Le Toux named MLS Player of the Month

The Philadelphia Union’s French forward got the award after the ballots from the membership of the North American Soccer Reporters were counted.

Le Toux scored seven times in six games in September, including two goals after the 80th minute mark in a 4-4 tie with New England — a game in which the Union trailed by three.

Philadelphia is a thorn in the side of the all the apologists from poor MLS franchises wh say they need a lot of time to build a franchise. In just its second season in the league, the Union occupies second spot in the Eastern Conference.

How The 11 voted: Went with the majority on this one.

There were some strong candidates out there: Canadian Dwayne De Rosario had five goals and three assists this month, but his team, D.C. United, hasn’t been able to translate DeRo’s performances into the wins needed to claim one of the final playoff spots. Two losses this past week, in which DeRo recorded a goal and an assist, were proof that the Canadian’s scoring touch isn’t quite enough on its own.

So, he got the second-place vote.

Halfway during the season, we were all asking what had happened to Le Toux; the goals weren’t coming, and Philadelphia was rising up the standings on the strength of its stingy defence, not its French scoring ace. But, Le Toux hasn’t been subbed out at any time this season by coach Peter Nowak. Now, the goals are coming. He has 10 goals and eight assists this season.