Preview: The FC vs Montreal – Will Anyone Play?
The Admin
Hey guys, it’s me again. Here's that long-awaited preview… which I am definitely not typing up on Matchday. Unfortunately, Grayson and The Chief threatened legal action against me if I didn’t write up a preview. So if you have any complaints, take it up with them.
Okay, so let’s address the elephant in the room here – will anyone from either team be available for the match!? A combined 18 players are unavailable for this match due to international duty or injuries. The FC has 6 players out while Montreal has a whopping 12 players unavailable.
It’s truly a bold move by MLS to force its clubs to play through the international break with SO many players getting called up. Montreal even tried disputing this odd decision.
Annnddddd they lost (as expected).
Head-to-Head
Despite the number of Montreal players out, we shouldn’t write them off. Dare I mention the dreaded Seattle and Columbus matches against literal children? Anyway, FC matches against Montreal are so weird and so unpredictable.
FC Cincinnati have won four consecutive matches against CF Montréal, outscoring them 14-5 in the four wins. Cincinnati’s eight all-time wins against Montreal are the club’s second-most MLS wins against any one opponent (Toronto FC is #1).
The FC’s overall H2H against Montreal is 8 wins 2 ties and 4 losses..
Players to Watch
FC Cincinnati
Not Matt Miazga: Ope.
David Douděra: With how thin The FC is right now, I won’t be surprised if we see David get tossed into the fire. It’s also worth noting that David obtained his work visa and began training with The FC on Wednesday. Whether he gets minutes as a sub or even a start, it goes against the Pat Noonan school of thought of slowly integrating new signings. I just don’t think Pat will have an option in this scenario.
Montreal
NA
FC Cincinnati Lineup Notes
OUT: Pavel Bucha (international duty)
OUT: Pavel Bucha (international duty)
OUT: Connor Dale (international duty)
OUT: Kévin Denkey (international duty)
OUT: Ender Echenique (not due to injury)
OUT: Miles Robinson (international duty)
Montreal Lineup Notes
OUT: Wiki Carmona (international duty)
OUT: Olger Escobar (international duty)
OUT: Bode Hidalgo (lower body)
OUT: Samsy Keita (international duty)
OUT: Efrain Morales (international duty)
OUT: Josh-Duc Nteziryayo (lower body)
OUT: Dani Pereira (international duty)
OUT: Viktor Radojevic (international duty)
OUT: Dante Sealy (international duty)
OUT: Noah Streit (international duty)
OUT: Hennadii Synchuk (international duty)
OUT: Brayan Vera (lower body)
FC Cincinnati vs Montreal Predicted Lineups
With a total of 18 players unavailable, it is impossible to predict how either team will line up. SO here is my best guess. It’s going to be a barn burner, that’s for sure.
Final Thoughts
I’m gonna say it – it’s a must-win match for me. The FC currently sits at 9th in the East, and they are at the point in the season where they cannot afford to drop more points. For me, the bare minimum is to make the playoffs and to avoid the play-in game between the 8 & 9 seeds.
Considering how much money has been spent on this roster and the last-minute moves made this transfer window, I think it is very fair to expect more from this team. Anything but a win against this Montreal squad is failure - no excuses. Yeah, we may have a game in hand, but I don’t care. We need to see better results now instead of digging ourselves into a hole.
With that said, I predict a 2-2 draw against a decimated Montreal squad.
How to watch FC Cincinnati against Montreal
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. You can watch the match on Apple TV or by visiting our good friends at Streetside Brewery.
A special thank you to our supporters on Patreon and to our sponsors, E&L Roofing and Streetside Brewery, for keeping the lights on.