Saturday, June 30, 2007

Blame Canada

Toronto FC returns to KC tomorrow to take on the Wizards for the third and final time this season. This, though, is not the same Toronto FC team that the Wizards beat a combined 4-0 earlier this season. TFC coach Mo Johnston has continued to make trades as the season has gone along, and has definitely improved the team. Along with Jeff Cunningham, some new faces the Wizards might see this weekend include Todd Dunivant and Collin Samuel. Also seeing action this time around will be Ronnie O'Brien, who missed the first 2 encounters due to injury.

The Wizards will be without arguably their two best players, as Eddie Johnson and Jimmy Conrad are playing with the US national team at Copa America. Toronto will be without Marvell Wynne who is also down in Venezuela with the US team. The Wizards could also get themselves a favor if Danny Dichio, who was a force for the KC back line to deal with up in Toronto, misses the game. Right now he's listed as questionable.

As for the Wizards lineup, with the rust that Scott Sealy has shown lately, I'd like to see him come in off the bench, and Yura Movsisyan start. My guess though is that Sealy will start again up top with Carlos Marinelli. I don't like him playing up top as a withdrawn striker, but it looks like Onalfo likes him there. So I'd expect a 4-1-3-1-1 type formation.
Hartman
Jewsbury - Hohlbein - Garcia - Burciaga
Zavagnin
Arnaud - Victorine - Harrington
Marinelli
Sealy


Prediction
Toronto has 1 point on the road so far this season, and has never led. That said, this game is a little worrisome for me. If Aaron Hohlbein and Nick Garcia can shut down Jeff Cunningham and whoever is up top with Toronto, the Wizards will stand a very good chance. While TFC has shored up their back line, it's still unimpressive, and without Wynne, it is a major plus for the attack minded Wizards.

KC - 2 (Arnaud, Victorine)
TFC - 1 (Cunningham)

1 comment:

bfos said...

Onalfo has been very good to start the season, but it's time that we need to see what kind of adjustments he can make to get us back to tallying points.

Benching Sealy and keeping Marinelli more in the midfield may be some of those kinds of adjustments.