Preview FC Cincinnati will go to Montreal and look to get back to winning ways

Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan was looking for answers from his team after a disappointing performance in their last game against the New York Red Bulls. In the 2-1 defeat, the manager was disappointed in all aspects of the team, with Noonan taking responsibility for everyone (himself included) and trying to improve.

What he saw in practice this week lived up to his expectations.

“That was probably one of the best discussions we've had on post-game analysis,” Noonan said in Thursday's pre-match press conference. “Like I said after the game, I wasn't happy with how we played the game. We lose games. The discussion depends on how the process of failure to achieve results appears. And it just felt different. It didn't seem like a good version of our team.

“I liked that we talked about the moments of the game that we didn't think about and why the result happened, so there are probably guys who are still thinking about this video after the training session. difficult conversations we've had.”

FC Cincinnati will now take on Montreal CF in their first home game for the Canadian club after six matches to start the season. A visit to French-Canada now provides an opportunity to recover and return to the principles the FCC adheres to.

Montreal will provide a new challenge. With a new manager and revamped roster, CF Montreal hasn't been consistent in results, but has flashed along the way. But after a 5-0 loss last week, The Blue-blanc-noir strives to get on the right path and fight.

“I think they have the courage with the ball. You can see different ideas about how they want to build teams to press and attack,” Noonan said of this weekend's opponent. “I'm sure they're looking forward to being in front of their fans.

“I think (CFM head coach Laurent Coutrois) has done a very good job in the early stages of being with this group. When you have a new coach, new ideas, and it's always difficult to analyze, try and figure something out… So (there are) some of the challenges we've looked at based on some of their build ideas and how to build. trying to pressure'.

Cincinnati captain Luciano Acosta also felt the response at practice, especially the energy on the field, was of high quality. What stood out most from his weekend review was the need for the orange and blue to stick to their principles.

“The biggest thing about that game was we didn't play our game,” Acosta said. “We got caught playing their game, played a lot of long balls. Under pressure. I think that was the biggest thing for the game.

“We didn't give up a lot of chances, New York didn't have a lot of chances, but at the end of the day it was important for us. We have to be able to do our thing and play our way.”

Entering Saturday's matchup, FCC is in a four-way tie for second in the Eastern Conference with 12 points. Saturday's match kicks off a streak where FCC will play four of its next five matches on the road.

FC CINCINNATI at CF Montréal – Saturday, April 13, 2024 – 7:30 p.m. ET – Stade Saputo

Stream:MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
TV Talent (English): Joe Tolleson (PXP) and Greg Sutton (Analysis)
TV Talent (Spanish):Moises Linares (PXP) and Pablo Marino (Analysis)
TV Talent (French): Frederic Lord (PXP) and Vincent Destouches (analysis)

Radio Talent: Tom Gelechter (PXP), Omar Cummings (Analyst)

Don't forget to follow @FCCincinnati TwitterInstagram and Facebook for live game updates.

The matches between “Cincinnati” and “Montreal” have always been 35 goals scored in 9 matches between the two clubs.

Last season, FCC and CFM played one of the simpler affairs of the series in The Orange and Blue's trip to Montreal, but late drama made the game memorable as FCC scored a 97th-minute free kick and Luciano Acosta delivered the equalizer. A final moment in the club's history and a few weeks later the club won the Supporters' Shield.

Although the matches between the two clubs were always explosive, they were always close. Eight of the nine contests between the two have ended in a draw or been decided by one goal, with the exception of last season's 3-0 defeat to FCC at the TQL Stadium.

La Belle Provence – Saturday night saw the Montreal club make their season debut in Quebec after a six-game homestand to start the season. Trips to Saputo Stadium have always been kind to FC Cincinnati, going 2-2-1 when visiting CFM.

Le Motor – Luciano Acosta led the way for FC Cincinnati, registering 25 key assists, the most in MLS this season. Key passes – or offensive assists in general – track all passes that lead to a direct shot. If the shot results in a goal, it's an assist.

The 2023 MLS MVP has finished in the top three in the league in assists in each of the last two seasons.

road warriors – FC Cincinnati is one of five MLS clubs to go undefeated in seven MLS games this season. With a 2-0-1 record and seven road points this season, FCC also leads MLS in road points.

i am iron man – DeAndre Yedlin leads all MLS players in minutes played this season, logging 663 minutes with Cincinnati FC and Inter Miami CF. Yedlin surpasses the 32 players who have not been suspended in 2024, but has the advantage of matches as Inter Miami CF are the only club to have played eight games.

SCOUTING CF Montreal (2-3-1, 7 points, 11th in Eastern Conference, LLLWW)

CF Montréal had a rough start to the 2024 season, which has set them back. They opened the season with six road games before hosting Cincinnati FC at Stade Saputo in the famous Olympic Park. After opening the season with a tie and two wins, The Blue-blanc-noir Dropped three consecutive matches against Chicago Fire, DC United and Seattle Sounders.

After a disappointing 2023, the French-Canadian club shook up its leadership foundation and hired French manager Laurent Courtois to take over the club in December. Courtois, who played as a player in the Premier League, Ligue 1, and then spent four years in MLS as a coach with Chivas USA and Los Angeles Galaxy behind the bench, comes from the Columbus Crew system, where he served as an Academy coach. The MLS NEXT Pro team defeated Columbus Crew 2, leading them to the title in their first season.

Montreal has made a significant addition to its forward group to help Courtois in his first season, signing MLS icon Joseph Martinez on a free agent deal this offseason. The Venezuelan forward is one of only 13 players in league history to score 100 goals and was an instant superstar when he joined Atlanta United in 2017 and won the 2018 MLS Cup, MLS MVP and Golden Boot. Although he was mainly used as a substitute in 2024, Martinez scored once in six games and started the last two matches.

Few teams have been as punished by the schedule as Montreal this season. On top of a heavy six-game tour stand to start the campaign, The Blue-blanc-noir Six key players were absent for this phase as they represented their countries, including four Canadians, Costa Rica and the USA U-23 qualifier.

When all six returned now, their absence was felt. Starting goaltender Jonathan Sirois was called up to Canada along with Joel Waterman, Ariel Mathieu Choiner and Samuel Piette. Also absent is Costa Rican striker Ariel Lassiter, who has made five regular starts and five top-six-minute leaders away from the club this term.

Matias Coccaro was the engine of The in attack Blue-blanc-noir; his three goals lead the club in his debut MLS season. Uruguayan forward Coccaro arrived in Montreal after a long loan spell with Argentinian club Huracan in the Primera Division.

Another major offseason addition comes in the form of a Canadian midfielder. Dominik Yannick was brought in from famous Bulgarian team and UEFA Champions League and Europa League regular, PFC Ludogorets Razgrad. Yannick, 23, was born in Toronto but moved to his parents' native Bulgaria as an early child and has made 17 appearances. Tricholiorite.

The aforementioned Sirois is the man in goal for the Montreal club in his second season as the club's first-choice goalkeeper. A native of Quebec and a product of the club's academy, Sirois enjoyed a loan spell with Canadian Premier League side Valor FC in 2021 and 2022, where he was named CPL 2021 Goalkeeper of the Year at just 19 years of age.

In terms of formation, FC Cincinnati fans will likely see something similar to their opponents compared to what Noonan produced for The Orange and Blue. Courtois' Montreal FC used a 5-2-1-2 or 3-4-1-2 formation familiar to Cincinnati, deploying two wing-backs and a three-man center back group to complement the play. Number ten and two strikers further up the field. In their last match against the Seattle Sounders (a 5-0 loss), The Blue-blanc-noir Pushing the wings up the pitch, he dropped the midfielder deeper (in this case, defensive specialist Samuel Petite) to support the back line with six forwards.