Impact look to make Saputo Stadium a fortress after so-so first half results

The Impact were on a two-game road trip when they reached the midpoint of their 34-game regular season schedule, so Biello and technical director Adam Braz chose Tuesday to review their first half with the media.

It has been mostly good. The Impact (6-5-8) are in fourth place after 19 games with a game or two in hand on the teams ahead of them.

But there were worrying signs even before their 3-1 loss at home Sunday to New York City, which ended a six-game unbeaten run.

Too many points were frittered away on draws that could have been wins. They began the campaign 4-2-0, including two early wins at Olympic Stadium, but then were bottled up at home in a 2-0 loss to Toronto FC on April 23. Since then, they are 2-2-8.

And the magic that Ivorian legend Didier Drogba brought when he joined the team late last season in time for a 7-2-2 run down the stretch looks to have diminished. Montreal is 4-2-2 when Drogba doesn’t play, and 2-3-6 with the big striker in the lineup.

Biello is not worried about that. The 38-year-old Drogba’s five goals and five assists in 11 games is still very good, if not quite the 11 goals in as many games he posted last season.

“When you have Didier in there, he can hold up the ball,” said Biello. “He’s more of a physical presence.

“When Dom (Oduro) is in there, it’s more getting behind (the defence) with pace. You have to understand the strengths of both players. Didier attracts a lot of attention. Can we then exploit spaces with third-man runs? These are things we need to continue to improve on.”

On the positive side, the Impact is a decent 2-3-5 away, picking up draws that may have been losses in other seasons.

“Of course we want to do well a home in front of our fans and make it a difficult place for teams to come,” said Braz. “Sometimes that’s just the way it goes. The players are putting in a strong effort to correct that.”

And there may be reinforcements on the way.

Braz confirmed that there is interest in talented Argentine forward Marcelo Larrondo and with holding midfielder Hernan Bernardello, who played for Montreal in 2013 and 2014 before signing with Mexican club Cruz Azul. The Impact need help at the defensive midfield position, particularly with Marco Donadel nursing an injury.

Both players are currently without contracts and reports have linked them to Montreal. Some websites already have them listed as Impact players.

Larrondo, 27, is a tall striker who could take over if Drogba opts to retire at the end of the season. Injuries limited Bernardello, 29, to only 19 games in his stint in Montreal.

“He is someone the club has been in contact with informally,” said Braz. “He left on a good note.

“He had a big offer from a club in Mexico. Now he is an interesting profile and a player that knows the club quite well.”

Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Impact look to make Saputo Stadium a fortress after so-so first half results

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