MLS - March 19 - Philadelphia (Home)

[JayH]

But it's not even that -- the 1st and 2nd level at Yankee Stadium is around 30,000 seats. The second level looked empty. We should look a lot more full in the two levels that are open. It's outrageous to have such a small attendance, even for the 2nd home game of the season. They just won a title. Where is everyone? It's crazy. We did a lot better in attendance through probably 2018.

Even 18k actual butts in seats when we get/got it looks and feels light with the layout. That’s a full house for the NYR. I was definitely surprised that today was lighter than last weekend as I thought the weather last weekend was an impediment. It stinks because the atmosphere is hampered, and this club deserves to feel the love at home. But I think for whatever variety of contributors not even a Cup or some marketing secret sauce is going to move the needle much.

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

Just watched the “fight” replay. I understand why Blake doesn’t like Taty grabbing the ball but that clearly was over the line for a corner and by holding on he should have had a yellow for time wasting.

Meanwhile Santi has now twice been burned by inadvertent handballs when clear on goal.

That’s all I got for this snoozer.

Jasson also received a yellow for tapping the ball after a foul in the first half. That should of been a yellow as well. The only consistent part of MLS referees is the inconsistency.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Jasson also received a yellow for tapping the ball after a foul in the first half. That should of been a yellow as well. The only consistent part of MLS referees is the inconsistency.

Jasson got the yellow for tapping the ball about 10 yards, followed by Carranza from Philly getting a yellow for the same, and then Santi for throwing the ball back to Philly for a FK, but throwing it high in the air (this last one probably actually only wasted 2-3 seconds of time).

 

[moogoo]

Jasson got the yellow for tapping the ball about 10 yards, followed by Carranza from Philly getting a yellow for the same, and then Santi for throwing the ball back to Philly for a FK, but throwing it high in the air (this last one probably actually only wasted 2-3 seconds of time).

Based on the MLS games i've watched this season, aside from our first game, Unkel seems like the only ref who is still giving yellows for delaying restarts.

I am actually in favor of punishing players for this BS behavior. But I think PRO needs to do it consistently.

 

[mgarbowski]

How good is Blake?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1505239636297277448

 

[mgarbowski]

Circling back to one of my notes yesterday:

How weird is it that Santi has now twice drawn DOGSO reds on opponents in less than a year, only to have them both correctly but devastatingly overturned by VAR for handballs almost nobody saw on the initial play. I think yesterday a Union defender did signal immediately, but nobody else saw it. It it was funny, once I got home, to hear Ian and Joe dissect the play while being reviewed and never once mention the handball.

That's just uncanny to have that happen almost exactly the same, even attacking the same goal, to the same player. I mean, it would not be believable in fiction.

 

[FootyLovin]

2 observations.

We were an extremely potent offense last year and have been blanked in 3 of 4 MLS games to date. That won't hold. We are definitely adjusting to the change in personnel. But I trust Rony to get them back to where they were.

Magno. We all would have loved for him to bury that first opportunity, but the more I see the more confident I become in what he will be. The vast majority of players seem to experience the game speeding up when they get close to goal. Magno seems like everything slows down for him the closer he gets to goal. This will translate into very lethal attacking as he gains more experience.

 

[LionNYC]

Players are going to have to get smarter with denial of a restart. Say to the referee that the ball doesn’t have enough air and they need to replace it.

 

[mgarbowski]

Magno. We all would have loved for him to bury that first opportunity, but the more I see the more confident I become in what he will be.

Plus, he has 3 goals in 4 CCL games. Castellanos has 4. Together they have 7 CCL goals and 1 in MLS play. It's just how it goes sometimes. They're both scoring at a rate of one goal every other game.

On the defensive side, Martins has started 4 games out of 8. When he doesn't start NYCFC has 3 clean sheets and 0 multiple goals allowed, compared to 0 clean sheets and twice multiple goals allowed when he does. Small sample size, different opponents, not always his fault, etc etc. All true. I also expect him to improve. But I do not think the back line is in sync with him yet, whether 2 or 3 ATB.

 

[VernonJohn]

Plus, he has 3 goals in 4 CCL games. Castellanos has 4. Together they have 7 CCL goals and 1 in MLS play. It's just how it goes sometimes. They're both scoring at a rate of one goal every other game.

On the defensive side, Martins has started 4 games out of 8. When he doesn't start NYCFC has 3 clean sheets and 0 multiple goals allowed, compared to 0 clean sheets and twice multiple goals allowed when he does. Small sample size, different opponents, not always his fault, etc etc. All true. I also expect him to improve. But I do not think the back line is in sync with him yet, whether 2 or 3 ATB.

The back line does not appear in sync with Martins.
I mentioned earlier seeing what I described as “jawing” between the defense and players pointing to spots… I also saw similar exchanges with some of our forwards and midfielders yesterday. I thought maybe that the team is a little out of sync compared to where they were at the end of last season and frustrations are manifesting. It might just be that I happened to catch moments that are typical but instead of the “thumbs up” players often give on a “not quite there” pass, it seemed there were vocal criticisms between players.

 

[Revfugee]

Plus, he has 3 goals in 4 CCL games. Castellanos has 4. Together they have 7 CCL goals and 1 in MLS play. It's just how it goes sometimes. They're both scoring at a rate of one goal every other game.

On the defensive side, Martins has started 4 games out of 8. When he doesn't start NYCFC has 3 clean sheets and 0 multiple goals allowed, compared to 0 clean sheets and twice multiple goals allowed when he does. Small sample size, different opponents, not always his fault, etc etc. All true. I also expect him to improve. But I do not think the back line is in sync with him yet, whether 2 or 3 ATB.

I think this is spot on. Based on the player development history this team has had especially under Ronny (Sands and Taty are the best examples, and Santi has grown a lot) Talles should continue to develop, and he has at least as much raw talent to start with as any of them.
Martins at this stage reminds me a lot of early Maxi (albeit in a different position). The talent was apparent but he doesn’t yet have the instinctive awareness of what his mates are going to do. And he ran down a few situations yesterday that Chanot would not have had the wheels to clean up and might have led to chances.

Rather than busting on Martins for being disorganizing or Chanot for being slow, we should take a minute to appreciate how much Chanot’s rapport with, and direction of, Callens and the wingbacks has meant to our success. Despite the occasional lost footrace or Brain fart, he (with aid from the more athletic but less cerebral Callens) has held this d together for a long time even when Tinner went down and despite the revolving door on the Left side.

We are still a better defensive team in the Chanot-led four at the back, but I expect that to change as Martins settles in. And early regular season is a good time to let things develop.

 

[moogoo]

The back line does not appear in sync with Martins.
I mentioned earlier seeing what I described as “jawing” between the defense and players pointing to spots… I also saw similar exchanges with some of our forwards and midfielders yesterday. I thought maybe that the team is a little out of sync compared to where they were at the end of last season and frustrations are manifesting. It might just be that I happened to catch moments that are typical but instead of the “thumbs up” players often give on a “not quite there” pass, it seemed there were vocal criticisms between players.

I've noticed all these moments too. Callens and martins are often saying stuff to each other in frustration.

We definitely aren't in sync on the back line. Front line yesterday, I chalk up to being tired. But back line issues have been there with martins

 

[mgarbowski]

Rather than busting on Martins for being disorganizing or Chanot for being slow, we should take a minute to appreciate how much Chanot’s rapport with, and direction of, Callens and the wingbacks has meant to our success. Despite the occasional lost footrace or Brain fart, he (with aid from the more athletic but less cerebral Callens) has held this d together for a long time even when Tinner went down and despite the revolving door on the Left side.

Preach
"How lucky are we to have had the same keeper and CB pairing SIX years in a row?! I feel spoiled, and will be a bit crushed whenever it ends."

MLS Cup Playoffs - December 11 - Portland (Away)

nah.....they can call into the zoom calls like everyone else no one stopping them. they can cover the team, they just dont want to. even RB they dont cover as much i think.

nycfcforums.com

 

[moogoo]

Preach
"How lucky are we to have had the same keeper and CB pairing SIX years in a row?! I feel spoiled, and will be a bit crushed whenever it ends."

MLS Cup Playoffs - December 11 - Portland (Away)

nah.....they can call into the zoom calls like everyone else no one stopping them. they can cover the team, they just dont want to. even RB they dont cover as much i think.

nycfcforums.com

The beginning of the end is nigh... Hopefully martins/callens pairing will be just as good or better!

 

[moogoo]

The beginning of the end is nigh... Hopefully martins/callens pairing will be just as good or better!

Just to tack onto this.. were definitely gonna try to resign callens right? I dunno when his contract expires but it should be fairly soon? I think the club would be crazy to let him go at this point.. of course unless he's asking for crazy money

 

[mgarbowski]

I mean, when the ref gave the red I literally thought, "Well at least this one won't get called back for a handball because that would be crazy to happen twice like that."

 

[VernonJohn]

Inquirer article below: Dude uses Bayern as an example of the style of soccer Philly plays? Am I reading that correctly?
Here is Bayern possession stats:

Bayern Munich Fixtures

Tournament	Apps	Possession%
Champions League	8	62.6
Bundesliga	26	63.8

I remember watching the Union against LAFC before the pandemic. I thought it was a fun match and don’t recall the Union playing such horrendously boring soccer.
I’m relatively new to watching and thinking about the game (played the game much longer than “thinking” about the game. I guess this has been a long running debate about the game: “Do you want to watch a team that plays beautiful soccer at the cost of winning or crap soccer and win”

Union

www.inquirer.com

 

[moogoo]

Inquirer article below: Dudeuses Bayern as an example of the style of soccer Philly plays? Am I reading that correctly?
Here is Bayern possession stats:

Bayern Munich Fixtures

Tournament	Apps	Possession%
Champions League	8	62.6
Bundesliga	26	63.8

I remember you at chin the Union against LAFC before the pandemic. I thought it was a fun match and don’t recall the Union playing such horrendously boring soccer.
I’m relatively new to watching and thinking about the game (played the game much longer than “thinking” about the game. I guess this has been a long running debate about the game: “Do you want to watch a team that plays beautiful soccer at the cost of winning or crap soccer and win”

Union

www.inquirer.com

Their style is more like atletico Madrid simeone style

 

[Gotham Gator]

This game was basically their defense playing solidly and our defense making mistakes. We had a lot of possession and many dangerous balls and runs, but Philly's defense defused all of them. We had two instances (at least) where Jasson switched off an didn't track his man and those were goals. Also - on the second goal it sure looked to me like Martins could have reached it and cleared it, but he pulled up instead.

I thought we would lose, but this didn't play out as I expected. I figured we might be late to balls and losing possession a lot because we were physically and mentally tired. That's not how it played out. We did well taking and retaining possession and our ball movement was very good. Philly just exploited our 3rd string RB, and we couldn't take advantage of our chances.

One thing I noticed is that we played a lot of very clever through balls to break a line, but these almost always were weighted way to heavily to work. One after another, including a couple that would have put someone in on goal.

Unkel was poor yesterday, but certainly had no significant impact on the outcome.

 

[moogoo]

Unkel was poor yesterday, but certainly had no significant impact on the outcome.

i dare say his mere presence gives everyone bad juju.