Second Place is not Enough and that will be true during the whole MLS playoffs. It starts tonight and the Montreal Impact can definitely make history by being the first Canadian team in MLS to win a MLS playoff game. But their current focus should be on what each player has to do right.
Good Signs for the Impact
- Marco Di Vaio is offside: When the Italian DP is offside many times, early in the game, it usually means that striker is making runs. When he is making runs, it means that the ball is sent towards his direction. When he is moving and jiving, he makes central defenders nervous and that is a good thing.
- Consecutive Passes Forward: Trust me, it might be dubious to have this type of expectations but lately, Montreal has not been able to string any kind of positive momentum. Getting a boost of confidence early in the game is the best remedy to an ailment that has lasted for at least 10 games now.
Bad Signs for the Impact
- Matteo Ferrari with his arms up: I have not seen one good game from the Impact when Ferrari is expressing his frustration multiple times and early in the game. He is the most experienced defender on that back four and needs to be that calming presence.
With Hassoun Camara and Jeb Brovsky, Wandrille Lefevre will find himself surrounded by experience but that back four has gotten nervous and aggravated early in games.
- Long Balls Galore: As much as the pitch at BBVA Compass Stadium is of low quality and rain pouring down all day, the Impact is not a long-ball kind of team. At least, it's not in the traditional sense with a tall striker as the target. But, les Bleus can still use long balls to finds gap between lines and spaces behind the Dynamo defense; just don't abuse of it and make it a "defautl settting" .