Depth Chart (aka Trying To Make Sense Of The World)

[FootyLovin]

Seeing another inexplicable starting lineup, it got me wondering. How would we, the forum folk (aka the utterly obsessed) build the depth chart for NYCFC. I don't have much issue with our backline from the Dallas game, except insofar as a winger choice (69) necessitated a weaker defensive choice. So I think the backline question is less relevant than the winger and central questions. So here goes.

Question: How do you rank our central players? Regardless of formation you can play a maximum of 4 middle of the field players. Here are our options:

• Villa
• Mullins
• Poku
• Pirlo
• Lampard
• Mix
• AJ
• TMac

How should we rank them top to bottom? We see week in and week out how Kreis ranks them. Other forum folk, please rank them 1-8.

Next question: Who are our 2 best outsiders? (Other than a 4-3-3 or a 3 in the back formation, neither of which we play, you basically have 2 outside players you can put on the field.) Here are our options:

• Grabavoy
• 69 (assuming that playing him as a winger also comes with a necessary quality drop at LB by replacing him there with Wingert)
• TMac
• Mix
• Shelton (now that he is off the injured list)
• Calle
• Ballouchy
• Lampard
• AJ
• Velasquez
• Poku

Again, forum folk, love to see your ranks.

 

[Seth]

Seeing another inexplicable starting lineup, it got me wondering. How would we, the forum folk (aka the utterly obsessed) build the depth chart for NYCFC. I don't have much issue with our backline from the Dallas game, except insofar as a winger choice (69) necessitated a weaker defensive choice. So I think the backline question is less relevant than the winger and central questions. So here goes.

Question: How do you rank our central players? Regardless of formation you can play a maximum of 4 middle of the field players. Here are our options:

• Villa
• Mullins
• Poku
• Pirlo
• Lampard
• Mix
• AJ
• TMac

How should we rank them top to bottom? We see week in and week out how Kreis ranks them. Other forum folk, please rank them 1-8.

Next question: Who are our 2 best outsiders? (Other than a 4-3-3 or a 3 in the back formation, neither of which we play, you basically have 2 outside players you can put on the field.) Here are our options:

• Grabavoy
• 69 (assuming that playing him as a winger also comes with a necessary quality drop at LB by replacing him there with Wingert)
• TMac
• Mix
• Shelton (now that he is off the injured list)
• Calle
• Ballouchy
• Lampard
• AJ
• Velasquez
• Poku

Again, forum folk, love to see your ranks.

Well, the problem here is that if we had a Vincent Kompany at the back (and everywhere else, for that matter) this would be a whole different question. To me that missing defender is why our overstocked midfield and world-class striker aren't doing what they could. And also, I might divide this into front/middle/sides as Villa and Mullins might belong in a different segment than Mix, Lampard, and Pirlo. But never mind, I'll hand out some numbers.

Central players:
1. Villa
2. Poku
3. Lampard
4. Pirlo
5. Mix
6. Mullins
7. TMac
8. AJ

Outside players:
1. Shelton (now that he is off the injured list)
2. 69 (assuming that playing him as a winger also comes with a necessary quality drop at LB by replacing him there with Wingert)

 

[JGarrettLieb]

I disagree with the premise of your post.

As we have emphatically proven the quality of an individual player is not nearly as accurate of a predictor of team success as team chemistry is.

I would comfortablely state that the highest skill, in terms of individual player performance, that nycfc can put out is not the team that is most likely to win games.