Away - 06/24 Jersey

[Midas Mulligan]

If Maxi is out, I hope we see the same lineup as last week with Lewis or Camargo on the wing. Although, I expect we'll just see the same lineup, since both of those guys are young.

Wait, did White start? Maybe put him in for RJ. I don't trust RJ. Watching him play gives me the same feeling as watching a toddler walk through a ceramics store. And obviously, if Matarrita is healthy, duh, no Ben (I Can't be arsed to) Sweat.

 

[Christopher Jee]

If Maxi is out, I hope we see the same lineup as last week with Lewis or Camargo on the wing. Although, I expect we'll just see the same lineup, since both of those guys are young.

Wait, did White start? Maybe put him in for RJ. I don't trust RJ. Watching him play gives me the same feeling as watching a toddler walk through a ceramics store. And obviously, if Matarrita is healthy, duh, no Ben (I Can't be arsed to) Sweat.

I feel you on RJ, but I thought Muyl had a pretty good game against us in the Open Cup, and he was on White's side so that's a mark against him. OTOH, RJ was pretty decent against Morris and I think Muyl and Morris are comparable in style. Also RJ is a slightly more effective attacking threat and that could help pin Muyl a little. I also just have a feeling that this is a game that means more to RJ and he seems to get up for the big ones. I still remember the game where he shut Giovinco down, very fondly.

Tldr I'd go with RJ on this.

Apart from that and the Tommy / Lewis call, the side probably picks itself. Maybe if Pirlo had a few more games under his belt I would trot him out, but he plays a game of fine margins and he hasn't had a lot of time to calibrate. Could be a disaster against that press.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

also just have a feeling that this is a game that means more to RJ and he seems to get up for the big ones. I still remember the game where he shut Giovinco down, very fondly.

When did that happen? I remember him showing his ass a few times.

Only times I remember us shutting down Giovinco was when everyone on the team fouled him.

RJ is a red waiting to happen.

 

[SoupInNYC]

If Maxi is out, I hope we see the same lineup as last week with Lewis or Camargo on the wing. Although, I expect we'll just see the same lineup, since both of those guys are young.

Wait, did White start? Maybe put him in for RJ. I don't trust RJ. Watching him play gives me the same feeling as watching a toddler walk through a ceramics store. And obviously, if Matarrita is healthy, duh, no Ben (I Can't be arsed to) Sweat.

I don't like either for this game. White was abused in the USOC match, and PV was unhappy enough with his performance there that he sat him on Saturday. I know Ethan has played OK so far this year, but I do think I prefer RJ for this one.

 

[SoupInNYC]

we may see two strikers for this one

Just a reminder that this guy called the formation change prior to the DCU match.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

Just a reminder that this guy called the formation change prior to the DCU match.

It was a quote from Vieira's press conference yesterday.

That said, if Vieira drastically changes the formation for this game, I will officially be on #Vieiraout. We finally have a team that will be the favorites to win at RB away. I swear to god if he fucks this up by getting cute...

 

[Ulrich]

It was a quote from Vieira's press conference yesterday.

That said, if Vieira drastically changes the formation for this game, I will officially be on #Vieiraout. We finally have a team that will be the favorites to win at RB away. I swear to god if he fucks this up by getting cute...

So you're saying Saturday isn't the time for a surprise GK change?

 

[Gotham Gator]

Nope. Nor do we want to see two DPs on the bench and a three man back line.

ETA: Although I guess the two DPs on the bench might be a given.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

It was a quote from Vieira's press conference yesterday.

That said, if Vieira drastically changes the formation for this game, I will officially be on #Vieiraout. We finally have a team that will be the favorites to win at RB away. I swear to god if he fucks this up by getting cute...

That seems harsh. I liked what we were doing with Villa pulling wide on Saturday. I'd bet if we did nominally play two strikers, that what it will look like. And since Ucubed basically tries to do the same things Villa was actually accomplishing out there, like drift inside and look to assist and score, we're basically trading Tommy for a target forward to play to when under pressure.

Doesn't seem like such a big deal. I quite like it, honestly. But ask me again if we see it and it falls flat.

 

[Christopher Jee]

When did that happen? I remember him showing his ass a few times.

Only times I remember us shutting down Giovinco was when everyone on the team fouled him.

RJ is a red waiting to happen.

https://www.nycfc.com/post/2015/06/23/new-york-city-fc-toronto-fc-spotlight-rj-allen

I get where you're coming from, though. He has a tendency to miss a beat and get handy and give away yellows / reds. I just got the sense last game that he handled himself better than White did against Muyl in the OC game. Call it learning, call it form, but I think he's a better shout for Saturday.

 

[Gotham Gator]

So, would this be a 4-3-3 with Okoli in the middle and Villa on the left? That's not a crazy change, especially if Maxi is still out.

 

[SoupInNYC]

So, would this be a 4-3-3 with Okoli in the middle and Villa on the left? That's not a crazy change, especially if Maxi is still out.

Yeah, that't more it for me. If Maxi is available, give me our front three of Wallace-Villa-Harrison.

If Maxi is not available, I wouldn't be opposed to Villa-Okoli-Wallace with Jack as the 10. Though I'm not completely certain that this will play best for either Villa or Wallace. I really don't want Tommy out there against the NJ press.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

holy shit, you guys are crazy, suggesting moving Villa before the NJ match.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

https://www.nycfc.com/post/2015/06/23/new-york-city-fc-toronto-fc-spotlight-rj-allen

I get where you're coming from, though. He has a tendency to miss a beat and get handy and give away yellows / reds. I just got the sense last game that he handled himself better than White did against Muyl in the OC game. Call it learning, call it form, but I think he's a better shout for Saturday.

I may agree with your theory re: athleticism, but I just can't bring myself to trust RJ not to do something stupid. It's precisely the mentality that you lauded that makes me feel that way. Not verifying this, but to my mind, he's been good for something that could easily get you sent off every time we've played RBNJ. Of course, White has done stupid things, too.

My rough mental formula: (Player quality-(1/Athleticism))/Likelihood of Send off
produces a fully fit White edging fully fit RJ.

I also think the rest of the team is important. For instance, if we go with two strikers, I think we need less of RJ going forward. I'd rather have Herrera near the box than having to drop in to cover for him. We're better than RBNJ, so we don't necessarily need to push the risky choice in order to try to eek out an incremental gain at RB. Give me a tactically disciplined RJ, sure. Just don't know if that guy exists, but we've seen White can do it.

Btw, that's the precise game to which I was referring, where we bunkered and kicked the hell out of Seba all over the pitch. I don't remember thinking RJ came close to doing that alone or even being the stand out in the effort.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

holy shit, you guys are crazy, suggesting moving Villa before the NJ match.

It's not moving him. He does what I described all the time anyway, evidenced by how many times Maxi and Wallace end up as the farthest guys forward. 2nd half last week, it was just extremely prominent when we had Okoli on. It also worked extremely well.

Given the fluidity we play with, doesn't much matter if you call him a striker, LAM or LW. He's occupying almost entirely the same spaces. Couple that with the need for a viable long ball target and my feelings on Ucubed's effectiveness as a starter, and I'll take a front 3 of Villa-Okoli-Wallace over Ucubed-Villa-Wallace.

Villa and Okoli's joint presence also would do more to help the defense than we would gain with the latter option.

 

[Ulrich]

That seems harsh. I liked what we were doing with Villa pulling wide on Saturday. I'd bet if we did nominally play two strikers, that what it will look like. And since Ucubed basically tries to do the same things Villa was actually accomplishing out there, like drift inside and look to assist and score, we're basically trading Tommy for a target forward to play to when under pressure.

Doesn't seem like such a big deal. I quite like it, honestly. But ask me again if we see it and it falls flat.

So, would this be a 4-3-3 with Okoli in the middle and Villa on the left? That's not a crazy change, especially if Maxi is still out.

Yeah, that't more it for me. If Maxi is available, give me our front three of Wallace-Villa-Harrison.

If Maxi is not available, I wouldn't be opposed to Villa-Okoli-Wallace with Jack as the 10. Though I'm not completely certain that this will play best for either Villa or Wallace. I really don't want Tommy out there against the NJ press.

In the USOpen Cup, the two RB center backs were really working Villa hard and their RIght Back was free to float. If Okoli's big body is occupying both CB's then Villa should have an opportunity to work their Right Back. And if Villa squeezes in and their RBack floats forward then Villa can abuse them in the space vacated.

Also agree with Midas' earlier statement that if we have those three up front plus Hererra, we may not need RJ's offense and can rely on White's Defense and his timely overlaps.

I really think this game is about getting the best 11 out there while throwing a curve ball to their defense. If Harrison is our Maxi-redux, then the obvisous like-for-like change is Lewis, which is probably what RB plans for. But if their Left Back all of a sudden has to defend Wallace, who plays completely differently, and the CB's both are forced to closely mark Okoli, they lose a lot of the organization/tactics they worked on to defend and break our press. I'm fine either way, because I think Lewis and Okoli bring very competent skills and tactics to the table. I could also see Camargo in at RW if no Okoli - because Vieira.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

you guys play too much FIFA

 

[Lasker]

So . . remember when Viewfrom226 arranged those group tickets for Saturday's match?

Well . . . in the end the friend I was planning to bring bailed on me.

Does anybody here want that ticket OR want to exchange two tickets elsewhere in the stadium for seats with other forum members? (I'm not sure what my plan is yet but the person I might bring probably wants to sit somewhere a little more relaxed)

The seats are Section 222 Row 19.

Oh, and one more thing: Fuck the redbulls for killing demand and atmosphere for this game with their absurd prices.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

you guys play too much FIFA

So if you were a Juve fan, you'd have lost your mind with Allegri moving Mandzukic to the wing, huh?

To me, you're getting hung up on positions. It's about getting the right balance of what we need on the pitch. Maxi can take the ball into the final third almost on his own, certainly when Harrison and Wallace are out there and able keep the defense honest so they don't collapse onto him.

We won't have the luxury of that combination or that player, so we need another option. With what I've proposed, we can construct slick and quick passing moves and also play more directly.

Okoli occupies CBs, Wallace and Villa or Jack run off of him, and Jack or Villa drop in between the lines to pick the ball up short and run at the back line.

 

[gbservis]

So if you were a Juve fan, you'd have lost your mind with Allegri moving Mandzukic to the wing, huh?

To me, you're getting hung up on positions. It's about getting the right balance of what we need on the pitch. Maxi can take the ball into the final third almost on his own, certainly when Harrison and Wallace are out there and able keep the defense honest so they don't collapse onto him.

We won't have the luxury of that combination or that player, so we need another option. With what I've proposed, we can construct slick and quick passing moves and also play more directly.

Okoli occupies CBs, Wallace and Villa or Jack run off of him, and Jack or Villa drop in between the lines to pick the ball up short and run at the back line.

It sounds reasonable but I think Villa is a bit hung up on position himself. How they line up is pointless but I bet if they went the route you're suggesting Villa would be listed in the middle and start the game in the center circle and then drift wide with Okoli cutting in. Would be nice to see, Okoli has shown some decent hold up skills and would provide a long ball option when needed to break the pressure.

I'm worried we will see the ucubed start we are dreading. Can't see them having him do all that press yesterday if they are not planning to start him. A healthy Maxi seems like the only way we avoid it at this point and I think the "Maxi might be okay to play" quotes are just coach speak trying to force RB to game plan for him.