With two DP slots opening, what type of player would you like to see brought in? [POLL]

[ManhattanValley]

It's a separate talking point (and a very interesting/important one!) but I think the team is facing armageddon in terms of fan interest/attendances over the next few years, whatever happens on the field, so the impact of a megastar signing isn't going to be the same. I doubt we go that route until the first season in the new stadium, which is our only chance at a reset.

I would love two proven players, but I think we'll sign at least one Young DP, like we did with Medina. In that case, I'd prefer we go for a young midfielder - I can easily imagine a young striker DP wilting under the pressure to deliver on Day 1, when really they'll need a bit of time to develop. A proven striker with the ability to change games on his own is what this team has been missing, so I hope we prioritize that.

 

[mgarbowski]

all in all its great to get world class players if it works on the field, so far we only had villa who fits the bill. i really dont like just bringing someone to fill seats and thats it, because as soon as he is gone so are the majority of those fans.

That's why winning is so much more important than names. Winning creates fans. Superstars create temporary customers. I remember sitting in CitiField, at Pirlo's last game, playing Columbus, surrounded by Pirlo fans calling for him to be subbed into a tie game which we needed for playoff positioning. They booed when we made our last sub and it wasn't him, and then half of them left. They filled the better part of at least 3 sections near me. Those people bought tickets and put bodies in seats, but didn't GAF about the team or its results.

Disclaimer: Exceptions to every rule, etc., etc.

 

[ZYanksRule]

It's a separate talking point (and a very interesting/important one!) but I think the team is facing armageddon in terms of fan interest/attendances over the next few years, whatever happens on the field, so the impact of a megastar signing isn't going to be the same. I doubt we go that route until the first season in the new stadium, which is our only chance at a reset.

I would love two proven players, but I think we'll sign at least one Young DP, like we did with Medina. In that case, I'd prefer we go for a young midfielder - I can easily imagine a young striker DP wilting under the pressure to deliver on Day 1, when really they'll need a bit of time to develop. A proven striker with the ability to change games on his own is what this team has been missing, so I hope we prioritize that.

It needs to be someone that we've heard of, though. Jesus Medina and Alexandru Mitrita were completely unknowns, and even Maxi Moralez wasn't known before he came here. I think if we want to move the needle, it needs to be someone like the kind of DP's Atlanta has signed. Well-known players that you're excited to come watch.

I do agree that the new stadium will be the bellweather for the club -- but that's probably still five years away, at least. There might become a breaking point where even a new stadium and spicy new player won't help if the damage is already done. If the team completely falls out of relevancy, will fans come back?

 

[ManhattanValley]

It needs to be someone that we've heard of, though. Jesus Medina and Alexandru Mitrita were completely unknowns, and even Maxi Moralez wasn't known before he came here. I think if we want to move the needle, it needs to be someone like the kind of DP's Atlanta has signed. Well-known players that you're excited to come watch.

Only the most dedicated football hipster had heard of Josef Martinez, Almiron or Villalba - they were nobodies. They only became well known because they delivered in ways that Mitrita and Medina didn't, in a market that cares about MLS in a way that New York doesn't.

I do agree that the new stadium will be the bellweather for the club -- but that's probably still five years away, at least. There might become a breaking point where even a new stadium and spicy new player won't help if the damage is already done. If the team completely falls out of relevancy, will fans come back?

It might be optimistic of me, but I believe so, yes. It's our last chance though - we've botched our inaugural season hype and a new stadium is the only way to entice new fans and get people back. It's why I think they'll look to sign someone supernova big, but not for another three/four years.

 

[EganSoccerWords]

I just want them before the season starts

 

[Davo15]

We've signed 3 big name players , one was successful , two were not. That's about a 33 percent success rate. We've had what 3 non big name dp's as well now? With I'd say 1 out of 3 actually be a success so same success rate. I'd like to see a mix of the two strategies going forward. Villa brought people in and he delivered. Maxi's been great and I'd take more Maxi's any day but Villa just brought a different buzz and could put the team on his back if he needed to. I think he scored something like 17 goals in 19 games I saw him play in live. That's the kind of thing people pay to see and keep coming back for.

 

[canchon]

What type of designated player?

One who actually sees the field and creates results on it.

 

[moogoo]

We've signed 3 big name players , one was successful , two were not. That's about a 33 percent success rate. We've had what 3 non big name dp's as well now? With I'd say 1 out of 3 actually be a success so same success rate. I'd like to see a mix of the two strategies going forward. Villa brought people in and he delivered. Maxi's been great and I'd take more Maxi's any day but Villa just brought a different buzz and could put the team on his back if he needed to. I think he scored something like 17 goals in 19 games I saw him play in live. That's the kind of thing people pay to see and keep coming back for.

The type of player who can put a team on his back and win games is very rare. how many of those are there in MLS? Chances of us signing one are pretty slim, but it would be nice if we lucked out. I said it once and I'll say it again... can we get aguero now before he's too old?

 

[mgarbowski]

The type of player who can put a team on his back and win games is very rare. how many of those are there in MLS? Chances of us signing one are pretty slim, but it would be nice if we lucked out. I said it once and I'll say it again... can we get aguero now before he's too old?

To win in MLS playoffs or USOC you have to succeed by committee. If you look at the teams who succeeded recently in MLS, you see major contributions from groups:

Toronto: Giovinco Vazquez Altidore Pozuelo Bradley. They all played well in one or more playoff games, even the 2 US Team members everyone loves to hate,
Seattle: Dempsey, Lodeiro, Ruidiaz, Morris
Atlanta: Martinez, Almiron, even Pity Martinez scored the USOC winner last year. Plus they have a lot of big game goals scored by defenders and no-names.

And never, by my understanding of carrying a team, in the last 4-5 years has a player put a team on his back and carried them to a title. One guy has a big game, then next game it's someone else, then 2 guys in the game after that. Maybe further back one guy carried a team to MLS success, but it's not how MLS has worked recently.

Meanwhile for NYCFC, Villa underperformed, and so did everyone else, in one big game after another. And I don't think there's any formula for it. As I've said before, if we could not rely on Villa, who had more goals in just the 2010 World Cup than he had in his entire 9-game MLS playoff plus USOC career, then there's no way to predict how players will perform in playoff or Cup games. Go figure. Get a big name if you want. Or don't. It's a very frustrating crapshoot.

 

[mgarbowski]

PS - while writing that previous post I looked at some of my previous posts on NYCFC playoff failure and my goodness there are so many ways to document how complete and universal has been the failure.

 

[Shwafta]

PS - while writing that previous post I looked at some of my previous posts in NYCFC playoff failure and my goodness there are so many ways to document how complete and universal was the failure.

I just remember Sabo and I outside citi field saying "See you next week if we -- I mean -- when we beat Toronto tonight "

Sums up NYCFC

 

[Joe_Cos]

I think the team should add two proven players one striker and one midfield as DP. I think the teams needs to place a team that is a consistent product out there. So the next three years have a winning team, the same coach, same management. This way the fans aren't always waiting for the next shoe to drop. The team should try to win back some of the old STH and build the base back up. It's going to be hard to get support for media coverage or non MLS fans if there is only 12K full season STH. I randomly picked 12K I have no actually data to support this number.

 

[canchon]

I just remember Sabo and I outside citi field saying "See you next week if we -- I mean -- when we beat Toronto tonight "

Sums up NYCFC

dont get me started. get past Toronto and it was YS all the way to MLS cup for a team that was virtually unbeatable in YS. Nightmares still about that game.

 

[ManhattanValley]

I think the team should add two proven players one striker and one midfield as DP. I think the teams needs to place a team that is a consistent product out there. So the next three years have a winning team, the same coach, same management. This way the fans aren't always waiting for the next shoe to drop. The team should try to win back some of the old STH and build the base back up. It's going to be hard to get support for media coverage or non MLS fans if there is only 12K full season STH. I randomly picked 12K I have no actually data to support this number.

There is zero chance of us hitting >10k season tickets next season. Assuming zero Covid-related restrictions, I'd be impressed if our total attendance averages above 10,000 next season. We're not likely to have a regular stadium, let alone a regular fanbase. Any big-name DPs we sign will be bouncing around between a largely empty YS, and an even emptier Red Bull Arena.

 

[Annagram]

dont get me started. get past Toronto and it was YS all the way to MLS cup for a team that was virtually unbeatable in YS. Nightmares still about that game.

The three weeks between the end of the league and the Toronto game took the wind off the sails. Too many players underperformed. Buster Keaton had a real stinker, Johnson wasn't his reliabe self, Chanot had a brain fart, and Matarrita was just, eh, normal Matarrita. That's just too many players out of form. What a pity it had to happen there and then.

 

[Shwafta]

The three weeks between the end of the league and the Toronto game took the wind off the sails. Too many players underperformed. Buster Keaton had a real stinker, Johnson wasn't his reliabe self, Chanot had a brain fart, and Matarrita was just, eh, normal Matarrita. That's just too many players out of form. What a pity it had to happen there and then.

We made that excuse the first two times we got knocked out early... but then the next year we had Philly in the knockout round and I distinctly remember Tinnerholm saying (paraphrasing) "You know, the last two years we didn't have this game so the opponent had more time to get into rhythm... so I think it's good that we had this knockout game"... which we then went on to lose the next game to Atlanta.

 

[moogoo]

The three weeks between the end of the league and the Toronto game took the wind off the sails. Too many players underperformed. Buster Keaton had a real stinker, Johnson wasn't his reliabe self, Chanot had a brain fart, and Matarrita was just, eh, normal Matarrita. That's just too many players out of form. What a pity it had to happen there and then.

Parks had just come back from injury which added to his lack of form. real stinker now i'm even MORE sad!

 

[moogoo]

We made that excuse the first two times we got knocked out early... but then the next year we had Philly in the knockout round and I distinctly remember Tinnerholm saying (paraphrasing) "You know, the last two years we didn't have this game so the opponent had more time to get into rhythm... so I think it's good that we had this knockout game"... which we then went on to lose the next game to Atlanta.

this is true. it's knockout game. you either perform or you don't. only saving grace is that we got knocked out by eventual champions or finalists?

 

[mgarbowski]

Also Heber was hurt - his was a late scratch from the last game of the season. He played 30 minutes against Toronto and would probably have been unavailable but for the long break.

 

[SoupInNYC]

We made that excuse the first two times we got knocked out early... but then the next year we had Philly in the knockout round and I distinctly remember Tinnerholm saying (paraphrasing) "You know, the last two years we didn't have this game so the opponent had more time to get into rhythm... so I think it's good that we had this knockout game"... which we then went on to lose the next game to Atlanta.

The "had too much time between games" argument has been made for ages across many sports. But then the reverse argument is often made for those that lose after having a recent game of "match congestion" or "too tired". Perhaps there are specific teams where these arguments make sense just due to that particular team's circumstances, but overall, I feel like it's an easy, lazy argument.

Taking some examples from the past. I'm a huge college bball fan, and often times I've heard arguments about teams that make conference championship tournament runs (usually power conferences since those tournaments run til the day before or day of Selection Sunday) and then flame out early in the NCAA tournament that they were just too tired from all the games from their conference tournament and perhaps losing earlier in that would have been better for their NCAA chances. But then I've heard the exact opposite of that from teams that win their conf tournament and do well in NCAA, saying, they have momentum and got hot. All of a sudden, there's no consideration of the team being tired from all those prior games.

This exact same thing comes into play EVERY NFL postseason regarding the first round bye. Argument for bye every year (when a team wins): "Good to get some rest, get some players back healthy, longer prep time for the upcoming opponent." Then when the team loses, its "the team was rusty, had too much time between games, etc."