Away - 9/1 Columbus

[NYCFC_Dan]

Thankfully we have over a week before our next match away to Colombus.
Maybe With that much rest Villa will be closer to 100%.
Time for Dome to make some decisions. The last couple of games have been bad.
What do you want to see next week?

Saturday 09/01 8:00 PM
Broadcast on YES, WNYE 91.5 & WADO 1280

 

[Gotham Gator]

Glad our boys are getting a good amount of rest after the red card wedding. Also glad that Amagat will be unavailable although with Ofori out too, that leaves a real problem in midfield.

I also didn’t like seeing Chanot limping around at the end tonight. Hopefully, he isn’t out, because we are down to 2 CBs as it is.

Might need to recall Sands for this one.

 

[Shwafta]

Glad our boys are getting a good amount of rest after the red card wedding. Also glad that Amagat will be unavailable although with Ofori out too, that leaves a real problem in midfield.

I also didn’t like seeing Chanot limping around at the end tonight. Hopefully, he isn’t out, because we are down to 2 CBs as it is.

Might need to recall Sands for this one.

Chanot just looked like he was doing his weekly "go down in the 90th" so I think he'll be okay.
---
The team looked like they were getting back to their ways in the second half, so I'm hoping to see some creativity in the next one. The hardest game of the season is now behind us.

 

[SoupInNYC]

If Matarrita gets additional games, and assuming current injuries stand (sounds like Castellanos may be back, but for argument's sake...), we could be without:
Callens, Matarrita, Ofori, Amagat, Castellanos, Medina, Berget

May need to pull the trigger on those loan recalls soon

 

[DeGrozz]

Dome's really struggling lately. We've only taken 5 of our last 15 points while in a tight CCL/SS/Playoff Positioning race.

- I'll give him a pass on the dropped points in Seattle. The MLS gifted us a loss there.
- We didn't capitalize at home against Vancouver B after ATL dropped points. Terrible subs by him in that game.
- We got a result at TFC, but it took an early Jozy red card and we still didn't necessarily look the better team and an ITS wonderstrike salvaged the points. He did not have the team prepared to come out in the second half.
- Philly. Ugghhh.
- Then made the Amagat decision last night.

He's really gotta step it up. Berhalter always finds a way to get his strikers the ball in dangerous positions and our defense on the road has been atrocious.

 

[Fantazma]

Glad our boys are getting a good amount of rest after the red card wedding. Also glad that Amagat will be unavailable although with Ofori out too, that leaves a real problem in midfield.

I also didn’t like seeing Chanot limping around at the end tonight. Hopefully, he isn’t out, because we are down to 2 CBs as it is.

Might need to recall Sands for this one.

sands loan ends on this day exactly.so i think he may be there already.

Hope we get players back from injury, not sure about the reds since they still seem up in the air. Its annoying Disco sometimes gives you additional games like 2 days before game.

Dome has kept saying hes taking this game by game since installing a "philosophy" takes time and he doesnt have it really for this season. I think hes just trying to get into playoffs as best as he can and try to turn it up there.

 

[Schwallacus]

sands loan ends on this day exactly.so i think he may be there already.

Hope we get players back from injury, not sure about the reds since they still seem up in the air. Its annoying Disco sometimes gives you additional games like 2 days before game.

Dome has kept saying hes taking this game by game since installing a "philosophy" takes time and he doesnt have it really for this season. I think hes just trying to get into playoffs as best as he can and try to turn it up there.

Would be nice to see Sands get some time, especially since all our central midfielders aside from Maxi and Ring are either injured or suspended. Coming off a decent game during his loan, he presumably won't be winded after 5 minutes like Amagat was.

Unfortunately, I have a feeling it will be TMac or Awuah and we are going to suck ass watching them be in the wrong spot and/or have the game pass them by.

 

[Fantazma]

Would be nice to see Sands get some time, especially since all our central midfielders aside from Maxi and Ring are either injured or suspended. Coming off a decent game during his loan, he presumably won't be winded after 5 minutes like Amagat was.

Unfortunately, I have a feeling it will be TMac or Awuah and we are going to suck ass watching them be in the wrong spot and/or have the game pass them by.

thing is sands may play another game since louisville has like three games next week

 

[Christopher Jee]

I would love to see a bit more stability. I think we can cobble together something like a regular 4-3-3:

Johnson
Tinny Chanot Ibeagha Sweat
Maxi Ring (Tommy / Kwame)
Lewis Villa ITS

I wouldn't mind seeing more 3-5-2 or spending more time trying to get it right or get other looks right for the playoffs, but I think a 3-5-2 is insane against a well drilled team with effective overlapping full backs like Columbus has. And with irregular personnel, I don't know how much we learn from walking that out again. If we do, though, I guess it would look like:

Johnson
Chanot Ibe Sweat
Tinny Kwame Maxi Ring Wallace
Villa (Berget / ITS)

Really up in the air with our injuries, too.

 

[SoupInNYC]

I would love to see a bit more stability. I think we can cobble together something like a regular 4-3-3:

Johnson
Tinny Chanot Ibeagha Sweat
Maxi Ring (Tommy / Kwame)
Lewis Villa ITS

I wouldn't mind seeing more 3-5-2 or spending more time trying to get it right or get other looks right for the playoffs, but I think a 3-5-2 is insane against a well drilled team with effective overlapping full backs like Columbus has. And with irregular personnel, I don't know how much we learn from walking that out again. If we do, though, I guess it would look like:

Johnson
Chanot Ibe Sweat
Tinny Kwame Maxi Ring Wallace
Villa (Berget / ITS)

Really up in the air with our injuries, too.

You had me until (Tommy / Kwame)

 

[Christopher Jee]

You had me until (Tommy / Kwame)

Bedoya? Who else we got?

Also I don't think Kwame has had enough time in there for me to write him off.

 

[ZYanksRule]

I would love to see a bit more stability. I think we can cobble together something like a regular 4-3-3:

Johnson
Tinny Chanot Ibeagha Sweat
Maxi Ring (Tommy / Kwame)
Lewis Villa ITS

I wouldn't mind seeing more 3-5-2 or spending more time trying to get it right or get other looks right for the playoffs, but I think a 3-5-2 is insane against a well drilled team with effective overlapping full backs like Columbus has. And with irregular personnel, I don't know how much we learn from walking that out again. If we do, though, I guess it would look like:

Johnson
Chanot Ibe Sweat
Tinny Kwame Maxi Ring Wallace
Villa (Berget / ITS)

Really up in the air with our injuries, too.

Yesterday was the first regular-season game Callens missed in his NYCFC career. If he's healthy, he's playing.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Bedoya? Who else we got?

Also I don't think Kwame has had enough time in there for me to write him off.

I'm fairly with you on not enough minutes for Kwame yet, but isn't Sands' loan over by the Columbus game? Part of me wants to see Bedoya get a run out there, but I can't honestly comment on his abilities yet.

 

[ManhattanValley]

Unfortunately, I have a feeling it will be TMac or Awuah and we are going to suck ass watching them be in the wrong spot and/or have the game pass them by.

As fun as I'm sure it is laying into McNamara and Awuah on a weekly basis, is there much evidence that Sands is much better? I've barely seen him play, what am I missing?

Going shorthanded against a quality side like Columbus sounds like a tough debut assignment for an 18 year-old who people are apparently expecting to run the midfield. I know Dome's spoken in the past about knowing when's a good environment to blood young players, and I'm not convinced this is it.

 

[adam]

As fun as I'm sure it is laying into McNamara and Awuah on a weekly basis, is there much evidence that Sands is much better? I've barely seen him play, what am I missing?

Going shorthanded against a quality side like Columbus sounds like a tough debut assignment for an 18 year-old who people are apparently expecting to run the midfield. I know Dome's spoken in the past about knowing when's a good environment to blood young players, and I'm not convinced this is it.

Have you seen this yet? It’s in the Sands thread. I might just watch the full match on ESPN+.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1032464050872037376

 

[Ulrich]

As fun as I'm sure it is laying into McNamara and Awuah on a weekly basis, is there much evidence that Sands is much better? I've barely seen him play, what am I missing?

Going shorthanded against a quality side like Columbus sounds like a tough debut assignment for an 18 year-old who people are apparently expecting to run the midfield. I know Dome's spoken in the past about knowing when's a good environment to blood young players, and I'm not convinced this is it.

You’re missing a lot. No seriously, why even make the “Voice of Reason” comment if you aren’t willing to either A: do your homework on Sands, or B: have already done your homework which would enable positing a hypothetical debate better suited for Coffee Talk?

The kid has trained against men every day, competed against the best youth national team players in the world while representing the US, looked phenomenal in his Open Cup debut, and has shown admirably on his Loan stint. Did you miss this or ignore it?

Instead of criticizing what Sands hasn’t shown you, why don’t you first make an argument for what TMac and Awuah have done to deserve minutes in a match?

 

[Schwallacus]

As fun as I'm sure it is laying into McNamara and Awuah on a weekly basis, is there much evidence that Sands is much better? I've barely seen him play, what am I missing?

Going shorthanded against a quality side like Columbus sounds like a tough debut assignment for an 18 year-old who people are apparently expecting to run the midfield. I know Dome's spoken in the past about knowing when's a good environment to blood young players, and I'm not convinced this is it.

It's not fun to lay into Awuah and Mac. It's disheartening because they've been a part of the team for a long time and have shown no growth, and haven't shown any potential either. Whenever TMac is on the field the team is automatically down a man and has to cover for his slow ass and movement. Awuah is better than TMac, but not by much. He needs 2-3 years in a USL side just to get adapted to the speed and physicality of the game. He hasn't adjusted out of college speed. He often mistimes passes, loses a mark, and tends to look lost and unknowing when out on the pitch.

Sands may not be a 100% starter, but I have a hell of a lot more hope for a young 17 year old to at least have the athetic ability to keep up with the game. He's also tall, so instead of 5'9 TMac or 5'7" Awuah, we have a taller body (nearly 6 foot, can possibly grow more?) that can actually win headers, or at least challenge for them. The kid is smarter, more athletic, and much greater potential than the other two. He may make more mistakes than the others, but he is also going to add a ton more than the other two.

TMac and Awuah aren't going to grow into the players we need. Sands can.

 

[ManhattanValley]

It's not fun to lay into Awuah and Mac. It's disheartening because they've been a part of the team for a long time and have shown no growth, and haven't shown any potential either. Whenever TMac is on the field the team is automatically down a man and has to cover for his slow ass and movement. Awuah is better than TMac, but not by much. He needs 2-3 years in a USL side just to get adapted to the speed and physicality of the game. He hasn't adjusted out of college speed. He often mistimes passes, loses a mark, and tends to look lost and unknowing when out on the pitch.

Sands may not be a 100% starter, but I have a hell of a lot more hope for a young 17 year old to at least have the athetic ability to keep up with the game. He's also tall, so instead of 5'9 TMac or 5'7" Awuah, we have a taller body (nearly 6 foot, can possibly grow more?) that can actually win headers, or at least challenge for them. The kid is smarter, more athletic, and much greater potential than the other two. He may make more mistakes than the others, but he is also going to add a ton more than the other two.

TMac and Awuah aren't going to grow into the players we need. Sands can.

Yeah, I see the appeal of this approach. And I'm totally with you on TMac, who's just not a good fit for that role.

Without suggesting this is exactly what you meant originally, I just worry whenever people default to the "Play the kids, they couldn't be any worse" approach though, because a) It's often based on people overestimating the abilities of players they've barely seen before, b) Because sometimes they actually can be worse and c) Because if it goes wrong it can really set a young player back. Sands has lots of potential, but throwing him in at the deep end might not be the best way to cultivate that. If Awuah needs 2-3 years in a USL side to develop, does Sands only need a handful of games at the same level? I'm just not sure the talent gap is that big.

Clearly there are systemic issues with how this team brings up young American talent, but neither PV or Dome have shied away from playing teenagers if they think they're difference makers. For whatever reason, neither one has decided James Sands is ready yet - and they've seen a lot more of him than any of us. I trust the coaching staff's ability to evaluate the young talent at this club, and their readiness to come into the first XI, even if it means I'm not going to be thrilled with the alternative. I can't imagine Dome sees TMac or Awuah as the lynchpin of this side for years to come, but if you truly believe Sands is a generational talent, then you have to think beyond just 'Columbus away on Saturday' when you're working out how to use him. My best guess is that's what the coaching staff is doing right now.

 

[canchon]

So winning this game effectively locks NYCFC into 3rd place. With a win they’d be 11 points up on Lumbus.

 

[The Toe]

Callens fit for Saturday, or so he says.