Though it has been just more than two months since Toronto FC lost 4-0 to the New England Revolution, it is safe to say that TFC have put the crushing defeat behind them. In fact, many of the current Toronto players don't even remember it.
Only seven of the 13 men who appeared for TFC on April 14 remain on Toronto's roster, and only four of those players (Andrew Boyens, Jim Brennan, Carl Robinson and Andy Welsh) are expected to play on Saturday when Toronto FC once again travel to Gillette Stadium.
The game is TFC's first-ever rematch in MLS, and it is a chance for the club to prove how far it has come in a short period of time. The roster has been overhauled, the team has been in good form (4-2-1 in their last seven games) and most importantly, the players believe they can beat any opponent.
"We've been playing a lot better as a team," said Boyens. "We've come together as a unit, so the boys are very confident going into this game.
"But, we were confident the first time around, and look what happened," he joked.
The loss to the Revs is the largest margin of defeat in TFC's short history, and it stood as the benchmark for the club's poor start to their MLS tenure. Toronto went scoreless in its first four losses, and the whispers were already heard that the team was going to deliver a so-called typical expansion club performance.
"A lot of people obviously had written us off ... after the first four games of the season, but we didn't lose heart," said Robinson. "What we didn't do when we lost four games was panic. We knew we had a good squad of players and a good group of lads here. ... If you take positives out of the defeats -- and I know it's hard at the time because it's not nice being beaten 4-0 -- you come away with something.
"They'll probably think they have a psychological edge over us because they've beaten us 4-0. We've got a lot to prove to them because we didn't play [well] that day."
For all of TFC's roster changes since that game, the club will go into Saturday's match without a full compliment of players. Several players are missing from the reserve and full squad due to training camp for the Under-20 World Cup, and to the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
"We're undermanned, we're under strength," said Toronto coach Mo Johnston. "We're really struggling here in terms of having 14 guys."
Canada fell to the United States in the Gold Cup semifinal on Thursday night so TFC defenders Adam Braz and Chris Pozniak should be available for Saturday. Goalkeeper Greg Sutton would be scratched due to lingering effects from a concussion.
Johnston said efforts to recall forward Andrea Lombardo from the U-20 training camp have thus far not panned out, and striker Collin Samuel is in Scotland after spending a week of training with TFC. Johnston said he is still confident of signing Samuel, but the deal won't be done in time for Saturday.
Danny Dichio practiced on Thursday for the first time since spraining his ankle in last Sunday's 4-0 win against FC Dallas. Dichio did some light jogging and stayed out of the intrasquad scrimmage in order to work with team trainers. Johnston said it will be a game-time decision as to whether or not the big forward will be able to play on Saturday.
"The fans are a wee bit upset. They thought big Danny was full of steel," joked Johnston. "He's looking OK. He's still [moving] gingerly, but he should be OK."
Johnston said that in spite of the roster issues and the previous 4-0 loss, his club shouldn't enter Gillette Stadium thinking that the Revolution will take them lightly.
"Stevie [Revs coach Steve Nicol] called me last night, we talk all the time," Johnston said. "He knows what we've picked up; he's seen how we're progressing. Stevie's got a very good team. I've always admired the way New England have played.
"I've said to this group before, anyone in this league can beat anyone, so bring that 'A' game. The Columbus Crew were sitting at the bottom and they beat Kansas City [on Wednesday] 2-1."
Toronto FC are no strangers to upsets. The club's four wins include victories over the defending MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo, and current MLS point-leaders FC Dallas. TFC even found themselves on the nice end of a 4-0 score when they routed FCD last Sunday.
Robinson said his team is much better suited to defend against the Revs' vaunted offensive attack than they were in April.
"What we need to do in games away from home is weather the storm," Robinson said. "Every team has their period of play. Against New York [a 2-1 loss on June 6] we didn't weather the storm, against Dallas we did weather their storm. We know they'll throw the kitchen sink at us in the first 20 minutes, and I think if we can weather that we can win the game."
Then, perhaps Toronto can have a trip to New England that will be worth remembering.
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
