Toronto FC will pose plenty of challenges to whichever teams (let’s hope it’s plural) face them in the MLS playoffs, but the element of surprise will not be one of them.
Last season, the Reds signed two important players in the summer and switched to a 3-5-2 formation on the eve of the postseason. This year, that system has long been established as their default setting and Nicolas Hasler, likely to be their only midseason addition, will probably only feature prominently if Steven Beitashour’s recovery from injury is slower than hoped.
There is still time for that to change, but Toronto are five points clear at the top of the table and it probably won’t.