Impact still needs to add a number of essential pieces to the puzzle

The Impact kicked off training camp this week for its sophomore season in Major League Soccer with high hopes yet again.

Last season, the team showed well for a first-year side, but ultimately fell short of its objectives. Former head coach Jesse Marsch and his assistants were casualties, and a new man, Marco Schallibaum, is at the helm.

Marsch as head coach can certainly be blamed for the team’s demise in 2012, but the players are not without fault. I always felt the team lacked some key personnel, players who bring specific characteristics to a squad. This team doesn’t need an overhaul, but it does need to add a few more pieces to the puzzle. Attacking left fullback: Last season, the Impact used a host of players at this position — for various reasons — including Jeb Brovsky, Hassoun Camara, Matteo Ferrari, Dennis Iapichino and Zarek Valentin. All were capable defensive fullbacks, but none offered what the position ideally requires from an offensive standpoint.

Gone are the days when fullbacks were deployed solely to sit back and defend. All players are asked to be two-way players in this day and age. Such a player needs to possess the ability to take players off the dribble in one-on-one situations and must be able to deliver quality balls into the box while running at speed.

From the current squad, Iapichino seems the obvious first choice, being that he’s a natural left-footed player. But whether it was because he was instructed to not attack or it was simply his natural instinct to not attack, he didn’t do it consistently and it contributed to the Impact’s offensive predictability.

Time and time again, the Impact lacked width in attack, which meant the team was easier to defend against. Although the right fullback position also needs improvement, I believe there are players on the squad — Camara, Valentin and even Davy Arnaud — who, if given the freedom, can provide the attacking element needed. Left- and right-winger: A winger is a player who does a bit of what I mentioned above as characteristics of a fullback. The winger must be able to beat players off the dribble, cross the ball and have the ability to finish/score if given the chance on goal.

On the current roster, Sanna Nyassi and Justin Mapp are the closest to what is needed at the position. Nyassi, though, lacks tactical intelligence, which hampers his decision-making and too often sees him play well below his potential. Nyassi is therefore not a 90-minute player.

The return of Justin Mapp was a bit of a surprise, but I think a good gamble. Last season, Mapp scored a couple of goals from cutting inside onto his least-favoured right foot, which, of course, is a very good thing. On the negative side, he predictably cuts to the inside nearly every sequence and rarely gets down to the end line to deliver crosses. Mapp needs to vary his game, making opposing fullbacks think a bit more when he’s facing them one-on-one.

When you consider all the factors with both Nyassi and Mapp, you see the need for a more complete and reliable winger on the roster.

Dare I say, give Andrew Wenger a chance out wide! Wenger is extremely capable with both feet, good off the dribble, quicker than meets the eye and can get up and down the flanks with his young legs.

Hmmm ... certainly something for the new coach to think about. Striker: More specifically, a big, strong, but deceptively quick striker whose best attribute is scoring headers. A player like Seattle’s Eddie Johnson (14 goals in 28 games in 2012), who scores most of his goals from headers.

Wait a minute … didn’t the Impact own his rights?

Indeed, the Impact traded Johnson to Seattle and got two players in return — but only one of the two (Lamar Neagle) is still with the team. If only the Impact brass could get a do-over!

A Johnson-type player is mandatory in most leagues, but more so in one such as MLS, where the style of play from a number of teams still emphasizes getting the ball wide and delivering good crosses into the danger area.

Marco Di Vaio will always look for balls to feet, while Wenger’s size does enable him to get on the end of crosses. Wenger, though, is still very much a work in progress and will need more time to become the lethal finisher that the team needs right now, rather than later. Notes – The Impact will be back on the indoor field at the Marie-Victorin Sports Complex Friday at 10:30 a.m., with all training-camp practice sessions open to the public.

Following two weeks of training in Montreal, the Impact will head to Orlando, Fla., from Feb. 7 to 24 to take part in the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic.

The Impact opens the regular season Saturday, March 2, in Seattle and will play in Portland on March 9 before heading back to Montreal for its home opener March 16 against Toronto FC at Olympic Stadium.