In this edition of Oppo Research, Hudson River Blue spoke with Elias Grigoriadis of The Ball is Round Montréal to learn more about CF Montréal, New York City FC's road opponent on Saturday night. Here is your NYCFC vs CF Montréal preview.
• League Form: L-W-L-L-D
• Record: 2W, 5D, 12L | 11 points, 15th place
• Scoring Leader: Prince Osei Owusu, 7 goals
• Assist Leaders: Luca Petrasso, Prince Osei Owusu, Caden Clark, 2 assists
1. Montréal is struggling, last in Eastern Conference due to weak squad
Hudson River Blue: Since defeating NYCFC 1-0 on May 10, Montréal won just one of its last seven MLS games and sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. What’s going on with Montréal this season?
Elias Grigoriadis: There have been several issues with CF Montréal this season, as evidenced by their recent run of just one win in their last seven games, indicating that the “new coach effect” is wearing off. When Marco Donadel arrived after Laurent Courtois's dismissal, he brought with him a more attacking style of play and a more assertive pressing approach. That helped Montréal have some more exciting games and get some results, especially on the road, but the underlying issue of a squad that is not strong enough ultimately resurfaced.
2. Prince Owusu is a threat
HRB: Former Toronto FC striker and Josef Martínez replacement Prince Osei Owusu has been a bright spot, though, scoring a team-high seven goals in 19 games. At 28 years old, could Owusu be Montréal’s star striker for the foreseeable future?
EG: It was an extremely difficult start to the season for Owusu, who struggled to find the back of the net, and it significantly affected his confidence. His goal in the first match against NYCFC provided a much-needed boost to his morale and has since been one of the better players on the team.
That being said, as a target man who excels in holdup play, he is only as good as the service and chance creation around him. That is still significantly lacking, given the amount of injuries that the offensive core has suffered, and will likely continue, as now Caden Clark will likely miss time with a knee injury. Owusu remains a threat, as when he is in confidence, he presents an especially difficult matchup for most defenders. However, keeping him isolated is the best way to mitigate his impact.
3. First match in 16 days for NYCFC, quick turnaround for Montréal
HRB: Both teams come into this match on very different amounts of rest — NYCFC last played on June 12, while Montréal lost to Cincinnati on Wednesday. How much of an impact do you think this will have on Saturday?
EG: I don’t believe that fatigue will have a significant impact, given that Wednesday’s game was Montréal's first in a week and a half, and there was a substantial rotation towards the end once the score was out of reach. Even if it were an issue, there is little the club can do, as they are currently missing seven players due to injury or the international break, with another three who left Wednesday’s game due to discomfort.
4. The X-Factor: The midfield
HRB: What's the X-factor that could decide this game?
EG: The midfield will be the deciding factor. Montréal’s ability to play out of the back depends entirely on whether or not they can get their midfield double pivot on the ball and turn to get forward. If NYCFC’s press denies that, then they will force the Montreal defense to skip lines and try to find Owusu directly, making it even more difficult to build into the attacking third naturally. If Montréal’s midfield can’t find space in between the lines and get running, they will do much better as this team thrives in open space, especially if it’s a quick, accelerated build-out from a defensive set piece, a goal kick, or a counter-attack attack.
5. Predicted score, Starting XI
HRB: Prediction time: Starting XI? Final score?
EG: Score prediction: 1-1
