Toronto FC can savor win over Seattle, but the real prize? Depth, in spades
Toronto FC fought to a 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday, helping alleviate some of its heartbreak from the 2016 MLS Cup final loss at its own home ground five months earlier.
Three points, a fourth win in a row, and the taste of sweet vengeance may be cause for celebration on the day as the Reds climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference, but Toronto FC unearthed an even better prize upon the gritty turf at CenturyLink Field.
Namely, a truth, now made clear: Toronto FC boasts a treasure trove of talent.
"I'd argue we're the deepest team in the history of the league," head coach Greg Vanney said after the match, as quoted by Kurt Larson of the Toronto Sun. "That's my opinion."
Perhaps he's right. Vanney's side pulled off a midweek win over Orlando City at BMO Field, and a long flight to Washington for this weekend clash, coupled with an eye on another midweek tilt in Ohio against the Columbus Crew, meant he had to do a little bit of time management for this fixture.
Thus, the club left starters Sebastian Giovinco, Victor Vazquez, Eriq Zavaleta, and Steven Beitashour at home, and made wholesale changes in a 3-4-2-1 formation that saw Jay Chapman, Benoit Cheyrou, Chris Mavinga, and Jason Hernandez get the nod in their stead.
Clint Irwin replaced Alex Bono in goal and Raheem Edwards filled in once again for the absent Drew Moor, still recovering after a minor heart procedure. And so, Vanney's team looked a rag-tag group on paper, but certainly not in practice.
For, when push came to shove, Toronto FC's reserves had no problem doing all the pushing, shoving, and fighting needed to exact a small measure of revenge against Seattle.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
It was a great day for Chapman and Hernandez, both of whom impressed in their first starts of 2017. Mavinga also put in an effective, if sometimes unorthodox, defensive display. Edwards continued to turn heads with his stellar runs, while Delgado was a constant nuisance. Cheyrou provided calm, as ever.
It's apparent now that there's plenty of talent in spots 12 through 18 in Toronto FC's first-team squad, but little separates them, it seems. Vanney's got a bit of a dilemma on his hands if he has to choose a pair of midfielders to play alongside Michael Bradley from a list that includes Vazquez, Delgado, Cheyrou, Chapman, Jonathan Osorio, and Armando Cooper.
Cheyrou is a shorter-term option, but players like Chapman and Edwards have figured themselves into starting contention. If minutes are hard to come by, the two might look elsewhere for that opportunity. Conversely, the club also boasts a few lucrative trade assets, as such.
These are great problems to have as a coach. It's incredibly rare to have this kind of depth in MLS. The entirety of Toronto's ranks will be tested during this summer's Gold Cup, and it is this depth that carries with it the best hope of finding glory at the end of a long, tumultuous season.
Just don't call them reserves, for it's clear: Toronto's pool of talent runs deep.