3 reasons why Toronto FC will win 2017 MLS Cup

It had to be the Seattle Sounders, didn't it?

If Toronto FC's 2017 season is to enjoy a fairy-tale finish, there's but one rave-green dragon left to slay. A rematch with Seattle was written in the stars, and so Brian Schmetzer's men will brave the cold and head to BMO Field once more to try to stave off a markedly improved Toronto.

But the Reds hunger for redemption - the constant theme of their season. Here are three reasons why they'll find it Saturday in the 2017 MLS Cup final:

A revamped midfield machine

Greg Vanney finally answered the question of where Michael Bradley should play. The answer was, obviously: wherever he wants. It worked. The U.S. captain's shift to his preferred deep-lying command position allowed him to organize the backline, and TFC conceded just 37 goals in 2017 - second-fewest overall. But Bradley is much more than an enforcer. He led MLS in average passes per match (76.8), and with 88.2 percent accuracy, too.

That shift wasn't possible without Victor Vazquez, the 30-year-old who forged his skills at Barcelona youth academy La Masia. His advanced position didn't just yield 17 assists (second-most in 2017) and nine goals, it also allowed others to slot into their best positions. Marky Delgado could now support his teammates instead of filling in, averaging 2.5 tackles per match in his link-up role. Justin Morrow scored eight goals as a wing-back. Most crucially, Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco now have the third reactive pass needed to combine effectively up top, with Vazquez averaging 2.5 key passes per match.

Seattle's best bet at stopping Vazquez? Ozzie Alonso, who was ruled out of the final with a quad injury. Gustav Svensson may be adequate cover, but with Toronto's midfield whistling in harmony, it's a tough ask of any opponent.

Related: 5 key battles that will decide the MLS Cup final

There's no one solution

Bunker down for 120 minutes, fail to register a single shot, win on penalties. That was Seattle's plan for winning the MLS Cup last season - and it barely worked. It took a miracle save by Stefan Frei to deny Altidore in the end.

Now, there's no single solution to stopping Toronto FC's dynamic attack. Employing one solution presents another exploit. Defend too deep, and Altidore muscles past to score. Play physically to match him, and Giovinco burns you on a free-kick - or from open play. Try to contain the two, and Vazquez comes in to carve defenders apart. Focus your efforts centrally, and Morrow scores a hat-trick. Figure it out in the first half, and in comes the smart spacing of Tosaint Ricketts, the frustrating feet of Armando Cooper, or the nimble moves of Jonathan Osorio. Fifteen different players have scored for Toronto FC in 2017, and those efforts yielded a league-high 74 goals and a +37 goal differential.

There's so much more dimension to Toronto this time around that a scoreless draw at home seems unlikely. The Reds were held scoreless at BMO Field just twice in 2017, in a 0-0 draw to Sporting Kansas City's league-leading defense and against the New York Red Bulls in Leg 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals that Toronto FC knew would be good enough.

There's still another gear

Don't mistake Toronto FC's calm approach for laziness. The confidence in an assured win inspires would-be champions to measure their approach during the long, taxing periods of a regular season campaign. But the MLS playoffs are heavily dependent on form, and Toronto hasn't been in the best of it so far.

Still, with everything on the line, and the team's biggest goal just ahead, Toronto FC fans know there's another gear to hit. Even with the Supporters' Shield, the Canadian Championship, and the league record for the best regular season in MLS history, Toronto FC has rarely been pushed to its limit.

That next level is what Seattle threatens to wake if the usual game plan isn't working: the true face of Toronto FC. That final push - injuries and next-match suspensions be damned. There's a trophy and a treble on the line and a house full of loyal supporters all around them. You can bet, despite the frigid cold, Toronto FC's heroes will feel the fire in their bellies in this moment of history.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)