Is his form the key or is he the key that unlocks this squad? He may be our most important player going forward.
Home (Citi Field) - 10/22 Columbus
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Perhaps this could be the grand farewell game for Pirlo. A solid back four of Mata-Callens-Brilliant-Struna, and in front of them Ring doing the hoovering, Herrera winning the balls for Pirlo, and for him to spread them to Maxi, Villa and Harrison could work out even without Wallace.
This game is far too important to risk starting Pirlo, so the chances are very good Vieira will do just that. I’d give him a swan song at the very end if we’re up by two, but short of that, the #2 seed and a bye is more important than any farewell minutes.
Yeah, something like he was a 4th official tapped to referee our match due to the amount of matches being played on the same day.
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New York City FC v Columbus Crew
Citi Field (4:00PM ET)
REF: ISMAIL ELFATH
AR1: Brian Dunn
AR2: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho
4TH: Sorin Stoica
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
Elfath previously refereed our 3-1 win vs. Atlanta (1 YC to NYCFC, 4 YC to Atlanta; o Red Cards; 0 Penalties). He also referred our 1-0 loss vs. Portland (2 YC to NYCFC, 4 YC to Porland, 0 Red Cards, 0 Penalties).
Citi Field (4:00PM ET)
REF: ISMAIL ELFATH
AR1: Brian Dunn
AR2: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho
4TH: Sorin Stoica
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
Elfath previously refereed our 3-1 win vs. Atlanta (1 YC to NYCFC, 4 YC to Atlanta; o Red Cards; 0 Penalties). He also referred our 1-0 loss vs. Portland (2 YC to NYCFC, 4 YC to Porland, 0 Red Cards, 0 Penalties).
I've talked this very combination up for a while. Have we even gotten a chance to see Pirlo in midfield with Herrera and Ring? The one time Maxi was played as an inverted winger was against Chicago, and Tommy was in midfield. So I don't think that's adequate proof that Maxi can't play there.
Unfortunately, I'm a little concerned that it's an almost completely untried system, and it's such an important game, that even I wouldn't be willing to run it out. And I'm still a massive Pirlo fan.
Why does this not surprise me one bit? I don’t doubt it, but it only pisses me off more because it confirms what we all suspect.
Our coach doesn’t play our best players.
Take me off ignore. It was his 4th.
Shame on MLS. Shame on pro.
The refereeing and coaching are the worst things about MLS.
Them, and Shelton and McNamara.
Nothing about Maxi’s game suggests he’d be super-effective. He’s not beating too many for pace and he can’t shoot for shit.
He’s best carrying the ball through the midfield with the threat of scoring. From wide, there’s not even a threat.
He doesn’t cross and it wouldn’t matter if he did.
That formation idea sucks.
I would be interesting to see a 4-4-2 like this....
------------Villa---------------Harrison----
--------------------Moralez-----------------
---------Herrera--------------Pirlo--------
----------------------Ring-------------------
--Matarrita--Brillant--Callens--Struna--
--------------------Johnson-----------------
I think there may have been some confusion over whether it was his 4th. This article from PRO from Oct 7 refers to him as a “regular in the center” and makes mention of him being the head official in about 12 matches this season. He also says something about “refereeing consistently”.
http://proreferees.com/2017/10/05/nima-saghafi-dedication-determination-devotion-and-desire/
Elfath missed the DOGSO red to Guzman when he pulled down Maxi like three times before the foul was called. Eff him.
About starting Pirlo (and by no means am I advocating this - start Ring, Herrera and Maxi in central MF for gods sake), everybody has said Pirlo needs to be flanked by 2 piano carriers to run and cover for him. Ring and Herrera are that. It could work.
Nah, PV will switch it up by something crazy like starting Maxi on the wing and Shelton as the #10 just to eff with us.
Cmon PV don't overthink it. Wallace-Villa-Harrison and Maxi-Ring-Herrera.
Nah, PV will switch it up by something crazy like starting Maxi on the wing and Shelton as the #10 just to eff with us.
Cmon PV don't overthink it. Wallace-Villa-Harrison and Maxi-Ring-Herrera.
Why’d you attribute the quote to me and notLionNYC ? He posted it.
Quotes within quotes. I just deleted a majority of the text and left the top tag on. Anyway, lions it is.
Midas is back. I was starting to get concerned.
He's best dropping between lines to collect the ball forward with the threat of scoring, I think we can agree on that. But I don't agree that he needs to be doing that centrally.
Of course he doesn't cross. He's rarely in wide areas in his current role.
You don't need a ton of physicality to score off crosses if you can outsmart the defense, and we don't have many smarter players than Maxi.
If we can hold up the ball long enough then our full backs can provide the width. Inverted wingers are a common aspect of many functional systems at this point.
I'm just saying that hypothetically it is amazing. But I'm not saying we try to pull that off against Columbus, when our last known good formation is more than adequate to prevail.
Of course starting Wallace ahead of Pirlo sounds better, but my concern is that Wallace is as badly out of form as Pirlo has been for a long time. Yet Pirlo could perhaps provide some killer passes that Wallace can't.
I just said the idea sucks. Would it be nicer if I added "imo"? Because I thought that part was obvious.
Why would we voluntarily weaken our best area? We have no basis for believing the suggested shape and tactics would work. Seems folly to try it in what amounts to a playoff match.
So seems like we agree as to practical import.
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