2020 Schedule Thread

I feel like it would be super weird to count a two-legged series when the first game happened nine months earlier. That's not a two-legged series, and if you're basically creating a new eight-team tournament out of this, might as well just start fresh for everyone.

if only concacaf were logical and/or reasonable...
 
I wouldn't complain about playing in our country in a 1-game knockout. LMX was already in its season when we outplayed Tigres. If it's December, we should have a fully fit Maxi AND Sands. I think a holiday CCL would be a pretty neat move, instead of February-May
 
The Best of Times, The Worst of Times
The 2015 NYCFC team scored 49 goals for 1.44 goals per game, easily the lowest G/Gm in club history. To exceed that ratio and avoid being the worst scoring team in club history, this team -- currently at 1.26 G/Gm -- needs to score 10 goals in its last 4 games.
On the positive side, last year's team gave up 42 goals for 1.25 GA/Gm. This year NYCFC sits at 1.00 GA/Gm and need allow 9 goals or fewer to be the best defensive team (as measured by that single metric) in club history.
Short season disclaimer, but new club records seem are certainly within reach and seem likely.
 
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The Best of Times, The Worst of Times
The 2015 NYCFC team scored 49 goals for 1.44 goals per game, easily the lowest G/Gm in club history. To exceed that ratio and avoid being the worst scoring team in club history, this team -- currently at 1.26 G/Gm -- needs to score 10 goals in its last 4 games.
On the positive side, last year's team gave up 42 goals for 1.25 GA/Gm. This year NYCFC sits at 1.00 GA/Gm and need allow 9 goals or fewer to be the best defensive team (as measured by that single metric) in club history.
Short season disclaimer, but new club records seem are certainly within reach and seem likely.
It's so crazy given Deila's "conceed 3, score 4" mentality that we have literally the opposite.
 
The Best of Times, The Worst of Times
The 2015 NYCFC team scored 49 goals for 1.44 goals per game, easily the lowest G/Gm in club history. To exceed that ratio and avoid being the worst scoring team in club history, this team -- currently at 1.26 G/Gm -- needs to score 10 goals in its last 4 games.
On the positive side, last year's team gave up 42 goals for 1.25 GA/Gm. This year NYCFC sits at 1.00 GA/Gm and need allow 9 goals or fewer to be the best defensive team (as measured by that single metric) in club history.
Short season disclaimer, but new club records seem are certainly within reach and seem likely.

We've gone from Pep to Mourinho
 
After a 3-0 win over Dallas last night Nashville is 3 pts back of NYCFC with a game in hand. NYC has 2 more wins and a 4 GD advantage currently.
RB is 1 point back, even on games played, plays NYC on 11/1. NYC has 1 more win and a 6 GD advantage.
Montreal is 4 back but plays NYC next, so there is a chance to be 1 point behind with 3 to play if they win. NYC currently has 1 extra win and a 12 GD advantage.
Bit of a gap to Chicago: 7 points back, game in hand, plays NYC on decision day. NYC has 3 more wins and a 9 GD advantage.

Bottom line is NYC plays 3 of its last 4 games against teams chasing it for the last BYE spot in the playoffs and needs results to stay there. It's not inconceivable a first round game would be on the road. The biggest reason that is a bit unlikely is not that NYC will play better but that it requires multiple mediocre/poor teams go on a streak to end the season.

Below that, Atlanta and Miami are 8 and 9 points back respectively, and even on games played. NYC has 3 more wins than both and a 9 and 15 GD advantage. Missing the playoffs is unlikely but possible with a rather complete collapse and a streak by either of those teams.
 
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Bottom line is NYC plays 3 of its last 4 games against teams chasing it for the last BYE spot in the playoffs and needs results to stay there. It's not inconceivable a first round game would be on the road. The biggest reason that is a bit unlikely is not that NYC will play better but that it requires multiple mediocre/poor teams go on a streak to end the season.


NYCFC will be on the road with a first round bye, no? Seems like the options are on the road against Columbus or Orlando with the bye, or at home against Montreal/Chicago/Atlanta without the bye. Odd as it may seem, dropping to 7th might be better for long term success in the playoffs. It is an extra game, but Montreal home + Toronto/Philadelphia road seems a better path than Columbus/Orlando road based on results this season. Philadelphia is weaker late season, and the team has played well against Toronto regardless of recent 1-0 results.
 
NYCFC will be on the road with a first round bye, no?
As it stands now we'd play Columbus in Round 2 after a Bye.
Philadelphia is weaker late season, and the team has played well against Toronto regardless of recent 1-0 results.
Philly has one loss and 2.30 PPG in its last ten games. We did play well against them that one time in MLS is Back. Toronto is 9 games without a loss; Orlando is up to 12 undefeated. Only Columbus is slipping late.

But frankly, I can't have confidence against any of the top 4 teams in the East. Even including the TFC tournament game we won, we're 2-6-1 with a -5 goal differential, failed to score 4 times, and the only multi-goal game for NYC was that TFC game in the tournament. Upsets happen. Beating any of them would be an upset.
 
They're putting us at higher odds than any other eastern team other than philly to get to / win the cup.
i'm sure that is purely due to the fact that we've won most of our last handful of games whereas the other Eastern big dogs have been dropping points.
 
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The playoffs are single elimination knockout and this is MLS. It literally is a crapshoot. Could NYCFC win the Cup this year? Possibly. Likely? No way.

colorado rapids have a MLS Cup while RBNJ has made the playoffs ten years straight and not won one. MLS is a weird league.
 
From August 20 until today, NYCFC played 17 games in 74 days, or roughly one game every 4.5 days, and presumably so has every other MLS team, with exceptions made for Covid cancellations. I have to say I have enjoyed the frantic, accelerated pace of games. I realize it cannot become the norm for multiple reasons, and it could even get tiresome if it did. But for this weird season sprint, it was fun.
 
From August 20 until today, NYCFC played 17 games in 74 days, or roughly one game every 4.5 days, and presumably so has every other MLS team, with exceptions made for Covid cancellations. I have to say I have enjoyed the frantic, accelerated pace of games. I realize it cannot become the norm for multiple reasons, and it could even get tiresome if it did. But for this weird season sprint, it was fun.

For not attending games, it's been fun. But this board loathes weekday home games in normal seasons, so I can't imagine this schedule being popular if we were attending games all season.
 
Orlando plays Nashville on decision day.
Columbus plays Atlanta on decision day.

Do we want a tie or a win for one of the teams in their meeting on wednesday?
Scenarios I can think of:

1) Orlando win on wednesday
  1. Orlando goes on 41, unattainable by NYCFC, but Columbus stays on 38 - we can overtake that to 39 if they lose on the final day.
  2. If Columbus tie their last game, they would go to 39 and we would go to tie breakers where I'm not sure how that's changed (if) with the point system change. But we would have a good chance to win the tiebreaker due to the goal swing of us winning + them losing to Orlando of at least 4 goals.
2) Columbus win on wednesday
  1. Columbus goes on 41, unattainable by NYCFC, but Orlando stays on 38 - we can overtake that to 39 if they lose on the final day.
  2. If Orlando tie their last game, they would go to 39 -- but since we have more wins we would overtake them.
3) Tie on wednesday
  1. Both Orlando and Columbus goes to 39 points, meaning at minimum we'd go to tie breaker on Columbus and would definitely overtake Orlando if they lose.
  2. A tie on the final day for either team would make them finish above us.

I would think that both teams would be pushing for that 3 points to assure top 4, but there's a chance neither team will really be trying much. Shield is basically out of contention for both, but getting a point each would essentially secure both's top-4 standing.

For us, best scenario is a Columbus win for multiple reasons:
1) It's very possible that Orlando will lose/tie against Nashville on the final day; Nashville have been good lately, and if they win their game on wednesday will also be fighting for that #6 position on decision day.
2) The Orlando tiebreaker is way easier than the Columbus tie breaker for us.
3) Orlando sucks and seeing them lose is a guilty pleasure of mine (along with NJRB, Toronto, and ATL...)
 
Also separately, last season we have 38 points from 22 (and 23) and now we have 36 from 22. If we win, we'll have 39 from 23 which is higher than last year at this stage, assuming it was a 34-game season.
 
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