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Thierry Henry may be slightly distracted on Saturday and that could be a good thing for Toronto FC.
The French star’s former club, Arsenal, will take on Hull City in the FA Cup final about four hours ahead of kickoff at BMO Field.
While reminiscing is always fun, Henry is creating new memories with the Red Bulls. The goalscorer has become the playmaker, setting up Bradley Wright-Phillips for stardom.
To be fair, the London-born forward is creating his own narrative, scoring two hat tricks and leading MLS in scoring this season.
Handling that duo will be a tough ask for TFC, who will hope the momentum gained from their midweek shootout win over Vancouver can persist for at least one more day. They’ll have to take on New York without Michael Bradley, who is now training with the United States national team.
The team is working to adjust, acquiring midfielder Collen Warner from Montreal in exchange for Issey Nakajima-Farran.
You have to give to get, and unfortunately for Toronto fans, the Calgary native is heading to La belle province on his birthday. Warner offers defensive stability in a midfield that will rely on Kyle Bekker and Jonathan Osorio for the foreseeable future.
Warner won't feature on Saturday, as he’s coming off a red card vs. Sporting KC. Now more than ever, this is the Osorio and Bekker show for TFC down the middle.
Players to watch
Nick Hagglund had a game to remember against the Whitecaps. Playing in an unfamiliar role at fullback, the rookie helped create TFC’s opener and prevented a sure goal against from Pedro Morales.
Steven Caldwell is expected to return to the starting XI against New York, replacing Bradley Orr. We could see Hagglund retain his spot due to his strong play.
Elsewhere, Jermain Defoe is expected to feature up front after getting a midweek break.
The English star was forthright about his emotions following England’s decision to select him as a standby player for the World Cup.
"This was, without doubt, the lowest point of my career. I'm devastated," he told British tabloid The Sun. "I can't remember much of the conversation. As soon as he told me I was not in the squad, I switched off. I was heartbroken."
Defoe remains committed to proving his doubters wrong in North America. Playing with a chip on your shoulder can work one of two ways: Trying to do too much is the striker’s curse, but seizing on every small chance is what made Defoe a star for Tottenham. England national team coach Roy Hodgson is asking the question: ‘prove me wrong.’
Bendik shines
The coaches were adamant about it and it was repeated enough to create a lasting impression. Joe Bendik has come a long way. Julio Cesar served as the Splinter to Bendik’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. While that may be the worst analogy of all time, Bendik’s growth under Cesar’s tutelage has been a joy to watch.
Like Bekker and Osorio, his time to shine will be when Cesar heads to Brazil. Wednesday night’s performance indicates he’s up for it.
Important Notice - Equipment Drive, May 17th
- Bring your gently used equipment to the Kia Vehicles outside Gates 1 & 3 at BMO Field before our match this Saturday
- All equipment donated will benefit the Toronto FC Play It Forward Program in Support of Second Kicks
- First 100 fans to donate will receive a piece of TFC merchandise for their donation
- Equipment that we will collect includes; cleats, shin-pads, soccer balls, old kits etc.
