match.  

tBG: How about yourself, what do you think the game will be like?

WtR: Though we should be looking to Tuesday's CCL game, a part of that is the fact that we've had two weeks off, so I'd expect to have the first team out there to shake the rust off and practice. That'll probably mean going with Torsten Frings as a spare Centre Back again, which will help keep us solid at the back, but limit us going forward, so I'll say 1-0 Philadelphia.

tBG: How has his time, and Danny Koevermans, been for TFC thus far? The two DPs are costing the team a lot of money.

WtR: They are, but it's well worth it. Frings has had a big impact wherever he's played. When at the back, he provides the organisation and calm to enable Andy Iro and Ty Harden to look competent. In midfield he's had a great effect going forward, Julian De Guzman finally looks like the 2007 Gold Cup MVP with Frings behind him. Hopefully we'll get ourselves a good Centre Back so Frings can move back to midfield. As for Koevermans, he's the anti Chad Barrett, he looks unathletic, and he's not a noticeable kind of player, but give him a chance, and he'll bury it. TFC have needed that kind of player for ages, so I'm very happy to have him no matter how expensive he is. A few judicious signings in the off season and we should have a good team next season.

tBG: Speaking of Andy Iro, was trading Tony Tchani the right move for TFC?

WtR: It seemed like a good idea at the time, as we really needed a dominant Centre Back. they gambled that Iro could be that player. It's been pretty comprehensively proven that he isn't, he'll be OK when paired with someone good, like he was with Chad Marshall, but he isn't good enough to be The Man to rescue our defence. Tchani was a bit surplus to requirements, but could end up being very good, so I'l say that no, it wasn't the right move.

tBG: Interesting. Very interesting.  If TFC draws with Dallas, who progresses?

WtR: Definitely not TFC, but if Tauro beats Pumas UNAM the next day, the next day!!!!! then everyone would have 8 points, they'd both go through and Dallas would be out instead. Unless Tauro wins by 8, in which case it'd be Tauro and Dallas.

Cheers Scott.

tBG: Cheers Duncan. Thank again.