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TORONTO - As anyone who has ever tried cleaning a basement or garage filled with junk knows, things get worse before they get better. Toronto FC is at that messy stage of the clean-up. A year ago at this time, the perennial MLS underachiever was 1-10-0 in the league basement and had just fired manager Aron Winter. Today the club sports a new president, manager, chief scout, two new assistant coaches and has brought in 19 new players since the end of last season. The team is 1-6-4, proving that progress can be painfully slow. It stands 18th in the 19-team league, is winless in nine league games and has lost four straight. Toronto has shot itself in the foot, failing to take its chances while dropping nine points from six games by conceding late goals (in stoppage-time on three of those occasions). On the plus side, all six league losses have been by just one goal. "Every league game this season, you can make an argument that we could have won," said manager Ryan Nelsen. "As Ive been saying all the time, were probably the only team in the league that hasnt been beaten by two or three goals in a game yet." Some might say a loss is a loss is a loss. But hope springs eternal for Nelsen as Toronto heads to Boston for a Saturday night game with the New England Revolution (3-4-4). Count New England coach Jay Heaps in the Nelsen camp. He too sees beyond the standings when it comes to Toronto. "Torontos a good team," he told local reporters this week. The makeover has only just begun in Toronto. Nelsen all but salivates at the thought of the summer transfer window opening July 9. Currently 11 points out of a playoff place, Nelsens goal is not to lose any more ground in June until he can make more changes. "Even if thats 10 points off the playoffs come the window, Id be more than confident well have a very good chance getting in (the post-season)," he said. Asked for the reason for that confidence, Nelsen smiled and said: "Because I like the window. Its a nice time." Citing conversations with such noted managers as Sir Alex Ferguson, Sam Allardyce and Harry Redknapp, he said: "They tell me it takes three windows minimum to even get a team to where you want it to be. "And weve only had really half of one — or one really. Were starting to get competitive and when this window comes, I think it will be a wee bit different." As a former well-respected player, Nelsen has plenty of ties in Britain. You can bet he is twisting as many arms as he can. As seems to be Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainments way (remember the 1,300-pound boulder in the Raptors dressing room and Toronto FCs "Burn the Boats" locker-room slogan), Toronto FC chose a new symbol this year for the franchise. For the most part, it seems to have been ignored in the disappointing weeks since. But new president Kevin Payne, an American, proudly pointed to the Inukshuk when he met media during the pre-season. Ignoring the Inukshuks original Inuit intent as a land marker, Toronto FC actually chose the more modern inunnguaq (or imitation of a person). TFC says the Inukshuk "symbolizes co-operation, balance and unselfishness." "Each stone is a separate entity, yet each supports and is supported by the one above and the one below it. No one piece is any more or any less important than the other. Its strength lies in its unity. Its significance comes from its meaning as a whole," read a TFC handout Be that as it may, come the opening of the transfer window, Nelsen is looking to collect some better rocks. Of the 19 new faces to date, four — Julio Cesar, Ashton Bennett, Taylor Morgan and John Bostock — have already been cast aside. Israeli defender Tal Ben Haim never made it here although Nelsen says talks continue with his former teammate. Attacking midfielder Hogan Ephraim is slated to return to Queens Park Rangers. Veteran defender Danny Califf, brought in for his experience and savvy, has fallen so far down the depth chart youd need a dredger to find him. Califfs crime? He missed a game due to a stomach virus, never got his spot back and has dropped to the back of the bus since. He has become a US$165,000-a-year bench player, seemingly for no fault of his own. Goalie Stefan Frei, who lost his job through injury and Joe Bendiks acrobatics in his absence, is a $200,000 observer come game-time. Young Canadian international Ashtone Morgan, a holdover, is also watching from the bench these days. Jeremy Hall, who has flourished in the midfield this season after shifting from fullback, says change is part of pro soccer. "Our job is to win games and we havent won so the coaching staff and Kevin are trying to do whatever it takes to bring a winning team here," said Hall, who at 24 is on his fourth MLS team. Both Toronto and New England have injury concerns. Nelsen says his injured list includes Justin Braun, Califf, Bobby Convey, Richard Eckersley, Stefan Frei and Darel Russell. Captain Darren ODea may remain at left back, with Steven Caldwell and Doneil Henry at centre back. Ephraim is healthy and could sub for Braun. Star striker Danny Koevermans is ready to play after a 10-month absence due to a knee injury but is being held out of the game because the artificial turf at New England is where he ripped up his knee last July in a 1-0 Toronto victory. TFC has not managed a league win on the road since. Koevermans is expected to make his return next week at home to the Philadelphia Union. New England defender Ryan Guy and midfielder Stephen McCarthy will miss the game through injury while forward Dimitry Imbongo is suspended after being red-carded last week. Defender A.J. Soares (hamstring) is close to returning and Heaps can also count on 20-year-old striker Juan Agudelo who made his debut for New England last week New England is coming off a big 2-0 win in Houston. The Revolution have only scored eight goals this season, but have conceded just nine at the other end. Nick Kwiatkoski Jersey . Once again, DeLaet finished tied for second at a PGA Tour stop on the weekend, this time at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The pride of Weyburn, Sask. Steve Fuller Jersey . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. http://www.custombearsjersey.com/custom-kevin-pierre-louis-jersey-large-2346t.html . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Eddie Goldman Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Jim Miller Jersey . Already owning gold from competition in Vancouver in 2010, Loch posted a combined four-run time of 3:27.526. That included a track-record third run of 51. BERNE, Switzerland -- When Chris Froome attacked on the descent of the Col de Peyresourde on stage eight of the Tour de France, Stephen Roche could not believe it.Roche, who in 1987 became the first Irishman to win the Tour, feared Froomes descent in an aero tuck that left many with their hearts in their throats was too risky for his own good. It helped Froome win the stage and take the yellow jersey -- but it could have gone horribly wrong.Roche, like many, believes Froome is poised for a third Tour title when the race finishes in Paris on Sunday. However, should a number of riders choose to attack during Fridays 146-kilometre rider from Albertville to Saint Gervais Mont Blanc, Roche believes Froome may test chance with a daring 12km descent from the top of the Col de Joux Plane -- the final mountain in Saturdays penultimate stage.There will definitely be certain guys having a go, Roche told ESPN. I think Froome, the way he is now, might even have go for it himself ... try and get away going up [the Col de Joux Plane] and make the decent to mark the event [his Tour win.]The roads are very narrow. It is very technical and long ... very tricky, very fast. There are very tight corners and the possibility of the tar melting. It will make it more dangerous. Im sure some guys are looking at it [to attack] ... Vincenzo [Nibali], [Romain] Bardet ... also [Alejandro] Valverde who seems to be riding better than [Nairo] Quintana.It is a decent that Roche knows well -- and holds fond memories of. The Col de Joux Plane was also the final climb of the 1987 Tour he won following a mighty tussle with the Spaniard Pedro Delgado -- and likewise the race from its summit to the finish in Morzine was the last decent. But in 1987 the stage came the day after a dramatic finale to La Plagne, where Roche pushed so hard in pursuit of the yellow-jersied Delgado that he collapsed at the finish and was taken to hospital.Roche, who was then 39 seconds down on Delgado overall, answered emphatically following his release. On the 22nd stage to Morzine, he and Delgado reached the Joux Plane summit together, but then by the finish they separated by 18 seconds after Roche dropped Delagado on the decent. Roches ride brought him to within 21 seconds of Delgado overall and delivered a huge psychological blow.I did it to get at Delgado after the day [to La Plagne], Roche spoke of his descent to Morzine. It was, Okay ... you saw me yesterday and that they took me away to hospital. Now, Im going to put time into you, and guess what I am going to do to you [in the time trial? I didnt want to get 10 or 12 seeconds.ddddddddddddIt was for one second to show him I could do it. Roche explained that descending has long played an integral role in stage racing and that, now, there is a greater reliance on it if climbing doesnt work.The last years it has been an ingredient for Tour riders because of Froome ... [it was a case of] If we cant get him going up we will get him going down, Roche said. But now Froome is going down as well as anybody, if not better.It is not the best place to attack, but you do if you think there is something at stake. It has become a winning ingredient for a winning a Tour now. The race tactic is not to make [a rival] fall off. It is to have him back off before he falls off. So its not your fault that the guys who cant descend is taking extra risks.Today they try to go down as fast as they can, to push the other to the limit and get them to fault. No-one wishes anything on someone else, but I think the way the guys descend now they are thinking, How am I going to get time? If you cant drop guys, [a fast descent] for someone might cause them to back off a little.Roche hopes Froomes key opponents do something to challenge him in the Alps, much like how Colombian Quintana struck late last year.We are all just hanging on to the image of last year, Roche said, adding that those hopes include: Quintana riding away and Froome having great difficulty near the end, that the [Sky] team cant handle the work load they are doing, Quintana gets better as the Tour continues, and that he will after the second rest day. We are all hanging on to the hopes.Either we are dreaming or there is a bit of reality in there. I think there is a bit of both. You want to make people believe there is still hope that something will happen. When you come back to reality you say, Froome for the moment seems very, very strong, but the other guys seem to be under a little bit.Quintana [on stage 15 to Culoz] didnt get his bum off the saddle, whereas if he was anyway near half normal he would have attacked. I think it is annoying Froome. We saw him getting out of the saddle [on the last climb on stage 15] and making a fake attack.It must be agitating him with these guys sitting on his wheel for 24/7. Are people going to just ride on the Sky train and naturally fall into second and third place and have the time trial in two days time dictate who is going to be second or third? I cant see how they are going to attack Froome. Can anybody ... try to do something? ' ' '