their top need -- with the top pick Thursday night.SHAPES O

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SASKATOON - Audio was not required for Brad Gushues fourth-end meeting with his teammates Sunday at the Canadian mens curling championship Sunday. Arjen Robben Authentic Jersey . The body language of the skip and his curling team from Newfoundland and Labrador said it all when they congregated where the ice and blue carpet meet. Tied 2-2 against Ontarios Glenn Howard at that point, Gushue delivered a few terse words while turned partially away from Ryan Fry, Adam Casey and Geoff Walker. They listened with chastised expressions. Its been that kind of start for Newfoundland. Gushue skipped Canada to its first Olympic gold medal in mens curling in 2006. His team was considered a second-tier contender at the 2012 Tim Hortons Brier behind Alberta and Ontario because of the elite curling experience Gushue has amassed at 31. Hes skipping his province at the Brier for a ninth time. Gushues team was a runner-up in 2007 and finished third last year in London, Ont. But Newfoundland stumbled out of the gates this year at 0-3, with two of those losses in an extra end. They fell 6-5 to Ontario in 11 ends Sunday afternoon. A new young front end playing in their first Brier, plus the move of Fry from second to third, requires Gushue to now be a teacher as well as a teammate. "Theres times throughout the year where you have to be the teacher. You have to revert back to being a teammate pretty quick," Gushue observed. "Thats something Ive never had to do before. "Especially in moments like this when theyre not used to it and I am, sometimes I expect a little bit more because to me, this is exciting, fun, its normal. For them, its abnormal. They havent played in front of 10,000 people before. It is an adjustment and its going to take time." Pre-tournament favourite Kevin Koe of Alberta was the lone undefeated team at 3-0 after the opening weekend. The Calgary Glencoe Club foursome picked up a pair of easy wins Sunday with a 9-2 thrashing of Quebec and a 9-4 victory against New Brunswick. "Our plan going out there was to play aggressive and hopefully get off to a good lead," Koe said. "Once we get up, were pretty strong." Manitobas Rob Fowler won his third in a row -- an 8-3 win over Prince Edward Island -- to sit 3-1 alongside Nova Scotias Jamie Murphy. "Having been around these events a lot watching family play and curling with (former champion) Jeff Stoughton, momentum is a huge thing," said Fowler, whose mother Lois and father Brian both played in Canadian championships. "If we can maintain that, its going to be very helpful for us. We get a bit of a break now, just the one game tomorrow, and if we can use that momentum to get a win, well be happy with where were at." Murphys winning streak ended at three as his Halifax foursome fell 8-6 to New Brunswicks Terry Odishaw. Ontarios Glenn Howard, Jamie Koe of Yukon/Northwest Territories, Northern Ontarios Brad Jacobs and Saskatchewans Scott Manners were all 2-1. Jamie Koe, who is Kevins brother, beat both Northern Ontario and Ontario on Sunday. "Its always good to beat one of the top teams in the world," he said after a 10-6 win an extra end over Howard in the evening draw. Howard played without regular lead Craig Savill who was ill. Howards son Scott played instead. Quebecs Robert Desjardins and B.C.s Jim Cotter were both 2-1. New Brunswick was 1-3 and Prince Edward Islands Mike Gaudet was winless in four games. Gushue and former teammates Mark Nichols, Jamie Korab and Mike Adams were all on the same learning curve a decade ago en route to the 2005 Olympic trials. Adams agreed to step aside and become an alternate prior to the trials, so Gushue could insert veteran Russ Howard into the lineup for an experienced voice on the team. As Russ Howard mentored Gushue en route to gold in Turin, Italy, now Gushue shepherds an inexperienced team on the national curling stage. Up until this season he had Nichols at third, but Gushues long-time teammate decided last spring he needed a break from the sport. Gushue predicted the day before this years Brier got underway that his team could be "really good or really bad." "Its somewhere in between to be quite honest," he said Sunday. "Its not really bad by any means. Were right there and one shot, we win each game. But its not really good either. We need to get the really good going for the next seven or eight games." Gushue opened the 2007 national championship 1-3 and still reached the final. "Were not counting ourselves out," he said. "Definitely it seems like if it can go wrong, its going wrong for us right now. Thats a challenging thing. Youve got to try and stay positive, youve got to try and throw the rock well. "Eventually it all evens out. Ive been around this game long enough that all it might take is one shot, one end and it can turn around." Ron Vlaar Netherland Jersey . The squad is expected to be divided into 23 players with seven back-ups, although FIFA regulations require only a 30-man provisional squad to be named by May 13. Jasper Cillessen Youth Jersey . 1 overall pick likes best about football. "Big hits," he said. "Im all about hitting. I dont care who it is." Thats what the Houston Texans are counting on from the South Carolina defensive end after skipping a chance to take a quarterback -- their top need -- with the top pick Thursday night.SHAPES OF MLS THE FORMATIONS: When Ryan Nelsen named his starting XI featuring Michael Bradley, Jonathan Osorio and Kyle Bekker, it appeared we could be in for a change of system. Osorio did play a bit deeper than a normal forward, making the fluid system look, at times, like a 4-2-3-1 but, in truth, this system wasnt much different to the one Nelsen has trusted this season. A high-flying FC Dallas threw out no surprises in their lineup, making just one change from their loss to Seattle the previous week with the impressive young right back, Kellyn Acosta, coming back into the side. THE GAME: The three goals all came directly, or indirectly, from set-pieces so the game itself was not won or lost tactically, however, the style adopted by Nelsens team once again threw out many questions about his system. On the balance of play it was probably a game that no team deserved to win or lose, although Toronto FC certainly should have had a chance to score a second goal when, at 1-1, Gilberto was fouled in the box and a penalty was not given. It is worth noting how the chance was created in the first place. By this stage the visitors were sitting very deep, defending a set-piece, when Osorio picked up the ball inside his own half and sent a fantastic pass for the Brazilian to rush onto. The Canadian had a chance to send the ball forward seconds earlier but couldnt connect, but then used his great vision soon after when he demanded the ball get played back to him. Yes, he was deep because of the team was defending the set play but it was another example of Osorios maturation and what he can do when slotted deeper in midfield. (Click for bigger image) From that pass, the referee was a long way behind the play and probably got some assistance from Gilberto getting back up immediately, rather than staying down after the foul was committed. If he had a number of goals scored already this season and wasnt so eager, he probably would have lay on the floor flat out waiting for the call. Osorio didnt come that deep many times in the game but it was interesting to see how effective Toronto were when he did. In the first half, the closest he got to the double pivot of Bekker and Bradley led Dallas to concede the corner that led to Torontos opening goal. Once ahead, Toronto struggled to get a grip on the game. With Osorio playing as an advanced central midfielder it was clear the need to help Gilberto would have to come from the wide areas but this presented several challenges for Nelsens system. Jackson is a worker. He runs a lot. He is a poor mans Ramires. This is not a disrespectful comparison. His countryman has been trusted in massive games to play that wide role to help defend the flank (think Champions League semi final in Barcelona for Chelsea) and Jackson certainly does well with that responsibility. In attack, however, he lacks the creativity and that is fine providing it is available on the opposite flank. Goalscorer Issey Nakajima-Farran had an interesting match. He likes to shoot and get forward, as demonstrated on the goal, and that is something this team needs at the moment but defensively he is a weak link in the system (see below). THE TURNING POINT: Without question, the longer the game would have gone on at 1-0 the stronger Toronto FC would have gotten (as they showed in Columbus) but they conceded a needless corner later in the first half and, subsequently, allowed a simple header to be won to make it 1-1. With the goal, Dallas grew stronger and were able to take advantage of the areas that they were superior, specifically out wide. THE POSITIVES: Nelsens squad was down to the bare minimum with seven players all missing through injuries. Of those seven, the most importtant were, of course, Jermain Defoe, Doneil Henry and Rey and there is something to be said for going toe-to-toe with a strong Western Conference side without them. Robin van Persie Womens Jersey. Henry would have helped significantly with the aerial battles they lost in the box, while Defoes absence has robbed the club from a chance to really gel a partnership with Gilberto, something that may not reach the heights until August now, if the Englishman does go to the World Cup. Gilberto still has no goals and the detractors will start talking louder this week but he did all he could with what he has. It remains far too soon to jump to conclusions on him. THE NEGATIVES: Despite missing those players, there is a clear concern developing around the productivity, reliability and creativity of the wide players. Whether Nelsen plays a 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1, it really is irrelevant. This team does not keep the ball enough so they have to make sure they are better at counter attacks and servicing whoever is playing up front. Jacksons characteristics have been identified but Nakajima-Farran is very different. Like Alvaro Rey, he can be liability defending a flank. It is difficult to assign blame in this area, depending on his instructions from Nelsen. In a 4-4-1-1, if the man playing off the striker (in this case Osorio) is more naturally a midfielder, rather than a forward, often you might want one of your wide men to go centrally, when in possession, to make up an attacking duo. For this, Nakajima-Farran is ideal. He did it on more than a couple of occasions but the issue is when the opponents react with a quick transition. So far in all of Torontos away matches, the home side have targeted their flanks. Seattle did it, once they trailed 2-0, and Nelsen switched Jackson with Rey after 40 minutes to counter it. Real Salt Lake did it very effectively, (with right-back Tony Beltran winning a US call-up because of it) Columbus less so, and, once again, FC Dallas excelled at it. With Nakajima-Farran not tracking back, left back Jair Benitez has a field day in the first half creating numerous overlaps that, often, looked like this with Nakajima-Farran (highlighted) not helping Mark Bloom defensively. (Click for bigger image) Like in Seattle, Nelsen reacted to this shortly before the 40th minute when he switched Jackson and put Nakajima-Farran with Morrow and away from Benitez and Castillo. Both flanks were still attacked throughout, and the home sides full-backs, between them, made a combined 93 successful pass attempts (Torontos made 44) and although that number is excellent, the chalkboard reveals just how many of them were in advanced areas. It is clear that, no matter who is playing for Toronto, this is the scouting report opponents will follow. It is up to Nelsens team to counter that by improving the skills of those playing in those positions and/or getting more of an attacking threat from central areas, forcing opponents to match them up more centrally. THE STAR MAN: I am struggling to think of a better performance, in the clubs history, from a Toronto FC full back than the one put in by Justin Morrow. Is there anything that fazes him? Dallas attacked on the flanks all night but it didnt have anywhere near as much impact down Morrows side as it did on the opposite one. The left back is a supreme reader of the game, is more than comfortable in one-on-one situations, is physical and moves centrally, when necessary, to help narrow the space and cover for the centre-backs. Dallas, themselves, had excellent performers such as Matt Hedges who won everything in the air, but for the visitors, Morrow was outstanding. Simply put, he is the best left-back this club has ever had by some margin. cheap jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '