New York City Football Club are on the road this weekend as they face Toronto FC at BMO Field.
For this edition of 'The Away End' presented by Berkeley College & Rennert International, we spoke to Toronto FC beat writer for The Parleh, Michael Singh.
Hi Michael, thanks so much for speaking with us. How long have you been covering Toronto FC?
I started covering Toronto FC in September of 2019, which is about the same time the team began to turn it around that season – no coincidence, obviously. That year, Toronto went on to make the MLS Cup Final, their third trip to the big dance in four seasons, and I thought that this was going to be easy and a lot of fun. Well…
Do you have any particular highlights during that time?
Aside from the 2019 run to the MLS Cup Final, getting to know four managers between 2020 and 2022 over zoom has been very interesting. But for me personally, breaking a lot of Toronto FC transfers this past offseason was great, including Lorenzo Insigne’s. Toronto has seen 19 players from last year’s roster move on from the club, which actually made my job a lot easier in terms of creating content and providing meaningful coverage.
It's been all change for TFC in the offseason with big-name signings and a new head coach. How would you evaluate the start of Bob Bradley's tenure?
Bob Bradley is the real deal. Toronto FC are far from finished from a roster construction perspective, so it’s been impressive to see this team – with so many first-year MLS players – be able to compete in every match and really instill their identity, which has been playing with possession. Even in their 4-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls a few weeks back, aside from a few lapses in certain moments, I thought Toronto played well and you can see a clear identity being formed. Many are talking about the Lorenzo Insigne signing, and rightfully so, but Bradley’s appointment at the start of the offseason may have just been TFC’s most important move this year.
Who would you say is the team's dangerman?
Since I’m sure New York City FC fans are very familiar with 2020 MLS MVP Alejandro Pozuelo, I’ll say newcomer Jesús Jiménez. The Spanish striker made the move over from Polish side Górnik Zabrze in the offseason and he’s a proper well-rounded No. 9, capable of getting in behind, dropping deep to link up with teammates, and is an aerial threat. He has two goals and one assist through four matches this season and may go down as one of the Reds’ better signings this year.
What strengths should Ronny Deila and his team be wary of heading into Saturday's game?
A lot of Toronto FC’s attack has come down the wing this season; it’s an area the team loves to exploit. Luca Petrasso, a player who wasn’t on many team’s radars prior to the start of the year, has quickly become a threat down the left-hand flank with three assists to his name in as many matches. I’d also be prepared to play without the ball, as Toronto has made a purpose of dominating possession this season.
Finally, for any of our fans that may be in the city for the game, where would you suggest they check out?
A bar or restaurant at Liberty Village located just a short walk away from BMO Field is the spot on game days. Other than that, you can’t go wrong with the main attractions: the CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium, Kensington Market, the Eaton Centre, and Toronto Island. And, if it’s a nice day, taking a walk along the Harbourfront / Lakeshore is a must.
