Away - 07/30 Toronto

[NYCFC_Dan]

We face Toronto again 8 days from now.
Kickoff is 2pm
Broadcast - ESPN, TSN1, WFAN (Online) and WQBU

 

[Kjbert]

Toronto drew 1-1 tonight. A win next week brings us level with them on points.

 

[JGarrettLieb]

I'd like to see the Herrera suspension revoked due to awful refereeing.

I seriously try, and often fail, to be objective about the ref's in a competitive sports game. But holy shit that was god awful.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

Toronto.

Spoilers you dickhead. Was going to watch that.

At least delete for the night.

 

[The Toe]

Will Toronto be without Bradley and Altidore if we make the final?

 

[Midas Mulligan]

Will Toronto be without Bradley and Altidore if we make the final?

Jas

 

[LionNYC]

Will Toronto be without Bradley and Altidore if we make the final?

Final is 26th in Santa Clara. Game is 30th in Toronto. So they will probably be in the 18.

Toronto drew 1-1 tonight. A win next week brings us level with them on points.

Level on points, would be ahead with the first tiebreaker of wins.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

We're without Herrera for this one after the red, I assume. That means pirlo, tmac or Michael Lopez. Pick your shitty poison from our poorly constructed roster.

 

[Ulrich]

We're without Herrera for this one after the red, I assume. That means pirlo, tmac or Michael Lopez. Pick your shitty poison from our poorly constructed roster.

The easiest pill to swallow from that group will be TMac. If he replaces Hererra then it's a given Lewis will play LW and that's the more critical position to help pin their 3-man backline.

 

[gbservis]

The easiest pill to swallow from that group will be TMac. If he replaces Hererra then it's a given Lewis will play LW and that's the more critical position to help pin their 3-man backline.

I'm not a Pirlo defender but given that list he's my choice. If Sweat is out I think Lopez has proven to be a more capable LB than RJ so I'd rather see him there. That leaves it as Pirlo vs. TMac. After watching TMac get smoked by Jason Hernadez I'm convinced Pirlo and TMac are about equal when it comes to pace. Pirlo gets the edge for me because his positional awareness is excellent so he's usually in a better spot or recognizing much sooner than TMac where he needs to be. TMac on the other hand spends most of the defensive side of the game chasing the play. Aside from pace Pirlo gets knocked off ball when in possession less (TMac sets an extremely low bar in this category). Lastly is comes down to marquee skill, I'll take a couple pin point balls over the top from Pirlo vs. a curling shot from the top of the box once every 5 games if and only if TMac finds himself wide open.

 

[Christopher Jee]

The easiest pill to swallow from that group will be TMac. If he replaces Hererra then it's a given Lewis will play LW and that's the more critical position to help pin their 3-man backline.

You seem to assume we have to choose between Lewis / Pirlo, or in other words, Tommy will definitely play. I want Pirlo in the center with Maxi and Ring, with Lewis on the wing.

A 3-man backline hates nothing more than balls played into the space behind the wing backs for pacy attackers. I know who I want playing those balls, and who has the pace to get them.

And if Toronto wanna fill that space then they give up midfield.

 

[Ulrich]

I'm not a Pirlo defender but given that list he's my choice. If Sweat is out I think Lopez has proven to be a more capable LB than RJ so I'd rather see him there. That leaves it as Pirlo vs. TMac. After watching TMac get smoked by Jason Hernadez I'm convinced Pirlo and TMac are about equal when it comes to pace. Pirlo gets the edge for me because his positional awareness is excellent so he's usually in a better spot or recognizing much sooner than TMac where he needs to be. TMac on the other hand spends most of the defensive side of the game chasing the play. Aside from pace Pirlo gets knocked off ball when in possession less (TMac sets an extremely low bar in this category). Lastly is comes down to marquee skill, I'll take a couple pin point balls over the top from Pirlo vs. a curling shot from the top of the box once every 5 games if and only if TMac finds himself wide open.

You make a very good argument for eating raw sea urchin over sautéed calf brains.

Something nobody has mentioned, but what if PV gives Awuah his first start? He is a natural central midfielder, he's faster than Pirlo/TMac, and what little we've seen of him coupled with his description of being able to play LB, he's most likely a more tenacious defender than either of them. I'd be curious to see if he could play a conservative role of staying mostly home and picking spots to push forward. PV does have a history of giving starts to guys the game after a sub appearance.

 

[Ulrich]

You seem to assume we have to choose between Lewis / Pirlo, or in other words, Tommy will definitely play. I want Pirlo in the center with Maxi and Ring, with Lewis on the wing.

A 3-man backline hates nothing more than balls played into the space behind the wing backs for pacy attackers. I know who I want playing those balls, and who has the pace to get them.

And if Toronto wanna fill that space then they give up midfield.

I do think TMac is more likely to see the field over Pirlo, and I'm basing it off of him getting starts while Pirlo did not even though he was healthy.

I also don't disagree with your strategy of dropping balls behind the back three, but for Pirlo to be effective at that, he needs the other two mids to shield for him, and that kills Maxi's game and effectiveness. If it was Maxi out with Hererra &Ring, then I'd agree it could really be effective.

But regardless of whomever gets the midfield spot, Lewis must play wing.

 

[gbservis]

You make a very good argument for eating raw sea urchin over sautéed calf brains.

Something nobody has mentioned, but what if PV gives Awuah his first start? He is a natural central midfielder, he's faster than Pirlo/TMac, and what little we've seen of him coupled with his description of being able to play LB, he's most likely a more tenacious defender than either of them. I'd be curious to see if he could play a conservative role of staying mostly home and picking spots to push forward. PV does have a history of giving starts to guys the game after a sub appearance.

That opening line is spot on and made me LOL. You could be on to something with Awuah.

 

[Christopher Jee]

I do think TMac is more likely to see the field over Pirlo, and I'm basing it off of him getting starts while Pirlo did even though he was healthy.

I also don't disagree with your strategy of dropping balls behind the back three, but for Pirlo to be effective at that, he needs the other two mids to shield for him, and that kills Maxi's game and effectiveness. If it was Maxi out with Hererra &Ring, then I'd agree it could really be effective.

But regardless of whomever gets the midfield spot, Lewis must play wing.

I agree about Lewis but I don't think that either Mikey or Tommy provide any more D than Pirlo and provide significantly less O, which is a form of D anyway (you don't have to recover balls you don't lose).

 

[Ulrich]

I agree about Lewis but I don't think that either Mikey or Tommy provide any more D than Pirlo and provide significantly less O, which is a form of D anyway (you don't have to recover balls you don't lose).

If Sweat can't go, Mikey will most likely be LB (with RJ in the doghouse), so he's not part of the equation. I think TMac plays marginally better D than Pirlo in that he hustles his ass off to make a play he's not fast enough to make; if the opponent dawdles a bit too long he makes the play. In the end, for me at least, it's a choice between sea urchin and calfs brain..... I choose drink my dinner as cocktails and go with Awuah.

 

[Christopher Jee]

If Sweat can't go, Mikey will most likely be LB (with RJ in the doghouse), so he's not part of the equation. I think TMac plays marginally better D than Pirlo in that he hustles his ass off to make a play he's not fast enough to make; if the opponent dawdles a bit too long he makes the play. In the end, for me at least, it's a choice between sea urchin and calfs brain..... I choose drink my dinner as cocktails and go with Awuah.

What culinary metaphor would you give me for Awuah LB, Pirlo CM, Lewis LW?

 

[Ulrich]

What culinary metaphor would you give me for Awuah LB, Pirlo CM, Lewis LW?

Mediterranean Tapas. You are tempted by some, scared of others, and crave the last.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

Oh yeah, since awuah had played LB before, why did vieira play Michael lopez there? It was painful to watch, him get beaten to the end line three separate times and then chase between two guys passing the ball to each other.

Any one saying he was ok at full back is on crack. He sucked like he does at any other position

 

[Marito]

I'm not a Pirlo defender but given that list he's my choice. If Sweat is out I think Lopez has proven to be a more capable LB than RJ so I'd rather see him there. That leaves it as Pirlo vs. TMac. After watching TMac get smoked by Jason Hernadez I'm convinced Pirlo and TMac are about equal when it comes to pace. Pirlo gets the edge for me because his positional awareness is excellent so he's usually in a better spot or recognizing much sooner than TMac where he needs to be. TMac on the other hand spends most of the defensive side of the game chasing the play. Aside from pace Pirlo gets knocked off ball when in possession less (TMac sets an extremely low bar in this category). Lastly is comes down to marquee skill, I'll take a couple pin point balls over the top from Pirlo vs. a curling shot from the top of the box once every 5 games if and only if TMac finds himself wide open.

Also, with JLew in the starting lineup, some of those Pirlo long balls to the flanks could start to make a lot of offensive sense. So that's another reason to put Pirlo in instead of TMac.