Five players etch their name on the Bleu-blanc-noir’s book of records
We were on the edge of our seats until the end. After a start to the season in which the team took time to find its bearings, summer allowed the Montreal squad to climb up the standings and be at the heart of the MLS Cup playoff race. If the Bleu-blanc-noir had the same form they showed in the second half of the season over the entire year, it would have fought for third in the Eastern Conference, with an average of 1.65 points per game.
Overall, the foundation is set for 2019. The coaching staff led by Rémi Garde has grasped the essence of MLS and integrated 16 new players this year. This work will be very useful in the future, but must continue. There are many positive aspects to take out of this season, notably the fact that the Impact is the best team in the league in terms of dribbling, and that five new names will appear in the club’s record book. Here are your advanced stats for 2018.
Samuel Piette in 2018
364 interceptions and recoveries combined, second in MLS
34 games played and started, tied first in MLS and first outfield player to have played and started all games in MLS history for the Impact
Ignacio Piatti in 2018
114 successful dribbles, second in MLS
233 duels won, third in MLS
86% tackle success, first in MLS among players with at least 30 tackles won
16 goals, sixth in MLS
13 assists, 10th in MLS and most in a single MLS season for the Impact
78 fouls suffered, most in a single MLS season for the Impact
Nacho is also the leader in Impact MLS history for goals, with 63, for assists, with 34, for shots, with 341, for shots on target, with 148, for penalty goals, with 15, for fouls suffered, with 267, for winning goals, with 14, for winning assists, with 13, for multi-goal games, with 13, for multi-assist games, with five, and for games in which he contributed at least two goals, with 25
Saphir Taïder in 2018
1,629 successful passes, 13th in MLS
554 successful passes ending in the final third, eighth in MLS
35 successful crosses, 15th in MLS
23 consecutive games with at least one shot, new MLS Impact record
Evan Bush in 2018
132 saves, first in MLS and most in a single MLS season for the Impact
34 games played and started, tied for first in MLS and Impact record among goalkeepers
10 clean sheets, third in MLS and most in a single MLS season for the Impact
Alejandro Silva in 2018
Seven assists at home, ties Impact record in MLS
Three games in a row with an assist, ties Impact record in MLS