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Better times should be ahead for Toronto FC and Charlotte FC after last weekend.
They'll meet Saturday night in Charlotte hoping to create positives after miserable experiences in their most recent matches.
Toronto (3-3-1, 10 points) absorbed a 4-0 thrashing on the road to the Vancouver Whitecaps.
But there has been success this season as well for Toronto.
"We'll get back," Toronto coach John Herdman said.
Charlotte (2-3-2, 8 points) didn't have a bad margin of defeat last weekend, but a 1-0 loss at New England came in rainy and cold conditions.
"We're creating good chances," Charlotte midfielder Ashley Westwood said. "There's always improvement. We're creating 1-on-1. We're working to make it better. We'll focus this week on putting it right."
A trend has developed in some of the goals allowed by Toronto. Opponents have taken advantage of set pieces that have resulted in 1-on-1 situations in front of the net.
"It has got to get our attention," Herdman said. "That responsibility (is) to make sure those lines are always set and organized."
There also have been troublesome goals allowed in transition by Toronto. In total, seven goals have been scored against the team in the last two matches combined.
"We (had one of) the best defensive records in the league coming into the last two games and then conceding seven goals in two matches, it starts there," Herdman said. "Looking to strengthen coming into a tough match against Charlotte."
It's time for a reboot of sorts.
"Go into the Charlotte game with a different intensity, a different mindset," Herdman said. "For us has got to be, when you're on the road, you have to be hard to beat. It's the starting point."
Toronto captain Jonathan Osorio said the team has motivation that should be beneficial in recovering from a bad defeat. There are voids in concentration that should be addressed prior to the Charlotte match.
"We don't lack effort," Osorio said. "There's lots to improve. Look to move forward."
Charlotte coach Dean Smith and players are offering support for forward Patrick Agyemang, who has had some missed chances. He failed to convert a top-notch chance in the New England match.
"He's not the only one who can score goals," Westwood said. "Patrick is the striker. That's part of his job. It's not just him that can score goals."
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Report: How Levy can break transfer stand-off and sign 'amazing' player for Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur have not been able to get a deal for Morgan Gibbs-White across the line so far. The 25-year-old is a key target for the North London club, but they have not been able to secure an agreement with Nottingham Forest. Tottenham were looking to pay his £60 release clause this summer, but Nottingham Forest believe that they obtained the information about his release clause illegally, and therefore, they are furious with the situation. Nottingham Forest do not want to do business with Tottenham this summer, and Dan Plumley has now revealed to Football Insider that the deal would only go through if Tottenham agree to pay over the odds for the midfielder. It seems that they will have to pay over his release clause to end the transfer stand-off between the two clubs. Tottenham can end transfer feud He said: “I guess if you look at the Forest to Tottenham piece with where they started, it stands to reason that Forest probably won’t want to do business with Spurs on this one, given how Forest feels like they’ve approached the player without Forest’s consent. “I think you would get a block there between Forest wanting to do business with Spurs on this player, unless Spurs increase their fee substantially, then that’s up for debate.” Will Levy agree to overpay for Morgan Gibbs-White? It will be interesting to see if Daniel Levy is willing to sanction the move and outlay in the coming weeks. He has a reputation for being a difficult man to negotiate with, and he does not have a track record of overpaying for signings. With Nottingham Forest also taking a stubborn approach, it will be interesting to see which of the two parties decides to give in eventually. The 25-year-old is reportedly keen on the transfer, and he will fancy the possibility of playing for Tottenham next season. They will be able to offer him Champions League football and the opportunity to play alongside quality players. Tottenham need more quality in the final third, and Gibbs-White would be a solid acquisition. He had 17 goal contributions last season, and he could transform Tottenham in the attack. Gibbs-White has been labelled as “amazing’ by Thomas Tuchel.
Why as many as 100 NFL players are facing fines and potential suspension
There is not a bigger sporting event in North America than the Super Bowl, and tickets are only getting more expensive every year. There is also a ridiculous secondary market for tickets where seats sell for well above the original face value. It is usually fans or ticket resellers going for a quick profit. But as was reported on Friday, sometimes it can be players in the NFL looking to make a profit. According to multiple reports, including the Associated Press and ESPN, more than 100 players are facing fines and potential suspensions for selling their allotment of tickets to this year's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for above face value. Players are reportedly facing fines of one-and-a-half times the face value they originally paid for the tickets, while they are also prevented from purchasing tickets to the Super Bowl for the next seasons. The Associated Press obtained a memo from the NFL detailing the violation and investigation. That memo was as follows: “Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.” If players are not willing to pay the fine, they could be facing suspension from the league. It seems unlikely that any of the players — none of whom have been named, or their teams — would refuse to pay such a fine. It's also one of those moments where you can say, professional athletes — they're still normal people trying to make a quick buck. The most logical answer here is perhaps some of the players caught up in this are younger players who have not yet struck it rich on a big contract or perhaps even practice squad players who are not making top dollar.
Five potential landing spots for Christian Wilkins after stunning Raiders release
The Las Vegas Raiders just stunned the league by releasing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins after only one year with the team. After signing a four-year, $110 million contract, he struggled with injuries in 2024. This was supposed to be a big bounce-back year for Wilkins, but after a dispute between the two sides in regard to how to handle his foot injury, the team decided it was best to part ways. Now, a premier interior disruptor is suddenly available. Assuming his medicals get checked out soon, there should be a lot of interest around the league. Where should he land? Dallas Cowboys Dallas has needed a dominant interior presence for quite some time. Osa Odighizuwa is an awesome threat, but he is only solid against the run. Alongside him, the team will be banking heavily on 2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith, who has been disappointing so far. With Dallas looking to return to the playoffs, adding a stud like Wilkins could give Dallas one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. San Francisco 49ers The 49ers added some young bodies in CJ West and Alfred Collins, yet neither offer a proven, all-around talent like Wilkins could if healthy. The 49ers defensive line was horrid outside of Nick Bosa in 2024, but by adding Wilkins, the team would now have a solid cast of starters with Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Wilkins and Kevin Givens/Jordan Elliott. Miami Dolphins A return to Miami makes a ton of sense for both sides. The Dolphins know exactly how to use Wilkins, he knows the building and players, and the transition would be very easy. Miami needs help in the interior defensive line; by plugging Wilkins back into his old role, he could offer the quickest path to high-level impact. Detroit Lions With Levi Onwuzurike out with injury and Detroit needing more juice on the defensive line, adding a proven disruptor like Wilkins could make some sense. He could provide more depth while he gets fully healthy, and he can join a legit Super Bowl contender. His energy and mentality could be a good fit for a Dan Campbell-led squad. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars defense is average in the interior, but they have excellent edge-rushers who would benefit greatly from a strong disruptor up the middle. Wilkins could balance the front, help in the run defense and allow more one-on-ones for their premier edge-rushers. For a team that wants to return to the playoffs as soon as possible, adding a veteran like Wilkins could be a worthy bet to make.
Sherrone Moore says Michigan will do away with controversial celebration
Michigan and Ohio State are sure to play another spirited game on the gridiron this season, but it sounds like there will be no flag planting afterward regardless of the outcome. Michigan won its fourth straight game against Ohio State last season, and the Wolverines' latest victory was the biggest upset the rivalry has seen in years. The eventual national champion Buckeyes were ranked No. 2 in the country when an unranked Michigan team went into Columbus and beat them, 13-10. A huge scrum broke out after the game when Michigan players stood on Ohio State's midfield logo and pretended to plant their flag in enemy territory. The brawl got so out of hand that stadium police wound up using pepper spray. While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said his players will not be partaking in any flag-planting activity going forward. "There will be no more flag planting. There will be no more grabbing the flag," Moore said. "We talked about our new tradition and what we do when we win a game is go beat the band, go sing our (fight song) and stay over there until the other team departs. That's how we'll operate — shake hands after the game, show sportsmanship, be cordial." While there has been no formal ban of flag planting, Ohio State coach Ryan Day also expressed opposition to the act after last year's incident. Ohio State and Michigan have one of the best rivalries in sports, so there is always going to be bad blood between the two programs. Moore and Day are doing what they can to make sure things don't get out of hand again the next time their teams meet.
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