Will Villa accept a position on the wing? This was the Torres argument. And Berget is no Torres.
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Will Villa accept a position on the wing? This was the Torres argument. And Berget is no Torres.
The Soccer Gods are merciful. Looking like a gorgeous -- albeit balmy -- day in the Bronx on Saturday. Upper 70s, sunshine, rain will hold off until the evening. We really need to show out with first place on the line. Drink your mimosas!
Saw your post and went and rechecked the weather. Rain chance down to 20% from 50%, so that is good for sure.
Checking Atlanta's lineup last night in their win over Charleston.
They started 4 players who typically start for them: Barco, Gressel and two defenders (Gonzalez-Perez and Escobar). Gressel came off after 71 minutes and Barco after 86. All four of those guys also started against Philly last Saturday, with Barco coming off after 76 minutes.
By contrast, we also started 4 guys who usually start for us: Villa, Medina, Ofori and Sweat, and also had Ibeagha play 84 minutes off the bench. Villa was substituted after 57 minutes and Ofori after 76. Of those 5, only Ibeagha, Ofori and Medina started against Orlando, and Villa came on for 25 minutes.
For NYCFC, I think it is safe to say that Villa is good to start, having played less than a full game between the two contests. Medina seems unlikely to start on Saturday, but there are ready replacements. Ofori and Ibeagha are the concerns. Ofori has played most of two games and doesn't have a ready replacement. It certainly doesn't seem like the plan was to play Ibeagha so much on Wednesday either, but perhaps we can do with Chanot and Callens.
Overall, both teams look like they should be mostly rested, with NYC faring a little better in that department. It will be interesting to see if Atlanta replaces any of its four who went both games, but I bet they do not.
They started 4 players who typically start for them: Barco, Gressel and two defenders (Gonzalez-Perez and Escobar). Gressel came off after 71 minutes and Barco after 86. All four of those guys also started against Philly last Saturday, with Barco coming off after 76 minutes.
By contrast, we also started 4 guys who usually start for us: Villa, Medina, Ofori and Sweat, and also had Ibeagha play 84 minutes off the bench. Villa was substituted after 57 minutes and Ofori after 76. Of those 5, only Ibeagha, Ofori and Medina started against Orlando, and Villa came on for 25 minutes.
For NYCFC, I think it is safe to say that Villa is good to start, having played less than a full game between the two contests. Medina seems unlikely to start on Saturday, but there are ready replacements. Ofori and Ibeagha are the concerns. Ofori has played most of two games and doesn't have a ready replacement. It certainly doesn't seem like the plan was to play Ibeagha so much on Wednesday either, but perhaps we can do with Chanot and Callens.
Overall, both teams look like they should be mostly rested, with NYC faring a little better in that department. It will be interesting to see if Atlanta replaces any of its four who went both games, but I bet they do not.
Looking again at the highlights of the last game, I am reminded that Berget played pretty well. He put a tough shot on target that required a big save from Guzan and also won a penalty that Villa converted (and that was set up by, believe it or not, a nice flick on from Villa in mid-field). Let's hope we get all that once again.
I have a theory about Sands’ play last night. He got his 10min which means he’s starting against ATL. I assume it’s in the midfield for Ofori.
My son's team has a state cup final match out on LI at noon. I can't make it to YS. So I'm like
I really hope we win on Saturday because if Vieira leaves after consecutive losses to Red Bulls and Atlanta, one a cup game, the fan reaction will be worse than when they announced the Hartford game, and then the club will do something really lame to appease us, and everything about the team will just be maximum pathetic.
Ofori’s replacement is Sands but I don’t think that PV will trust Sands to start. Maybe come in during the second half if NYCFC is leading. This is where not having Herrera is really going to affect the play.
Interesting that two starting ATL defenders will have to play 3 games in eight days with travel. Yikes. PV should go at them.
“NYCFC gets a new coach - like they’ve never had before, a mid season replacement! Come out to Yankee stadium to welcome the new coaching staff! #historicnewcoach”
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Fixed it, they’d hashtag that shit too.
Because PV is going to stick Tummy in there?
Well, that and the fact that we're thin there, with a lot of minutes on Ofori's legs in the last few games. We're a bit thin centrally in defense. Tommy (awful), Ofori (tired), Awuah (poor passer/no playing time), Sands (no playing time) are your options as 8s. Pick your poison.
This is what I was trying to remember. NYCFC vs. Dallas this season, 3-1 win. Villa was actually more on the wing and was able to roam around freely while NYCFC still maintained the 4-3-3. And if you look at our play vs. Atlanta, he's done most of his work on the wing.
If you play a front 3, Berget has to be in the middle. He’s more effective there.
Part of me thinks PV is going to screw with a 3-5-2 just because he can. Ugh. Orlando sucks but screw around with Atlanta and we’re looking at a 3-0 deficit by halftime.
Part of me thinks PV is going to screw with a 3-5-2 just because he can. Ugh. Orlando sucks but screw around with Atlanta and we’re looking at a 3-0 deficit by halftime.
Interesting stuff from the Atlanta paper.
First, Villalba has been hurt and is questionable. Same with McCann.
Second, they have strangely reported that Villa left Wednesday's game with a hip injury and that Ring sat with a knee injury. Haven't seen that anywhere else and assume it is just wishful thinking.
Excerpts and links below.
First, Villalba has been hurt and is questionable. Same with McCann.
Second, they have strangely reported that Villa left Wednesday's game with a hip injury and that Ring sat with a knee injury. Haven't seen that anywhere else and assume it is just wishful thinking.
Excerpts and links below.
Ahead of Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup match and Saturday’s match with New York City FC, Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino is monitoring two nagging injuries.
Midfielder Chris McCann is still nursing a lingering hamstring injury that he injured before the match against Chicago on May 5. He returned to the lineup against New England last week, and started in Saturday’s win over Philadelphia before being subbed off at halftime. Martino ruled him out for Wednesday, but did not specify a timetable for his recovery.
Forward Hector Villalba’s status seems more ambiguous ahead of the two matches this week. After notching 13 goals as a mainstay in the starting 11 last season, Villalba has seen his playing time dwindle this season, both because of injuries and increased team depth.
https://www.ajc.com/sports/martino-provides-injury-updates-mccann-villalba/BwVIqIFEPJXWz0slkaQgbM/Midfielder Chris McCann is still nursing a lingering hamstring injury that he injured before the match against Chicago on May 5. He returned to the lineup against New England last week, and started in Saturday’s win over Philadelphia before being subbed off at halftime. Martino ruled him out for Wednesday, but did not specify a timetable for his recovery.
Forward Hector Villalba’s status seems more ambiguous ahead of the two matches this week. After notching 13 goals as a mainstay in the starting 11 last season, Villalba has seen his playing time dwindle this season, both because of injuries and increased team depth.
Five talking points ahead of Saturday’s important game:
1. Injuries: Not only was NYCFC humiliated (again) by New York Red Bulls 4-0 in its U.S Open Cup game, prolific striker Villa left the game with a hip injury. Atlanta United played its U.S. Open Cup game without defender Chris McCann (hamstring) and Hector Villalba (hyperextended knee). On the balance, the potential absences of Alex Ring (knee), who was in the 18 but didn’t play, and Villa are much more impactful to NYCFC. Ring is arguably the best defensive midfielder on NYCFC (remember him chasing down Almiron in Mercedes-Benz Stadium earlier this season), and he scored a heck of a goal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the draw. Villa is a legend with 71 goals in 105 appearances. The team did play well without him earlier this season, but …
https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-united-nycfc-talking-points/LJfCVBvUoYO60oGLrSsZLM/1. Injuries: Not only was NYCFC humiliated (again) by New York Red Bulls 4-0 in its U.S Open Cup game, prolific striker Villa left the game with a hip injury. Atlanta United played its U.S. Open Cup game without defender Chris McCann (hamstring) and Hector Villalba (hyperextended knee). On the balance, the potential absences of Alex Ring (knee), who was in the 18 but didn’t play, and Villa are much more impactful to NYCFC. Ring is arguably the best defensive midfielder on NYCFC (remember him chasing down Almiron in Mercedes-Benz Stadium earlier this season), and he scored a heck of a goal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the draw. Villa is a legend with 71 goals in 105 appearances. The team did play well without him earlier this season, but …
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