Waking up Monday morning with six points in the last two matches was a special feeling.
Seeing the Fire on the right side of the playoff line and knowing they have a week’s worth of rest before their fixture against Montreal this Saturday was an even better feeling.
While the past two results have been full of goals, creativity, splendor and Bobby Shuttleworth wonder saves, we must all remain in check and know there is plenty of work to be done. This league is full of unexpected twists and turns, and not letting the highs get too high is just as important as not letting the lows sink too low when the chances aren’t flying in left and right.
Here’s how the Fire stack up against Thierry Henry’s Montreal Impact as they try to keep the good times rolling on Saturday in the Garden State.
STRANGER THINGS…
What a bizarre return to play it has been for the Canadian sides in 2020.
They began Phase 1 of Major League Soccer’s return to regular season play by simply playing against one another, and essentially having a Canadian Championship on repeat.
Over the past three fixtures though, they’ve all been designated to a U.S. city. Montreal has been stationed at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ.
Unlike the American teams, as Thierry Henry pointed out, they train and go back to a hotel before a home match instead of being able to go home to their families and sleep in their own beds. Routine is everything for athletes, and this has been anything but routine for the Impact.
Their recent stretch of results has reflected the curious nature of their circumstances, but it’s also come with defensive miscues and -- worst of all -- a slew of disciplinary issues.
Montreal have seen a player sent off in four of their last five matches, with the latest red card being issued to defender Luis Binks. He’ll now be unavailable against the Fire on Saturday night.
They’ve also struggled to stay healthy. Midfielder Saphir Taïder, the player missed most by Montreal fans, has missed the last two matches. Taïder is by far the Impact’s most steady offensive contributor with four goals and six assists thus far in 2020.
Orji Okwonkwo, Ballou Tabla, Steven Saba and Mathieu Choinière were also unavailable in the Impact’s 4-1 loss to Red Bulls this past weekend. That loss was their fourth straight, and they’ve conceded 14 goals in those four losses. In fact, Montreal currently sport the worst goals against average in the Eastern Conference, and have given up 27 goals this season.
BUT… (you always knew it was coming) they are still a side that possess weapons and a head coach who has been around the block - not just in this league, but across the globe at the highest level.
They are, by nature, a counter-attacking side who can go extremely quick. Maxi Urruti and Barcelona product Bojan Krkić lead the attack in what typically looks like a 3-5-2 from the French head coach.
Bojan had a goal-of-the-year worthy finish last weekend against Red Bulls that opened up the scoring inside of the first few minutes. However, the goal more-or-less “poked the bear” and led to New York scoring four unanswered.
Bojan took the ball about 35 yards out from goal, took a touch slightly backwards to avoid the defender, and unleashed a rocket that flew into the upper left corner to beat the Red Bulls' ‘keeper at the near post. It was truly sensational.
While that sort of quality and quick-strike DNA has been lying dormant in this side for a couple weeks now, they are more than capable of doing that to any team in this league.
DON’T CHANGE A THING
If you’re Raphael Wicky, you’re probably not changing anything in your side heading into Saturday.
Jonny Bornstein has delivered two straight stellar performances. The tiny switch of Fabian Herbers moving to the No. 10 spot and Ignacio Aliseda going out wide has given this team balance. It seems to not only suit those two, but forward Robert Berić as well. With goals in four straight outings, the Slovenian is now just one goal away from tying the franchise record for goals scored in consecutive games set by David Accam.
In addition to the personnel changes we’ve seen, the Fire’s tactical successes over the past couple of games should play beautifully against Montreal.
The press we saw that created two goals in their 4-0 win against Houston last week should work just fine against the Impact. The Red Bulls created three of their four goals from simply winning the ball in dangerous areas and punishing the Canadian side.
The Red Bulls’ outside backs consistently stepped up and won balls in the middle or final third and quickly went forward, just like what we saw when Herbers scored the Fire’s first goal on Sunday.
The other facet that has been crucial to this Fire team’s success is their ability to create 2-v-1 and 3-v-2 matchups out on the wings. This will be particularly useful against a three-back system.
Isolating the wing-backs and getting the Fire’s outside backs involved will force Montreal to defend in spaces where they have limited numbers.
It seems simple, but putting together consistent, consecutive performances is the hardest thing to do in this sport. However, it appears for the moment that the Fire are finding that ever-elusive form at the right time.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This is a six-day break that both teams needed. To be frank, the entire league needed it.
These phases become mini-sprints after the first game and this 9-game stretch will be like a 800m event… a sprint that really isn’t a sprint but actually is a sprint…
Montreal were able to go back home this week, and -- even though they can't train or get treatment until they return to New Jersey for Saturday's match -- it was surely a much-needed push of the reset button.
Thierry Henry will surely go back to the whiteboard and try to figure out a way to maximize the players they have available, but it’s difficult when injuries and suspensions are the most consistent factors in your side.
Chicago put in two really taxing shifts and got their reward, but they are only human and the press they’ve implemented can take its toll.
Pairing the pressing nature of the Fire with the counter-attacking delights on Montreal, I imagine Saturday’s match will be pretty open.
Another three points would do wonders for the Fire’s postseason ambitions, with a jump as high as eighth in the Eastern Conference table on the line.
