First five games in WC2010

Its time to start recognizing who is who is this world cup 2010. Normally in a fast tournament like this you can't predict much of the results, football stars are tired after a long season playing 2 games per week and performance with national team never is the same that with his club.

So far Mexico has been the team that has impressed me for its offensive organization and options against South Africa and on the other hand Greece for its low performance against Korea.

In terms of tactic midfield and organization England and USA showed us a good example of how that has to be done, very different of what we saw in Argentina's proposal today overexposing the undeniable dependence in Leo Messi to play football.

The best individual performances players I think should be between Diaby from France which remind us to best Patrick Vieira we have seen. In offensive skills only Dos Santos from Mexico and Messi from Argentina have been at top in destabilize defensive order in World Cup. Also Johnson from England has showed great options on the right line coming from the back.

We hope offensive order can beat defensive strategies and see a better World Cup.

Unexpected defeat at home against Carolina.

We all know Montreal had plenty of choices in roster for the midfield and that gives Dos Santos options to play several schemes. But we learned today the Impact does not have many options in defense. On one hand we saw a new experiment using Fillip Billy as a left back with a very good performance which made him deserve the Impact Setanta player of the game. On the other hand, we saw Joqueviel lost many times as a center back and we paid a high price in first half, the Carolina Goal.

I understand Dos Santos still needs to know which options does he have in defense but changing Pizzolitto and leaving Joqueviel just when a 3 men defense scheme was taking place in the last 15min did cost the 2nd goal in 90th minute.

The Impact had the ball all game long trying to find the hole in the Railhawks defense but center back Matt Bobo played a remarkable game denying all Montreal’s attempts either by air or ground.

Felipe Soares was very active in the midfield on the Impact side, but neither him, Di Lorenzo or Donatelli was dangerous enough find a space in Carolina’s defense. When deRoux entered in the game on 2^nd half the Impact started getting deeper in attack on the left side delivering good center passes finding Donatelli’s head in 2 times and Testo once who showed us a half “chilena” that went very close on the side of Hawks’ net.

I hope Impact continue using Fillip Billy as right back since he can really offer deepness in the attack showing his cross and center passes with a Beckham kind of style. My suggestion is to start using Adam Braz as a Center back where he can develop his intensity on defense and rotate him with Aaboubou and Pizzolitto. This way deRoux can still play and exploding his abilities next to Di Lorenzo in the left side.

Now Impact will have to focus in Friendly match against AC Milan where all of us will be there to show we are a city that loves high quality soccer.

See you on Wednesday at the Big O.

Impact is out of the Champions League again... But still playing AC Milan next wednesday

I think TFC has earned his pass to Concacaf Champions League again by merits. Remember Toronto is playing a higher level soccer league than Montreal and Vancouver are therefore somehow TFC managed to put more players in Canada national team.

I expect, in the upcoming years, we all have the same amount of roster investments and be more competitive against the reds.

Even though Montreal Impact is out of CONCACAF champions league, we are still playing UEFA Champions league level team AC Milan next week. I'll be there next week and will gather my comments for you afterwards.

But before that, don't forget Impact has a match this Sunday, May 30th against a direct NASL conference team the Carolina RailHawks where we have to dominate and jump as Conference leaders over Vancouver Whitecaps.

à la prochain

Impact draws in BC and gets a valuable point on the road last week

Line-up for the impact had some light changes, and one of them was leave Billy in the bench and use Donatelli from the beginning.

With a dynamic 1st time Whitecaps started with an offensive spirit led by Haber and Toure while the Impact showed a midfield engaged in defense.

The first clear occasion was a tricky header by Placentino from a center pass by Soares. In minute XX' came the play of the game where Donatelli in a heavily disputed midfield receives the ball and, Maradona like, stumbling and almost no looking give a quick release pass to an empty spot where Byers reached it in the area and beat Nolly to score a 5 stars goal. It was a great moment for Montreal in the game.

The Whitecaps brought danger in the feet of Marcus Haber with the most clear opportunity with a header but before finish the first half, Montreal had another chance thanks to Felipe Soares that was inches away of the net.

In the second half Ansu Toure brought chances for Vancouver thanks to his stamina and determination in long run that missed the target by little. Montreal still had more chances in a center pass ball headed by the captain Pizzolito which was stopped by Caps goalie.

Montreal was dominating the game and resisting Caps attack before Adam Braz ruined it with a immature defensive reaction in the area which caused the penalty, taken by Haber, that tied the game 1-1.

Montreal has to behave more professional if they want to achieve big things in the future ahead, especially in the MLS.

First win for the Impact at home.

With a contingence roster due to NCC game on May 6th, The Impact achieves the victory against a Puerto Rico in Saputo Stadium this afternoon.

Felipe Soares’s sharp shot gave the only goal after an opportunity created by Di Lorenzo, Byers and Placentino which was stopped by Islanders goalie. This attack left the ball in the area with Puerto Rican defense disorganized and the Portuguese did not miss it.

The match changed rhythm in the 60th minute when normal starters like Testo, Di Lorenzo and Braz changed the pace and increased offensive opportunities.

The tournament still young, and also understand focus is been made in the NCC this 2 weeks.