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With an injury list as long as a transfer market shopping list, the Montreal Impact find themselves in familiar territory. Dominic Oduro joins a busy infirmary after the club confirmed that Oduro would miss a few weeks due to a groin injury.
Oduro sera absent quelques semaines. Oduro will miss a few weeks due to injury. #IMFC
— Impact de Montréal (@impactmontreal) May 20, 2015
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OUT: D Adrian Lopez (knee injury) OUT: M Justin Mapp (dislocated elbow 3/8, out 4 months) - READ OUT: F Cameron Porter (left ACL surgery 3/21, out 9-12 months) - READ OUT: F Kenny Cooper (right knee surgery) - REPORT OUT: F Dominic Oduro (groin injury) - REPORT D Donny Toia (ankle injury, DNP 5/16) D Hassoun Camara (knee injury, DNP 5/16) D Victor Cabrera (ankle injury, DNP 5/16) |
As the club confirmed that Cooper will be out for a few months after successful knee surgery, Frank Klopas has enough options on the pitch to survive without Oduro. With Anthony Jackson-Hamel , Romario Williams and Jack McInerney, the Impact has 3 natural strikers ready to score goals. But the club will miss Oduro's astonishing speed and his ability to stretch the opponents back-line, something important in the staff's setup.
Though McInerney has the experience and proven scoring record to lead the charge , he will need to quickly cement a chemistry with Ignacio Piatti, Andres Romero and Dilly Duka. Losing Oduro's will hurt but temporarily surviving without him is possible.
Tactically, Klopas considers Piatti as a second striker and wants him to play as high up as possible on the pitch instead of making multiple 50 meters runs for 90 minutes. Plus, the versatility of Romero and Duka has proven to help the club with scoring chances and goals.
The key will come from position switching, confuse the opposition's defenders and most importantly play quickly. This has been a staple in Klopas' tenure with the Impact and he understands the strengths and limitations of his players while taking into account the hermetic style MLS teams play.
In the case of FC Dallas, the defensive side needs to be sharp for the Bleu-Blanc-Noir and it starts with the pressure applied by the midfielders and the overall composure.
Surviving without Oduro will be difficult but not impossible.