5 things we learned in MLS Week 9: Drogba's still got it ... but Lampard does not

Week 9 of MLS action saw a jam-packed four days of matches as six teams battled it out midweek before embarking on an already-full weekend lineup of fixtures.

Here's what we learned in Week 9:

Toronto FC is heading home

Eight games, eight points.

That was the objective set out by Toronto FC president Bill Manning at the start of the Reds' long string of away matches to start the season. With Toronto on the road for eight straight games, a point per match was about as good as Greg Vanney's side could have hoped for.

Now that the road trip has come to an end, the Reds can feel pretty good about picking up 11 points, while also maintaining the fewest number of goals conceded in the league during that time.

The Reds now return to BMO Field where a wounded FC Dallas presents their first home test. Dallas will be looking to rebound after a recent 4-0 loss. Toronto FC has the Red Bulls to thank for that ...

Red Bulls push the emergency button

The New York Red Bulls needed defensive reinforcements and Jesse Marsch's side finally got some in the form of Orlando City's Aurelien Collin, who was traded in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick.

Can Collin's acquisition explain the Red Bulls' 4-0 trouncing of FC Dallas, though?

Not exactly, since Collin neither played nor was he actually with the team for the match. Instead, the Red Bulls relied on forcing turnovers, using high-pressure from higher up the pitch, particularly on the right-hand side in this match.

The Red Bulls' collective tenacity and energy was their best strength in 2015; defensive reinforcements will help but only if the team sticks to its core tenants.

Paging Frank Lampard

So, is New York City FC midfielder Frank Lampard ever going to actually play for his new club? It doesn't seem likely at this point, with head coach Patrick Vieira shuffling his midfield around while the Englishman remains sidelined with an ongoing calf issue in 2016.

There's only so much David Villa and Andrea Pirlo can do alone.

While NYCFC didn't need Lampard in a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps last Saturday, those funds - and the Designated Player slot - could be better allocated elsewhere and unless Lampard returns with a bang, his value will be under question; something that can't be said of another former Chelsea man ...

Drogba's still got it

If, for any indiscernible reason, someone thought Didier Drogba would not dominate once more this season with the Montreal Impact, let this free kick goal forever silence such a ludicrous notion:

MLS goalkeepers are an impressive bunch

Goalkeepers don't get enough credit in Major League Soccer, but two of the league's shot-stoppers turned heads this week with some impressive performances. For example, Real Salt Lake's ever-present net-minder Nick Rimando made this incredible, Scott Sterling-esque save with his face:

Meanwhile, Portland Timbers goalkeeper Jake Gleeson denied Toronto FC four clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities, a feat that earned him the MLS Player of the Week nod.

Not too shabby.

Related - 2016 MLS Power Rankings: Week 9