ORLANDO – Adrian Heath admits Orlando City SC will have two different plans for their crucial showdown with Montreal Impact on Saturday (7:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE)– all dependent on whether Didier Drogba plays.
The ‘Will he, won’t he?’ nature of Drogba’s uncertainty over playing on the Citrus Bowl turf has ensured an element of mystery ahead of what will be the most significant game of the season for Orlando.
And Orlando’s head coach has had to adapt his own strategy for the two possibilities, while also weighing several different options among his own lineup.
“Drogba obviously brings a different problem than someone like [Dominic] Oduro would, and you would set up slightly differently in that case,” Heath said. “With him, they probably go 4-2-3-1, but if not, they might go 4-1-4-1, so we have to be ready either way. We certainly have a few things to decide on before 7:30 on Saturday night.
“If it was the last game of the season, I think he probably would play, but they will do whatever is best for them and Drogba. If I was them, I would probably be thinking in terms of the next five or six games and possibly the playoffs rather than this one game, but ultimately I think this will boil down to how well we play on the day.”
Orlando’s players are also in two minds about whether they want to see the powerful Ivory Coast striker on the field after his seven goals in six games for the Impact. US international Brek Shea is in the ‘No’ camp, while full back Rafael Ramos hopes Drogba is in the Montreal lineup.
“I hope he doesn’t play,” Shea said. “The guy is unbelievable. He’s been like that ever since I’ve been watching him. But you don’t focus on that. If he does play, we’ll be ready for him. We are really confident right now after three straight wins.”
Said Ramos: “It’s good to play against these kind of guys. I like to play against the big names in football. It makes you a better player.”
The different effects of Drogba could be felt along the left-hand side of the Lions’ lineup, with Heath having almost a full squad of players to call on, with the exception of the suspended Cristian Higuita, who will miss the game due to yellow card accumulation.
Orlando could play any of Luke Boden, Corey Ashe or Shea at left back, depending on whether they need to counter Drogba’s strength or Oduro’s speed, while Carlos Rivas is also pushing for a starting role at left midfield after his huge contribution in last week’s 5-2 win at New York Red Bulls.
The City coach also has to decide between Lewis Neal and Adrian Winter on the other side of midfield, while midseason pickup Servando Carrasco is in line to replace Higuita alongside Darwin Ceren in the defensive midfield role.
The former Sporting Kansas City player has already started nine games in purple and Heath will have no hesitation in making it 10 on Saturday.
“If you look at how many minutes Servando has played for us, it shows how important he has been,” Heath said. “He has made some important contributions for us since he came here so it has been a good move for us.”
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However they lineup, Orlando will be playing in front of a big crowd and an expected playoff-like atmosphere. While Saturday’s attendance likely won’t match their inaugural crowd of 62,510, there should still be a very large – and vocal – turnout.
“This weekend is a huge game for us,” Heath added. “If we were to win and take the gap back to a point, it puts us in with a shout. Drogba’s obviously really given them a lift and the atmosphere at Stade Saputo has been incredible.
“But this will be the Citrus Bowl, and I’m really looking forward to it. Whenever we’ve asked our supporters to turn up and really get behind us, they’ve never let us down.”
