Armchair Analyst: Didier Drogba and the system change for Montreal Impact

Welcome back to the Thursday Q&A series, where we focus on one particular topic – today's being the arrival of Didier Drogba – and ask you to react, share, and discuss in the comments section. However, feel free to ask about anything game-related (MLS, USL, NASL, USMNT, CanMNT, etc.) over the next several hours.

Forwards don't exist just to score goals. The best forwards are able to unshape entire defenses with their movement, creating lanes for themselves and gaps for their teammates. They also check back deep into midfield, receiving the ball with their back to goal in order to aid in possession.

And, of course, they attack crosses. They flick on long-balls. They do the "donkey work," as it's been called, of battling the best defenders in the world. They harry and press defensively (watch the effort David Villa expends on that side of the ball when you get a chance), which makes it that much harder to build up a cohesive attack against whatever team they happen to be suiting up for.

• Utter mayhem! Watch scenes from Drogba's arrival

Over the last dozen years, arguably nobody's been better at delivering the whole package than new Montreal arrival Didier Drogba. We all remember the goals, but do you remember the times he received a pass with Nemanja Vidic on his back, and then still cycled possession to Frank Lampard or Ashley Cole? Do you remember the flick-ons he won when Chelsea or Cote d'Ivoire were pushing for a late equalizer? Do you remember how, for three solid years, nobody except Barcelona had any chance at building out of the back against the Blues?

Drogba was, and hopefully for another 18 months will continue to be, the complete package.

And the Impact desperately need that, because they are a shockingly one-dimensional team in attack:

Montreal are second from bottom in chances created from open play, fourth from bottom in big chances created, and dead last in total chances created. They also hit the fewest crosses, and while "just lump in a cross!" is not good strategy, the smartest attacking teams out there know how to marry attacks from out wide with precision.

Just look at Columbus' numbers in the table above. They are a nightmare to defend against in part because Kei Kamara has been a dominant, multi-faceted No. 9 this year.

A Didier Drogba-type, in other words. So the Impact saw that, and decided to go out and get the original.

If he has enough gas left in the tank, he is a season-changer for Montreal. "Hit on the counter!" will still be their go-to, but they'll now have other ways to beat you.