Are the right center backs finally in place at Toronto FC?

Show me a successful MLS side and I’ll show you a steady central defensive partnership, two centrally stationed cops on the back line beat – not some semi-stable rotation of three or more guys who can’t quite lock down the role.

Omar Gonzalez and A.J. DeLaGarza may not have toted an equitable share of the load last year for champion, highly competent Los Angeles Galaxy, but the partnership clearly functioned effectively.

Same for Marvell Wynne and Drew Moor with the title-winners from Colorado in 2010, a great balance of experience, know-how, speed and toughness. Other current examples of league-elite partnerships: Jamison Olave and Nat Borchers at Real Salt Lake, Geoff Cameron and Bobby Boswell at Houston and Matt Besler and Aurelien Collin at Sporting Kansas City, although Collin has hit a rough patch lately.

There are exceptions, but those are typically attached to a high-rev, high-quality screening midfielder. In Seattle, for instance, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni and Jeff Parke have formed a steady and useable trio – but don’t underestimate the value of Osvaldo Alonso (a.k.a. the league’s top midfield ball-winner and destroyer these days) to that three-headed prong.

It all goes the other way, too; show me a team with an inferior central defensive core, I’ll show you a team that’s going nowhere. Best example ever: Toronto FC.

So this Canadian columnist wonders if Aron Winter’s side (sitting at a staggeringly inept 0-9, the worst start for any club in 17 MLS seasons) may finally have found the right center back combo?

He sees good things from Doneil Henry and Adrian Cann (pictured, along with goalkeeper Milos Kocic). My verdict: We’ll see. TFC has forfeited all benefit of the doubt at this point. I’m in “believe it when I see it mode” from here forward regarding TFC.