Impact getting into their stride and rhythm

Noel Butler

Analyst, TSN Radio 690 Montreal

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This time last year, Montreal’s soccer community was in the midst of the aftershock suffered following the seismic disclosures from Joey Saputo’s now infamous season previewing 2015 Roundtable. The buzz for the Montreal Impact at such a low, tickets for that upcoming Champions League quarterfinal at Olympic Stadium were barely registering a pulse at the box office.

As for on the pitch matters, the Impact’s inability to attract a marquee name, following the immense loss of Marco Di Vaio to retirement, was put to the severe test when Mrs. Gilardino put her foot down.
Letting it be known, even though there was an agreement in principle for her husband and a player who had one cost Milan €25m [$35m], he would not be stepping foot on the lush Stade Saputo grass in 2015. Instead it was a move back home to Serie A for the ex-Milan, Fiorentina and Bologna marksman.

As we are all now so fully aware not only did the buzz return in the early season form of that magically memorable Champions League run to the final but for an encore, Didier Drogba took the Impact and as vitally, the beautiful game itself to places not ever imagined to before in la Belle Ville.

Although their season doesn’t officially start for another fortnight or so, to me the official kick off to any season for the Impact is the evening they officially unveil their squad. In the old days this was at a private invite only event.  

In more recent seasons this has been done with the likes of fan and player cheek by jowl, and have taking place at a number of smart venues around town. For this season, the Impact Class of 2016 was unveiled at Metropolis, a venue more associated with rock shows from the likes of Coldplay and the White Stripes. Added to the occasion the players sported the club’s new primary jersey for 2016 - a striped one, which evokes the very earliest of Impact memories.

The evening, with over 800 club members attending, also included the annual general assembly for club members. Where the likes of Mauro Biello, Adam Braz and Joey Saputo delivered key note speeches and took questions from the audience.  

The Impact also took the occasion to unveil their 2016 vision, and announce that over 90% of 2015 season ticket holders had renewed for 2016. Additionally 2,500 new names had been added to that list. Although that accounts for over 8,500 season tickets or approximately 40% of match day ticket inventory, it still falls below where the Impact would ideally prefer season ticket sales were at.

With any uncertainty related to Drogba not returning in 2016 you would expect the current number to increase between now and the start of the season. Another factor which will certainly help with shining a bigger spotlight on their season early on is correlated with the Habs’ woes.  

Ordinarily Montreal’s axis pauses for the playoffs as the Canadiens embark on their annual pilgrimage in the search for Lord Stanley, version 25. This NHL season it appears most unlikely the Habs will make the playoffs - unless perhaps Drogba is loaned out on the power play.

Drogba of course, having spent time in Qatar preparing for the 2016 season and slog ahead, finally reunited with his club and teammates this past Tuesday afternoon in Tampa. As expected he did not dress for the Impact’s exhibition season opener in the Rowdies Suncoast Invitational Wednesday evening against Patrick Vieira’s New York City FC. The Impact striker did though get to catch up with his fellow Chelsea Legend Frank Lampard who also didn’t play in the match.

A well contested and highly spirited encounter where both teams carved out a number of great goal scoring opportunities, with both goal keepers displaying great form to keep it goalless until late on.

Not sure if I was more impressed with Michael Salazar’s fleet of foot movement and confidence on the ball or the quite magnificent hair style of the Impact’s 23-year old Belizean International. Salazar featured in last year’s Gold Cup and was picked up in the 2nd Round of January’s SuperDraft.

What a breath of fresh air it was to see the newly minted French speaking Cameron Porter back on the pitch after his horrific season ending ACL tear occurring in only the Impact’s second MLS match of the 2015 season, coming less than three weeks after his added time wonder goal in the Champions League.

The match was settled late on by NYFC striker Patrick Mullins in minute 75.  The woodwork denying Donadel from opening the scoring around the midway mark of the first half following a majestically  stroked free kick from well outside the box.

The Impact are scheduled to play four matches whilst in Tampa, with the concluding match against  hosts, the Rowdies February 27th before getting their MLS 2016 account underway in Vancouver against the Whitecaps March 6th.

Playing matches is a vital part of any pre-season but for Mauro Biello, and his new look staff, the time spent in camp is all about adopting and applying the key components of the style of football the Impact’s head coach expects from his players in 2016.

Biello telling TSN.ca following Friday morning’s training session, “What we’re trying to do is put our principles in place of how we want to play when we have the ball, when we don’t have the ball, in transitions. So we are working on these principles, and sub principles to allow us to prepare for the upcoming season.”

Adding, “I think it’s important that defensively we always show a good shape, it was something that we did well last year been compact in all moments. Additionally, been able to close players down, and not give the opponent that space and to be that team that is difficult to unbalance defensively.”

A simple and uncomplicated approach which worked rather well and successfully under Biello’s watch through 2015 after Klopas was relieved of his duties in late August. Keeping it tight defensively, expect to see the Impact attack in numbers.

“Offensively we want to create angles, and supports around the ball that allow us to build and create to unbalance the opposition.”

Biello concluding, “So we are working a lot on that in pre-season. Especially the offensive part may take some time. We did it last season but now we are structuring it in our training sessions to allow us to be that team we want to be on the ball.”

The Impact is next in action Saturday afternoon when they face their original captain Davy Arnaud’s, DC United.  Where we may see Drogba play a cameo role.  Ahead of likely playing a starring role February 24th against a team he put to the football sword last October. A back heel there, an immaculate touch and tap in there as the Impact’s main man notched three goals in a season defining two matches against Toronto FC.

Drogba told reporters in the week he feels in fine fettle, and expects to play the same role for the Impact as he did in 2015. For Biello it is now all about integrating the 37-year old into the patterns and principles as he has laid out to the rest of the squad since camp kicked off back on January 25th.

Next Wednesday, February 24th will also symbolize the first anniversary of that most remarkable Impact fairy-tale. Pachuca the venue for the Kick Off to last season’s dream weaving Champions League run. To
Me, even in defeat, the most glorious moment on the pitch in the entire history of Canadian club football.

Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca
@TheSoccerNoel