

Posted by

Kamal Hylton ,

August 22, 2014 Email

Kamal Hylton

On Twitter:

@KamalHylton

First thoughts

It’s been a good week for the Montreal Impact.



The club debuted its newest signing in Argentine DP Ignacio Piatti, defeated the Chicago Fire 1-0 while ending a seven match losing run in the process and topped it off with a 3-2 victory midweek over CD FAS in El Salvador that gives them a commanding lead in Group 3 of CONCACAF Champions League.



Ironically, Montreal now turns their attention back to MLS action and face-off against the club that completes its three team Champions League group. The Impact will now travel to Harrison, New Jersey and Red Bull Arena to take on Thierry Henry, Bradley Wright-Phillips and the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.



Keep Thinking

The fact that these two teams will become more intimate with each other as CONCACAF Champion League foes makes this a good opportunity for both clubs to send a message.



From Montreal’s perspective, its hopes of making the MLS Cup playoffs are remote but coach Frank Klopas could essentially use these league games to fine tune his formation, get the right combination of players in the starting XI, including recent pick-ups like Piatti, Gorka Larrea and Dilly Duka, and, most importantly, give young players like Maxim Tissot, Anthony Jackson-Hamel and Eric Miller free reign to express themselves.



As for New York, this is a club coming off a bye week and who currently sit just above the dreaded red line in the Eastern Conference with chasing teams like New England Revolution, Philadelphia Union, Houston Dynamo and Chicago Fire hot on their heels.



Coach Mike Petke will see this match against a the last place Impact as a good chance to move up the standings and he could have a full squad to choose from, as central defenders Jamison Olave and Matt Miazga both return from suspension as well as the addition of Saer Sene, whom the Red Bull recently received via trade.



Final Thoughts

This is a game that is far more important to the Red Bulls.



Having the week off to rest while the Impact are playing its third game in eight days gives the Red Bulls a sizeable advantage, not that they need it boasting what is arguably the best forward tandem in the league. MLS’s leading scorer in Bradley Wright-Phillips has tallied 18 goals so far this season while the always dangerous Henry is playing provider with a league leading 10 assists, not to mention other players like Tim Cahill, Lloyd Sam and the newly acquired Sene all posing problems for a less than confident Montreal defence.



Playing only a few days after a flight from El Salvador, away from home and going up against a potent attack isn’t the best recipe for a Montreal Impact win.



Prediction

Montreal Impact 1-3 New York Red Bulls