Michael Bradley is gone, training with the United States Men’s National Team in the lead up to the World Cup in Brazil. Now, more than ever, this is Jermain Defoe’s team.
Saturday’s game against New York provided an intriguing matchup. Thierry Henry, who watched his Gunners lift their first trophy in nine years hours prior, and Bradley Wright-Phillips had been terrorizing MLS.
On the other end was Defoe and Gilberto for TFC. The plan, and we continue to see progress being made, is for them to serve as the Reds’ version of Henry and Wright-Phillips.
12 minutes in Defoe sent a charge into the crowd, scoring a goal that can only be described as superb. The run in, the pass from Bradley Orr and the finish were exactly perfect. Orr must’ve been watching some Xavi highlights last week.
Immediately following Defoe’s fourth tally of the season the comments rolled in. Search ‘Defoe and World Cup’ and it wouldn’t take long to see what many people contended: England will regret not taking the former Tottenham striker to Brazil.
The game still had a lot in, with newcomer Luke Moore recording his first goal as a member of Toronto FC. A 2-0 win was just what the doctor ordered following a rough league stretch that saw TFC drop three in a row. They’re back to .500 now and on track to rack up some pivotal mid-season wins.
Defoe was the focus post-match. Ryan Nelsen was delighted with his player’s response to the England snub.
"That's exactly how I thought he would react," said Nelsen, "A brilliant goal, wasn't it?”
"That's Jermain Defoe. And that's why England will miss him dearly, I think, come World Cup time."
Henry, full of praise for his former North London rival, reminded fans Defoe had been scoring those type of goals since he was 14.
And then there was the man himself. Defoe’s candid comments following his omission from Roy Hodgson’s 23-man England roster were a breath of fresh air. The 31-year-old was devastated by the news and made that clear in an interview with the BBC.
Honesty is not something we always get from those involved in professional sports. There are multiple reasons for this, and most of them center on maintaining a competitive advantage against your opponents. It’s always interesting to see the veil drop from time to time. To hear what a player is really thinking.
This was Defoe from the heart, and he echoed the same sentiments post-match.
“It’s only normal when you get a disappointment to try to prove people wrong, and just to remind people, at the end of the day, this is what I’m doing,” he said. “I think I did that today.”
He certainly did. No, Defoe will not be going to Brazil, but his presence during a crucial time in Toronto FC’s season is a boon for Nelsen’s club.
“Not only is the movement world class, his touch and finish is breathtaking really,” said Orr. “That’s why he’s the best.”
“He’s the best for a reason, because he works on his game so much.”
No one doubts Defoe’s commitment to honing his craft, and with Bradley away that leadership will prove decisive.
Defoe playing with a chip on his shoulder is a scary prospect for the rest of MLS. It might be an even scarier one for Hodgson.
