Team Focus: Can Montreal Impact stop the slide and make the Playoffs?

Not so long ago the Montreal Impact sat atop the MLS standings. Marco Di Vaio was finding the net with apparent ease and Marco Schallibaum spoke of his side’s MLS Cup chances. Now the Impact are in freefall.

Wednesday’s defeat to the Los Angeles Galaxy leaves the Quebec club perched on the brink of falling out the Eastern playoff places altogether. They are without a league win in six games and after such an impressive start to the season panic has set in.

Injuries to key players like Alessandro Nesta and Hernan Bernardello have hit the team hard, but their slump outweighs the loss of such figures. The Impact went into Wednesday’s game against the Galaxy with five academy graduates in the matchday squad and indeed a lack of depth has been a factor in their recent dismal form.

It’s easy to forget just how dominant Montreal were in March and April, winning eight of their opening 12 fixtures and losing just twice in the process. As the season has progressed, though, the Impact have become increasingly predictable. Their MLS rivals have figured them out.

The Impact had become dependant on Di Vaio, with the veteran Italian striker netting 19 times in 31 league appearances this season. The intensified effort by the club to persuade Di Vaio to stay for next season resulted in the Italian signing a new contract earlier this week but he has recently failed to hold up his end of the bargain.

Di Vaio’s last goal came against the Chicago Fire in September and he has gone three games without a goal as Montreal struggle for firepower. As the lone striker, Schallibaum has angled his entire system towards Di Vaio and this has proved an error of judgment.

The paradox for Montreal is that while they have struggled for creativity, they boast a midfield most MLS teams would be delighted to possess. Patrice Bernier, Justin Mapp and Felipe Martins are among the most accomplished playmakers in the league (the trio have 16 assists between them this season). No other team in MLS can claim more than two players in the top 20 for goal creation.

Schallibaum himself attempted to explain the late-season issues, commenting: “We are not taking enough steps forward. That is the important point to remember, and that is to free ourselves. If we were able to score one goal, it would free up something. But now, we are in a delicate situation.”

So how can the Impact stop the rot and save their playoff prospects with a win over the Philadelphia Union?

The game will be won and lost in the centre of the field, where Philadelphia have often lacked presence and physicality this season, with Keon Daniel their most prolific tackler in that area, with an average of 2.2 tackles per game.

What is more, the Union will be without Daniel, who is sidelined through injury, giving Montreal even more scope to impose their passing style on the contest. Bernier will be crucial for Schallibaum’s team. As the league’s third most prolific passer (averaging 56.5 passes per game) the Canadian international should have freedom to play to the best of his ability against Philadelphia.

The Impact’s passing game disintegrated against the Galaxy, claiming just 37% of possession. Their pass success rate was also significantly down on its season average, from 80% to 73% against Los Angeles, and they will hope to have that back up to scratch this weekend.

With Nesta ruled out against the Union, Schallibaum must come up with a defensive combination that can cope without him. Hassoun Camara, the Impact’s defensive general in Nesta and Matteo Ferrari’s absence, averages just 2.5 tackles per game (compare that to the league’s leader Matias Laba, who averages 4.9 tackles per game).

Schallibaum drafted Wandrille Lefevre into central defence for the game against the Galaxy as the team’s most prolific interceptor, averaging 4.3 interceptions per game. And indeed the Frenchman proved his worth at the back, making four interceptions, the highest of his teammates.

Many look to the absence of Nesta as the reason behind the Impact’s recent struggles but Montreal missed Ferrari just as much against Los Angeles. The Italian defender has made at least 100 more passes from his own half than any other player in MLS (998) and without him in the side the Impact aren’t as fluid moving from defence to midfield and into attack.

Last time these two sides met at Stade Saputo an eight-goal thriller was contested, with Montreal emerging 5-3 victors. On that occasion the Impact bombarded the opposition goal with 20 efforts in total (Montreal average just 12 efforts on goal per game) as Di Vaio scored a hat-trick.

Schallibaum needs to light that attacking spark again. Along with the LA Galaxy, the New York Red Bulls and the Seattle Sounders the Montreal Impact are one of the best sides in MLS, based on talent and payroll, yet their marquee players are letting them down when it matters most.

“That’s our reality,” Schallibaum said after the midweek defeat. “We’ve struggled for weeks now, but we can’t stop believing. It’s clear, we have to win against Philadelphia.”

The phrase ‘game of the season’ will be uttered by those involved with the Impact organisation before Saturday’s clash against the Union. And indeed Montreal’s year will hinge on the result.