After a tumultuous week in which head coach Predrag (Preki) Radosavljevic was fired, Toronto FC looks to end its poor road record in Major League Soccer with a match Saturday against the Western Conference cellar dwellers, Houston Dynamo.
Interim head coach Nick Dasovic faces a game-strategy dilemma, with TFC needing all three points from a win to have a chance at qualifying for the playoffs. TFC (7-10-7) trails the Seattle Sounders for the eighth and final playoff spot by five points.
Does Dasovic opt for an open attacking style which the Reds played unsuccessfully against Real Salt Lake in midweek – losing 4-1 in the CONCACAF Champions League game – or does he stick closer to the defensive formation favoured by Preki?
The rational answer is, somewhere in between.
On paper, TFC should be able to exploit the Dynamo (6-12-5), who traded arguably their best player, Brian Mullan, to Colorado on deadline day. Returning to play against his former team, Toronto star Dwayne De Rosario (nine goals) will be up against a midfield missing Lovel Palmer (suspension) and Anthony Obodai (surgery).
However, Toronto has played consecutive midweek CONCACAF matches, while Houston is rested after an off-week.
