ottawaguy2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Last night's game in Torreon got off to a good start. Montreal held the ball well. Their passing was spot on and they used the whole field, spreading the Mexican defense then exploiting the holes to score. Sebrango had a nice goal, as did Roberto Brown. They had Santos on the back foot. But then something happened. The Santos coach must have given one heck of a speech to his boys in the dressing room. Because in the 2nd half Santos Laguna exploded out of the gate and absolutely demolished the competition. If the first half was two fairly even pro-teams, the second half looked like a confused high school team (Montreal) up against the Argentina MNT. It was painful to watch. What happened out there? I'm not sure what the temperature was but "les bleus" looked dog tired by the 70th minute. They were slow on their feet, their passes were less succinct, and they could not, for the life of them, hold the ball in the midfield. Santos absolutely controlled the second half. They destroyed Montreal. They scored 4 or was it 5? goals in the second half alone! Issues of contention: 1) The "arbitro" should have taken better control of the game. He was too laissez-faire and sure enough, when tempers flared, there was no respect for the whistle and Grande just about got into a fist fight. He needed to clamp down on the game early on and make his presence known. 2) Adam Braz. Adam Braz to me is the Martin Gerber of the Impact. He's weak on his feet, he fumbles around with the ball, he's indecisive. His one touch is totally inaccurate. Indeed he was cut by TFC. Why did Limniatis put him in? He was screening Jordan on one of the goals. He was the man closest to the Santos attacker, and when he failed to strip the man of the ball he was standing conveniently in front of Jordan who failed to dive in time. (This was the tying goal: 4-4). 3) Limniatis must have told the team to not cross over half in the 2nd. He wanted them to play defensively, which is totally understandable, but against a quality team like Santos, to play defensively is to spread the field and retain possession, not to clog up your own half and bring misery upon yourself by having 4 different strikers taking shots and making runs every 2 minutes. That shot that hit the post, 1 minute after a goal, should have clued them in. Get the ball and hold it. Spread the field and play possession. I take back what I said about Liminiatis being a potential coach for our MNT. The second half of that game totally made me a disbeliever in the Impact, a team I've supported since 2005. I've always been torn btween TFC and the Impact, the MLS and the USL. Montreal's weak display in the second half makes me want to say: forget the USL, the Impact, etc. Whereas a week ago I was very much against Montreal being awarded an MLS franchise on the grounds that their team would be broken up (trades, transfers, loans, etc.) I now maintain that this team could use a good shakeup. Last night's second half was embarrasing. TFC, in 2009, take back our Canadian soccer pride. Represent us at the Champions League. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfnhalf89 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Calm down, you should be proud of montreal, i bet toronto wouldve lost home and away, looking how **** all of the mls teams were, and your also forgetting that montreal is still in PRESEASON, unlike all those f****** mexican teams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 This is the practice the Impact coaches and players missed......... this would had help win that game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmcmurph Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Playing ultra defensively is understandable when the other team makes 2 passes and are in your third within seconds every time they get the ball. In that case keeping extras back not to get burned on the counter attacks make sense. Montreal get too fancy trying to keep posession in their third then give it up with bad passes. Santos pass like robots and never gave up. The ball didn't go more than a foot away when they received it. I agree you have to keep posession against a team like that or they will kill you. For the last 15 minutes it looked like the Impact players were gassed. The old lead legs won't help much. Montreal deserves a lot of credit for making it this far. The bar has been set, now which Canadian team will make it farther? I didn't like the result but I agree with Leon from the other thread. This is why I watch soccer! That was a great game and series. As a Caps fan I found myself surprisingly sad when Montreal lost. I have never felt that way for any other Montreal sports team. Neither the Canadien or Expos ever got that emotion out of me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottawaguy2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 I have to say after the 2nd half goal-fest we were treated to by Santos Laguna (a team I'd never heard of until the Champions League Final 8) I have to say I may be a new fan of the blanco y verde. Quintero. Man that guy can shoot. Benitez. All those guys. They were powerful. Their shots were rockets and the Impact players looked all thin, pale, tired, and scared as they filled up their 18-yard box using their bodies as defensive shields as the Mexicans sent in volley after volley, shot after shot, and made run after run. That was one of the most exciting final 15 minutes to a game I've ever seen. Don't get me wrong - the best team won. I think that natural grass field, the warmer weather, and the home crowd gave Santos the boost they needed. I'm cheering for them throughout the rest of the tourney. Vamos Santos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottawaguy2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 quote:Originally posted by halfnhalf89 Calm down, you should be proud of montreal, i bet toronto wouldve lost home and away, looking how **** all of the mls teams were, and your also forgetting that montreal is still in PRESEASON, unlike all those f****** mexican teams As soon as the Reds get their chemistry going - watch out. Vitti, Guevara, De Ro, and all the other new signings the TFC have made this off-season. I say they finish 3rd in the East and not only that, but that they only suffer one loss in Champions League qualifiers vs. the Caps and the Impact. Quest ce que vous chantez???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 After the emotional run by Montreal and the gut-wrenching finale last night, I really don't want to be hearing some clown telling the world how great TFC will be this season. TFC soapbox area is BELOW this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rujulus Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Glad I could stay up late to watch that game on CBC, enjoyed the wild ride, but was utterly flabbergasted with the result. Still can't believe it today. I hope ex-Impact Sutton & the other TFCers also do a debrief on this game so it doesn't happen to them when they're playing away in Mexico in the CCL one day soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keano Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 quote:Originally posted by ottawaguy2009 As soon as the Reds get their chemistry going - watch out. Vitti, Guevara, De Ro, and all the other new signings the TFC have made this off-season. I say they finish 3rd in the East and not only that, but that they only suffer one loss in Champions League qualifiers vs. the Caps and the Impact. Quest ce que vous chantez???? I think you need to realize what this forum is. There are threads where you can chat about how good you think TFC is going to be next season, but there are none where it is acceptable to troll and highjack. Particularly in this thread you show a complete lack of class. This is the Canadian soccer fans' forum, so regardless of club affiliation we are dissecting and lamenting what was a great run and a shocking defeat by the Impact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trillium Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Two big points.. on this game one the uncalled penalty on Brown something the El siglo de Torreon notes, and the 12th man effect, not to deflate the Impact but to lift Santos... They chanted "yes we can" all during the second half, and they have a belief that the come back wild ride game is there style, the team is used to doing this, so they dont get down on themselves. I have not seen the game on screen and was at the north endzone so my view of the last half back line play for Montreal is not there yet, but I think everyone should take away a belief in Montreal as a team they did very very well, the soccer gods could have easily made this go the other way.. I would love to know if the extra four minutes was about right or not in terms of play stoppage.. but thats just me not trusting the ref, who was in over his head with this game. He missed some shamefull calls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 The ref was pretty good and that is something a lot of people pointed out. That was a Brown dive in the second half, no contact with the keeper. It looked like a PK live (I was screeming at my TV) but the replay showed that it was an excellent dive by Brown... The worst no call award: Felix Brillant takedown of the Santos player before they scored their 5th. Clear PK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppercanuck Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 The change of pace was to be expected in the entire game, not just the 2nd half. The parallels of this game and Canada MNT games are too many to mention. If this game doesn't kill the Impact it will only make them stronger. Imagine the Impact going into Cleveland or Minnesota this season after that game in Torreon. They made a great run and got farther than many other "better" teams. For me, the standard is set. Canadian clubs will be forever measured against this. The Voyageurs Cup was a battle last year and now, because of Montreal's performance in the CCL, will continue to be a bigger battle. I hope CONCACAF and potential Canadian club owners take notice of this performance on all levels (stadium reevenue, merchandise, TV ratings, etc.) because this is how to build a club. Give Canada a second spot, take one away from USA, Guatemala or El Salvador. Maybe add Belieze to the Carib Qualifier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squizz1402635577 Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 quote:Originally posted by loyola The ref was pretty good and that is something a lot of people pointed out. That was a Brown dive in the second half, no contact with the keeper. It looked like a PK live (I was screeming at my TV) but the replay showed that it was an excellent dive by Brown... The worst no call award: Felix Brillant takedown of the Santos player before they scored their 5th. Clear PK. Agree about the ref, and about the terrible non-call right at the death for Santos. It looked like the subs were going to run on the field and attack him right there. Can you imagine what would have happened if Santos hadn't potted the fifth, with that PK having not been called? That could have been reeeeeal ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keegan Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I could not believe that was not called. I was almost waiting for the crowd noise to die down so I could hear a whistle or something but nothing. Hey but even vs. Honduras at home in WCQ we would have been up 2-0 after Radzinski was thrashed in the box. Not the first time body checks have been let go. Those are tough to call though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devioustrevor Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 That 2nd half was ugly. Frankly I'm surprised I didn't hear anything from Nigel or Jason. You'd think that John Limniatis being kidnapped at half-time and replaced with Dale Mitchell would've been more newsworthy. Did Montreal actually have midfielders on the field in the 2nd half. I can't seem to recall. Too much time with defenders just hoofing the ball upfield and hoping Sebrango or Brown got to the ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmcmurph Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 quote:Originally posted by devioustrevor That 2nd half was ugly. Frankly I'm surprised I didn't hear anything from Nigel or Jason. You'd think that John Limniatis being kidnapped at half-time and replaced with Dale Mitchell would've been more newsworthy. Did Montreal actually have midfielders on the field in the 2nd half. I can't seem to recall. Too much time with defenders just hoofing the ball upfield and hoping Sebrango or Brown got to the ball. I think the second half strategy was valid because Montreal were giving up counter after counter. They would get the ball up field and then 1 errant pass and Santos would get it. 2 long passes and they were in our 18 yard area. We just couldn't get our mids and forwards back quick enough. The Impact players looked gassed and at that point putting everyone on defense trying to kill the clock was what I was thinking was a good strategy. It just didn't work out. When Montreal did get some free kicks around the center I was surprised they didn't put 2 tall forwards in the box and try for a long ball. Even if you miss you won't be out of position. They relied on passing it short and couldn't maintain posession. It could have gone Montreal's way but didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 It isn't so much the whole second half that is to blame for the total collapse, it's the last 2 minutes of stoppage time where they gave up 2 goals. Being down 3-2 (winning 4-3 on aggregate) after 90 minutes was reasonnable in the circumstances, so the defensive strategy wasn't bad at all IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandstander Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I can't stand DeSantis as a coach. However the collapse probably wouldn't have happened if he was at the helm. Having said that, the Impact probably would not have scored 4 goals either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottawaguy2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Ed After the emotional run by Montreal and the gut-wrenching finale last night, I really don't want to be hearing some clown telling the world how great TFC will be this season. TFC soapbox area is BELOW this forum. And just why won't TFC be great this season? How about we wait and see eh. *In future I'll reserve these types of statements for the TFC threads. That said, I really must tell you that I am a fan of the "Big Three" and then some. (I try and follow the CSL teams the PDL teams, etc. as well.) I'm not tainting this board by shouting a TFC chant. I was merely expressing my sentiment that TFC should represent Canada next Champions League. When I went to the TFC - Impact game in Montreal I cheered for both teams. Honestly, I'm torn between the two. When I go to Vancouver to visit family this spring I plan to attend a Whitecaps game. I love all those teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottawaguy2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Keano I think you need to realize what this forum is. There are threads where you can chat about how good you think TFC is going to be next season, but there are none where it is acceptable to troll and highjack. Particularly in this thread you show a complete lack of class. This is the Canadian soccer fans' forum, so regardless of club affiliation we are dissecting and lamenting what was a great run and a shocking defeat by the Impact. I'm not sure I quite understand. Please let me know or have one of the mods let me know. I don't write to shock, to get a reaction, to "troll and highjack." I write cause I have an opinion and I need somewhere to express it. If it relates to a Canadian soccer club I think it's quite fair that I write it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 quote:Originally posted by ottawaguy2009 And just why won't TFC be great this season? How about we wait and see eh. I guess I wasn't clear enough. Let me make it clear: I do not want to hear some ass-hat telling me how good TFC will be this season in a thread about the Impact's last CCC League game. Comprende? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 quote:Originally posted by ottawaguy2009 And just why won't TFC be great this season? How about we wait and see eh. *In future I'll reserve these types of statements for the TFC threads. That said, I really must tell you that I am a fan of the "Big Three" and then some. (I try and follow the CSL teams the PDL teams, etc. as well.) I'm not tainting this board by shouting a TFC chant. I was merely expressing my sentiment that TFC should represent Canada next Champions League. When I went to the TFC - Impact game in Montreal I cheered for both teams. Honestly, I'm torn between the two. When I go to Vancouver to visit family this spring I plan to attend a Whitecaps game. I love all those teams. That's all right. Some people here are really sensitive about TFC vs Impact vs Whitecaps vs Chill vs etc... Just try to respect the subject and maybe this time try to stick to the subject of YOUR thread... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Ed I guess I wasn't clear enough. Let me make it clear: I do not want to hear some ass-hat telling me how good TFC will be this season in a thread about the Impact's last CCC League game. Comprende? We saw your reaction when some V's complained about you including Fernandes updates in your Canadians in Germany thread. Pretty much telling people to get out if they weren't happy. This is ottawa2009 thread, maybe you should go post elsewhere.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Thanks for the advice. Fck off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Impact Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 First off THANKS to the Montreal Impact for making this City, Province and Country proud. They achieved more then anyone could have expected. The loss is very hard to accept given the total collapse in the last seconds of the game. John Limniaitis did a great job in motivating and preparing his team through out the entire run, but he failed miserably in managing and positioning his team in the second half of the game. There is no reason to lose when you are up 4 goals to 1, to begin the second half. Playing 10 at the back is a very dangerous, and rarely works. I have no doubts that this orginization is professional enough to learn from this experience, and become better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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