http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-...-from-nycfc-struggles-to-inspire-orlando-city
Gotta love that NYCFC villain narrative
Gotta love that NYCFC villain narrative
Some props to him for the mea culpa sentiment.http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-...-from-nycfc-struggles-to-inspire-orlando-city
Gotta love that NYCFC villain narrative
Fair response. I'll just add that I never considered my post, as extensive as it was, to be all-encompassing, focusing as it did on the most easily measured outputs. I was also building on the analysis in the article that started the whole discussion about 2 days ago, and mostly addressing the small coterie of fans whose view of Pirlo is largely colored by sentiment.I've been pondering a response to mgarbowski 's excellently argued post in the Andrea thread. The Pirlo debate is so diffuse and sprawling at this point that it needs its own index by whoever is hammering away at the stadium index. At least most of the discussion there exists in a single thread.
If I were to follow up mgarbowski 's post at this point, I would need to do a decent amount of research and context setting, and the prospect of adding that to my life right now is a little exhausting. Responding without doing that kind of leg work would feel disrespectful. But since you're asking...
Sans exhaustive research and context setting – I acknowledge his athletic and defensive shortcomings. I acknowledge that his direct free kicks have been vastly underwhelming. I think a midfield of Herrera, Ring and Maxi is a better default midfield than one which includes Pirlo, although I'd like to see Pirlo flanked by Herrera and Ring with Maxi in at left wing, at some point.
On the other hand, I also think his contributions are underappreciated, both defensively and offensively, due to a combination of emotional bias and different ways of understanding the game. His defensive positioning is still superior to anything that Ring and Herrera offer. His composure, vision and ability to pick out a ball is unparalleled. His indirect set pieces are still the best on the team IMO. His assist stats have dropped slightly, but his key passes stats remain roughly at pre-NYCFC level, which indicates there is an adjacent-player quality deficit. Villa and Maxi are several passes closer to the key events, meaning less links in the chain towards key events that can fail. You might criticize Pirlo for not adapting his game, if anything, as Villa certainly has. Pirlo has always had skittish moments. So has Ring.
In short, my stance hasn't really changed much. Before we saw more of Herrera, I was open to him being a better option, certainly in the medium-to-long term. I don't think I expected to see Herrera as an 8, or for Ring to become a more passable 6.
I don't think we see Pirlo (or Tommy) all that differently, but the way you and I write about him differs dramatically in both severity and tone. I still don't think his negatives dramatically outweigh his pluses – he's still an RoI positive player IMO – but I do think the RoI of alternatives are slightly better against most teams in most scenarios.
When you foul someone, they usually stop. When you stop someone, you're usually defending. Therefore,How did Mikey Lopez get a reputation as a defensive player?
I wouldn't take my best player out of his best position.This won't happen because it's probably the same position Maxi plays, but it would be interesting to see Okoli go in up top and put Villa as a CAM/supporting striker. Essentially the position Lampard played last year. Villa is more then capable and it lets Okoli occupy the two CBs
I wouldn't take my best player out of his best position.
He will replace tommy. Will be ring and mikey and Maxi in midfield.This won't happen because it's probably the same position Maxi plays, but it would be interesting to see Okoli go in up top and put Villa as a CAM/supporting striker. Essentially the position Lampard played last year. Villa is more then capable and it lets Okoli occupy the two CBs
That's the worst of the league's coachesWe've gotten about 10 minutes in 11 matches out of our two draft picks. Is that worst in the league?
PV drafted two top ranked players from college and he isn't using them. Honestly they both would be playing at other teams, especially Lewis.We've gotten about 10 minutes in 11 matches out of our two draft picks. Is that worst in the league?
Already deleted.Welp. If our players don't know who we are playing, we're not in the mindset to win...
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Already deleted.
Firing his assistant who handles his tweets.Welp. If our players don't know who we are playing, we're not in the mindset to win...
And Alexi Lalas is in the building...
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The Milkman delivers for everybodyThe Milkman finally looked at a map...
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