Away - 6/30 Chicago

[Ulrich]

This kid is 21 years old and living in a foreign country for the first time.

I think this is a vapid and overused argument for players.

In this case, he’s 21 - that’s an adult - and moved to a very cosmopolitan city (ie numerous ethnic groups so he should easily have a taste of home) to work for an organization that has people dedicated to transitioning players to their new environment; essentially a concierge service.

I went to college at 18, leaving Florida and heading to Ohio (definitely a foreign country) on a plane without my parents. I didn’t have a dedicated staff member who solved logistics for me, but I did have to perform academically. And my story isn’t anything special, there are thousands of 18yo’s that start their journey the same way I did. But 18 vs 21 is a big difference as is having team staff looking out for your every need to get settled in.

 

[dummyrun]

Regarding Medina, what you want to be getting when signing a Young DP is Miguel Almiron. He had 9 goals and 14 assists last year and is on target for 12 and 14 this year. He was also 23 when he started last year.

Of course you could also cite Barco, who is just getting going with 11 starts and having only 3 goals and 1 assist, which isn't great, but he was hurt and is only 19.

Medina has 2 goals and 6 assists and is 21.

Since our gold standard is Almirón: at this point in his first season, his NPxG+xA/96 was 0.41. He was 23, cost a reported $8m, and earned $2,297,000.

Medina's NPxG+xA/96 is 0.45. He's 21, cost a reported $4m, and earns $770,833.

 

[Seven]

I think this is a vapid and overused argument for players.

In this case, he’s 21 - that’s an adult - and moved to a very cosmopolitan city (ie numerous ethnic groups so he should easily have a taste of home) to work for an organization that has people dedicated to transitioning players to their new environment; essentially a concierge service.

I went to college at 18, leaving Florida and heading to Ohio (definitely a foreign country) on a plane without my parents. I didn’t have a dedicated staff member who solved logistics for me, but I did have to perform academically. And my story isn’t anything special, there are thousands of 18yo’s that start their journey the same way I did. But 18 vs 21 is a big difference as is having team staff looking out for your every need to get settled in.

I understand your point, but I'm not sure you are using the best argument. How many of those thousands of kids end up struggling in the first semester/year or transferring to a school back home because they don't handle the transition well?

 

[Ulrich]

I understand your point, but I'm not sure you are using the best argument. How many of those thousands of kids end up struggling in the first semester/year or transferring to a school back home because they don't handle the transition well?

Some definitely struggle and some succeed, and while I have no empirical data to confirm it, I’d wager more succeed than don’t. They’re also 3 years younger and don’t have somebody dedicated to helping them assimilate, nor a bank account that allows them access to any creature comfort they may be missing.

 

[The Toe]

Mata is back at practice FWIW. Doubt they'd bring him to Chicago, but I guess the diagnosis was correct.

 

[ZYanksRule]

But will we get the final product?

Maybe. We don't know the answer to that. We've seen the glimpses. We have to let him work and get better. In the meantime, he's a good option for the starting XI and a great bench option. DP or no DP, he is a useful player at present.

 

[ZYanksRule]

I think this is a vapid and overused argument for players.

In this case, he’s 21 - that’s an adult - and moved to a very cosmopolitan city (ie numerous ethnic groups so he should easily have a taste of home) to work for an organization that has people dedicated to transitioning players to their new environment; essentially a concierge service.

I went to college at 18, leaving Florida and heading to Ohio (definitely a foreign country) on a plane without my parents. I didn’t have a dedicated staff member who solved logistics for me, but I did have to perform academically. And my story isn’t anything special, there are thousands of 18yo’s that start their journey the same way I did. But 18 vs 21 is a big difference as is having team staff looking out for your every need to get settled in.

And a ton of college kids struggle to acclimate in their freshman year before figuring things out.

 

[Seven]

Mata is back at practice FWIW. Doubt they'd bring him to Chicago, but I guess the diagnosis was correct.

Not sure that meant back at practice in “full capacity”

Villa posted a picture on his Insta-story that was the walking wounded in the treatment room- him, Mata, and Herrera. And in the training video, Mata only walks out to the training field at the end, and looks to still be in running shoes, and not cleats

 

[Ulrich]

And a ton of college kids struggle to acclimate in their freshman year before figuring things out.

Guess you didn’t read my follow up post to Seven. Where I addressed the difference in the age of a freshman and Medina, or the part about having somebody dedicated to your acclimation to the new environment.

Medina wouldn’t be considered a freshman. He’s the equivalent of either a junior or senior as a 21yo. A lot of maturing takes place in three years.

Seriously, this is why the argument is so stale and vapid, because the only defense is that other kids fail as freshmen in college, while ignoring the vast amount of college students do not withdraw and head home. Medina is from the largest metropolitan area in Paraguay with a population of 2.2million, so while NYC is bigger, he’s not a rural bumpkin being dropped into the bright lights big city environment.

 

[Kjbert]

I think this is a vapid and overused argument for players.

In this case, he’s 21 - that’s an adult - and moved to a very cosmopolitan city (ie numerous ethnic groups so he should easily have a taste of home) to work for an organization that has people dedicated to transitioning players to their new environment; essentially a concierge service.

I went to college at 18, leaving Florida and heading to Ohio (definitely a foreign country) on a plane without my parents. I didn’t have a dedicated staff member who solved logistics for me, but I did have to perform academically. And my story isn’t anything special, there are thousands of 18yo’s that start their journey the same way I did. But 18 vs 21 is a big difference as is having team staff looking out for your every need to get settled in.

Dude. I love you. But Florida is a foreign fucking country too.

 

[Kjbert]

Maybe. We don't know the answer to that. We've seen the glimpses. We have to let him work and get better. In the meantime, he's a good option for the starting XI and a great bench option. DP or no DP, he is a useful player at present.

You don't win MLS Cup when you waste a valuable roster spot on finishing a project.

 

[D_RoyJenkins]

I am much more optimistic regarding both Medina’s talent and Domè’s ability to unlock it / put it to good use. This board likes its scapegoats, but I think a little patience with Medina will pay off just fine. Let’s see where we are at the end of the season.

Exactly. Y'all had patience for Berget, bring that same energy for Medina.

 

[gbservis]

Since our gold standard is Almirón: at this point in his first season, his NPxG+xA/96 was 0.41. He was 23, cost a reported $8m, and earned $2,297,000.

Medina's NPxG+xA/96 is 0.45. He's 21, cost a reported $4m, and earns $770,833.

Should we not be annoyed that our supposedly deep pocketed club is cheaping out on Medina's and not buying Almirón's when other teams in the league are spending that kind of money?

ETA: Being a DP makes any discussions of his base salary completely meaningless because the 3 DP spots are our only spots that have no $ cap on them.

 

[Ulrich]

Dude. I love you. But Florida is a foreign fucking country too.

Ha, touché! Not back then. That was almost three decades ago. A lot has changed....

 

[Ulrich]

Exactly. Y'all had patience for Berget, bring that same energy for Medina.

Different set of circumstances. A DP, by virtue of its inherent nature and Cap properties, has to be a difference maker. Berget brings a skill set to the team that nobody else possesses, and is needed to make the tactics less 1-dimensional, whereas Medina plays a position with plenty of deserving depth and he’s not leaving a mark on matches.

 

[dummyrun]

Should we not be annoyed that our supposedly deep pocketed club is cheaping out on Medina's and not buying Almirón's when other teams in the league are spending that kind of money?

ETA: Being a DP makes any discussions of his base salary completely meaningless because the 3 DP spots are our only spots that have no $ cap on them.

Why would we be annoyed that NYCFC didn't spend more money on a lesser player?

 

[Ulrich]

Why would we be annoyed that NYCFC didn't spend more money on a lesser player?

Why would be not be annoyed that NYCFC didn't spend more money on a better player?

 

[Sabo]

Forecast for kickoff is 88 degrees with a heat index of 97. Even without the sun the heat will be a factor but should be in our favor because of our superior ball control and younger team. The Fire haven't looked like they have their game together this season. Schweini, Dax and Katai are great players but if they are pinned in their half of the field all they can do is keep us from scoring. Both Tinny and Sweat can keep up with the pace of Katai. They are going to miss Kappelhof. I like Vincent too but their plan is apparently to put him in CB. A brand new CB pairing is really going to have trouble dealing with Berget's movement and there should be a lot of opportunities for through balls. I am expecting shots to be 16-7 NYCFC and a scoreline reflecting that difference in chances created.

It was very cool to hear Pep was following the Toronto game on twitter and talked to Dome before the game. I am really looking forward to the second half of the season and to see what kind of adjustments and tweaks Dome makes that I haven't thought about. To have a coach who can make quality halftime tactical adjustments like Dome did against Toronto and can call Pep just to run ideas by him has got to win us 2-3 games we would otherwise be dropping points in.

 

[Ulrich]

Forecast for kickoff is 88 degrees with a heat index of 97. Even without the sun the heat will be a factor but should be in our favor because of our superior ball control and younger team. The Fire haven't looked like they have their game together this season. Schweini, Dax and Katai are great players but if they are pinned in their half of the field all they can do is keep us from scoring. Both Tinny and Sweat can keep up with the pace of Katai. They are going to miss Kappelhof. I like Vincent too but their plan is apparently to put him in CB. A brand new CB pairing is really going to have trouble dealing with Berget's movement and there should be a lot of opportunities for through balls. I am expecting shots to be 16-7 NYCFC and a scoreline reflecting that difference in chances created.

It was very cool to hear Pep was following the Toronto game on twitter and talked to Dome before the game. I am really looking forward to the second half of the season and to see what kind of adjustments and tweaks Dome makes that I haven't thought about. To have a coach who can make quality halftime tactical adjustments like Dome did against Toronto and can call Pep just to run ideas by him has got to win us 2-3 games we would otherwise be dropping points in.

So long sleeve kit still for Villa?

 

[Shwafta]

So long sleeve kit still for Villa?

I wish he would even be wearing a kit T-T