TORONTO - They did not arrive with the hoopla of some of Toronto FCs off-season signings, but Luke Moore, Collen Warner and Dominic Oduro bring a smile to manager Ryan Nelsens face. "They are three brilliant trades," Nelsen said. "Those players have elevated us as a team to probably a next level. "We might not see that until four or five more games, but I think some of the quality of our play has been very good. You see it in training, see the levels have just got so much better and better." For Nelsen, no matter how good your designated players are — and with striker Jermain Defoe and midfielder Michael Bradley, Toronto has two excellent ones while the verdict is still out on Brazil forward Gilberto — a talented supporting cast is essential. A chock-a-block July schedule should allow Moore, Warner and Oduro to bed in with TFC. Toronto (6-5-3) has played two games already this month and has five more league games and a high-profile friendly with Tottenham left in July. Next up are the 5-10-3 Houston Dynamo, who visit BMO Field on tonight. The two meet again July 19 in Houston. The six points on offer are especially valuable given Toronto, despite having played four fewer games, holds a slim three-point edge over Houston in the Eastern Conference standings. Unlike Toronto, the Dynamo are enjoying a leisurely schedule in July with just four games. But Houston has been suspect on the road with a 1-7-1 record this season, scoring five goals while conceding 20. Thats two more than Toronto has in 14 games home and away. And Houston ranks worst in the league in goals allowed, averaging 1.89 a game. Toronto will likely have to make do Saturday without Bradley, who wanted to play immediately upon his return from the World Cup. Nelsen started the U.S. international last week, moving Bradley farther up the field in a revamped formation. "I look back and regret it," Nelsen said. "I tried to play Michael ahead of Brad (Orr) and Warner, more to save his legs. But after abound five minutes when he picked the ball off the centre-backs and was behind the centre-backs and started players, he just ended up going to what he knows and it kind of got us out of sync. "Too many guys doing very similar jobs. We changed it in the second half and it was more like us." Nelsen replaced Orr with Oduro at halftime and put Jonathan Osorio on for Bradley after 61 minutes. Nelsen kept Bradley out of training this week, allowing him to recover from a variety of niggling injuries and its expected the American star will watch from the sidelines Saturday. Orr will likely start in his place alongside Warner. On the plus side, Gilberto has returned to training from a hip flexor and is eligible for selection. The Brazilian will likely start on the bench with Moore partnering Defoe. "Me and JD, we enjoy playing with each other," said Moore. "We have good understanding on the pitch." The Dynamo have suffered in midfield from an injury to Ricardo Clark (concussion) and the World Cup absences of American Brad Davis and Honduran Boniek Garcia. All three were back for last weeks 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls, with Davis converting an 82nd-minute penalty to secure the tie. Houston has not won a league game since a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on May 17. The Dynamo are winless in six since — a 1-5 stretch that has seen them outscored 15-2. "Their position in the table probably doesnt really resemble the quality in their squad," said Nelsen. "I think theyll make a typical Houston run (in the second half of the season). Its when youre in these ruts, how can you get out of them? And theyre in one and they just cant seem to get a win." For Toronto, the game is a chance to put last weeks 2-1 loss to D.C. United behind it. That defeat turned a six-game unbeaten streak into a three-game winless string. "We let one slip against D.C.," said Nelsen. Now is the time to start turning games in hand into points. Moore, Warner and Oduro will play their part in that endeavour. Moore has three goals in seven games since joining Toronto from the Colorado Rapids on May 8 for defender Gale Agbossoumonde. "Hes been brilliant," Nelsen said of Moore. "I thought he was really good in the New York game (a 2-2 tie June 27) but I think hes just got better and better. Now hes playing with Jermain a lot, their understandings really good. And that second half against D.C. (United), nobody could get near those two. They were very good." Moore turned heads at an early age. He made his Premier League debut at 18 with Aston Villa and scored his first Villa hat trick at 19. Moore went on to play for West Bromwich Albion, Derby County, Swansea City and Turkeys Elazigspor before coming to MLS. Captain Steven Caldwell, who played against Moore in England, points to the strikers skills in holding up the ball. "Hes got a lovely touch and brings people into the game. Nice turns. A very elegant player." Added Nelsen: "His feet and vision are fantastic." That works well with Defoe, who uses his speed and vision to separate from defenders. Warner arrived May 16 from the Montreal Impact in exchange for Canadian international midfielder Issey Nakajima-Farran and allocation money. Hes expected to play a key role in midfield, allowing Bradley to move forward as needed. "Hes been absolutely outstanding since hes come here, I think you can see his quality on the park," said Caldwell. "Hes obviously a combative midfielder with passing range and very good feet on him." Warner, a 26-year-old from Denver, now has a home in Toronto, taking over Ryan Richters place after the fullback was loaned to Ottawa Fury FC. Oduro came from Columbus on June 6 in exchange for Spanish midfielder Alvaro Rey. He provides pace on the flank, a scoring threat who can also play up front. Oduro also brings league savvy, having made a combined 235 league and playoff appearances before pulling on a Toronto Jersey. NOTES — Rookie centre back Nick Hagglund is suspended after receiving a red card last week. That opens the way for Doneil Henry to move back into the centre of defence alongside Caldwell.
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Comprar nike Roshe Run España .com) - Blake Griffin had 23 points and eight rebounds as the Los Angeles Clippers routed the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-101 on Monday night.VANCOUVER -- Alex Anthopoulos was a busy man last off-season. The Toronto Blue Jays general manager made a series of bold moves that reshaped the club ahead of what would turn out to be a disastrous 2013 campaign. The lead-up to the 2014 season has been relatively quiet in comparison, with the Blue Jays biggest splash coming when they cut ties with catcher J.P Arencibia and replaced him with free-agent Dioner Navarro. While that deal wasnt not on the same level as the headline-grabbing acquisitions of Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and R.A. Dickey, Anthopoulos says he wont be adding any pieces through trade or free agency unless it fits into the teams model. "We made a lot of big moves early last off-season. It wasnt by design, it just worked out that way," Anthopoulos said Friday. "Weve had a lot of dialogue. Theres still a lot of players out there, just havent been able to line up with respect to a price, whether its trade or free-agent cost. "We do have the ability on some trade fronts to just say Yes. We know what the asking prices are -- just not willing to pay that price. From a free-agent standpoint ... we have been given a price and we just dont necessarily see the value right now." The starting rotation continues to be a point of emphasis after a miserable 2013 that saw Toronto finish last in the American League East after starting the season as World Series favourites. Free agent starters Ervin Santana or Ubaldo Jimenez are still on the open market, but Anthopoulos said theres a chance that the rotation could be filled out from within. "We have a lot of candidates and a lot of options. Someone like Brandon Morrow coming back (from injury) is a huge boost for us, some of our young kids that are coming back are certainly going help," he said. "We still have dialogue and try to upgrade but we do have some upside to some of the guys that are coming back." Anthopoulos, who was in town for a luncheon with the single-A Vancouver Canadians, also touched on the New York Yankees signing of Japanese starter Masahiro Tanaka earlier this week. The 25-year-old right-hander inked a seven-year deal worth $155 million dollars with Torontos AL East rivals that also includes a $20-millionn dollar payment to his club team.dddddddddddd The Blue Jays, who have an internal policy of not signing player contracts longer than five years, were rumoured to be in the running for Tanakas services early on in the process. "Obviously hes a great starter and there was a lot speculation on where the dollars would go just based on the previous two Japanese starters (Daisuke Matsuzaka and Yu Darvish)," said Anthopoulos. "I think it was expected that he would go north of (their price tags) -- $175 million, I dont know if anybody predicted that. "Hes very talented and the Yankees certainly got better." Anthopoulos said the Blue Jays use the five-year limit on contracts as "a guideline" but tend to shy away from longer-term deals because they offer clubs very little wiggle room. "Weve held firm on our five-year policy in terms of contracts. When free agents are signing for seven, eight years, then normally thats where we tap out," he said. "We definitely have the resources financially in terms of annual value and salaries and things like that. I think weve proven that with some of the players we have acquired. But just the length of term -- very rarely do those seven-, eight-year deals work out." Anthopoulos and manager John Gibbons will be feeling the heat if the Blue Jays stumble out of the gate as the they did in 2013. Fans flocked to Rogers Centre with dreams of a return to the teams glory years of the early 1990s that included two World Series titles, but were instead bitterly disappointed with the product on the field. With pitchers and catchers set to report for spring training on Feb. 17, a repeat in 2014 surely wont fly. "Youre always anxious to try to improve the club and to add to it, but you dont necessarily have to guard against it when you know theres a deal that just doesnt make any sense," said Anthopoulos. "We just dont want to force a deal and do it for the sake of doing it. "We want to make moves that we think are going to help the club. If we have to go more years and dollars than we believe in, people might get excited now but a few months into it we may be regretting that deal and be hamstrung with a contract that we dont want."
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