So, after six games, what is the true face of CF Montreal? In terms of trick questions, this one is at the top of the pyramid at the moment. We bet that even the most lit participant in Who Wants to be a Millionaire? would not be able to answer it.
There were the first three matches, against Orlando, Dallas and Miami: one draw and two victories. The Impact showed disconcerting vivacity in each of these matches, particularly in the opening minutes, and escaped with points.
Then there were the following three clashes, against Chicago, DC and Seattle: nothing but defeats. An abrupt decline, from the last minute collapse against the Fire to the “slap in the face” of 5-0 in front of the Sounders last Saturday.
Through all this away epic, through the juggling – forced or not – of Laurent Courtois with his squad, through the ecstasy of the goals and the frustration of the broken walls, it was difficult to detect trends.
This is among other things why this first home match, Saturday against FC Cincinnati, is so anticipated. Let Samuel Piette explain the reasons to you.
“At home, you are comfortable,” he emphasized Wednesday morning, after his team trained on the natural lawn of the Nutrilait Center. So you’re a little more comfortable taking risks, […] to get the ball out from behind. »
I’m not saying that the match against Cincinnati is going to be perfect, that we’re going to have 90% of the possession and that we’re going to wow the crowd, but that’s what we’re going to try to do.
Samuel Piette
But Piette brings an important nuance: Laurent Courtois gives “a lot of information” to his group. “There are things that will take time,” he said, “and there are things that we can do right now. »
“We saw some hints of it here and there in previous matches. You have to realize that we only have six games together. »
The return home will finally see CF Montreal play “the aggressors”, said Ariel Lassiter on Wednesday.
“That’s what we’re going to need against a team like Cincinnati.” They have game-changing players. But as a unit, we will rise to the occasion. With our fans behind us, it’s a lot harder to stop us. »
A “wake-up call”
With this match at Saputo Stadium, there is the game identity to be deployed, but there are also the suitcases which may ultimately remain unpacked.
“It feels good physically, that’s for sure,” admits Piette. But much more mentally. For everyone. »
Asked what has been hardest over the past few weeks, Lassiter says being “far away” from loved ones and his “comfort zone,” as well as living “in hotels all the time », “it has an impact”.
On the other hand, says the Costa Rican international, “it brought us a lot closer as a group.”
“It even seems like we’ve been together for more than three months,” says Piette.
Will this esprit de corps be enough to quickly forget last Saturday’s beating?
For the Repentignois, this 5-0 was a “very, very good wake-up call at a good time”.
Before going home, we can say to ourselves that we had success at the start of the year, that things are going a little less well now, and that we need to be careful on certain points, […] be focused and vigilant.
Samuel Piette
“It doesn’t matter if we’re at home or away, we feel like we have the group and the system to win,” Lassiter said. Unfortunately, sometimes it goes that way, and it’s hard to accept. But we have the right mentality this week to correct our mistakes and execute our plan next Saturday. »
Samuel Piette also praises the “mentality” of his club, particularly with regard to this honest harvest of seven points in six games.
“We have to put it all in perspective. The good thing, on our side, is that we are not satisfied, not happy. We know we could have done better. It shows to what extent we have a winning mentality. »
In any case, the season is young and the story can evolve from match to match, as Ariel Lassiter reminds us.
“We have to take advantage of these next two home games,” he said. If we go for two consecutive victories, the story changes completely. »
Lappalainen still on the sidelines
PHOTO SARAH MONGEAU-BIRKETT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Lassi Lappalainen
As a colleague pointed out in the press gallery of the Center Nutrilait on Wednesday morning, it is not only CF Montreal which is finding its home this week. Lassi Lappalainen also found his own: the infirmary. The Finn played his first minutes of the season as a substitute against DC United – it was his first appearance for the club since the penultimate match of the 2023 season, against Portland. Then he was sidelined from the lineup on Saturday due to a groin problem. On Wednesday, he did not participate in training with his team. Just like Dominic Iankov (hamstring) and Jules-Anthony Vilsaint (knee), also absent on Saturday. The three players still took to the pitch and warmed up slightly before the rest of the group left. We didn’t see Kwadwo Opoku, who was last seen wearing an orthopedic boot after his injury suffered early in the match in Dallas.