Away - 10/31 Columbus - 1st Leg ECS

[LionNYC]

2017 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs - Eastern Conference Semifinals, 1st Leg
New York City FC at Columbus Crew SC
Tuesday, October 31st 8 PM
TV: ESPN, Radio: TBD
Stream on WatchESPN and the ESPN App

REF: ALAN KELLY
AR1: Matthew Nelson
AR2: Brian Dunn
4TH: Ismail Elfath
VAR: Chris Penso

With NYCFC securing the 2nd seed, we have a bye and are in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The ECS (and ECF) is a 2 leg Away-Home series with away goals being the tiebreaker. If tied after normal tie with no tiebreaker, it will be to extra time and then if necessary penalties. The away goals rule does not apply in extra time.

Our opponent will be determined after October 26th. In the Knockout Rounds it's (3) Chicago vs. (6) Red Bulls and (4) Atlanta vs. (5) Columbus. If tied after normal time, the Knockout Round goes to extra time and then if necessary penalties. The away goals rule does not apply in extra time.

We cannot play the Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
If 3 & 4 wins, we play Chicago.
If 3 & 5 wins, we play Chicago.
If 4 & 6 wins, we play Atlanta.
If 5 & 6 wins, we play Columbus.

EDIT: FOLLOWING OCTOBER 25th RESULTS

Given the Red Bulls 4-0 victory over the Chicago Fire, they will move on to face Toronto FC in the Eastern Conference Finals. That leaves Atlanta vs. Columbus tonight, Thursday, October 26th. We face the winner.

EDIT: FOLLOWING OCTOBER 26th RESULTS

Columbus defeated Atlanta 0-0 (3-1 PKs). We will travel to Columbus for the first leg. Hector Jimenez and Artur received a yellow card in their knockout round match and are one yellow from suspension.

 

[adam]

I'm rooting for Chicago. Takes Atlanta out of the equation. I like how we match up versus Chitown in a home and home. Especially if PV doesn't screw things up with his player selection.

 

[canchon]

Yup, ideal is to play Chicago and have either Atlanta lose outright in the knockout or be the lowest seed and have to play Toronto.

 

[Seven]

We are at least going to score a goal this year right? RIGHT?

 

[Kjbert]

I know to be careful what we wish for, but I think we match up best vs Chicago. They don't have a midfield that can run you over. They have one explosive player and a very good playmaker, but we have pieces to neutralize them.

More importantly, I don't think they have the potential to put up more than 2 goals in a match realistically

 

[ferrarinycfc]

Better hope Chicago wins, you don't want to be playing Atlanta in front of 70,000.

 

[Gotham Gator]

I agree Chicago is preferred, but all the teams are real beasts. The East is just loaded this year, so every opponent should make us nervous. Top 5 in the league are all from the East.

Going down to Atlanta in front of 70K is tough, but Columbus can do it. And Red Bulls at Chicago is close to a toss up for me.

 

[Ulrich]

I agree Chicago is preferred, but all the teams are real beasts. The East is just loaded this year, so every opponent should make us nervous. Top 5 in the league are all from the East.

Going down to Atlanta in front of 70K is tough, but Columbus can do it. And Red Bulls at Chicago is close to a toss up for me.

Agree. Columbus is playing for pride right now - they should have been DOA yesterday considering the mismatch in attaching and play but they made the most of their 3(?) shots on goal. I like their chances to rattle Atlanta (still may not get a favorable result) and if nothing else can match a lot of the speed Atlanta has to hopefully wear them down that much more. Sanity would suggest they’re (ATL) gonna break at some point with (including yesterday) another 4 matches in 2 weeks - if we play them after Wednesday/Thursday or after the next series, I want a track meet with Vieira putting out our fittest/fastest guys (minus Khiry) running at them hard for 90.

 

[adam]

Agree. Columbus is playing for pride right now - they should have been DOA yesterday considering the mismatch in attaching and play but they made the most of their 3(?) shots on goal. I like their chances to rattle Atlanta (still may not get a favorable result) and if nothing else can match a lot of the speed Atlanta has to hopefully wear them down that much more. Sanity would suggest they’re (ATL) gonna break at some point with (including yesterday) another 4 matches in 2 weeks - if we play them after Wednesday/Thursday or after the next series, I want a track meet with Vieira putting out our fittest/fastest guys (minus Khiry) running at them hard for 90.

A track meet would require Lewis and Mata playing. Don't hold your breath.

 

[Ulrich]

A track meet would require Lewis and Mata playing. Don't hold your breath.

At some point I’d like to think Reyna & Patricof call PV up to their offices and say WTF, do you want to crash out of the playoffs again?

 

[LionNYC]

At some point I’d like to think Reyna & Patricof call PV up to their offices and say WTF, do you want to crash out of the playoffs again?

Is this all Vieira's doing as he has a handshake agreement to go to a non-CFG, European club next year and needs a reason for NYCFC to let him go?

Why else would you put Khiry Shelton for Jack Harrison as your first sub?

 

[LIexpat]

What determines if its the Monday or tuesday game for 1st leg?

 

[Ulrich]

Is this all Vieira's doing as he has a handshake agreement to go to a non-CFG, European club next year and needs a reason for NYCFC to let him go?

Why else would you put Khiry Shelton for Jack Harrison as your first sub?

That thought has crossed my mind. My stronger inclination is that the team is trying to boost the value of our dead weight, TMac and Khiry, but I can’t see it working very well with the match results they both have directly contributed to. The effect they have on matches is night/day to that of other players like Lewis or Sands (for the few he was available) or Maxi in his preferred CM role.

 

[Dnigly13]

What determines if its the Monday or tuesday game for 1st leg?

i assume it depends on who we play. the winner of weds or thursdays game. but the answer is probably which ever is better for TV ratings.

 

[LionNYC]

Regardless of the opponent, let's look back to the 1st Leg of the 2016 Playoffs at Toronto. Vieira put out a very defensive lineup, especially in the midfield, benching Lampard who was a constant starter at the time in favor or Bravo and Lopez. His strategy was essentially to get a 0-0 draw. It nearly worked but then Toronto scored two goals late. I pray he learns from these mistakes.

https://twitter.com/x/status/792849963596349440

 

[ZYanksRule]

Regardless of the opponent, let's look back to the 1st Leg of the 2016 Playoffs at Toronto. Vieira put out a very defensive lineup, especially in the midfield, benching Lampard who was a constant starter at the time in favor or Bravo and Lopez. His strategy was essentially to get a 0-0 draw. It nearly worked but then Toronto scored two goals late. I pray he learns from these mistakes.

https://twitter.com/x/status/792849963596349440

Agreed. This team got 2nd place by playing a certain style, and we should play that style in the playoffs. Frankly, there really shouldn't be many changes to the XI from what we saw against Columbus, unless Matarrita draws back in and Sweat moves to the other side.

 

[Seven]

Regardless of the opponent, let's look back to the 1st Leg of the 2016 Playoffs at Toronto. Vieira put out a very defensive lineup, especially in the midfield, benching Lampard who was a constant starter at the time in favor or Bravo and Lopez. His strategy was essentially to get a 0-0 draw. It nearly worked but then Toronto scored two goals late. I pray he learns from these mistakes.

https://twitter.com/x/status/792849963596349440

Why would you remind me of that dark time? I have removed those two games from my memory

 

[ktdNYCFC]

Regardless of the opponent, let's look back to the 1st Leg of the 2016 Playoffs at Toronto. Vieira put out a very defensive lineup, especially in the midfield, benching Lampard who was a constant starter at the time in favor or Bravo and Lopez. His strategy was essentially to get a 0-0 draw. It nearly worked but then Toronto scored two goals late. I pray he learns from these mistakes.

https://twitter.com/x/status/792849963596349440

Still can't believe he started a "new" GK for the playoffs. He's still making insane personnel decisions that are glaringly obvious for most of us here. Shelton over Lewis is on or about the same level of shocking as starting Mikey over Frank.

 

[FredMertz]

That thought has crossed my mind. My stronger inclination is that the team is trying to boost the value of our dead weight, TMac and Khiry, but I can’t see it working very well with the match results they both have directly contributed to. The effect they have on matches is night/day to that of other players like Lewis or Sands (for the few he was available) or Maxi in his preferred CM role.

This would be so incredibly stupid.
As if even scoring a hat-trick in 20 minutes would offset 3 years of complete Shelton craptitude.

 

[Ulrich]

This would be so incredibly stupid.
As if even scoring a hat-trick in 20 minutes would offset 3 years of complete Shelton craptitude.

Have you seen the lineup & substitution decisions our manager has employed??? I think it fits squarely within his wheelhouse of asinine roster logic/moves.