The Crew lays down the law against a disarmed CF Montreal

With its offensive ammunition dry, CF Montreal had to admit defeat 3-1 against the Columbus Crew on Wednesday evening at Saputo stadium.

It’s difficult to compete with Wilfried Nancy’s powerful team when even Mason Toye, your last option in attack who entered in the second half, had to come off injured after just one race.

He was thus added to the long list of injured artillerymen in the CFM. In addition to Matías Cóccaro, Josef Martínez, Kwadwo Opoku and Jules-Anthony Vilsaint – the latter was absent for personal reasons – Sunusi Ibrahim became the only striker able to receive the services of his teammates up front on Wednesday.

“There are questions that need to be asked,” said a lucid and frank Samuel Piette after the meeting. It’s difficult to have so many injuries. And that means that we lack a little internal competition, which allows us to push you, to ensure that you perform to your standards and that you deserve your place when match day arrives. »

Piette repeatedly noted a “lack of engagement” from his teammates during his speech of just under 10 minutes. “It’s a shame and frustrating,” he said, because with “a little more intensity,” CF Montreal could have “hurt” the Crew.

Does the lack of offensive resources play into the mental aspect of Montrealers, in the sense that despite all their efforts, they have the impression that the quality will not be there in the final third?

“There may be that,” replies Piette, who nevertheless assures that his club “has confidence with [ses] attackers.”

“Too often, there is this last gesture that is missing, the cross, we poorly adjust the last pass, the shot. »

On this, his head coach Laurent Courtois agrees with him.

“We have to be a little more killer,” said the Frenchman. Is it hesitation, or a lack of recognition, or in the moment a lack of quality? We will continue to work to insist on this. »

“That’s what shocks me the most”

There is Ariel Lassiter, trained as a winger, who can help out up front. His golden opportunity, a missed volley shot in front of the goalkeeper in the 11th^e minute, could have changed the course of the meeting.

But under Laurent Courtois, Lassiter is mainly used as a left back. With the mandate to fall back on defense. And we have clearly seen, for a few matches and even more so on Wednesday, that this is not his strong point. Far from there. He was beaten several times this way, including “stupidly” on Columbus’ second goal, Piette said. He didn’t name it, but that’s why we’re here.

“That’s what shocks me the most,” said the captain, who entered the 58^e. The 2-1 goal was scored in the 59th^e.

” We lose [le ballon] on a technical gesture which still seems quite simple to me, and ultimately, we have to go back. »

Wanting to carry his team forward, Lassiter sent the ball to a Crew defender. What followed was a lethal counter-attack which caught several Montrealers at fault, whose defensive withdrawal will become a lesson for the wrong reasons in the coming days.

“I find that these are actions that happen a little too often. […] When you make these technical errors, it weighs on morale because you have to come back [et te dépenser] physically too. »

“It’s the talent that speaks”

Despite everything, when Mason Toye went out injured after a promising race at 74^e, Montreal supporters were treated to one of the rare moments of celebration emanating from this meeting. Alessandro Biello, Mauro’s son, got his very first minutes in MLS and at Saputo stadium. In front of his father’s eyes, moreover, sitting in the stands.

The other moment? Mathieu Choinière’s penalty goal at the very end of the first half. A reward won beforehand by the defender Joaquín Sosa, who forced goalkeeper Patrick Schulte to make a mistake with a dazzling breakthrough in attack, paired with a well-calibrated pass from Ibrahim.

After his successful shot, the Quebecer hid his ears. He hid his eyes. He hid his mouth. Brother Nicolas Landry, from RDS, noticed the reference to wisdom monkeys. “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil,” says the maxim.

“All I have to say is that it’s talent that speaks,” Choinière commented to journalists afterwards.

It was the first time in three weeks that he spoke to the media, after being at the center of a rumored trade request from CF Montreal on 1^er last May, believed to be due to failed contract negotiations. This was followed by the departure of sports director Olivier Renard and a certain crisis to manage at CF Montreal.

“I want to give 100% here, for all the matches I have to play. We all saw what happened. These are just rumors. I want to give everything for the club. »

Nancy and the Crew, as usual

In Montreal, Wilfried Nancy accustomed us to a style of play based on possession. His CFM teams always earned nearly 60%.

This is exactly what the Crew came to visit the Quebec metropolis on Wednesday. It must also be said that Laurent Courtois had opted for a rotational formation, while Montreal plays every three days in May. This was also the case for the visitors, who notably rested ace scorer Cucho Hernández.

And it paid off quickly. Max Arfsten grabbed a return into the box to make it 1-0 in the 19th^e minute.

Despite a few Montreal jolts here and there, particularly at the end of the match, Nancy’s troops were not too worried. Until scoring the insurance goal, with the foot of Marino Hinestroza, in the 89th^e.

So here is CF Montreal with just one victory in nine games, and three defeats in a row. And with the matches coming one after the other, the task will not get any easier in the coming weeks. An intense derby against Toronto FC awaits this Saturday, in the Queen City.

“Knowing John Herdman,” notes Piette, “there are going to be a lot of emotions, a lot of commitment. We will have to respond a little more presently. In the duels, in the mentality. »

It’s funny that Piette talks about a duel. Because recently there has only been room for one sheriff in the towns where his club plays. And it’s not CF Montreal.

On the rise: Dominic Iankov

We have seen too little of him since the start of the season, but Iankov, when he is on the pitch, shows interesting offensive flashes. He got the start Wednesday, and didn’t look bad, in his role, despite his group’s yawning talent gap against opponents. The problem is that he can take the field about every other game so far, if not less.

Down: Rida Zouhir

For a player looking to get more minutes and establish himself with the big club, finally, this season, he didn’t seem hungry to step forward and make the key play on Wednesday. When he touched the ball, he was content to jog a few strides, and then slowly move back towards the two lanes.