SHAPES OF MLS THE FORMATIONS: When Ryan Nelsen named his starting XI featuring Michael Bradley, Jonathan Osorio and Kyle Bekker, it appeared we could be in for a change of system. Cheap NCAA Jerseys Authentic . Osorio did play a bit deeper than a normal forward, making the fluid system look, at times, like a 4-2-3-1 but, in truth, this system wasnt much different to the one Nelsen has trusted this season. A high-flying FC Dallas threw out no surprises in their lineup, making just one change from their loss to Seattle the previous week with the impressive young right back, Kellyn Acosta, coming back into the side. THE GAME: The three goals all came directly, or indirectly, from set-pieces so the game itself was not won or lost tactically, however, the style adopted by Nelsens team once again threw out many questions about his system. On the balance of play it was probably a game that no team deserved to win or lose, although Toronto FC certainly should have had a chance to score a second goal when, at 1-1, Gilberto was fouled in the box and a penalty was not given. It is worth noting how the chance was created in the first place. By this stage the visitors were sitting very deep, defending a set-piece, when Osorio picked up the ball inside his own half and sent a fantastic pass for the Brazilian to rush onto. The Canadian had a chance to send the ball forward seconds earlier but couldnt connect, but then used his great vision soon after when he demanded the ball get played back to him. Yes, he was deep because of the team was defending the set play but it was another example of Osorios maturation and what he can do when slotted deeper in midfield. (Click for bigger image) From that pass, the referee was a long way behind the play and probably got some assistance from Gilberto getting back up immediately, rather than staying down after the foul was committed. If he had a number of goals scored already this season and wasnt so eager, he probably would have lay on the floor flat out waiting for the call. Osorio didnt come that deep many times in the game but it was interesting to see how effective Toronto were when he did. In the first half, the closest he got to the double pivot of Bekker and Bradley led Dallas to concede the corner that led to Torontos opening goal. Once ahead, Toronto struggled to get a grip on the game. With Osorio playing as an advanced central midfielder it was clear the need to help Gilberto would have to come from the wide areas but this presented several challenges for Nelsens system. Jackson is a worker. He runs a lot. He is a poor mans Ramires. This is not a disrespectful comparison. His countryman has been trusted in massive games to play that wide role to help defend the flank (think Champions League semi final in Barcelona for Chelsea) and Jackson certainly does well with that responsibility. In attack, however, he lacks the creativity and that is fine providing it is available on the opposite flank. Goalscorer Issey Nakajima-Farran had an interesting match. He likes to shoot and get forward, as demonstrated on the goal, and that is something this team needs at the moment but defensively he is a weak link in the system (see below). THE TURNING POINT: Without question, the longer the game would have gone on at 1-0 the stronger Toronto FC would have gotten (as they showed in Columbus) but they conceded a needless corner later in the first half and, subsequently, allowed a simple header to be won to make it 1-1. With the goal, Dallas grew stronger and were able to take advantage of the areas that they were superior, specifically out wide. THE POSITIVES: Nelsens squad was down to the bare minimum with seven players all missing through injuries. Of those seven, the most important were, of course, Jermain Defoe, Doneil Henry and Rey and there is something to be said for going toe-to-toe with a strong Western Conference side without them. Henry would have helped significantly with the aerial battles they lost in the box, while Defoes absence has robbed the club from a chance to really gel a partnership with Gilberto, something that may not reach the heights until August now, if the Englishman does go to the World Cup. Gilberto still has no goals and the detractors will start talking louder this week but he did all he could with what he has. It remains far too soon to jump to conclusions on him. THE NEGATIVES: Despite missing those players, there is a clear concern developing around the productivity, reliability and creativity of the wide players. Whether Nelsen plays a 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1, it really is irrelevant. This team does not keep the ball enough so they have to make sure they are better at counter attacks and servicing whoever is playing up front. Jacksons characteristics have been identified but Nakajima-Farran is very different. Like Alvaro Rey, he can be liability defending a flank. It is difficult to assign blame in this area, depending on his instructions from Nelsen. In a 4-4-1-1, if the man playing off the striker (in this case Osorio) is more naturally a midfielder, rather than a forward, often you might want one of your wide men to go centrally, when in possession, to make up an attacking duo. For this, Nakajima-Farran is ideal. He did it on more than a couple of occasions but the issue is when the opponents react with a quick transition. So far in all of Torontos away matches, the home side have targeted their flanks. Seattle did it, once they trailed 2-0, and Nelsen switched Jackson with Rey after 40 minutes to counter it. Real Salt Lake did it very effectively, (with right-back Tony Beltran winning a US call-up because of it) Columbus less so, and, once again, FC Dallas excelled at it. With Nakajima-Farran not tracking back, left back Jair Benitez has a field day in the first half creating numerous overlaps that, often, looked like this with Nakajima-Farran (highlighted) not helping Mark Bloom defensively. (Click for bigger image) Like in Seattle, Nelsen reacted to this shortly before the 40th minute when he switched Jackson and put Nakajima-Farran with Morrow and away from Benitez and Castillo. Both flanks were still attacked throughout, and the home sides full-backs, between them, made a combined 93 successful pass attempts (Torontos made 44) and although that number is excellent, the chalkboard reveals just how many of them were in advanced areas. It is clear that, no matter who is playing for Toronto, this is the scouting report opponents will follow. It is up to Nelsens team to counter that by improving the skills of those playing in those positions and/or getting more of an attacking threat from central areas, forcing opponents to match them up more centrally. THE STAR MAN: I am struggling to think of a better performance, in the clubs history, from a Toronto FC full back than the one put in by Justin Morrow. Is there anything that fazes him? Dallas attacked on the flanks all night but it didnt have anywhere near as much impact down Morrows side as it did on the opposite one. The left back is a supreme reader of the game, is more than comfortable in one-on-one situations, is physical and moves centrally, when necessary, to help narrow the space and cover for the centre-backs. Dallas, themselves, had excellent performers such as Matt Hedges who won everything in the air, but for the visitors, Morrow was outstanding. Simply put, he is the best left-back this club has ever had by some margin. Cheap College Jerseys 2020 . But qualifying for her first Scotties Tournament of Hearts after years of falling short in tough Manitoba provincial championships is as good as consolation prizes get for the 29-year-old from Winnipegs Fort Rouge Curling Club. Fake College Jerseys . The Sochi organizing committee said in Fridays statement that the torch relay reached the North Pole on Oct. 19. Russian Polar explorer Artur Chilingarov, who led the mission, lit a special bowl at the North Pole sign. https://www.ncaajerseys2020.com/ . Infante hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning and had an RBI single in a four-run fifth against former teammate Justin Verlander, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Tigers 11-8 Monday night. NEW YORK -- The only thing Jenrry Mejia popped Monday night was his fastball. Showing off a sizzling heater with wicked movement, Mejia pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning and led the New York Mets over the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0. Mejia (3-0) bounced back well from a torn blister on his right middle finger that limited him to five innings in his last start. The 24-year-old righty began the game by getting Matt Carpenter to look at three straight strikes, and rarely was in trouble. "Coming off the blister ... we werent sure what he was going to give us," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He gave us more than we expected, for sure." David Wright lined an early RBI single that extended his hitting streak to 12 games and Kyle Farnsworth earned his first save as the New Yorks newest closer. On an evening when the Mets debuted new camouflage tops to salute the military, they looked sharp, particularly on a double play started by shortstop Ruben Tejada. The Cardinals lost for the third time in four games. "Their shortstop kind of stopped any kind of rally from happening," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "Being frustrated, I dont think theres anything wrong with that," he said after the NL champions were shut out for the third time this year. "I think the bigger story is that our offence will get going on a consistent basis." Mejia struck out seven in 6 2-3 innings and walked three. He stretched his scoreless streak to 13 2-3 innings. Mejia said the blister was hardly a concern. The St. Louis hitters were the ones having trouble, not him. "They know my fastball moves," he said. Scott Rice and Carlos Torres each got two outs before Farnsworth, the Mets third closer this year, pitched the ninth for his first save. Farnsworth inherited the role after Bobby Parnell needed Tommy John surgery and Jose Valverde struggled. Farnsworth had two saves last season for Pittsburgh. Tyler Lyons (0-1) lost in his first major league game of the season. Promoted from Triple-A Memphis earrlier in the day to take the rotation spot of injured Joe Kelly, he allowed two runs and six hits in six innings. Fake NCAA Jerseys. A 26-year-old lefty with a big-breaking slider, Lyons struck out seven. Hes another in the long line of tall, homegrown pitchers developed by the Cardinals, and went 2-4 last year in his first big league season. Lyons struck out the first two batters in the third before Eric Young Jr. singled for the Mets first hit. Slumping Curtis Granderson was hit by a pitch and Wright singled for a 1-0 lead. Lyons throwing error on a tapper set up another run in the sixth. Daniel Murphy walked, later stole third and scored on a single by Travis dArnaud. Mejia escaped his biggest jam in the sixth when, with runners at the corners and one out, he retired Matt Holliday on a popup and Matt Adams on a grounder. The previous inning, the Mets backed Mejia with a sweet double play. Tejada dived to stop Jon Jays grounder up the middle and flipped to Murphy, and the second baseman made a barehanded catch and spun quickly for the relay. "Tremendous double play," Collins praised. NOTES: Wright has eight hits in his last three games. He has eight RBIs in eight games. ... Murphy has been safe on 25 straight steal tries. ... Cardinals C Yadier Molina stretched his hitting streak to 12 games. ... Granderson struck out three times. Hes hitless in his last 19 at-bats and is in a 4-for-47 slump that includes 17 strikeouts. ... St. Louis SS Jhonny Peralta was hitless in three at-bats and is in an 0-for-15 rut. ... The Mets promoted 40-year-old OF Bobby Abreu from Triple-A. He didnt get into the game. ... St. Louis RHP Eric Fornataro made his major league debut and pitched a perfect eighth. Molina waited outside the dugout to pat him on the head. ... Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright (3-1, 1.80) starts Tuesday night against RHP Dillon Gee (1-0, 3.71). ... Kelly strained his left hamstring trying to beat out a bunt last week and was put on the 15-day disabled list. ... The Mets have thrown three shutouts this season. ' ' '