Posted by

Aaron Nielsen ,

May 15, 2017 Email

Aaron Nielsen



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@ENBSports

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So far it's been a Toronto FC season for the history books, highlighted by the club's recent six-game winning streak. The Reds look easily on pace to make the playoffs, and are favorites in winning the Supporters Shield as the team with the most points during the regular season. As I predicted prior to the season, my feeling is that Toronto FC is the best team in the league. FC Dallas, who are currently undefeated, may argue with this assessment, however, they have played easier opponents so far than TFC, and have not won as comfortably. I did predict FC Dallas to be the top team in the West and I expect both teams to be favorites to make the 2017 MLS Cup Final. Toronto's credit for their current success can be shared among many with the club. The management stuck with a winning formula that they established at the end of last season and so far have been impressive. The three DP's of Sebastian Giovinco, Jozy Altidore, and Michael Bradley, when healthy, have performed to their ability and have proved why they are elite players and have been dominating the club and the league statistically with Giovinco and Altidore competing for the MLS Golden Boot award. Meanwhile, Micheal Bradley has touched the ball almost a 100 times a game and also has strong tackling, interceptions, and block numbers. There also has been a maturity in Toronto FC's defense with Eriq Zavaleta, Nick Hagglund and Goalkeeper Alex Bono all proving they belong in the MLS and are an asset not only to Toronto FC but should be players in the league for years to come. Meanwhile, the club's veterans also have had a strong season with Clint Irwin, Justin Morrow, Drew Moor and Steven Beitashour each giving steady yet productive performances each time out. While new signing Victor Vazquez has provided a technical ability up front that allows him to work well with Giovinco and Altidore, both in providing opportunities for others and himself, something despite his skillset Armando Cooper hasn't been able to do. Vazquez's vision and ball playing skills has made it easier for Toronto FC to break down teams and made them one of the league's most effective teams in terms of creating chances with possession. The other development that must be noted, and probably the surprise of the season, has been the play of Raheem Edwards. I have talked about Edwards in the past as he was part of Canadian Teams such as the Pan Am games team in 2015 and I also predicted prior to the season that Toronto FC would offer him a homegrown contract. Although I didn't think he have such an impact and not because of a lack of ability, but I wasn't expecting Toronto FC to give him this many first team minutes. To his credit, Edwards has basically forced his way into the picture and this is not only at the MLS stage, but throughout his career with Toronto FC. It is true Edwards is a Toronto FC Homegrown signing, although to say he was developed by Toronto FC is a bit of a stretch. Edwards actually wasn't even part of the TFC Academy until the age of 19. His youth team was Erin Mills Soccer Club in Mississauga where he performed well scoring 17 goals in his last 25 games playing in the Ontario Youth Soccer League. At that time he wasn't recruited as a professional or even by an NCAA School and instead attended Sheridan College where I first became aware of him. By this point I was already aware that GTA talent was being ignored by MLS, and for the most part by Toronto FC, but this was also the start of League1 Ontario, York's dominance of CIS Soccer and Sheridan and Humber's success in the CCAA. Sheridan would go and win the CCAA championship, although to be honest at the time most attention was on now former TFC player Mo Babouli, but Edwards performance gained him an opportunity both in Canadian National Team eyes and with Toronto FC. Since then, Edwards has proven, in rather difficult circumstances, that he should be noticed. Watching many TFC II games I saw the team struggle not only at scoring and defending but also in maintaining possession. Yet like he has done in the MLS, every time Edwards touched the ball he was willing to take on opponents and try to make things happen. For me, his goal at the Olympic Stadium against FC Montreal where he took the ball 40 yards out then ran by the Impact's First Round Pick Kyle Fisher and then beat the keeper, I knew he had more than enough talent to be an MLS player. Although like Babouli and others, there have been players who have this talent but are never given this opportunity. Edwards continued progressing through USL and in 40 games with TFC II scored 8 goals, which doesn't seem like alot, but also makes him TFC II's all-time leading goal scorer. He also added five assists which is even more impressive based on how TFC II played as an offence. To TFC's credit they rewarded Edwards by bringing him in for the Canadian Championship last year, giving him his MLS debut against Seattle, although only two minutes, and because of some early season injuries included him in the first team most games this season. Edwards literally has impressed every time on the field from his season debut where he helped Toronto win in Vancouver, from his two shot performance against Sporting KC, to his assists against Houston and Columbus. Now with four assists on the season I don't expect Edwards to continue at this pace, but there is a reason why he is successful which I feel he can maintain. First, Edwards has a strong left foot which makes him useful on the current Toronto FC side who are heavily right footed, especially in terms of bench players. Second, is his willingness to dribble at opponents, as only Giovinco and Cooper are more effective and Edwards averages three times more successful dribbles per game than Marky Delgado, Jonathan Osorio, or Tsubasa Endoh, all players who compare with Edwards for positions. And third is his willingness to cross the ball into the box, and only Vazquez has more and Edwards averages almost five times more then Delgado, Osorio and Endoh. These are assets that Edwards will always have, although the question becomes if the team isn't as effective with Edwards playing in this fashion does the team go in another direction? As well, playing Edwards at a wing back also requires a certain defensive skills and like we have seen with Ashtone Morgan's errors in defense, this tends to be more harshly criticized than potential offensive production. I expect Toronto FC to be a winning club throughout the year and I hope one of the rewards by having less pressure during the season is that Toronto FC give players like Edwards and Jay Chapman minutes to develop and learn so they can establish themselves as a professional soccer player. This is also one of the reasons why I support the Canadian Premier League, because it would give players like Edwards the chance to develop but also showcase their skills. If Toronto FC doesn't appreciate what players like Raheem offer there are plenty who will, which can then turn this story from a potential season-long run as we are seeing now, into a respectable career, something Toronto FC has yet to provide to most of its Canadian players. Aaron Neilsen is a co-founder of Prospect XI (Prospect Eleven), a scouting network and online magazine dedicated to tracking/highlighting young players that refer to as "prospects" as well as their development pathways both within North America and worldwide. Follow PXI via www.prospectxi.com or on twitter @ProspectXI.