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Analyst, TSN Radio 690 Montreal

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They say football is a game of two halves. Four matches into their season, the Impact have taken that old adage and run with it to an entirely new and different level.

Off to an absolute corker to start their season – with a pair of virtuoso performances where the team clearly displayed their attacking intents and scintillating capabilities in front of goal; all the while maintaining that defensive structure, discipline and cohesion which were a hallmark of their highly impressive run under the guidance of Mauro Biello last season.

In the club’s home opener against the New York, Harry Shipp delivered the precision guided lofted ball, the like of which the patrons at Augusta would love to witness this weekend, resulting in Anthony Jackson-Hamel’s very first MLS goal,  and with it the comprehensive 3-0 defeat of the current Eastern Conference Champion was complete. Putting Shipp’s contribution into a clearer perspective, the Impact midfielder must have been absolutely physically and mentally exhausted after 90-plus minutes on that Olympic Stadium surface, which could likely even drain the St-Lawrence Seaway.

It was a fully jubilant Impact throng which greeted the final whistle that day. The football rebranded Dominic Oduro leading the celebrations. After many questions about Oduro’s inability in front of net last year, with goals in two straight matches to start the season and vastly improved play, no one could deny the Impact striker his moment in the sun that day.

Fast forward to today and that vital early season momentum has ground to a halt on the back of two straight demoralising shut out defeats.  Once again, the Impact’s vulnerabilities from set pieces, which has been in evidence since the season opener in Vancouver, reared its ugly head. Even the off-week and a debut for Didier Drogba provided no relief.

It is far too easy to state the Impact’s lack of ability in front of net in Dallas and then again a fortnight later in Seattle as reason why they are in the midst of a two-match losing streak. Following those encounters, it is extremely hard to fathom that this is the very same group of players who had the competition in awe and Ignacio Piatti mentioned in the MVP conversation around the water cooler after registering their two magnificent opening victories.

Setting aside the Impact’s set piece Achilles heel, the other constant is what we see play out each season in the MLS; how a club can reign supreme at home, as the Impact did at Olympic Stadium, and then struggle with both results and performance on the road. 

Here is a football league that has obsessively stated its lofty ambitions to be mentioned amongst the very best on the planet by 2022. It is a goal which I am fully behind; but by the same token its primary assets, the footballers, are treated as second class citizens as they travel the vast distances that are often required to play MLS road matches.

Surely it is not acceptable that the Impact spent their entire day last Sunday traveling back from Seattle to Montreal. Residing in a city which is poorly served with direct flights to a number of key U.S. cities makes that slog longer and with it mentally more demanding.

MLS can no longer ignore this significant matter and need to immediately work towards addressing it. Away from the players, it is also an injustice to the supporters who flock to and pack a number of stadiums across the league. Paying good money and sacrificing their valuable time as they go.

Simply put if players are not provided with the most favourable conditions to best ensure they are fully in position to be at their very best both physically and mentally then how can we expect them to perform at their very best each and every time they run out onto the pitch?

Only a fool would think the likes of a Zlatan Ibrahimovic and even Cristiano Ronaldo to contemplate a move Stateside that travel is not a fundamental component or even a determining factor in that decision making process. Reaching out to current MLS players will form part of their comprehensive due diligence of the league you can be sure.

All that Grade ‘A’ football talent that has recently opted for soccer’s other new exciting frontier; the Chinese Super League will have no concerns whatsoever regarding this specific matter.

We will likely not ever know that full list of players who opted out of joining an MLS club due to the travel demands, which currently limits clubs to only four charter flights each season. In effect a very marginal two return flights from the total of seventeen road matches.

The Columbus Crew, who pay a visit to Olympic Stadium Saturday afternoon won’t be overly concerned about their short hop across the border, they have far graver matters to focus on. Four matches in the team which finished runners-up in the East last term have yet to register a win. Equally as alarming is the paltry three goals scored over that stretch.

The Crew do though come into the match on the back of a thoroughly well-deserved share of the spoils in Dallas last Saturday night, and like Seattle before them, the Impact will be fully aware of the hazards of facing a team desperate to put right their winless season to date. 

Kei Kamara will be champing at the bit to face the team he put to the sword in the Eastern Conference semi-final second leg last term, scoring a brace including the decider in extra time. Kamara though has got off to a poor start by his impeccable standards, only scoring once through four matches when pulling a late goal back in a losing cause against the Union on March 12th.

The meticulous planner that is Gregg Berhalter will need no reminding of the Impact’s set piece woes. The crowd at Olympic Stadium should witness 90-minutes of football where caution will have to be sacrificed as both teams go in frantic search of all three points.

The Impact will also be hoping for a sizeable crowd after barely 27,000 showed up at Olympic Stadium for the club’s home opener. Impact president Joey Saputo letting his disappointment show publically in a newspaper interview where he also revealed the Impact had set an internal target of 35,000 for March 12th’s visit of the Eastern conference champion.

Come Saturday evening we will be in far better position to judge who the Impact truly are this season.

Montreal Impact Vs Columbus Crew Live on CJAD 800 Saturday – Kick Off 4:00pm et / 1:00pm pt