Season roundup, part 1
2013 was a great season as we finished in fifth place in MLS Eastern Conference, enough to clinch a playoff spot. The end of that same season was marked by the retirement of Alessandro Nesta and the departure of our captain Davy Arnaud. Even without those players, nothing made us believe that 2014 would be worst; after all, the team should be better as almost all of the players remained together.
After being unable to have some mutual goals for 2014, the coach and the team decided to split apart- a big surprise for the supporters since the deal between them was to make the playoffs to ensure an extra year of contract. Then came the winter transfer window … De Santis (Director of Player Personnel) decided that the team was strong enough and no change was needed.
The season 2014.
To sum it all up, Montreal finished in last place in MLS with a record of 6-18-10; scored 38 goals and conceded 58—among the worst offensive and defensive records in the league—and never won a game on the road. The Impact didn’t score a single goal on a set piece all season—throw ins, penalties, free kicks and corner kicks. Zero. No goals. With the retirement of Marco Di Vaio, a designated player and striker, the team will have to be proactive before the start of the 2015 season.
Besides that, there are some good news. We managed to win the Canadian Club Championship and reached the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League. The team was able to get a new designated player in the name of Ignacio Piatti and some players of the academy are starting to fulfill the expectations.
We can only go up!