Away - 6/30 Chicago

[NYCFC_Dan]

New York City FC at Chicago Fire SC
Toyota Park
Saturday, June 30 8 PM ET
YES, WNYE 91.5 FM & WQBU 92.7 FM

Team gets a full week to prepare under Domè and visit Chicago.
Looking forward to seeing if he changes anything going in to this one.
Seems like he kept it simple against Toronto and didn’t tinker. Probably for the best as he only had 1 or 2 days with the team.

Villa exited the prior match early due to a knee injury and Domè said he will miss 1 to 2 matches. We'll likely get a status update on Monday.

 

[SoupInNYC]

I'm heading to this one. Anyone else going?

 

[Gotham Gator]

Chicago's CB, Jonathan Kappelhof, is suspended for our game as part of a 2-game suspension for both getting a 5th Yellow Card and a Red Card two weeks ago. He served the first game of that suspension last week against Seattle, and the Fire replaced him at CB with Jonathan Campbell. The other CB was Brandon Vincent, who has split time between CB and FB this season.

 

[mgarbowski]

Based on each opponents' Home PPG, this is NYC's second easiest remaining Away Game. Chicago gets just 1.22 PPG at home to date. The only remaining opponent with a worse Home record is Seattle at 1.14. The one asterisk is DC has a 2.00 Home PPG based on just 2 games, as noted by SoupInNYC in another thread.

 

[adam]

Think Dome having 3 years coaching Schwinie gives him any extra edge?

 

[Schwallacus]

Think Dome having 3 years coaching Schwinie gives him any extra edge?

Your spelling of Schweini hurts me. But not as much as Dome probably knows about Basti's dusty knees. He's probably looking at Chicago's already shit backline missing some of its usual pieces and wondering what's the best way to dissect them. And defensively, just have 3 guys guard Katai. Katai is Chicago's offense right now and the dude is on fire.

 

[LionNYC]

Chicago Fire v New York City FC
Toyota Park (8PM ET)
REF: Chris Penso
AR1: Jeremy Hanson
AR2: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho
4TH: Rubiel Vazquez
VAR: Caleb Mendez

In 2018, Chris Penso refereed NYCFC's 2-2 draw at LAFC. That match was 1 incident of video review where after video review, there was a penalty awarded for NYCFC after a handball in the box. Villa missed the penalty but scored a header on the rebound. 5 yellow cards were issued, 3 for LAFC, 2 for NYCFC. 0 red cards.

In 2017...
- Penso refereed NYCFC's 1-1 draw at Colorado. 3 yellow cards were issued, 1 for Colorado, 2 for NYCFC. 0 red cards.
- Penso refereed NYCFC's 0-4 loss at Toronto. That match had two penalties, one for each team. Maxi Moralez missed his kick in added time. 2 yellow cards were issued, 1 for each team. 0 red cards.
- Penso refereed NYCFC's 2-2 draw vs. New England. 4 yellow cards were issued, two for each team. 0 red cards.
- Penso refereed NYCFC's 3-2 win at Columbus. 4 yellow cards were issued, 1 for Columbus, 3 for NYCFC. 0 red cards.

I cannot recall off the top of my head any glaring mistakes or incidents over the past 1.5 seasons with Penso.

 

[sbrylski]

Medina for Villa?

Medina - Berget - T'Shardi
Maxi
Ring
Ofori
Sweat - Callens - Ibeagha - Tinnerholm

Fullbacks playing inverted?

 

[The Toe]

I wonder if Paunovic is smart enough to try pressing us, but I'm not sure Chicago are athletic enough to do it effectively. I'd be shocked if we don't win this game. Chicago really lacks any sort of player that scares me, and Katai's lucky strikes are bound to wear off.

 

[Ulrich]

I wonder if Paunovic is smart enough to try pressing us, but I'm not sure Chicago are athletic enough to do it effectively. I'd be shocked if we don't win this game. Chicago really lacks any sort of player that scares me, and Katai's lucky strikes are bound to wear off.

Don’t know, but the weather may impact his decision. Gonna be hot (high of 93 during the day) and chance of thunderstorms.

We’ve recently gassed both Atlanta (ironic they’re from Georgia) and Toronto in the heat, so I expect more of the same Saturday night for Chicago.

 

[413Blue]

Don’t know, but the weather may impact his decision. Gonna be hot (high of 93 during the day) and chance of thunderstorms.

We’ve recently gassed both Atlanta (ironic they’re from Georgia) and Toronto in the heat, so I expect more of the same Saturday night for Chicago.

Last year's match against Chicago was played in similarly horrible conditions and, despite the uplifting win, it seemed to be the turning point in our season. Maxi and Jack never seemed to recover, and Villa got injured (albeit with Spain) and was not the same again.

That match is all I can think of when looking forward to this match and it terrifies me lol.

 

[Ulrich]

Last year's match against Chicago was played in similarly horrible conditions and, despite the uplifting win, it seemed to be the turning point in our season. Maxi and Jack never seemed to recover, and Villa got injured (albeit with Spain) and was not the same again.

That match is all I can think of when looking forward to this match and it terrifies me lol.

Then we have to hope the ref doesn’t issue a BS red card to us

 

[LionNYC]

Last year's match against Chicago was played in similarly horrible conditions and, despite the uplifting win, it seemed to be the turning point in our season. Maxi and Jack never seemed to recover, and Villa got injured (albeit with Spain) and was not the same again.

That match is all I can think of when looking forward to this match and it terrifies me lol.

We played on July 22, 2017 vs. Chicago at Yankee Stadium at 2 PM ET. That was a 2-1 win where Allen Chapman was an asshole. 92/76 on the high and low temperature on the day. No rain.

We played on September 30, 2017 (antepenultimate match; 3rd to the last match of the season) at Chicago at 8:30 PM ET. That match was 1-1 draw with no red cards issued. 66/57 on the high and low temperature on the day. No rain.

For this match I see 90 degrees at kickoff. Sunset at 8:31 PM local time. We play at 7:00 PM local time.

 

[sbrylski]

Medina for Villa?

Medina - Berget - T'Shardi
Maxi
Ring
Ofori
Sweat - Callens - Ibeagha - Tinnerholm

Fullbacks playing inverted?

Changing my mind. I'm calling a Lewis start on the RW. Tajouri-Shardi on the LW. Likely Ofori, Ring, and Maxi, but could also see Medina for Ofori. Playing as a second striker or central attacking mid.

 

[Ulrich]

Changing my mind. I'm calling a Lewis start on the RW. Tajouri-Shardi on the LW. Likely Ofori, Ring, and Maxi, but could also see Medina for Ofori. Playing as a second striker or central attacking mid.

Torrent, even though he’s evidently very high on Medina, will soon realize Medina isn’t a game-changer. Useful, but not necessary.

And after Ring’s emergence in the attack, I don’t think he shifts back to allow Medina on for Ofori. That was Ofori’s best half yet once the changes were made.

 

[EganSoccerWords]

Medina for Villa?

Medina - Berget - T'Shardi
Maxi
Ring
Ofori
Sweat - Callens - Ibeagha - Tinnerholm

Fullbacks playing inverted?

I think we play some type of 433. Chicago seems to be playing a 433 with Schweiny as a quasi CB/holding midfielder. Wonder if we gameplan him like we did Bradley.

 

[Christopher Jee]

Torrent, even though he’s evidently very high on Medina, will soon realize Medina isn’t a game-changer. Useful, but not necessary.

And after Ring’s emergence in the attack, I don’t think he shifts back to allow Medina on for Ofori. That was Ofori’s best half yet once the changes were made.

Or maybe he can actually get the best out of Medina.

Medina - Berget - Lewis
Shradi - Maxi
Ring
Sweat - Callens - Ibeagha - Tinny

 

[Ulrich]

Or maybe he can actually get the best out of Medina.

Medina - Berget - Lewis
Shradi - Maxi
Ring
Sweat - Callens - Ibeagha - Tinny

You believe in unicorns, don’t you?

 

[Schwallacus]

You believe in unicorns, don’t you?

Just get Medina in the gym the next year or two to toughen up, and keep giving him sub appearances after 60/70 minutes and he will blossom into the star we hoped he would be. Right now he's shown glimpses here and there. He shouldn't be starting, but he does need time. Keep giving it to him as a sub.

 

[Ulrich]

Just get Medina in the gym the next year or two to toughen up, and keep giving him sub appearances after 60/70 minutes and he will blossom into the star we hoped he would be. Right now he's shown glimpses here and there. He shouldn't be starting, but he does need time. Keep giving it to him as a sub.

Completely agree on all your points. But it’s also for those very reasons that him being a DP is absolutely gut wrenching. He’s not good enough to be taking up such a valuable cap position.