Willkommen » ague Soccers reigning MVP Mike Magee. The Odds: The

Toronto FC enter their busiest month of the Major League Soccer season sitting in a great position. With 20 points from their first 12 matches they are fourth in the Eastern Conference. They are within striking distance of the summit, with multiple games in hand on the teams above them as they head to the Windy City to face the Chicago Fire on Wednesday night, live on TSN and TSN Radio 1050. The Reds conceded a late goal to drop a couple of points in New York on Friday in their first game back from the World Cup break, but the 2-2 draw at Red Bull Arena extended their unbeaten run to five matches, their longest run without a defeat in almost two years. It is six years since the only other time Toronto FC managed to take 20 points from their first 12 matches. Last year it took until their 22nd match to reach that mark. So there is much to be positive about as the Reds look to climb the standings during a hectic month ahead. The Form: During their five match unbeaten run, Toronto FC have won three home games and drawn twice away from home. Both of their ties on the road came against teams that are expected to be challenging for the playoffs come the end of the season. First, they showed resilience to fight back late in the game despite being a man down at defending champions Sporting Kansas City, and then last Friday the late goal went against them as they drew 2-2 in New York. For far too many seasons in Major League Soccer, Toronto FC have traveled away and shown very little ability to collect points. But things have changed. Yes there have been a couple of dismal days this season like the defeat at Real Salt Lake, but there have also been wins at Seattle and Columbus as well as the recent draws. This is a team that now has the quality and belief to go anywhere in MLS and get a positive result. The Big Question: Will Jermain Defoe keep scoring? Defoe now has eight goals in nine MLS appearances and theres no reason to believe his goal-scoring touch will disappear anytime soon. Toronto FC paid mega bucks to sign him from Tottenham Hotspur in January, and so far Defoe has been worth every cent. His movement and instinct in-front of goal is as good as any other player in Major League Soccer. He took his goal superbly against New York Red Bulls and has now scored in each of his last three matches. He has five goals in his last five MLS games. With Defoe on the pitch, Toronto FC are in every game. The Lineup: With Gilberto struggling with a hip flexor injury, it could be an unchanged lineup for Ryan Nelsens men. The Brazilian seems to be the only injury concern for Nelsen right now, and until Michael Bradley returns from the World Cup, the eleven against New York is pretty much as strong as it gets for Toronto. Dominic Oduro made his first start for the club against the Red Bulls following his move from Columbus and is likely to start against his former team. Oduro looked lively for the Reds and set up Defoe for TFCs first goal. With Collen Warner, Jonathan Osorio and Jackson completing the midfield, there is plenty of MLS experience. The mid-season additions of Warner and Oduro have really strengthened the Reds midfield. With Gilberto expected to miss out, Defoe and Moore should once again start as the pairing up front. The Opposition: Under new head coach Frank Yallop, it has been a slow start to the season for Chicago Fire. The former Canadian international joined the Fire at the end of last season but his side has found it tough to win games in the opening quarter of the year. They havent lost many, but they head into Wednesdays game sitting bottom of the Eastern Conference. The Fire have secured 14 points from 14 matches, with just two wins, but they have drawn eight times. They lost their final match before the World Cup break 3-2 at home to Seattle Sounders, and will now be without defender Jon Kennedy Hurtado who was sent off in that match. Chicago are without a win in their last four matches since securing impressive victories at New York (5-4) and home to Sporting KC (2-1). Former Toronto FC forward Quincy Amarikwa is having a good season and is the Fires joint leading scorer along with rookie Harry Ship, who scored both goals in the loss to Seattle. Yallops team can also call upon Major League Soccers reigning MVP Mike Magee. The Odds: The history books are on Chicagos side. Toronto FC are without a win in their last eight matches against the Fire dating back to May 2010, and the Reds have never won in Chicago on their seven previous visits. In fact, in 16 all-time meetings, TFC have won just three times. But if there was ever a time for Toronto to put things right in Chicago, it is now. Torontos road form is much improved over past seasons and the Fire have been inconsistent so far this season. However, the wise money would be on a scoring draw. Where To Watch: Join me with Jason de Vos and Kara Lang for Chicago Fire against Toronto FC live on TSN on Wednesday at 8:30pm ET, 5:30pm PT. Paul Krause Vikings Jersey . This weeks Raptors Report puts a bow on Gays brief, 10-month tenure in Toronto and ponders how his absence will affect the teams offence. Are they a better team without him? In addition to acquiring some valuable cap flexibility, what impact will the four incoming players have this season and beyond? Click here for the Dec. Brett Favre Vikings Jersey . Venable and Jeremy Hermida drove in three runs apiece, and the Padres beat the Colorado Rockies 7-2 on Sunday to snap a nine-game losing streak. http://www.thevikingsshoponline.com/Yout...Vikings-Jersey/. -- Another baseball tradition is about to largely disappear: a manager, with a crazed look in his eyes, charging the field and getting into a face-to-face shouting match with an umpire. Dalvin Cook Vikings Jersey .Do you have to be that close? Federer snapped at a TV cameraman hovering nearby as he received medical advice after losing a set on Wednesday.For Nadal and Sharapova, the nuisance was coming from the lowly-ranked qualifiers across the net. Randy Moss Youth Jersey . "I honestly dont know," he said. Try this: 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds by Rajon Rondo, a 62-37 rebounding advantage by the Celtics and a horrible 4-for-30 shooting performance on 3-pointers by the Nets.Each week, well take a look at some top performers from the CFL, with an eye to looking ahead to some matchups that could be favourable for TSN Fantasy Football, CFL Edition, presented by Joseph Abboud. Here are some of the best from Week Four -- its a Lions sweep! -- and players to watch for Week Five: TOP PERFORMERS Emmanuel Arceneaux, WR, British Columbia (8 REC, 145 YDS, 3 TD vs. Montreal) - The fourth year receiver missed the first couple games of the year with a hand injury, and had a modest five catches for 53 yards against Saskatchewan in his season debut, but Arceneaux destroyed the Alouettes secondary with his most receiving yardage in a CFL game since November, 2010. Kevin Glenn, QB, British Columbia (23-for-31, 301 YDS, 2 TD vs. Montreal) - A healthy receiving corps has worked in Glenns favour as he struggled early in the year, but has come on in the past couple weeks. Last weeks 301 passing yards was the first time in nine games, going back to last season, that he passed for more than 300 yards. He still has more interceptions (6) than touchdown passes (5), but Week Four was a good one for Glenn. Andrew Harris, RB, British Columbia (150 YDS, 1 TD, 16 touches vs. Montreal) - The most dangerous offensive player in the CFL, with a league-leading 518 yards from scrimmage, Harris was efficient against Montreal, averaging 9.38 yards per touch on offence, and hes now gained 353 yards from scrimmage in the past two weeks. PLAAYERS TO WATCH IN WEEK FIVE Fred Stamps, WR, Edmonton - Crushed on a hit by Blue Bombers Demond Washington last week, Stamps has apparently recovered and is back.dddddddddddd A five-time 1,000-yard receiver, Stamps hasnt broken out for a big game yet this year and while its not like Calgarys pass defence is a weak spot (ranked fourth), the Eskimos have a pretty good passing attack (also ranked fourth) and Stamps might be overdue for a productive game. Andy Fantuz, WR, Hamilton - Theres some risk involved with any TiCats receiver, given the shaky quarterback situation while Zack Collaros is out, but Fantuz did have seven catches for 59 yards in his season debut last week. Thats enough to make him worth a look against the expansion Redblacks, who allow a league-high 287.0 passing yards per game. Taj Smith, WR, Saskatchewan - The Toronto Argonauts are no prize defensively, either, allowing 285.3 passing yards per game and that could bode well for Smith, the Roughriders top receiver, who has touchdowns in the past two games and had a season-high 82 yards receiving against B.C. in Week Three. Quarterback Darian Durant threw for 295 yards and a couple of scores when the Riders last faced the Argos, so there should be some yardage available for Smith in this matchup. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '