When he accepted the position of head coach of CF Montreal, Hernan Losada probably expected a slightly less tumultuous start to the season. Between managing the injured and his side’s inability to find the back of the net, the Argentine is already looking for solutions, but he’s not panicking.
As usual, Losada led an intense practice Wednesday at Olympic Stadium, but the atmosphere was relaxed, despite three straight losses to start the season.
Nobody would have blamed the head coach if he had been a little more on edge or if his patience was already starting to crumble. However, it was in a good mood that Losada showed up to answer questions, even if another tile fell on his head.
Already stretched thin, Losada has confirmed that center back Kamal Miller will miss the matchup against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night.
“Kamal felt a pain in his calf early in the game last Saturday, but he kept playing. It’s not very serious, but unfortunately he will not be ready for the match on Saturday.
Miller’s name is added to a long list of injured players – or at least a little crippled – since the start of the season.
Named team captain on Tuesday, when CF Montreal kicked off the season, Quebecer Samuel Piette only made a few runs on the sidelines with striker Romell Quioto on Wednesday before leaving the Stadium. Olympic. Defender Aaron Herrera, midfielder Lassi Lappalainen and striker Jules-Anthony Vilsaint simply did not take part in training.
And that’s not to mention the injuries to goalkeeper James Pantemis, defender George Campbell, midfielder Matko Miljevic and striker Jojea Kwizera, who will be sidelined for some time to come.
Few coaches would manage to work miracles in front of this injury report and Losada explains the situation badly. The Argentinian, however, remains positive and he hopes to have the chance on his side for the duel against the Union.
“Injuries don’t worry us. Players can get injured in several ways. I can’t explain why exactly. It could be the change of surface or maybe the two months of vacation. It’s like that everywhere and not just here. But besides Kamal, I hope Samuel, Romell, Aaron and Lassi will be ready for the weekend.”
Beyond the injuries, CF Montreal lost some good players this offseason and the remaining players have to adapt to Losada’s style, just as the head coach has to adapt to the strengths and weaknesses of his men. to place them in favorable situations.
It therefore seems normal that the pieces of the puzzle are not all put in place at the moment to create an attack and for the Montreal team to offer optimal performance.
The Bleu-blanc-noir had some good offensive moments in its first three games of the season, but it didn’t create many clear chances. Moreover, he is quietly approaching the Toronto FC record for the most consecutive minutes without a goal to start a season (383).
“We play to win and we want to be competitive. I think we were in the first three games. I don’t panic. With all the new faces, a new coach is a process and you have to be patient. It takes time and I am convinced that we will improve because there is talent in this team,” insisted the head coach.
While waiting for the results, Losada plays with the cards he has in his hands and he is not closed to the idea of making a few adjustments here and there to find the recipe for success. For example, he does not rule out the idea of moving Miller to the left to play with four defenders rather than three or even placing Lappalainen a little higher to take advantage of his skills.
“Kamal played on the left in Orlando, but he is better as a central defender. With the player profiles we have, we think that two forwards with two wingers is good for the team, but we’ll see,” observed Losada.