MONTREAL – Really, you can’t argue with the results. How could you?
Few pundits would have expected the Montreal Impact would take nine points from their opening three games of the Major League Soccer season, especially with visits to Seattle and Portland (not the easiest places to pick up points) to begin the campaign
But take a quick peek at the league standings and you’ll notice the Impact at the very top with three wins and nine points.
Incroyable!
Funny thing is that the Impact haven’t been playing “champagne football” or caught the eye with an attractive and attacking style of play. Instead, Montreal has been grinding out results the old fashioned way, and truth be told relying on a bit of luck, to collect maximum points from their opening trio of matches.
Against the Sounders and Timbers, Montreal routinely had all 11 players behind the ball in their half of the field when not in possession, making it very difficult for opponents to break through. The Impact’s game management on both occasions was flawless, as they contained the Sounders and Timbers through solid defensive organization, and used the counter attack to create scoring chances.
It wasn’t very pretty, but it was effective, and it allowed the Impact to leave the West Coast with two road wins — they won two road games all of last season.
Curiously, coach Marco Schalibaum and his players were almost apologetic for their defensive tactics, promising they would pour on the style and attack with more purpose in their home opener against Toronto FC.
It didn’t quite turn out that way, though. A 2-1 win over TFC was secured on Saturday, but it was hardly swashbuckling stuff from the Impact, the performance more workmanlike and scrappy than inspirational and creative.
Fortune favoured Montreal, who received the benefit of a very soft penalty call to take a 1-0 lead in the first half – although it has to be said TFC had a soft penalty call go their way in the second half.
Toronto bossed the game for the final 30 minutes, and Montreal looked as though they would concede a late equalizer. But like they did in their away games in Seattle and Portland to open the MLS campaign, the Impact rode their luck and used equal parts guile and grit to grind out a win.
Again, some Impact players were almost sheepish about how the team performed in front of their fans for the first time this season.
“(Against Toronto), we really wanted to enforce our will and out style of play. For a good portion of that game we didn’t do it, but credit the guys I think everyone fought and battled and we got the victory,” Impact defender Jeb Brovsky said.
Had a spirited, good-natured exchange with Schällibaum in presser after the game. Didn’t like me asking about Impact’s next opponent, NYRB.
— John Molinaro (@JohnMolinaro) March 16, 2013
Schalibaum admitted his side was far from spectacular on the day, but when pressed about what improvements his team has to make, he grew defensive.
“We have nine points (from three games). OK. Nice, or not? It’s not bad, no?” a fiery Schalibaum shot back at reporters in the post-match press conference.
Yes, it’s not bad. Not bad at all. And there was no need for the Swiss manager to get agitated. He doesn’t have to apologize for the way his team plays. You don’t earn extra points for style. The objective is to win games, and his team has done that three times.
No doubt Montreal has a solid defensive base and looked more organized on the pitch under Schalibaum than his predecessor Jesse Marsch. Full credit to the Swiss on that count.
At the same time, there is a realization that the Impact can’t continue like this forever, and that eventually they’ll have to add more elements to their game.
“We have to be honest and look at ourselves and accept how it really was. If we do play like that for loo long we’re going to lose games. We have to improve and we have to get better,” Impact captain Davy Arnaud admitted.
For now, winning ugly has worked, and that suits Schalibaum just fine. And that’s OK.
“(The players are) not happy,” Schallibaum said after the Toronto win. “That’s a good sign, though, because they know they weren’t good in the second half but still won. Whenever we get three points, it’s good.”