Five Questions: Revolution at Toronto FC

In the six seasons of Toronto’s existence, there haven’t been many must-see games between the Reds and Revolution. Correction. There haven’t been any must-see matches between the so-called conference rivals.

Sure, we’ve seen moments of brilliance unfold. Michael Parkhurst’s 55-yard goal in 2007 comes to mind. So does Zack Schilawski’s hat trick in 2010. Both have been etched into the minds of many Revolution supporters.

But let’s be honest: were either of those games circled on the calender months in advance? Were people clamoring for the next Revolution-Toronto clash? Has anyone ever said, “Forget Red Bulls-Revs. I’m going to wild out when Toronto and the Revs play?” I ask, and I answer: no.

Until now. With ex-Revs assistant Paul Mariner taking over as head coach in Toronto earlier this month, Saturday’s match just got a heck of a lot more interesting.

Not only will Mariner face his former team, he’ll match wits with a former player along the touchline. Yes, it wasn’t that long ago that Jay Heaps was the one taking instructions from the former Ipswich Town striker.

It’ll be subplots galore on Saturday. So before we watch them unfold, we’ve got questions. Five of ’em, in fact.

1. How much does Paul Mariner really know about this group of Revolution? It’s been three years since Mariner left the Revs to pursue his coaching dreams at Plymouth Argyle. Much has changed since. Not only is Steve Nicol gone, but so have a host of players from that time. In fact, only three of Saturday’s projected starters were on the Revs when Mariner was on board: Matt Reis, Kevin Alston and Chris Tierney. Granted, Mariner may know a little more about Jay Heaps than any other opposing coach. But, in terms of insight, so much has happened in Foxboro since his departure that it’s unlikely that any remaining insight will give the Reds the leg up.

2. Can the Revolution survive without Shalrie Joseph in the midfield? Barring a medical miracle, they’ll no choice but to. The skipper was listed as out on Friday’s injury report, leaving the Revs to ponder Saturday’s clash without him. The last time the Revs took to the field without their general came on Apr. 14, a game which they lost 2-1 to D.C. In that contest, the Revs struggled to impose their will in the midfield and looked predictably disheveled for much of the match. But that was D.C. This time it’s Toronto – which only boasts a single victory thus far. So, yes, it is possible for the Revs to see the result through on Saturday. But it’ll take another midfield cog to deliver, which leads us to our next question…

3. Will we see Clyde Simms, and if we do, for how long? Earlier this week, Jay Heaps proclaimed the defensive midfielder “ready to go” for Saturday. What that means, only Heaps knows for certain. Simms saw limited action (24 minutes) in Sunday’s reserve game, which could mean one of two things: 1) he’s not ready to start yet, or 2.) he’s definitely ready to start, and was taken off as a precaution. Whatever the scenario, the bottom line is this: expect to see Simms back on the field, whether at the opening whistle or coming on as a second half sub.

4. Can the Revolution defense make it three clean sheets in a row? Consecutive shutouts have shown that the Revs can get results even without their attack in top form. And it’ll be up to the defense to do it again, especially with Danny Koevermans and Torsten Frings on the field. OK, so Toronto’s attack, which has only produced 11 goals all season, isn’t exactly giving the rest of the league nightmares. But the 3-3 midweek draw against Houston’s suffocating style should serve notice that the Revolution back four won’t have it easy on Saturday.

5. What will Saer Sene need to do to resume his scoring form? Sene’s been kept off the scoresheet since his seventh goal arrived on May 26. And it’s not hard to see why. Back-to-back games against counter-attacking sides have left Sene searching for his eighth goal for nearly four weeks. On Saturday, however, Toronto’s terrible defense – which is tied with FC Dallas for the most goals allowed this season with 26 – presents a rare opportunity to inflict some damage. While Sene may be no secret to the Reds, look for him link with Blake Brettschneider – whom Sene seems to play with better up top over Jose Moreno to find the scoresheet. Another player Sene will have to lean on heavily is Benny Feilhaber, who can provide a picture-perfect pass on short notice.