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The Good...
Justin Mapp - As tempting as it is to label nobody in The Good, that wouldn't be fair to Justin Mapp. He was the only player in blue to consistently want the ball and do something with it once on his feet. Besides his four shot attempts, Mapp was often visibly helping out Camara and tied with Bernardello for the team lead with seven recoveries.
The Bad...
Andrea Pisanu - I'm not hiding it. The fact that I was more puzzled about the inclusion of Pisanu in the starting eleven than that of a defender who was making his season debut in a playoff game, tells you all you need to know about how I feel about Pisanu.
How you decide to start a player that has consistently disappointed on the pitch throughout the second half of the season, over an experienced playoff performer in Davy Arnaud is beyond me. At least with Arnaud you know you will get hustle and effort on the pitch, as for Pisanu you get 7 successful passes, 7 unsuccessful passes and 8 turnovers in 55 mins of play...that's it.
Beyond the stats, what was even more disturbing was how often Pisanu was found in the middle of the pitch or near Justin Mapp and nowhere on the left flank where he could have provided some passing options to Brovsky or Bernardello.
Andrès Romero - Luckily for Romero he plays in the same club as Pisanu and therefore can only be considered the second worst player on his team. He came in the game for Pisanu and in only 35 mins of play he made sure to leave his mark on the match.... or may I say.... Kofi Sarkodie rear end.
It was a gratuitous and selfish foul and a lot like the player delivering it, there is no place in MLS for either.
Nelson Rivas- What a shame. He could have easily been a great story Thursday night. Physically and defensively Rivas look great on the pitch even if at times there was some visible communications issues between him and Ferrari. He gave IMFC fans hope about what he can still bring to the club going forward.
But then the undisciplined side of Nelson Rivas showed its ugly head. In now two years with the Impact, Rivas has played only 12 games and has already received three red cards. He should have been ejected at the end of the first half on the first yellow, but he then left no choice at the 70th minute for referee Mark Geiger to hand out the red. It was a disappointing and needless end for a player who worked hard to return to the pitch.
Matteo Ferrari - I won't be as harsh on Ferrari as the names above because honestly the coach has done him no favors. Overplayed during the season, Ferrari has visibly slowed down towards the end of the year and playing him for the first time this season along Rivas in a playoff game would not be easy for any defender. But the fact remains that it was not a strong game from Ferrari, who was often late on plays in the first half.
The Ugly...
Marco Schallibaum - Anytime a team shows up to their most important game of the season the way IMFC did, the head coach must take his fair share of the blame. But Coach Schallibaum deserves more than that.
Anytime you leave your team captain and most experienced playoff player on the bench for a tough road playoff game is beyond questionable. Let alone go with a player who was a healthy scratch for several months during the season and has played even worse upon his return.
But beyond the starting lineup, like many times during the regular season, the club looked like it had no game plan once it fell behind. Instead it looked lost. Like a club that showed up with one strategy and unable to adapt to game as it went on.
Maybe it isn't so surprising that the Montreal Impact season ends on a dreadful display of indiscipline when you consider that the head coach has been ejected and fined more than any other coach in MLS or on any player on his club.
Share your thoughts, Impact fans. Who else disappointed you Thursday night? Was I too harsh or not harsh enough?
More from Mount Royal Soccer:
- Montreal Impact : " This is one of the most epic meltdowns in MLS History " Simon Borg
- MLS Playoffs 2013: Montreal Impact crash and burn 3-0 vs the Houston Dynamo
- MLS Cup Playoffs Knockout Round - Montreal Impact vs Houston Dynamo: Second Place is not Good Enough
- Soccer Sans Frontières Ep. 76 : MLS Playoffs 2013
- MLS Playoffs 2013: Houston, on a un problème!