Away - 9/1 Columbus

[EganSoccerWords]

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.

Awuah has not even played enough minutes over the past two years to fill two complete games. I don't see how you can make a judgment about him with such a small sample size. His experience with the team is more indicative that we need a USL team to get these young guys minutes to develop. I am not saying that he will pan out but he certainly isn't being put in a position to be successful and that is true of virtually all of our young players.

TMac is a totally different situation. He's had his chance and the league has just outpaced him. Time to move on.

 

[roxfontaine]

I am not saying that he will pan out but he certainly isn't being put in a position to be successful and that is true of virtually all of our young players.

This. They need to play meaningful minutes in meaningful matches. Small side games in training is not it. I don't know what the short term solution is but young players will continually suffer here without playing time.

 

[JayH]

Awuah has not even played enough minutes over the past two years to fill two complete games. I don't see how you can make a judgment about him with such a small sample size. His experience with the team is more indicative that we need a USL team to get these young guys minutes to develop. I am not saying that he will pan out but he certainly isn't being put in a position to be successful and that is true of virtually all of our young players.

TMac is a totally different situation. He's had his chance and the league has just outpaced him. Time to move on.

I agree on this. We do not have enough of a sample size to write off KA. Look at an experienced player like Ofori who seemed a bit lost at first but has settled in nicely after some real minutes gaining comfort. KA has played spot minutes in awkward situations, which makes it even more difficult to immediately show poise, etc. From our perspective and based upon our observations, we are not in a good position to judge.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Awuah has not even played enough minutes over the past two years to fill two complete games. I don't see how you can make a judgment about him with such a small sample size. His experience with the team is more indicative that we need a USL team to get these young guys minutes to develop. I am not saying that he will pan out but he certainly isn't being put in a position to be successful and that is true of virtually all of our young players.

TMac is a totally different situation. He's had his chance and the league has just outpaced him. Time to move on.

This is totally fair. But it still doesn't deter me from wanting to see what we haven't seen yet in Sands. Especially considering his youth pedigree.

 

[EganSoccerWords]

This is totally fair. But it still doesn't deter me from wanting to see what we haven't seen yet in Sands. Especially considering his youth pedigree.

Of course not, Sands is definitely a pedigree above Awuah.

 

[Gotham Gator]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1034807972139069441

https://twitter.com/x/status/1034829461227745281

 

[Gotham Gator]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1034814175917342720

 

[Ulrich]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1034814175917342720

I wonder if he’s gonna be slotted in straight up as a wing or if they protect him from defensive responsibilities as a forward??? Hammering a square peg in a round hole or playing to his strength?

 

[Christopher Jee]

I wonder if he’s gonna be slotted in straight up as a wing or if they protect him from defensive responsibilities as a forward??? Hammering a square peg in a round hole or playing to his strength?

I think it's a bit strong to say we've been hammering a square peg in a round hole with Lewis. I think he's mostly played as a winger his entire career. I also worry about this idea that forwards don't have defensive responsibilities. Look at how Villa leads the press.

Having said that, I like him in a front 2 with Villa. I also like the idea of Villa being on his ass non-stop about his defensive responsibilities from right next to him, teaching him how it's done.

 

[Ulrich]

I think it's a bit strong to say we've been hammering a square peg in a round hole with Lewis. I think he's mostly played as a winger his entire career. I also worry about this idea that forwards don't have defensive responsibilities. Look at how Villa leads the press.

Having said that, I like him in a front 2 with Villa. I also like the idea of Villa being on his ass non-stop about his defensive responsibilities from right next to him, teaching him how it's done.

I think you’re not getting what I’m posturing: yes wingers have defensive responsibilities, but for whatever reason, if longer than the final parts of the match, Lewis spaces a bit and doesn’t defend after stoppages of play. He seems to be trying to work on it, and hopefully it comes, but as of yet it hasn’t happened. So I’m suggesting we develop tactics around his vulnerability just like we play to his strengths with letting him beat defenders with his speed. Why set him up for failure when we can coach around it? Maybe one day he becomes a complete player, but I doubt this weekend is it. It’s like with Villa, we’ve shaped our tactics so he gets 1-2 chances every match to chip the goalkeeper from halfway

 

[Annagram]

I also worry about this idea that forwards don't have defensive responsibilities. Look at how Villa leads the press.

Villa does it well, but even he has his slips. One of the conceded goals in the first playoff vs. Crew last fall started when Villa couldn't be arsed to try and stop their attack in its roots.

 

[The Toe]

How badly would this team be eaten up?

----Villa---Lewis
--------Maxi
Mata<--------->ITS/Taty
---------Ring
Sweat-----------Tinner
-----Ibby---Callens
----------SJ

CBs interchangeable if Chanot is good for Saturday. I want to score in Columbus.

 

[ZYanksRule]

How badly would this team be eaten up?

----Villa---Lewis
--------Maxi
Mata<--------->ITS/Taty
---------Ring
Sweat-----------Tinner
-----Ibby---Callens
----------SJ

CBs interchangeable if Chanot is good for Saturday. I want to score in Columbus.

That's basically a 4-2-4. A little too bombastic going forward for me, especially considering how leaky we've been in our own end on the road.

 

[sundance]

“I am very happy with Jonathan,” Torrent told The Post earlier this week. “[He] needs to improve a little bit when he doesn’t have the ball. … He’s a fast player, [and] when we have the ball, it’s not a problem.”

Torrent attributed Lewis’ off-the-ball struggles mainly to his positional role when NYCFC transitions into defense. He explained Lewis needs to track his runners better than he has in his brief cameos this season.

It’s possible Lewis could see starting minutes in the next two matches against Columbus Crew on Saturday and New England Revolution on Sept. 5, according to Torrent. NYCFC will carry a lighter roster in the coming games due to injuries, international call-ups and suspensions.

https://nypost.com/2018/08/31/nycfc-coach-sees-promise-in-youngster-struggling-for-minutes/

 

[LionNYC]

https://nypost.com/2018/08/31/nycfc-coach-sees-promise-in-youngster-struggling-for-minutes/

 

[LionNYC]

NEW YORK CITY FC

• QUESTIONABLE: D - Alex Callens (Knee)
• OUT: F - Jo Inge Berget (Adductor)
• OUT: M - Yangel Herrera (Ankle)
• OUT: D - Cedric Hountondji (Hamstring)
• OUT: M - Jesus Medina (Hamstring)

 

[Ulrich]

NEW YORK CITY FC

• QUESTIONABLE: D - Alex Callens (Knee)
• OUT: F - Jo Inge Berget (Adductor)
• OUT: M - Yangel Herrera (Ankle)
• OUT: D - Cedric Hountondji (Hamstring)
• OUT: M - Jesus Medina (Hamstring)

Wonder if that Adductor injury is actually a sports hernia?!?

 

[EganSoccerWords]

I wouldn't be surprised with the two red cards we got in the midfield if we go to 3ATB again with Sweat at LCB and Mata at LWB. Mata is an upgrade over Ofori at that position.

 

[ZYanksRule]

I wouldn't be surprised with the two red cards we got in the midfield if we go to 3ATB again with Sweat at LCB and Mata at LWB. Mata is an upgrade over Ofori at that position.

My guess is he's going to invert the midfield. Ring as the only D-Mid. Maxi with Awuah or McNamara pulling the strings.

Please note that I don't think we SHOULD play McNamara, but he's basically one of only two options for that role.

Here's another option. Castellanos can also play as an attacking mid, right? Maybe Dome goes with this:

ITS-Villa-Lewis
----Maxi-Taty---
--------Ring-----
Sweat-Chanot-Ibby-Tinnerholm
Johnson

If we do that, we basically have no attacking subs available aside from maybe Matarrita and Wallace. But it's probably the strongest 11 players we can put out there. Unless you want Mata in the XI, too.

 

[Gotham Gator]

For those wondering if James Sands will be available, he was in the 18 but did not feature in last night's game for Louisville City. His loan ends today.