Another 3-0 loss for Montreal.

Can we go any worse? 

Before the game we knew we'd miss all the injured/suspended players and performance would be affected but we also wanted to experiment how deep our squad is and how dependent is the team on certain players. 

I don't want to take away any credit to DC United, the did the right things and availed our errors wisely. I don't know why I enjoy watching playing Boskovic, maybe because he reminds me in some way to what Fernando Redondo, Argentinian and Real Madrid legend, treated the ball and set the pace to the game. 

The truth is we thought our squad was deep and is here where we face the reality of an expansion team and the dilution of the league talent, but we will develop this subject in another post.

Can we save a player from last night? wow, not even Davy Arnaud, who always makes solid performances, was victim of the fatigue of the last few games where traveling and little rest has been the rule, especially if he plays all 90 minutes in every single match. Here I blame Marsch a little, especially when he made no substitutions in the win against Houston after winning 4-2 with 30 minutes left, he could have freshen the midfield and avoid extra tax key players like Felipe, Mapp or Arnaud. 

We also have Sinisa Ubiparipovic, very erratic last night; he couldn't make a decent play in the entire match. I've always been a fan of him, he came last year and gave us sparks of magic but never forget it Montreal was still playing on 2nd division (NASL). I was very happy Jesse Marsch kept him on the team and coming off the bench he has done some good things when the team is on full potential. But there is a big difference when you want Sinisa to start the game and carry your MLS team on the shoulders. He simply hasn't been able to fill that role. He is like our own MLS Guti, referencing to the role Jose Maria Gutierrez played last decade with Real Madrid who was unable to pull out a good performance when starting the game but did great things off the bench. Although Sinisa hasn't been particularly spectacular coming off the bench either. 

I also blame Jesse Marsh for persisting on using Nyassi as a forward, what are we? Spain using a false 9? He has never performed well in this position and you can see he tends to go to the flanks and make the plays from there because he is a natural winger. I would rather have Arnaud as a center forward than Sanna Nyassi and having forwards on the bench like Sebrango or Montanio makes me really think about how we are using our tools. 

Marco Di Vaio, we better wait two or three more games before start evaluating his performance. 

At the end, we need Bernier, Ferrari, Rivas, Felipe and Warner the 90min and Marco Di Vaio adapted to MLS to compete in this league.

   

Pregame notes vs Portland Timbers.

Last week Montreal gave another step forward  and  is starting to feel more part the pack in MLS rather than an expansion team,

 It’s scary knowing we already played a quarter of our schedule and we are unable to to create quality attacks. It is time to focus on our weaknesses and find a way to be less vulnerable, because 1 win, 5 losses and 2 ties is not an exciting record specially when Montreal is struggling to attract new fans into this new project. 

That night in DC, before the end of the game, Jesse Marsch reminded all of us how different can the options be with Corradi or Braun on the field, especially being one of the most effective games for the Italian since he arrived when winning almost all air duels creating several opportunities for Nyassi who unfortunately spent most of the night offside, but that’s another discussion.  Bernardo, who obviously lacks Braun’s speed is very good positioning the body and winning headers which that night gave another dimension to Impact’s attack. Not that I like the abuse of long balls we played  in DC but at least we have Bernardo to start in those attacks. With Braun on the field, well unfortunately nothing happens. 

We need a guy that play behind the forwards and make that final pass we are all waiting. We have that guy and has the number 28 on his back. Sinisa Ubiparipovic has not the best defending qualities and I imagine that is why Felipe has been starting all games, because the Brazilian is an all around midfielder, the favorite profile for Jesse Marsch. But it is time to make a change in the approach of the game. The duo Felipe-Bernier or Felipe-Warner is what has established Montreal’s character in the league where everywhere I read or listen comments about our city the only good thing I hear is ‘’The Impact is not an easy team to play against’’.  That is a good reputation, I like it, but we are not a dangerous team when in possession of the ball. 

The approach I would take in the next games, or at least I would try it against Timbers today, is to use the double pivot Bernier-Warner knowing both midfielders have played very well in previous games and have Ubiparipovic with 2  wingers like Mapp and Arnaud or Neagle or Nyassy in the attack with only one forward building a 4-2-3-1. This way the Serbian won’t have much defensive chores and might concentrate to distribute the ball with to attackers.  because is there where Felipe has failed in the last 5 games. I don’t remember another good pass besides the one to Nyassi to complete the 1st ever MLS goal on Arnaud’s header. I also don’t think is fair either to relegate Ubiparipovic to the bench after showing his good touch against Toronto.

According to the latest trends on the trainings, I know this formation is not what is on Marsch’s mind but in my opinion is the best way to use our players. Because Justin Mapp and Sinisa Ubiparipovic, being two of our most skilled soccer players, don’t have the rhythm to defend the way the coach wants.

When looking the forwards options, with Justin Braun with a mild injury, Andrew Wegner absent and Fucito traded we might see Eddy Sebrango playing at least 10 min tomorrow.

Here a video after the training.

Is Montreal now ready for the first ever MLS kick?

Well, we all know you cannot be 100% ready for anything but Montreal Impact seems now comfortable with most of the aspects of the game except the for the forwards part. Not bad at all for an expansion team.

I know my comments on the first match in Orlando against Vancouver and then against Sporting KC were mainly negative, but on Wednesday night's match we saw an improved team. With a few changes on the lineup when comparing it with first match, Montreal managed to have the ball, find and create spaces everything with a solid and confident defense.

Lets go  into more detail.

The back line looked very comfortable with the ball and also synchronized the 90minutes except for few aerial balls. Matteo Ferrari have a good vision of the game from the back and  Tyson Wahl  showed fresh legs and quickness in two key occasions inside the box.  Brovsky and Gardner covered the flanks with responsibility and, I imagine are Marsch instructions, didn't risk too much on the attack.

Courtesy of impactmontreal.com

The midfield looked great, and more on detail Patrice Bernier is definitely is a great pacemaker for the team because he can have the ball  and protect it while the best option arrives, that is a tough and risky job to do. I barely saw him causing turnovers last night and personally like very much his style. He also has a good couple on Felipe Martins who is very skillful but sometimes I think he is too young to pull the team’s strings. Marsch, very much as Arsene Wenger’s style, is confident on keeping the 21 year old Italian-Brazilian on the field because he can be an all around player.  

The flanks were very good too, with Arnaud and Ubiparipovic both offering diagonal options on the attack they were very dynamic creating a handful of chances that Braun and Fuscito didn’t capitalized. Arnaud’s game last night was remarkable also on the defensive side, fighting every ball and covering Brovsky’s attacks. The Texan has surprisingly quick legs that not even the young quebecois defenseman Andre Hainault could stopped him that night. I am very happy watching a player like Arnaud on Montreal and I most say I did not expected such a mobility in a veteran like him.

On the attack side is a different story. Unfortunately besides hassling the other team's defensemen they haven't offered a good work on the field. Justin Braun and Mike Fuscito need to hesitate less and risk more. With the substitutions, Montano and Neagle did not make the difference either. Hoping experienced Italian Bernardo Corradi brings a spark to prepare the youngters rise their level for the first kick. 

Three key players, Nyassi, Valentin and Mapp were not in Orlando. The good side is other players stepped up and showed they can be starters too. The bad side is good teamwork is already in place without them, the team made a good progress in Florida this past week and now they need to fit on the system again. 

Montreal have now a handful of options in many positions with versatile players and do not be surprised if the Impact shows a different starter eleven in at least the first 6 games until the ideal system is being played.