2019 Roster Discussion

[Rimil]

Said when Rijeka acquired him, it was one of the club's best deals in a few seasons. Only problem: he was hurt often.

In short: "#NYCFC got a fine versatile winger, that can score and set up goals easily. He can also adapt easily to new tactic and squad, and is lighthearted."

— Kyle Schnitzer (@Kyle_Schnitzer) March 20, 2019

"but plays with an Eastern European mentality." whats that? He enjoys playing for a pack of cigs, a daily meal ration and a gray 200 sqft flat? or if my father has taught me anything it must mean he hates himself for playing a child's game and wishes he worked as a carpenter or some other construction trade.

 

[LionNYC]

"but plays with an Eastern European mentality." whats that? He enjoys playing for a pack of cigs, a daily meal ration and a gray 200 sqft flat? or if my father has taught me anything it must mean he hates himself for playing a child's game and wishes he worked as a carpenter or some other construction trade.

Or is it something about fascism, or communism?

 

[EganSoccerWords]

"but plays with an Eastern European mentality." whats that? He enjoys playing for a pack of cigs, a daily meal ration and a gray 200 sqft flat? or if my father has taught me anything it must mean he hates himself for playing a child's game and wishes he worked as a carpenter or some other construction trade.

Or he likes to squat.

 

[kvschnitzer]

Reached back out, here's how he explained that comment:

"Here we play tough football, and recently it was on very bad and old fields. So you need to develop a certain rough and robust style of play. Also here until last year or so there was not too much tactical quality, clubs were mostly relying on individual quality of players, and Heber was quality. In short, Heber adopted that rough east euro football and mixed it up with brasilian style."

 

[Shwafta]

Reached back out, here's how he explained that comment:

"Here we play tough football, and recently it was on very bad and old fields. So you need to develop a certain rough and robust style of play. Also here until last year or so there was not too much tactical quality, clubs were mostly relying on individual quality of players, and Heber was quality. In short, Heber adopted that rough east euro football and mixed it up with brasilian style."

That'll work well here where a lot of the fields (especially our own) quite matches that description、and the quality of play as well

 

[Kjbert]

Sounds like the type of player that has done well in MLS then.

 

[FootyLovin]

It's been a while since last update. Also now coded homegrown players.

Looking at this now, at really the end of what can reasonably be called the winter window, one thing stands out as a potential additional source of frustration beyond those that have already been voiced - total signings of new players during the window.

Here are the numbers including draft picks and homegrown players.

2016 - 10
2017 - 12
2018 - 11
2019 - 7

Now total signings and quality signings do not equate. But there is something to be said for the excitement that comes with inspecting and speculating on each new signing. This year we had Rocha in December, which wasn't much to be excited about. Then we had a flurry in late January, early February. Then a single additional signing in late March when the fans were already disgruntled.

The shear numbers and sequence of the signings this off season seem to have also contributed to the frustration / lack of enthusiasm.

And as I've said elsewhere, not winning is the issue that drags everything else down regardless.

Anyway, here's the updated acquisition calendar.

 

[Ulrich]

Reached back out, here's how he explained that comment:

"Here we play tough football, and recently it was on very bad and old fields. So you need to develop a certain rough and robust style of play. Also here until last year or so there was not too much tactical quality, clubs were mostly relying on individual quality of players, and Heber was quality. In short, Heber adopted that rough east euro football and mixed it up with brasilian style."

If there’s a lack of tactical quality in Croatia, and goals are scored off of individual talent, then that also implies defending is relying on individual talent. Are clubs marking man to man across the board, effectively using zone, or dare I ask mixing both into a complex hybrid system..... I would bet it’s M2M which is the easiest for a skilled player to expose (especially if the defender isn’t as skilled) and the most often employed by a team short on tactical knowledge. MLS isn’t at the level of Juve/Real/Liverpool defensive tactics, but there’s some creative coaching in the league, SKC/RB/Seattle/etc that will collapse on players that freelance. So while I’m glad to hear Heber is considered quality, I’m going to wait to get excited since we can’t gauge the Croatian league’s level of defending.

 

[gbservis]

Based on our recent moves I think we can say one thing for certain about our FOs new transfer target requirements: player must have at least one letter in their name not easily typed on a standard english keyboard.

 

[Shwafta]

Based on our recent moves I think we can say one thing for certain about our FOs new transfer target requirements: player must have at least one letter in their name not easily typed on a standard english keyboard.

"exotic"

 

[LionNYC]

Based on our recent moves I think we can say one thing for certain about our FOs new transfer target requirements: player must have at least one letter in their name not easily typed on a standard english keyboard.

NYCFC: First HISTORIC player signed with an emoji in their last name.

 

[Fantazma]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1113486857449418752

 

[LionNYC]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1113486857449418752

We have 2 open international slots left.

 

[adam]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1113486857449418752

What's cool about that is we may have more international players than any other team. We've just been good about getting them green cards this season.

 

[SoupInNYC]

We've just been good this season.

Trying to stay positive.

 

[Ulrich]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1113486857449418752

Opening up that spot for LAG’s 4th DP

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1113795287867326464

Really shows how badly we need a striker. Everything goes down the wings and stalls out as multiple defenders collapse on the ball and force us back.

 

[gbservis]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1113795287867326464

Really shows how badly we need a striker. Everything goes down the wings and stalls out as multiple defenders collapse on the ball and force us back.

I agree with you on the issue but I'm not sure the cause is as clear as not having a striker. Everything goes down the wings seems to be Dome's preferred approach. He ran the same thing last year when we had Villa and Berget. The team isn't built for it and as you point out other teams have no problem stopping it so I'm not sure why Dome sticks with it.

The other telling data point from the graph on the left is the lack of any kind of link between Mitrita. My concern is that he won't pass regardless of what the system is or who is in the CF spot. Once he's in the final third he's shown his preference is to go for it. I'm not sure why we don't just play Mitrita in the middle and let him drift left at times like Villa.

 

[SoupInNYC]

The other telling data point from the graph on the left is the lack of any kind of link between Mitrita. My concern is that he won't pass regardless of what the system is or who is in the CF spot. Once he's in the final third he's shown his preference is to go for it. I'm not sure why we don't just play Mitrita in the middle and let him drift left at times like Villa.

I think this is a very valid point and what you pose is definitely an option to try. Who knows if Heber is fully fit enough to start on Saturday, so perhaps that would be a good option to try this (and then bring Heber on in the 60' and move Mitrita back to LW).

Or perhaps he hasn't been passing as much due to the lack of a true CF there for him to link up with. Perhaps Heber will help remediate that, but I agree with you that we don't know for certain and there is some room for concern there.

 

[Christopher Jee]

I think this is a very valid point and what you pose is definitely an option to try. Who knows if Heber is fully fit enough to start on Saturday, so perhaps that would be a good option to try this (and then bring Heber on in the 60' and move Mitrita back to LW).

Or perhaps he hasn't been passing as much due to the lack of a true CF there for him to link up with. Perhaps Heber will help remediate that, but I agree with you that we don't know for certain and there is some room for concern there.

I think the issue with Mitrita in the center is the same issue with any of our players across any of the forward positions, which is basically a lack of willingness to make a run that breaks the defensive line. Which is what it seems like Héber gives us.

My only concern is that it's less about player tendency than a lack of rehearsal. When player A receives the ball, are they looking for that run? Is player B making it? Is it the second touch or the third touch? Can player B tell when player A is making that pass or can player A tell when player B is shaping to make the run? Lack of rehearsal, consistent lineups or consistent systems might make player tendency irrelevant.