De Santis fixes Impact defending with Adrian Lopez Rodriguez

Yes, Montreal Impact sporting director Nick De Santis has done it again. The club announced it signed Adrian Lopez Rodriguez, a Spanish center back on Friday, after getting midfielder Hernan Bernardello to sign on as a designated player earlier this week.

The significance of these moves can’t be overstated. Montreal has been absolutely terrible at the back for a month now, allowing 12 goals in its last five matches. The Impact are struggling with set pieces, through balls, are relieving pressure at the back.

But now, help is on the way. Rodriguez, known as Piscu, is an excellent defender with experience playing in La Liga, the UEFA Cup and, most recently the Premiership with Wigan Athletic. De Santis vowed to fix the defending problems and is certainly earning his keep this week. Allesandro Nesta isn’t going to be around to anchor the back line forever and he will be needed down the stretch if the Impact want to make a run to the postseason. That’s why this Lopez signing is so important. The 26-year-old should be able to give Nesta a breather, preserving the veteran’s legs. Nesta was encouraged by Montreal’s 0-0 draw last weekend with Dallas.

“The important thing today was to find some balance, because lately we’ve been a bit lost, in my opinion,” Nesta told reporters. “The goals will come; the important thing was that we (the back four) gave a sense of security to the team by not conceding goals, something which we haven’t been able to do recently.”

Defending concerns were also at the root of the Bernardello signing earlier this week. Now, with Rodriguez on the back line and Bernardello in a defending midfield role, Montreal should finally be able to move the ball quickly from the back to the likes of striker Marco Di Vaio up front as the club did earlier this year when it was cruising along at the top of the Eastern Conference.

Teams adapted to Montreal’s counterattack strategy then and the team has struggled since. Now, with Rodriguez and Bernardello in the mix, the Impact should be able to settle down a bit after playing so tight during the last month.

Don’t expect either of Montreal’s new acquisitions be in the lineup Saturday against Sporting Kansas City though. Bernardello was hospitalized earlier this week with dehydration problems after taking the flu and there’s no set timetable as to when Rodriguez will join the team.
Sports Interaction has the Impact set as a +138 favourite on the road against Sporting KC.