Impact can be proud of first MLS season

As

I watched Saturday’s Major League Soccer match in Toronto from BMO Field’s media box, two things came to mind: The firstyear Impact can be proud of what it has achieved this season and, man, Toronto FC has really fallen on bad times.

The feeling in Toronto is far from that of a couple years ago, when supporters were fully behind their team. Fans have reached their frustration limit and have become vocal about it, leading coach Paul Mariner to challenge a fan to “meet in the parking lot” after a recent loss.

The Canadian Derby has lost a bit of lustre because Toronto has lost a lot of lustre.

Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons for the Impact after Saturday’s 0-0 draw. Pro: Troy Perkins registered his fourth shutout in eight games since joining the Impact in a trade from Portland. He is providing the reliable goaltending needed for his team to compete. The back line of Jeb Brovsky, Davy Arnaud, Hassoun Camara and Matteo Ferrari were solid enough to prevent any real threat from Toronto. Ferrari, in particular, had a standout game, showing the slide-tackling skills of a veteran. Without Alessandro Nesta in the lineup, Ferrari usually steps up to lead, and he did that yet again. Arnaud at right fullback is interesting to watch because I believe if he wants to extend his career he should consider staying there. He has the defensive discipline to be an effective fullback and enough offensive ideas to offer something in the final third periodically. Con: It was far from a top offensive group the Impact faced against Toronto FC, yet you can see why Montreal’s road record is so abysmal. There is an undeniable lack of defensive discipline in the group that regularly threatens to give the game away at any given moment. As early as the fifth minute, Toronto’s only offensive weapon, Eric Hassli, had a clear header at goal from 12 yards out. Hassli’s accuracy was poor and Perkins made an easy save in the end. But the loose marking was a repeat of past issues. Pro: It was so odd to see Collen Warner playing as a wide midfielder that, admittedly, it took me a bit to accurately assess him. In the end, Warner nearly stole the three points in the 91st minute, but a great save from Toronto goalkeeper Freddy Hall denied the hard-working midfielder. Overall, Warner showed well, provided dangerous crosses into the Toronto box and tracked back

There is a lack of defensive discipline in Montreal that threatens to give the game away

at any moment.

defensively to help fullback Arnaud when needed. Callum Mallace started in the centre of midfield for the second game in a row, which shows the trust coach Jesse Marsch has in the young rookie. Mallace will only get better with these valuable minutes. Alongside Mallace, Patrice Bernier ran the show yet again. If Bernier is not the Impact’s most valuable player at season’s end, I would be absolutely stunned. Con: With Warner at right midfield and Mallace at centre midfield, that amounts to two players playing in positions that are not their best. This shows a lack of depth in the team. Both players did admirably well, but that’s all relative when you consider the opposition was the worst team in MLS. Both players were constantly out of position defensively and offensively simply because their tactical awareness was slow. This can be chalked up to lack of positional practice. I like Warner. He is a meat-and-potatoes midfielder whose best attribute is his high work rate. But he should not be considered a versatile player because he has weaknesses in his game and therefore should only be put in situations to succeed for the team. Warner at right midfield is like Arnaud at right midfield, neither player possesses the offensive creativity required to be effective at that position. As for Mallace, he is not a starting-calibre player just yet, therefore he should never start. Pro: Marco Di Vaio looked energetic and it seemed the only thing on his mind was to lead his team to victory — something he was used to doing with his former Serie A teams. The front three of Nyassi, Wenger and Di Vaio accounted for 12 of the team’s 17 shots. Di Vaio has shown he’s not just here for a paycheque. He continues to work hard and show he is here for the right reasons.