2021 Roster Discussion

[sabertooth36]

I think the team actually has a great mix of established vets and young talent. What we're lacking is a manager who can put it together, get everyone on the same page, and execute a gameplan. Vieira started establishing the identity of a short-pass possession-based style, Dome put his spin on it and enhanced it. I've said it a million times on here but I just don't know what Ronny's trying to do with the team.

 

[Jon]

I think the team actually has a great mix of established vets and young talent. What we're lacking is a manager who can put it together, get everyone on the same page, and execute a gameplan. Vieira started establishing the identity of a short-pass possession-based style, Dome put his spin on it and enhanced it. I've said it a million times on here but I just don't know what Ronny's trying to do with the team.

I also think we're missing one star who is the leader on the field and carry the club. If we had Villa circa 2017 (not condoning his behavior) on this team right now we'd be fighting for Supporter's Shield with New England.

 

[ZYanksRule]

I think we do have that balance with Maxi, Sean Johnson, Chanot, Callens, Heber, Tinnerholm, etc.

New England also has guys that are looking to move overseas like Tajon Buchanan (who is already sold), Buksa, and Turner.

They're just a better team.

Also -- when the season started we thought this would be a bit of a rebuilding year. Our expectations changed when the team was playing well, but I think we need to look at this season through that prism. We have to imagine all of Santi, Thiago, and Talles will improve as the years go on, and if they do we could be looking at a championship core fairly quickly. This is still one of the best rosters in MLS, and while we have some flaws, I think it seems pretty easy to see how this team can build it back up to a championship-level team.

 

[mgarbowski]

dayunngnggggggggg a lady bug, that's more than a pastrami sandwich!

The ladybug in A Bug's Life was pretty tough.

 

[moogoo]

dayunngnggggggggg a lady bug, that's more than a pastrami sandwich!

don't insult pastrami sandwiches!

 

[moogoo]

Also -- when the season started we thought this would be a bit of a rebuilding year. Our expectations changed when the team was playing well, but I think we need to look at this season through that prism. We have to imagine all of Santi, Thiago, and Talles will improve as the years go on, and if they do we could be looking at a championship core fairly quickly. This is still one of the best rosters in MLS, and while we have some flaws, I think it seems pretty easy to see how this team can build it back up to a championship-level team.

we don't even know if santi will be around next year yet.

thiago needs a lot of work. he's almost exactly like taty when he first arrived.

talles - there's a lot of potential there. with the proper guidance and hardwork on his part, and he could become a monster in a year or two.

 

[JayH]

I was pushing for the club to sign a player like Ighalo up top. Great guy, scores with ease, had a bad experience in the top tier which had him looking for a better fit for this part of his career arc, specifically mentioned MLS, etc. He ended up in the Saudi professional league (I have no idea how that compares to MLS) and has averaged almost a goal a game. He would have been a perfect fit, other than not having future sale value. There are lots of Ighalos out there, and we could have used a replenishing of the seasoned player balance with some of the other vets diminishing in output.

 

[moogoo]

I was pushing for the club to sign a player like Ighalo up top. Great guy, scores with ease, had a bad experience in the top tier which had him looking for a better fit for this part of his career arc, specifically mentioned MLS, etc. He ended up in the Saudi professional league (I have no idea how that compares to MLS) and has averaged almost a goal a game. He would have been a perfect fit, other than not having future sale value. There are lots of Ighalos out there, and we could have used a replenishing of the seasoned player balance with some of the others vets diminishing in output.

this type of player is who we should be looking for next. i think we are pretty much full on the young, developing players. Currently, we need a solid CB to takeover for chanot. We need a solid CAM, even if santi stays. I'd still like an experienced and creative CAM. those should be our next two DPs imho

 

[Gotham Gator]

Also, we probably need to ignore the discussion we just had trying to analyze salary changes year to year. FTA:

​

"While this salary data is the only publicly-available information regarding MLS player compensation, the formula the MLSPA uses for guaranteed compensation does not give a perfectly accurate indication of what a player is making this season. Because of the way the MLSPA annualizes bonuses across the total years of a contract to get guaranteed compensation, a salary may be higher or lower than listed in any given year across the life of the contract."​

As usual with MLS, the unknown unknowns are what get you.

Here is an interesting breakdown of MLS salaries. It's by salary range, with $1M+ in dark green and $500K-$1M in light green. This makes it's easy enough to view it as pay going to DPs vs. TAM vs. others. We seem to have the most spend in that $500K-$1M range.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1450848342905212932

 

[mgarbowski]

we don't even know if santi will be around next year yet.

New York City FC Signs Attacking Midfielder Santiago Rodriguez On Loan From Montevideo City Torque | New York City FC

NEW YORK, N.Y., June 9, 2021 - New York City FC today announced that the Club has acquired attacking midfielder Santiago Rodriguez from Montevideo City Torque on loan until December 2022. The Uruguayan youth national team player was signed before the close of the league’s Primary Transfer...

www.nycfc.com

The loan is through December 2022. Like any loan it could be terminated early, but I don't think that's what you meant.

 

[Antidote P. Smiley]

I was just typing out something similar. Chanot, Callens, and Tinnerholm are exactly the type of players we are talking about and have given us the advantage of a stable top 3 MLS backline for multiple years. In the midfield, you could probably also include Morales as an attempt at getting another fully developed player with a very solid background that just hasn't worked out.

I was gonna say, not to take anything away from Callens, Chanot, Tinnerholm and Johnson but that would kind of be a lie cause the caveat is that as much as I agree with you I don't think they are gonna go out and win you games. They will help you win games sure, they may even help you lose games. We certainly have seen a number of Johnson and Chanot bloopers over the past four seasons.

 

[moogoo]

New York City FC Signs Attacking Midfielder Santiago Rodriguez On Loan From Montevideo City Torque | New York City FC

NEW YORK, N.Y., June 9, 2021 - New York City FC today announced that the Club has acquired attacking midfielder Santiago Rodriguez from Montevideo City Torque on loan until December 2022. The Uruguayan youth national team player was signed before the close of the league’s Primary Transfer...

www.nycfc.com

The loan is through December 2022. Like any loan it could be terminated early, but I don't think that's what you meant.

huh... strange. i really thought it was a 1 season loan. but guess we will have him all of next season. that's good.

 

[Shwafta]

I was gonna say, not to take anything away from Callens, Chanot, Tinnerholm and Johnson but that would kind of be a lie cause the caveat is that as much as I agree with you I don't think they are gonna go out and win you games. They will help you win games sure, they may even help you lose games. We certainly have seen a number of Johnson and Chanot bloopers over the past four seasons.

Whaaaaaaaaaaat are you talking about?
Tinnerholm had 4 goals / 5 assists in his first season, 1 goal 7 assists the next, 4 goals 4 assists the next, and this season only 3 assists.
Chanot/Callens have scored from corners in crucial games before.

Besides that, please explain to me how a solid backline that doesn't give up goals "doesn't win games" ? The less goals you concede, the more possible it is for you to win with less goals to score. And we have been very good defensively for the most part up until recently. Sure, it's not "going out and winning you games" but how many defenders actively win you games? They usually don't. They defend, which wins you games just as much as forwards do.

GA by year:
2021 so far 7th least (34 in 30 games)
2020 7th least (25 in 23 games)
2019 2nd least (42 in 34 games)
2018 7th least (45 in 34 games)
2017 5th least (43 in 34 games)

We have 4 games left, and unless we concede 8 goals in those 4 games (unlikely the way we've played recently defensively strong) we will have the best defensive record this team has ever seen. That would, usually, indicate a really good season, considering the places we ended up in during those seasons. It's not imo the defense that's the issue this season.

Chanot, Callens, Tinnerholm are very vocal. They're always the first ones at the referee standing up for calls and players.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/difference-style-make-nycfc-central-defense-pairing-one-best-mls from 2018.

 

[Antidote P. Smiley]

Whaaaaaaaaaaat are you talking about?
Tinnerholm had 4 goals / 5 assists in his first season, 1 goal 7 assists the next, 4 goals 4 assists the next, and this season only 3 assists.
Chanot/Callens have scored from corners in crucial games before.

Besides that, please explain to me how a solid backline that doesn't give up goals "doesn't win games" ? The less goals you concede, the more possible it is for you to win with less goals to score. And we have been very good defensively for the most part up until recently. Sure, it's not "going out and winning you games" but how many defenders actively win you games? They usually don't. They defend, which wins you games just as much as forwards do.

GA by year:
2021 so far 7th least (34 in 30 games)
2020 7th least (25 in 23 games)
2019 2nd least (42 in 34 games)
2018 7th least (45 in 34 games)
2017 5th least (43 in 34 games)

We have 4 games left, and unless we concede 8 goals in those 4 games (unlikely the way we've played recently defensively strong) we will have the best defensive record this team has ever seen. That would, usually, indicate a really good season, considering the places we ended up in during those seasons. It's not imo the defense that's the issue this season.

Chanot, Callens, Tinnerholm are very vocal. They're always the first ones at the referee standing up for calls and players.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/difference-style-make-nycfc-central-defense-pairing-one-best-mls from 2018.

Maybe I’m not being clear and I am pushing this a bit cause I think Callens has been great. Chanot pretty good with some Keystone cop style play… and yeah Tinnerholm has been great out this year aside.There a really good unit. I don’t think anyone expects them to go out and take over games or any team expects them…
I think my original post was about the tricky balance and that NYCFC maybe hasn’t done as well as they could have. A lot has to fall in place for a championship and clearly that didn’t happen this year (though I guess there is still a chance and wouldn’t that be f’n awesome) With all the players they brought in over the past two years I just wonder what bringing in a Bou, or Gill or Pozuelo would have done to help a team people thought had a core that was championship ready. I get it, sometimes you hit and sometimes you miss. What if instead of spending Money on Magno you brought in a more polished player this season? That’s all. I don’t mean disrespect to the defense.

 

[Shwafta]

Maybe I’m not being clear and I am pushing this a bit cause I think Callens has been great. Chanot pretty good with some Keystone cop style play… and yeah Tinnerholm has been great out this year aside.There a really good unit. I don’t think anyone expects them to go out and take over games or any team expects them…
I think my original post was about the tricky balance and that NYCFC maybe hasn’t done as well as they could have. A lot has to fall in place for a championship and clearly that didn’t happen this year (though I guess there is still a chance and wouldn’t that be f’n awesome) With all the players they brought in over the past two years I just wonder what bringing in a Bou, or Gill or Pozuelo would have done to help a team people thought had a core that was championship ready. I get it, sometimes you hit and sometimes you miss. What if instead of spending Money on Magno you brought in a more polished player this season? That’s all. I don’t mean disrespect to the defense.

Ah, gotcha, sorry. The second post makes it sound like you're saying we need a defensive overhaul which the numbers suggest we don't. But yeah, I agree with that. Morales could have been that sort of hit, but he's been more than disappointing. If he worked, he could have been better than tinnerholm. Maybe he'll improve going forward, because if he does he could be a nice plug in DM.

 

[moogoo]

Maybe he'll improve going forward, because if he does he could be a nice plug in DM.

at his age, it's more likely he will get even worse, which is saying something because he's already pretty damn horrendous. from ladybug to... stink bug?