Despite Their Win, Toronto FC Lose A Key Player

Toronto FC took on Eastern Conference rivals Atlanta United FC in a snow-free grudge match that saw the home side emerge victorious. Despite this victory, Toronto FC lost a key player which is sure to put a huge dent in their pursuit to top the Major League Soccer standings once again..right?

Although Insigne is being subbed out with yet another injury, this may not be as significant of a blow as many pundits and fans think. Sure, the tiny Italian from Napoli often comes up large in crunch time, but many factors at play will allow Toronto FC to continue at the pace they are currently playing at.

For starters, many young or new players will have the opportunity to step up and fill the void left by Insigne, which could allow many players to get comfortable in the squad. New players like Newcastle product Matty Longstaff and Toronto’s first-overall draft pick Tyrese Spicer could benefit from getting more touches on the ball in future games.

As we saw against Atlanta United, these two players improved throughout the game, getting more and more comfortable with each touch. Spicer netted his first goal of the 2024 MLS campaign which could be the boost in confidence that propels him forward for The Reds attacking core.

Of course, many of TFC’s key players will also benefit from extended playing time and having certain plays run through them now as opposed to Insigne. Fellow Italian Federico Bernadeschi has been in form. After Insigne’s injury occurred, Bernadeschi was able to create one chance after another doing everything but put the ball in the back of the net.

I have only ever seen Bernadeschi play like this a handful of times with Toronto FC. Something seems different with him this season. He attacks the box, creates scoring opportunities, and draws multiple defenders toward him opening up passing chances. This injury could allow Bernadeschi to stay in form and regain some of his confidence from when he was playing Serie A.

Overall, Toronto FC does lose one of their star players. However, this is a matter of how Toronto FC can grow going forward. Can they handle the pressure, can they handle the workload, will the lack of presence from Insigne be noticeable or exploited? We fans will have to wait and see as Toronto takes on Sporting Kansas City this Saturday, March 30th at BMO Field. Feel free to let me know how you think Toronto FC will fair by Tweeting me (@NicolasJFerrari) on X.

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