The Montreal Impact are poised to make a drastic improvement over their 2014 season, one in which they finished rock bottom in MLS. The Impact has been busy adding pieces over the off-season, and the spine of the team is considerably stronger than the one that took the field last year.

Laurent Ciman adds real pedigree to a back four that struggled for consistency last term, and his partnership with Bakary Soumare will add strength at the back. In front of them, look for Nigel Reo-Coker to partner Marco Donadel – both off-season additions – with Ignacio Piatti expected to play just in front of them.

On the flanks, Justin Mapp is a proven commodity in MLS and Dilly Duka could be in store for a very good season in Montreal after joining the club midway through last year. On paper, the Impact midfield looks much better equipped to not only create and score goals, but also to protect a back four that, like Toronto FC last season, was left overly exposed in 2014.

For Impact fans, the departure of top scorer Marco Di Vaio is cause for concern, though. The incumbents, including Jack McInerney and Dominic Oduro, lack Di Vaio's pedigree and will not replace his goals. However, fans can expect the Impact to make a splash in the transfer market – most likely in the summer – by bringing in a proven goal scorer to fill Di Vaio's boots. If they can add that piece to their puzzle, Montreal will fare far better in 2015 than they did last season.