Striker Surplus, Dearth of Defenders, Canadian Content?

Will TFC have a striker surplus one this weekend?

I wouldn't go that far, but things look better up front than they have in a while, and not just because Chad Barrett has finally had a chance to get used to his new teammates.

If you're a TFC fan you've got to be happy to see Danny Dichio back on the practice field.

He suffered a pretty bad concussion about a month ago in a Canada Cup game against Vancouver, but has been symptom-free for about a week. It's still far from certain that he'll play Saturday against Colorado, but he's making the trip, and head coach John Carver says that if Dichio looks good in the final pre-game practice he'll make the game day roster.

In addition to Dichio, Jeff Cunningham appeared last Sunday to have emerged from whatever funk he was in. He didn't score, but his play on and off the ball impressed Carver.

"In the first half in particular last week (he) had his best game," Carver said. "I saw things there that I ain't seen before, so I might just stay with Jeff."

And that means that instead of having to carry the load, the teenage phenom can be the second half change-of-pace player the team envisions him to be.

Problem for TFC:

None of those guys is a defender.

With Marco Velez (suspension), Marvell Wynne (Olympics) and Todd Dunivant (injury) already out of the picture, defender/midfielder Tyler Hemming tweaked a hamstring Thursday and sat out the second half of practice.

Afterward Carver conceded that the back four "will choose itself" this weekend:

Jim Brennan, Tyrone Marshall, Nana Attakora-Gyan,  Julius James.

As for the Canadian content...

I'd wait a while before inventing a David Simpson chant.

The former Toronto Lynx forward has been working out with TFC all week, and while Carver plans to extend the tryout into next week, he admits the 25-year-old Scarborough native has underwhelmed the coaching staff.

"He certainly hasn't jumped out and hit me in the face to say 'lets sign him,'" Carver said. "Because I would have signed him by now."

Well at least Simpson knows where he stands.

And now so do we.

One last thing...

We still don't know if TFC's Amado Guevara will receive more than the standard one-game suspension for the red card he earned last Sunday when he punched FC Dallas' Pablo Richetti in the nose.

The consensus among some folks is that because Guevara has a history of feuding with referees that the league would exercise some discretion and sit him down for at least two games.

My guy at the league tells me a decision was expected today, but here we are, less than an hour from quitting time and we still haven't heard anything.

BUT... 5 p.m. news releases aren't unusual in this league, so if something happens within tonight, I'll update.

Till then, stay tuned.

-- Morgan Campbell

Comments

[doug]

what about the discipline handed out to Carmelo Lobue? who's heard of that guy? is he the trainer who got kicked out of sunday's game for yelling at the referee?

is ali gerba still hanging around the team?

do you think TFC can coax jason deVos out of the broadcast booth? that's where the team really needs help.

maybe mo edu is the answer for TFC's defensive depth problems.

[oxybrain]

Ali Gerba never, ever was hanging around the team.

The bigger question is would Devos sign for CCL depth with his beloved Impact??

[doug]

hmmmm, another blogger at cbc made it sound like there was some interest and he was training with the team - i maybe misread? - at any rate, it is a moot point now as:

English soccer team Milton Keynes Dons completed the signing of Canadian forward Ali Gerba of Montreal on Thursday.