2025 Roster and Transfer Discussion Thread

[mgarbowski]

To be fair, we did sign a new DP who appears to be pretty impactful. We're not a win-now team (though we're getting there) so I wouldn't expect us to be as aggressive as Cincy.

First, I do appreciate the Fernandez-2 signing and he does seem good but letting 70% of a season go without replacing your #2 G+A creator off a year when you tied for 13th in goals scored hardly screams urgency.

Second, I do think you have a point and was just thinking about this while out exercising. I think you're right that we might make bigger moves if management believed we have a shot.* But it does not account for LAFC sitting in 5th place in the West and fewer points than us going for Son. I think some teams have an "any tool at hand" approach, while others, including us, have a commitment to stick to a plan and specific strategy even when it's not bearing fruit.

* I'm also not sure how this fits with team behavior in 2019-21 when we were close and even made it but there were no splashy signings or windows that made you think, "wow, they're really going for it now." We just got really good in 2017-18 and then locked in that roster as much as possible for a 3-5 year run.

In the end, I think we're not just behind all the top teams in MLS. I think we're behind our history. If 2023 was akin to 2015, then this year should be compared to 2017. This team is not nearly as good as 2017. It is worse on every metric per game: 2025 has lower PPG, lower xPPG, lower GD, lower xGD, fewer shots taken, and more shots allowed. In 2017 NYC finished second in the combined Shield table. In 2025 NYC sits in 11th.

 

[KevinJRogers]

It’s demoralizing because we always have to be talking about ifs, buts and maybes. Keaton isn’t healthy, the club has enough salary budget space to replace him. Why not replace him? Why not actually use all of the roster building tools allocated to the team. We should be maxing out roster spaces and pushing roster rules like Miami and Cincinnati, not always talking about what if. That’s the demoralizing part.

It's hard to argue with this. The organization is asking a lot of this fanbase in terms of patience. And I do mean a lot.

 

[gbservis]

First, I do appreciate the Fernandez-2 signing and he does seem good but letting 70% of a season go without replacing your #2 G+A creator off a year when you tied for 13th in goals scored hardly screams urgency.

Second, I do think you have a point and was just thinking about this while out exercising. I think you're right that we might make bigger moves if management believed we have a shot.* But it does not account for LAFC sitting in 5th place in the West and fewer points than us going for Son. I think some teams have an "any tool at hand" approach, while others, including us, have a commitment to stick to a plan and specific strategy even when it's not bearing fruit.

* I'm also not sure how this fits with team behavior in 2019-21 when we were close and even made it but there were no splashy signings or windows that made you think, "wow, they're really going for now time." We just got really good in 2017-18 and then locked in that roster as much as possible for a 3-5 year run.

In the end, I think we're not just behind all the top teams in MLS. I think we're behind our history. If 2023 was akin to 2015, then this year should be compared to 2017. This team is not nearly as good as 2017. It is worse on every metric per game: 2025 has lower PPG, lower xPPG, lower GD, lower xGD, fewer shots taken, and more shots allowed. In 2017 NYC finished second in the combined Shield table. In 2025 NYC sits in 11th.

What gets lost in the debate about signings is the sheer instability of the past few years under Lee, a complete reversal from the 2019–2021 stretch when a stable core was allowed to grow together. That stability was the difference-maker. Since 2022, it’s been the opposite: an endless revolving door of players who didn’t pan out, Thiago Andrade, Cufré, Bakrar, Jovan, Risa, Segal, Pellegrini, and Ledezma. Add that to natural departures like Chanot and the club’s eagerness to cash in on guys like Santi and Pereira, and the result is unsustainable turnover. To make matters worse, replacements always arrive at a crawl, leaving the squad perpetually a piece or two short. Lee can’t keep whiffing on half his signings, dragging his feet in the market, going cheap on DPs, and trying to run a development project all at once and still expect fans to believe this club is serious about winning trophies.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Surprised to see Maxi so high for this being done in June

Maybe, but who goes above him? Martins was just coming out of a bad stretch of costly blunders. Wolf was barely starting his streak of good form. This was early June, and I think most people voted before his brace against Atlanta.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Maybe, but who goes above him? Martins was just coming out of a bad stretch of costly blunders. Wolf was barely starting his streak of good form. This was early June, and I think most people voted before his brace against Atlanta.

Martins had those blunders against Atlanta, but he was still rock solid. I'd probably have Martins, Wolf, and Haak all above him. Possibly Tayvon as well.

I don't like saying it, but Maxi was dreadful to start the year. He's been playing much better now with Nico on the field, but the first several months he was very not good.

ASA has him as second to last on the team for goals added from the start of the season through 6/30.

 

[gbservis]

Martins had those blunders against Atlanta, but he was still rock solid. I'd probably have Martins, Wolf, and Haak all above him. Possibly Tayvon as well.

I don't like saying it, but Maxi was dreadful to start the year. He's been playing much better now with Nico on the field, but the first several months he was very not good.

ASA has him as second to last on the team for goals added from the start of the season through 6/30.

Maxi as primarily a set up guy is always going to be limited by the quality of the players around him. Put a high caliber professional like Nico next to Maxi his numbers go up. Put a guy with the movement of a headless chicken that didn't look like he belonged on the field against a bottom table USL side next to him his numbers go down.

 

[EganSoccerWords]

The only thing Maxi can do is pass right now. No combination of players will compensate for the fact that he has no legs anymore especially in the second half. Can't progress the ball via the dribble, can't press, and doesn't have the legs to get up and down the field to play defense. I personally think we are better served starting Nico at the 10 and then bringing Maxi on the last 30 off the bench.

 

[LionNYC]

The only thing Maxi can do is pass right now. No combination of players will compensate for the fact that he has no legs anymore especially in the second half. Can't progress the ball via the dribble, can't press, and doesn't have the legs to get up and down the field to play defense. I personally think we are better served starting Nico at the 10 and then bringing Maxi on the last 30 off the bench.

And his free kicks can't go over the walls of the first line of defenders

 

[LionNYC]

Raul Gustavo is still in Manchester...

 

[gbservis]

The only thing Maxi can do is pass right now. No combination of players will compensate for the fact that he has no legs anymore especially in the second half. Can't progress the ball via the dribble, can't press, and doesn't have the legs to get up and down the field to play defense. I personally think we are better served starting Nico at the 10 and then bringing Maxi on the last 30 off the bench.

I agree that Maxi should be used as a sub, ideally, that would’ve been his role all season, and he might still have more left in the tank now. Pascal hasn’t had great options, and it really shows. One more quality winger signing could have prevented him from having to choose each game between Maxi or the raw, inconsistent development projects in Ojeda and Fernández. Hopefully, Ojeda’s recent performances are a sign of a breakthrough, because at this point that feels like our only real hope.

 

[EganSoccerWords]

I agree that Maxi should be used as a sub, ideally, that would’ve been his role all season, and he might still have more left in the tank now. Pascal hasn’t had great options, and it really shows. One more quality winger signing could have prevented him from having to choose each game between Maxi or the raw, inconsistent development projects in Ojeda and Fernández. Hopefully, Ojeda’s recent performances are a sign of a breakthrough, because at this point that feels like our only real hope.

It's very bad business not adding another attacker, but it feels like Pascal's Maxi usage goes beyond our depth issues. Guy has more minutes than Alonso and Wolf.

 

[gbservis]

It's very bad business not adding another attacker, but it feels like Pascal's Maxi usage goes beyond our depth issues. Guy has more minutes than Alonso and Wolf.

The big question for me with Maxi’s usage is why we’ve seen so little of Carrizo, especially since pre-Nico, he was the only other true CAM on the roster. In his limited minutes, Carrizo has looked capable, and Pascal hasn’t hesitated to play young guys, as we’ve seen with Shore. Yet game after game, Maxi looks gassed by the 65th minute and still goes the full 90. Why not give Carrizo a run? Is he really not ready, or is he stuck in the same “Man City bubble wrap” treatment Macfarlane got?

 

[gbservis]

Nico looks like the real deal and is providing a lot of hope for next season. Ideally, this offseason, the team:

1. Brings Martins back on a non-DP contract
2. Keeps Haak
3. Use Martin's DP slot on another high-quality attacker to cover the minutes Maxi played this season
4. Keeps Ojeda for 1 more year, as he finally seems to be showing something
5. Moves on from Fernadez as he is not progressing at all
6. Signs two new U22 players with the Fernandez and Jovan slots

If we continue to have to hold a dead U22 slot for Jovan, it's going to be infuriating. If Jovan was a CFG pick, then we shouldn't be penalized for their terrible scouting, and if Jovan was a Lee pick, Lee should be out of a job.

 

[BC19]

Nico looks like the real deal and is providing a lot of hope for next season. Ideally, this offseason, the team:

1. Brings Martins back on a non-DP contract
2. Keeps Haak
3. Use Martin's DP slot on another high-quality attacker to cover the minutes Maxi played this season
4. Keeps Ojeda for 1 more year, as he finally seems to be showing something
5. Moves on from Fernadez as he is not progressing at all
6. Signs two new U22 players with the Fernandez and Jovan slots

If we continue to have to hold a dead U22 slot for Jovan, it's going to be infuriating. If Jovan was a CFG pick, then we shouldn't be penalized for their terrible scouting, and if Jovan was a Lee pick, Lee should be out of a job.

First 3 are imperative and seem realistic (?) easy to do (?) with the amount of GAM we’ve horded. Haak needs to stay. He’s developed into one the best young American centerbacks in the league.

 

[Kenny]

If Haak truly wants to go to Europe, which he allegedly does, than the most we should do is extend him a year. Then find a replacement and let him go.

 

[EganSoccerWords]

The big question for me with Maxi’s usage is why we’ve seen so little of Carrizo, especially since pre-Nico, he was the only other true CAM on the roster. In his limited minutes, Carrizo has looked capable, and Pascal hasn’t hesitated to play young guys, as we’ve seen with Shore. Yet game after game, Maxi looks gassed by the 65th minute and still goes the full 90. Why not give Carrizo a run? Is he really not ready, or is he stuck in the same “Man City bubble wrap” treatment Macfarlane got?

This is actually a pretty big issue because Carrizo isn't really playing in Next Pro either. He started a couple games in August but not the number of minutes you want from a young player for their development.

 

[LionNYC]

A former academy player scores the opening goal of the leagues cup final.

You have to grade David Lee not just on the talent that he signs but the talent that he loses from the academy.

Watch the highlights after the match, sore losers Miami.

 

[BxLio91]

Kid's been on fire.

 

[moogoo]

A former academy player scores the opening goal of the leagues cup final.

You have to grade David Lee not just on the talent that he signs but the talent that he loses from the academy.

Watch the highlights after the match, sore losers Miami.

the kid has been given an opportunity to shine and he has been. he's super physical, clever, and relentless. he's the type of player i think Reid could become with more time, experience, and proper guidance.

 

[Fantazma]

A former academy player scores the opening goal of the leagues cup final.

You have to grade David Lee not just on the talent that he signs but the talent that he loses from the academy.

Watch the highlights after the match, sore losers Miami.

Does he actually count as one? I get the sentiment but he was in academy like a year and a half I think? Less? He also wandered around for years til finally Seattle gave him chance to test himself in mlsnext pro for a year last year.

Definitely good for him, but he was a late bloomer. So with nycfc they didn’t want to invest time with him since he was not in academy from early teen years