AGR's High Press: Fraser Aird's delivery key for Cavalry in 1st CPL win of 2024; Cédric Toussaint shining amid Pacific's hot start
It may have been a slightly smaller matchday than usual, but there was still lots to take away from week four of CPL action.
After the postponement of Forge and Halifax’s clash due to a Canadian Championship scheduling conflict, that meant only three games were played instead of the usual four, which was a bit of a change.
Despite that, there was a lot to talk about, as two of the hottest teams continued on their strong trajectory to begin 2024, while another showed that they aren’t far away from joining them.
And, more specifically, this was a matchday for some strong individual performances, too, as a couple of key players stole the show.
Here’s a look at what stood out from matchday #4 in the latest edition of ‘High Press’.
Fraser Aird’s delivery helps Cavalry pick up first CPL win of 2024:
After going winless in their first three matches of the CPL season, Cavalry are finally on the board, as they defeated Vancouver FC to claim their first win of the CPL campaign.
Not only that, but they did so in dominant fashion, too, picking up a 3-0 lead before surviving a late Vancouver storm to win 3-1.
And while there was a lot that stood out in that game for Cavalry, from a breakout showing from Tobias Warschewski, Charlie Trafford’s first CPL goal, and another good defensive performance, the biggest might’ve been the play of Fraser Aird.
Once again, the veteran right back was dangerous down the right side for Cavalry all game long, providing the assist for Warschewski’s opener, and sitting as a threat on set pieces.
GOAL 🐎@CPLCavalryFC take the lead at home as Tobias Warschewski gets a great header in past Callum Irving ⚽️
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) May 4, 2024
1-0 to the Cavs 😎
Watch #CanPL on OneSoccer 🔴 pic.twitter.com/b7GwZKroEQ
Yet, his play has been a big asset for this Cavalry side, as their ability to hurt teams on crosses and set-pieces is a big part of their DNA, as they’ve got some big bodies in their ranks, and place a lot of emphasis on using them.
That’s where someone like Aird can be so key, as he ended up creating four chances, and that doesn’t include the several dangerous crosses that Vancouver was forced to head away into dangerous positions for Cavalry.
Cavalry recognized his threat, too, sending a whopping 49.1% of their attacks down Aird’s side, doing well to feed him often, too.
Despite seeing Ali Musse pick up an early injury in the game, that didn’t faze them, and how Aird stepped up is a big reason why.
But that’s why Musse and Aird pairing can be so dangerous when both are down that right side. With Musse’s ability to cut inside and combine, Aird can be a perfect fit behind him, as Musse knows that Aird will fill the space on the flank that Musse will leave behind.
And that has a knock-on effect through the rest of the field, as teams are left to either hone in on Cavalry’s right side and try to shut them down, which risks opening up spaces elsewhere on the field, or just let them run free.
Neither option tends to be optimal for opponents, making it a ‘pick your poison’ kind of scenario.
In this game, Vancouver chose to let Cavalry have freedom down the right flank, and they were punished for it on the goal, and with Aird’s overall performance.
Now, Cavalry will look to build on this win, as they look to push up the table after their slow start. With their defence continuing to remain stingy and Warschewski heating up, they’re on the right track, and they’ve still got a few other gears to hit, as they haven’t been fully healthy and haven’t seen the best from their whole squad yet.
Until then, however, showings like this one from Aird can go a long way as they find that next level to hit.
They’ll hope that a potential knock he sustained in midweek against the Vancouver Whitecaps isn’t too serious, especially with Musse already out, something they’ll keep an eye on heading into the next few weeks. 
Cedric Toussaint’s hot start helping Pacific cruise:
Pacific have picked up 10 out of 12 points to start the 2024 CPL campaign after they beat York United 2-0 at home this weekend.
And, most impressively, they’ve kept four clean sheets in those four games, sitting as the lone team yet to concede a goal, having set a record for most games without conceding in CPL action.
Because of that, a lot of emphasis has been placed on their defence, and rightly so. From the play of goalkeepers Emil Gazdov and Sean Melvin, their sturdy backline led by Thomas Meilleur-Giguère and Aly Ndom, and their overall commitment to team defence, it’s been a marvel to see them battle to keep teams away from their net.
Set-up in a 4-4-2 off the ball, they don’t have a problem in ceding possession or giving up shots, as long as they’re not dangerous ones. And as the numbers show, they’re doing well in this ‘quantity over quality’ defensive approach - despite facing 3.79 xG (per WyScout), they’ve only allowed a league-low 0.084 xG per shot, meaning most of the xG they’ve given up has not been of high-quality.
That’s a reflection of their team defence, as the pressure their forwards and midfielders apply on opponents plays a big role in that, forcing teams to have to play on the perimeter of the pitch in possession.
And in that regard, there was one name who shone in this most recent Pacific game, and that was Cédric Toussaint, who is off to a strong start to the year for the Tridents. 
After not starting Pacific’s first two games, Toussaint has gone 90 minutes in the last two games and has been excellent in the heart of his team’s midfield, showing what he can bring to the table as a defensive midfielder.
Off the ball, he’s been a force, finding a way to harness his aggressive nature that could sometimes get him into trouble before, toeing the line between reckless and relentless. His numbers from this York game shows how effective he can be - he won 5 out of 5 of his tackles and had 1 block, 1 interception, six recoveries and won 9 out of 10 of his duels in a near-flawless defensive showing.
He can still sometimes cross that line, as he picked up a yellow card and nearly picked up a second yellow for another foul, but that can also be the price of playing at his position, where you’ve got to take risks to be effective.
But while he’s been excellent defensively, his offensive play has also been a huge asset, as he’s been a lot more involved in possession for Pacific now. In this York game, for example, he had two shots, made nine passes into the final third and won four fouls, doing well to either spray the ball forward or slow down play depending on what his team needed.
That’s been huge, because when a team does as much defending as Pacific has had to do, sitting second-last in the league in possession, it’s important that they don’t waste the moments when they win back the ball.
Yet, that’s why someone like Toussaint, who can win the ball back and then spray it forward, can be so key in a system like Pacific’s, showing why his hot start has been so important to their performances.
The destroyer 💪
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) May 8, 2024
Can @Pacificfccpl's Cédric Toussaint boss the midfield again today in #CanChamp action against @atletiOttawa? 👀 pic.twitter.com/aq8g6Cu5J6
Because of that, keep an eye on him as they continue to improve on this defensive run, as the partnership he’s formed with Sean Young has been massive as they try and fill the gap left behind by the departure of midfield lynchpin Manny Aparicio.
It’s hard to fill the shoes of someone like Aparicio, but Toussaint’s hot start has certainly helped, as Pacific’s showings can attest to.
Rubén del Campo leading early race at #9 for Ottawa:
For all of the big moves that Atlético Ottawa made this offseason, shoring up their roster across the board, there was one position they left relatively untouched - the #9, where they chose to keep Sam Salter and Rubén del Campo as their main options.
To be fair, that wasn’t that surprising - given that they’d upgraded the service to their strikers, they had no reason to change up that group, especially after Salter found the net a solid seven times in 2023, none from the penalty spot, meaning that he was in line to improve his haul with the improvements that his team made.
Because of that, it was expected that Salter could come out flying, thriving in Ottawa’s newer more offensive system, having struggled at times to find his feet in their more defensive set-up in 2023 despite his goal tally.
Despite that, he’s been unable to make the most of that opportunity as he’s yet to open his 2024 account. Instead, the one who has impressed so far has been del Campo, who after not scoring at all last year following his midseason arrival, has now scored in two straight games, and had a brace in the Canadian Championship preliminary round. 
As a result, he could stand to earn more minutes going forward, seeming to be the better fit in the system. Able to run in behind and play more directly, he has helped stretch the field and open up space for Ottawa’s attackers, whereas Salter likes to drop into space and combine, which can sometimes clutter the field.
That’s why despite having fewer minutes than Salter, del Campo has four shots to Salter’s two, along with his two goals, giving him the edge in the race toward earning more minutes.
At the same time, it’s worth noting that this could also be the start of a battle. Given his pedigree as someone who can score goals in this league, Salter will want to push for more minutes, and may respond to this del Campo run by stepping up his play.
And at the end of the day, Ottawa will be the ones who win, no matter if del Campo ends up becoming their guy long-term, or if Salter steps back up and wins that role. Last year, the striker spot was always Salter’s even if he struggled, with Malcolm Shaw dealing with injuries, international duty and then his surprise transition into a wing back (which may be why he chose to head to Cavalry), while del Campo struggled to find his feet after coming in halfway through the campaign.
Now, however, there’s competition, which could push both Salter and del Campo to find their best.
GOAL 🏡@AtletiOttawa get the scoring started vs. @ValourFootball off a set piece as Ruben Del Campo's touch gets past the 'keeper for 1-0
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) May 5, 2024
🔴 Watch the @tonybet_Canada #CanPL Match of the Week on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/sR1BOLH4wA
Yet, that’s exactly what Ottawa wanted to do this offseason, which is why they made all those big signings - create depth and competition in their squad. So far, it’s worked to perfection, as they’ve had great performances from all across the lineup, no matter if they’re starting or coming off the bench, and that’s helped pace their strong start.
If they can maintain that over the rest of the season, that’ll allow them to push for trophies, as is their goal, showing that they’re on the right track.
The hard part is still to come, as it can be hard to keep players happy all year long when fighting for places, but if they can continue to find that balance, it’ll pay off for them, as it already has at the striker spot.
Who caught my eye? Eric Lajeunesse
Eric Lajeunesse has gotten off to a strong start to the year for Pacific after returning to them following the U SPORTS season, and he continued that with his showing against York.
Despite facing some tough tests down the left-hand side, the centre back turned full back handled them with relative ease, finishing with one tackle, two clearances, five recoveries and six out of 10 duels won, doing well to keep the game in front of him.
While Meilleur-Giguère and Ndom have been crucial in this Pacific backline to start the year, don’t forget the importance the 21-year-old Lajeunesse has brought in his hybrid centre back and full back role, while earning U21 Canadian minutes along the way, helping Pacific to their strong start.
What to watch: Pacific FC vs Forge FC
There are storylines galore across the four matchups this weekend, including the league’s 500th match, and they all could’ve been chosen here, but at the end of the day Pacific vs Forge is the choice, as matchups between these two never disappoint.
And this one should be no exception, as Pacific’s red-hot defence clashes with Forge’s high-flying offence, which should make for quite the battle.
For Pacific, this is a chance for them to prove that their hot start isn’t just an example of catching out-of-form teams at the right time, as stopping this Forge side would prove their defensive play is legit.
As for Forge, this will be a chance to prove that their attack wasn’t just feasting on a couple of teams that have struggled defensively to start the year in York and Valour, and that they can score on a regular basis.
Safe to say, there will be a lot to watch out for in this 2021 CPL Finals rematch, which should make for a good match.
