How Good Is Mix?

[FootyLovin]

This is an honest question from a diehard Mix fan. I really want to know what people who understand the game better than I do think of this.

At this stage in the season these players all have more goals than Mix, who has 3:

• Villa
• Mullins
• TMac
• Poku

He is tied with Ballouchy and after last night he is only one ahead of (dear lord) Grabavoy.

Here are the players ahead of him with assists (with Mix on 1 for the season).

• Villa
• Poku
• Pirlo
• Mullins
• Angelino
• TMac
• Grabavoy
• Allen
• Ballouchy
• Jacobson

Tied at 1 are Lampard, Iraoly, Brovsky and Shelton.

The Mix defender in me has 3 arguments for his lack of offensive production.

1. He works harder on D than any of those other players.
2. Our offense is designed for the left side. Pirlo and Villa both shade left. The left side also has Angelino and has featured a lot of TMac.
3. He's a far better central midfielder than right mid.

Are these reasons the answer to his lack of production? Is there a different answer? Or (as much as I hate to ask this) is Mix not the star I have always thought him to be?

 

[NYCFutbol1]

I say this kindly, he SUCKS.

 

[DavidVilla]

Nowhere near worth the $700k, that's for sure.

 

[DavidVilla]

I say this kindly, he SUCKS.

I wouldn't say he SUCKS. He's a decent player but doesn't deserve the wage he's getting.

 

[brett]

I'm a big soccer fan and player.

I think Mix is a pretty good player, but it is hard to analyze him for NYCFC. First off soccer is a sport more so than others where stats don't really determine the quality of a player. Second he is playing out of position, he is not a outside midfielder/ winger. He isn't a dynamic dribbler and his crossing is satisfactory.

What Mix brings to the game as a player is his work rate and composure. He is at his best as a complimentary center midfielder. In my opinion he plays best in AJ's position, a box to box midfielder with a higher priority of defense.

 

[whill4]

For the national team he's fantastic.

For us, he's mostly been a bystander this season.

 

[Christopher Jee]

I think you called both sides of this argument pretty well. Because he seems like a sweet dude, I'm reserving judgement until he gets a chance to play next to Pirlo, but I think that the Mix naysayers have a point too.

 

[Paul]

I agree that it's very difficult to judge a player only on stats when said player has been asked to play out of position all season and said player has been asked to cover defensively for his teammates as much as Mix has this season. I think if you want to look at Mix from a statistical standpoint you should focus on tackles, interceptions, etc. not just goals and assists.

 

[FootyLovin]

I agree that it's very difficult to judge a player only on stats when said player has been asked to play out of position all season and said player has been asked to cover defensively for his teammates as much as Mix has this season. I think if you want to look at Mix from a statistical standpoint you should focus on tackles, interceptions, etc. not just goals and assists.

That makes sense and sounds like a job for a spreadsheet. Where's mgarbowski when you need him?

 

[mgarbowski]

That makes sense and sounds like a job for a spreadsheet. Where's mgarbowski when you need him?

Busy working on the stats for a post explaining how much worse we are when Angelino plays.

 

[Tony L]

I think Mix is a pretty good player, but it is hard to analyze him for NYCFC. First off soccer is a sport more so than others where stats don't really determine the quality of a player. Second he is playing out of position, he is not a outside midfielder/ winger. He isn't a dynamic dribbler and his crossing is satisfactory.

I agree that it's very difficult to judge a player only on stats when said player has been asked to play out of position all season and said player has been asked to cover defensively for his teammates as much as Mix has this season. I think if you want to look at Mix from a statistical standpoint you should focus on tackles, interceptions, etc. not just goals and assists.

This about sums it up, and his situation is the same as everyone. NYCFC is just starting to get it together on the pitch, but some players are still not being played where they are strongest. Once we figure that out, I think the stats will improve all around.

His performance for the USMNT has been pretty good, btw. Its like he's someone else when hes out there with them.

 

[TabascoDiva]

From a female point of view , I like the way his hair flies beautifully as he runs around the field on defense and offense. lol

 

[Seth]

From a female point of view , I like the way his hair flies beautifully as he runs around the field on defense and offense. lol

Don't worry, all the guys feel the same way even if we won't admit it. Of course some of us have more hair left than others...

 

[21Architect]

I'll just say this.......

Judging soccer players only by goals and assists is like judging baseball players only by batting average and RBI's

In other words, you're not seeing the whole picture.

Which reminds me that I've been wondering if we have an advanced stats thread going here......

I'll go look now.

 

[Traction Engine]

I would say it's even less accurate than judging by BA and RBIs. There have been genuinely world-class midfielders, Pirlo being one example among many, who never had meaningful goal or assist numbers. Appearances can be deceiving, and stats can clarify your thinking about a team or player in certain contexts, but soccer just doesn't really lend itself to statistical analysis.

Mix is a good player, but not the type to make decisive contributions or change the game. I think he plays his limited role well. Our miniature pitch doesn't really suit his skillset.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

To me, he was extremely good in the beginning of the year as a central playmaker. Then we started sucking ass and he had to play defense all the time, or never see the ball again. He played that role well, but its an underappreciated role. Then he went away to the gold cup, the team changed, and he's been dumped over on the right wing, which he doing his best as a team player, but while he is fast enough for a CM, he's not fast enough to consistently beat fullbacks on the wing. Additionally, Villa doesn't play over on the right, so he's not even had a striker near him while on the right wing. Additionally, he's been over there with Iraola, who everyone agrees hasn't lived up to billing.

It stands out to me that he still plays well for the MNT when he in central, and at the end of the Toronto game, he took over the middle when Lampard left, and he looked great again. I think if he was a CM before, and he looks best as a CM now, and he looks great against world class players for the national team as a CM, that playing him as a right wing just to keep Jacobson on the field is bad player management.

 

[Tony L]

I think if he was a CM before, and he looks best as a CM now, and he looks great against world class players for the national team as a CM, that playing him as a right wing just to keep Jacobson on the field is bad player management.

This is whats been going on all season. Several game announcers have made similar observations. Mix plays best as CM. He's a beast when he plays with the USMNT.

 

[dannd23]

Play him in the right position and he will play like we pay him.

 

[kylelovescrayons]

Can we get mix at cm and tmac on the right side (I know he's been on the left a bunch) with no jacobson? I just like me some tmac

 

[FootyLovin]

Play him in the right position and he will play like we pay him.

I agree with this and have been asking for a Mix next to Pirlo lineup since June.