Pirate Galaxy » the three chances we had to win a trophy. I thin

MONTREAL -- The well-rested Montreal Impact will look to strengthen their grip on Major League Soccers Eastern Conference when they head to Columbus to take on the weary Crew. Sitting first atop the conference table with an 8-2-2 mark and 26 points, Montreal is riding a three-game winning streak in league play as it heads to the heart of Ohio on Saturday for just its second match of the month. The Impact have a one-point lead over second-place New York and have played four fewer MLS games than the second-place Red Bulls. They also have three games in hand on Philadelphia and Kansas City. Both have 22 points and are in a three-way tie for third with Houston, which has played two more games than Montreal. "We really want to pad our lead a little bit," Impact defender Jeb Brovsky said after practice this week. "We want to use those games in hand to get some points and we know that you can start well but its how you go through the summer and its how you finish, so each game against an Eastern Conference rival has to be three points." The Impact have been off since June 1 when they recorded a 2-1 comeback win in Kansas City, three days after winning the Voyageurs Cup in the second leg of the Amway Canadian Championship final in Vancouver. Brovsky said the two-week break has made the team hungrier, and striker Marco Di Vaio agreed. "We had just had good results so we wanted to keep playing, but we got a good rest and we did good work this week so were ready for Saturday," said Di Vaio, whose nine goals in 12 games rank second in the league, one behind MLS leader Jack McInerney of Philadelphia. Columbus lost 2-1 to Chicago in U.S. Open Cup competition Thursday. Originally scheduled to be played Wednesday night, that game was postponed to the following afternoon because of thunderstorms forecast in the vicinity of Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill. So are the Crew ripe for the taking? "I think we cant look too much into it," Brovsky said. "Obviously theyre going to be ready, regardless. It can only help us that theyre playing a day later but its nothing that were taking to our advantage too much." The Impact, who are on their best run since opening the season with four straight wins, will be without centre back Alessandro Nesta and head coach Marco Schallibaum. Both are serving one-game suspensions. Schallibaum was ejected for arguing a foul against Nesta that led to Kansas Citys goal on the ensuing penalty kick late in the first half. Nesta was shown a red card in the second half. Assistant coach Mauro Biello will assume coaching duties for the second time this season against the Crew. "These things happen," said Biello, who also coached the team when Schallibaum sat out another suspension on Apr. 14 for the Impacts 1-1 home draw against Columbus. "He has total confidence is us and I think that is whats important. He lets us work, he lets us do our job and for an assistant, thats great. "Our approach doesnt change. Were going to work the same way as if Marco was on the bench." Di Vaio gave Montreal the lead 68 minutes into the previous meeting between the teams this season, but Dominic Oduro drew the Crew even four minutes later "Theyre going to work for 90-plus minutes and theyve got some guys that can just hurt you," Brovsky said. "We saw that we gave Oduro just a space in the last game and he buried a heck of a shot so we dont forget that that was points we dropped because of that goal, so we want to make sure that if we do get a lead that we shut the door pretty quickly." Columbus has one win it its last six MLS matches. They allowed a season-high three goals in their last league game, a 3-0 loss in Philadelphia on June 5, and are eighth in the East with a 4-5-5 mark and 17 points. "We know they have a good team with strong offensive abilities that were going to have to be aware of but we have to rely on our qualities and stay focused for 90 minutes to do what we have to do there," Impact centre back Hassoun Camara said. "Above all we have to rely on what we know how to do and not concentrate on our opponent." Biello is wary of putting too much stock in the Crews struggles or their lack of rest. "Sometimes it can be good for a team that has some rhythm to play consecutive games like that," Biello said. "We have to be ready for anything. Theyre a team that is going to battle to win at home." Crew centre back Glauber suffered a knee injury in Thursdays loss, which eliminated the team from U.S. Open Cup competition. Midfielder Eddie Gaven was lost to a season-ending injury in Columbus previous game in the tournament. Gaven, who tied for the team lead in goals last season, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a 2-1 win over the Dayton Dutch Lions on May 29. Oskar Lindblom Jersey . According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. Ivan Provorov Jersey . The International Olympic Committee released the official list of bid cities on Friday after the deadline for applications had passed. The candidates -- all previously announced in their own countries -- are: Almaty, Kazakhstan; Beijing; Krakow, Poland; Lviv, Ukraine; Oslo, Norway; and Stockholm. http://www.flyersteamstoreonline.com/authentic-carter-hart-flyers-jersey/ .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later. Jakub Voracek Jersey . Deulofeu injured a muscle in his right leg in Evertons 4-1 win over Fulham in the English Premier League on Saturday. Barcelona says that its team doctors will "co-ordinate" with Evertons medical staff as Deulofeu recovers. Shayne Gostisbehere Flyers Jersey .Y. -- Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse have another World Cup gold medal after winning the two-women bobsled race on Saturday in Lake Placid, N.Cesar Azpilicueta has played a key role in Chelseas recent revival. Here, he tells Johnny Phillips about Antonio Contes tactics, the team spirit in the camp and plans for a late-season sprint for the title... This is not the Premier League season to be switching off. It changes by the week. Five contenders currently separated by just one point suggest that, even at this early stage, we could be witnessing the most competitive title chase in years.Take Chelsea. They entered October fresh from a dispiriting 3-0 defeat at Arsenal and were being written off by plenty of observers, but now the Blues head into the last game of the same month with three wins, three clean sheets and their heads held high after a 4-0 demolition of Manchester United. Cesar Azpilicueta scored a spectacular equaliser as Chelsea came from two goals down to beat Leicester 4-2 in the EFL Cup Third Round The key for the team has been the change in system. Manager Antonio Conte jettisoned his four-man defence after the Arsenal debacle and for the next game away at Hull lined up with three at the back; Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz and Gary Cahill. The three men have remained in place in the Premier League since that trip to Hull and the team has progressively improved against Leicester and then United.It is a system Azpilicueta has enjoyed operating in. I find it good. The most important thing for me is the team and since we changed the system we havent conceded goals in the Premier League, he told Sky Sports. The most important part of the system is the spirit of the team and the way we work. The tactics make a difference but what was most pleasing was the way the team work?made it happen. Cesar Azpilicueta I try to play my part in the team. The most important part of the system is the spirit of the team and the way we work. The tactics make a difference but what was most pleasing was the way the team work made it happen. Some players have different roles now but we have all week to work on that and we have a very clear idea what to do in the game. We have different options from the attacking fullbacks now.Ahead of Azpilicueta on the right hand side is Victor Moses, who has successfully adapted to the role of right wing-back and appears to be flourishing with the new-found responsibility. Victor has played most of the time as a winger but he has to defend in this role now and he needs help, Azpilicueta continues. Why Contes 3-4-3 works Chelseas switch to 3-4-3 has been a success. We analyse why its working so well. I have talked with him and explained a lot of the defensive side because he has to adapt to that now. Hes offensive-minded, we have seen that when he gets in those positions, but hes working hard and its greaat to have him in the side.ddddddddddddoses could have no better on-field tutor. It is two years now since Gary Neville described the Spaniard as as near to perfect as is possible when it comes to defending. Azpilicuetas performances dipped last season but his current form is as close to those near-perfect displays as is possible. For positional awareness and cleanness in the tackle there is no-one to touch him. So does he prefer his new role in the side to that of fullback? I dont mind - I want to help the team whatever the position is!You can add diplomacy to those qualities too. Azpilicueta is happier discussing the virtues of his team-mates. When NGolo Kante scored Chelseas fourth against United the entire outfield team joined in the celebrations. It was a popular goal. He will not change. Hes a worker, says Azpilicueta. But he knows when he has a chance to go forward that he can do it very well. On that occasion he scored an amazing goal. Its important for us as well that he can contribute an extra dimension like that because it gives us extra options.There were four different goalscorers against United. Thats really important because you always need to have a few options. We scored from set-pieces and individual excellence, thats great because you need to create those chances and score in different ways when needed. Watch highlights of Chelsea 4-0 Man Utd The euphoria of the United win was dampened in the midweek EFL Cup fourth round tie, when Conte made seven changes from the league match and Chelsea lost 2-1 at West Ham United. Frustrating?Yes, frustrating, because we have lost one of the three chances we had to win a trophy. I think we could have done better. When you lose that type of game you have to look to improve. We are in very good form in the league and we have to move forward from Wednesday and come back strong.What Chelsea fans want to know is whether or not Contes first season at Stamford Bridge will end with him landing the big one. Azpilicueta is happy to talk titles, but it comes with a caveat. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. Even though we are one point off the lead it still feels like we are a long way away. Id like to be higher, we have to keep improving. The two games we lost in a row and also the dropped points at Swansea hurt us a lot, he explains.We have to keep getting the points to be up there. We have the chance to prepare all week for a game because we dont have European football. We want to be there and we will try and arrive at the final sprint with a chance to win the title. But its a long way off, we have to think about Southampton away first.Azpilicueta may not want to look too far into the future, but if Chelsea can replicate Octobers form in the forthcoming months they will have a major say in the title reckoning. Also See: Why Contes 3-4-3 works Half-term Premier League grades ' ' '