D Natural is back!

Yes I’ve been away for a while, and yes the world was briefly robbed of anglo Gulls coverage, what with Steve Beau and I both being gripped hard by the strong hands of apathy.

I was going to write up about the very well played Gulls-Raging Rhinos tilt, which saw IMFC win a very important match on the final night game of the regular season, in which Ali Gerba(Zherba) scored the fastest goal in club history, a mere 17 seconds into the game. He then potted his second later on in the game, to make his goal total over the last 2 games to a whopping 5, with two consecutive record setting games. People were certainly happy about that:

But then I was going to write about the Canada match, in which Canada won in front of a, for once, pro-Canadian crowd in Canada against their CONCACAF rivals Honduras, 2-1. The game was also characterised by the creation of an Ultras group for Canada, with the aims of fully supporting their nation in a way more familiar and comfortable to ultras all across the nation, as well as it being Paul Stalteri’s record setting game where he became Canada’s all time senior men’s cap leader:

Ultras banner, Courtesy RedNationOnline.ca

This win in Montreal broke our 427 day streak without a win. People were certainly happy about that:

http://vimeo.com/14789442

But then I was going to write about Montreal’s come from behind win over the PR Islanders, 2-1. Yet another match where Ali Gerba(Zherba) showed his brilliance when focused, with two nice goals, including a ~30 yard golazo. People were certainly happy about that:

http://www.rds.ca/zv2/?categorie=impact (click the Impact 2 Islanders 1)

But then I decided to do a small writeup about this crucial upcoming game against The Rowdies, and how a win on sunday will lock us into the playoffs, and how well that looks, considering how positive the team has been playing of late. And by team I mean Ali Gerba(Zherba), and how he’s dragging us kicking and screaming into the post season with seven goals in his last three games.

Tous au Stade!

PS: Thanks to BallonRondMTL for the Rochester video, and Zed for the Canada match.

Checklist for failure:

1. Sunday afternoon game-Check
2. Rainy weather( and some would say “cold”)-Check
3. Jordan injured-Check
4. Playing against Miami-Check

I guess you can figure out how the game went.
The usual  toothless attack put about as much pressure on Miami as a light breeze, without all the intensity. Set pieces were as new traditions dictate, absolutely terrible, with zero pressure or genuine offensive chances coming about as the result of any type of set piece, excluding the penalty awarded to the Impact. I’ve never seen such a by-the-book day since we’ve started nesting in Stade Saputo. Most walked up to the game expecting the usual, and it was all there, even down to Miami FC’s time-wasting and unsportsmanlike finish. The same crap, different day.

A few things ran against the grain of this ho-hum Sunday afternoon game. The UM02 had the pleasure of being joined by none other than former Gull and current MNT player, Patrice Bernier.

Patrice in Kop CXIV

Hopefully we’ll see him just in front of 114 come MLS 2012.

So, the game may have been shit, the weather may have been shit, the crowd may have been shit, and even though it was shit overall, we were still there to see our Gulls, and we will be there again the 20th against Rochester(and at Frappé this Wednesday to watch the Minnesota away game!).

Thank you officer…

You saved my life! Now that you saved me from the evil beach ball, I can live a long and happy life!

A real writeup on the UM02 beach party and the game I heard took place in Montreal later on.

Damned if we do…

As the ever astute Steve Beauregard says, no matter the outcome, Impact fans will leave Stade Saputo disappointed.

Disappointed because tomorrow(today actually) is pretty close to the mythical “lose-lose situation” I’ve been told exists.

If Montreal beats our westerly brothers from Vancouver, we get at least one mark in the “W” column of the Voyageurs Cup standings. Yay! But were that to happen, that would also give the V cup to our p’tit frères from Toronto, who will no doubt once again proudly carry the Canadian flag well past the group stage of the Champions League, as was the case last year…

If we lose to our lovably polite and well mannered friends in Vancouver, we’re destined to finish yet another cup in last place, which as a fan of the Gulls, I am quite unused to. But were that to happen, those ever so bland Vancouverites would be able to push the tournament to the 24th hour, taking the fight to BMO and their legions of better-check-my-blackberry-while-flares-are-going-off stockbroker fans, where they traditionally play above expectations. Making it so that the cup is once again decided, as it should be, with the final game of the tournament is not only a positive for every Voyageur, seeing that the competition is indeed capable of meaningful finishes, as well as pleasing those outside of Toronto, in the hopes that Vancouver does their usual anti-red display and do what needs to be done to prevent Toronto from hoisting the cup once more.

The fact that, essentially, the club is playing yet another useless match has left Montreal in quite an odd state. Fans have been noted online as saying they wouldn’t mind another C-team rollover a-la 2009, due to the fact it can possibly keep the red scum from the cup. Others hope to trounce the Caps, Toronto be damned, whatever it takes.

The fact that no consensus on how to handle the situation has been established as of 0400 this morning leads me to believe that, if any of you dear readers are the type to see what the stadium atmosphere is like, buy a ticket, or tune in to (sigh) Sportsnet, tonight to see what is guaranteed to be a strange, strange spectacle off the field.

I for one, will be in the stands, more confused than a sailor on shore(Newfieism) about what to hope for out of my Gulls.

Though, setting my patented Voyageurs brand pessimism aside for a second and presenting a thought that just happened to fly through my beautiful face, a fan of IMFC could also theoretically leave the stadium happy at any outcome of the game, as for our situation to be lose-lose, it must also be win-win(kinda).

Except a draw…Shit.

Here’s hoping the CSA properly handles the upcoming arrival of the enigmatic Edmontonians in 2011. The longshot hope I have for this match is going up the steps to CXIV, and seeing my beautiful Carlsberg beer girl accompany me to the party that will be 114.

Stop the presses!

Jack Warner to establish a means of promoting growth and progress within CONCACAF!

Though he’s only said that they’re implementing a new WC qualifying structure before 2014 for the benefit of low-and-mid level sides like Canada, with the addition of more games played, which is a step up from the possible 2 qualifying games minnows have per qualifying attempt, only time will tell how badly the North American confederation can screw up something like this.

As a, (Shh, keep it a secret) Voyageur, I have my usual sense of cautious optimism mixed with a healthy dose of pessimism at this announcement. In my head I hope this means we’ll have a healthy amount of home games, as well as games in general, to follow and support our MNT, but in my heart I’m still worried that Jack Warner twists the qualifying around to put his favourites at an advantage, shortly before sending Benito Archundia to fly to Montréal and personally kick me in the balls and defecate on my dreams once again.

I’m really hoping my head is right, because I, and many other Voyageurs can’t take anymore CONCACRAP.

Discussion of the announcement and possible qualifying group ideas are taking place on the Voyageurs’ forum