MLS - April 11 - Vancouver (Away)

[mgarbowski]

We were better in the second half, but were never really in control.

We were much better, but even in the second half Vancouver still had more shots, more on target, more from inside the box, more big chances, more corners, etc. We merely kept it close instead of getting overwhelmed.
Best team we've played all year and best defensive team by a huge margin.

 

[LionNYC]

Apologies for not getting the chat up for this match. I don’t think there was much to say about this match. Offensively, we looked like we didn’t know what to do. Matt Freese had a fantastic game. Defensively inept on crosses into the box late in matches. It’s good to see Malachi back. Okay, there was some things to say about this match.

 

[ezbeezy214]

Just getting so evident that Maxi can’t play all 90 mins and when we get behind late in the match, there is nothing that creates real danger. The 2H was better in that we found space through the middle third but nothing can come from it. If Nico becomes a focal point, Maxi can’t be a weapon off the ball. Just think Maxi would be so much more useful if he had more to give late in the game and it may require him to drop deeper and arrive later. If there’s a short term dip in the 1H performance taking Maci out, it could lead to a longer term benefit and we have the luxury to try it out. Get Magno is a bigger run out. Get Keaton further forward. Idk. We can’t rely on Nico magic all season.

Also Ojeda has to shoot, first time after Nico lay off, or when he cut inside after declining to play wide on Magno. Gonna be a while until Jones or Perea are real consistent threats, Reid won’t get the experience. It’s up to Ojeda, Wolf, Magno and Nico to figure something out. Maxi can always be a presence at the end of the game.

 

[mgarbowski]

So quiet. I guess there's not much to say about last night.
I'll throw this out: I think NYCFC's second half improvement is at least partly a game state mirage. Vancouver did not go full bus park after halftime, but they were ... oddly passive I thought. If they stayed on the front foot like the first half I'm not sure we look as good as we did second half, and I don't think we forced them to play like that.

 

[FootyLovin]

So quiet. I guess there's not much to say about last night.
I'll throw this out: I think NYCFC's second half improvement is at least partly a game state mirage. Vancouver did not go full bus park after halftime, but they were ... oddly passive I thought. If they stayed on the front foot like the first half I'm not sure we look as good as we did second half, and I don't thinkwe forced them to play like that.

Just watched on delay and was going to say this. Any belief that this match was a tale of two halves where they were better in half 1 and we were better in half 2 completely misses that they made all the choices about how those halves would be played. Yes, we had more possession and looked more threatening in H2, but still with barely a shot on target. I have to imagine our xG after shot was somewhere south of 0.1 for the game.

 

[moogoo]

Jansen echoed what has already been said - the team lacked intensity and focus for every minute and a lot of sloppy giveaways, especially lacking the focus/intensity at the end of the half.

Hopefully, we can bounce back and put a hurtin on Westchester on Tuesday.

Jansen also mentioned Jones will likely get minutes with the IIs to get him back to match fitness faster.

 

[mgarbowski]

Yes, we had more possession and looked more threatening in H2, but still with barely a shot on target. I have to imagine our xG after shot was somewhere south of 0.1 for the game.

Second half: 8 shots, 5 blocked, 1 off target, 2 on target, xG 0.43, post shot xG 0.20. First half 2 shots, 0 on target, 0 post shot xG.
They smothered our offense, as they do with pretty much every opponent.

 

[gbservis]

So quiet. I guess there's not much to say about last night.
I'll throw this out: I think NYCFC's second half improvement is at least partly a game state mirage. Vancouver did not go full bus park after halftime, but they were ... oddly passive I thought. If they stayed on the front foot like the first half I'm not sure we look as good as we did second half, and I don't thinkwe forced them to play like that.

This game just felt like a reminder that the front office once again chose the leave holes in the roster that inhibits a roster with some very high quality players from competing with the best. It's just the beginning too as we enter our annual stretch of under perming in the US Open cup and leagues cup as we don't have enough depth the seriously contend in either.

Not signing a striker was bad but I think bringing back Magno as our primary offensive sub was even worse. We spent a whole damn season watching Magno not be able to play striker and our offense being completely inept when he was at the #9, now we have to do it all over again? Magno has no idea how to play the 9, he doesn't move in space like a 9, he doesn't occupy defenders like a 9, and our offense completely implodes around him when he's at the 9. It's bad enough that they constantly punt key roster moves down the road. Now we have relive failed projects too?

 

[JayH]

This game just felt like a reminder that the front office once again chose the leave holes in the roster that inhibits a roster with some very high quality players from competing with the best. It's just the beginning too as we enter our annual stretch of under perming in the US Open cup and leagues cup as we don't have enough depth the seriously contend in either.

Not signing a striker was bad but I think bringing back Magno as our primary offensive sub was even worse. We spent a whole damn season watching Magno not be able to play striker and our offense being completely inept when he was at the #9, now we have to do it all over again? Magno has no idea how to play the 9, he doesn't move in space like a 9, he doesn't occupy defenders like a 9, and our offense completely implodes around him when he's at the 9. It's bad enough that they constantly punt key roster moves down the road. Now we have relive failed projects too?

Confirming yet again that there is no way the front office cares about winning trophies or building the strongest roster. It’s so repetitive and predictable. And frustrating.

 

[mgarbowski]

I tried to be optimistic about Magno heading into the season, but sadly he has been as I expected. I have no idea what the decision process was. Part of the reason I tried to be positive was presuming they saw something they could work with. But he's the same player he has been since 2023, both here and at Corinthians. We'd have been better off with Fernandez, who had better defensive stats, more assists, and is pretty even on scoring goals. I look at his 2022 stats and I'd take that Talles in a heartbeat. But 2023-2026 Talles is a problem no coach seems able to solve.

 

[moogoo]

I tried to be optimistic about Magno heading into the season, but sadly he has been as I expected. I have no idea what the decision process was. Part of the reason I tried to be positive was presuming they saw something they could work with. But he's the same player he has been since 2023, both here and at Corinthians. We'd have been better off with Fernandez, who had better defensive stats, more assists, and is pretty even on scoring goals. I look at his 2022 stats and I'd take that Talles in a heartbeat. But 2023-2026 Talles is a problem no coach seems able to solve.

I'm right there with you. I had a lot of hope that a matured Talles would do something with renewed perspective and more experience. But he's exactly the way he was when he left us. 2022 winger Talles had swagger and confidence. #9 Talles lost all of that and doesn't seem like he's found any of it again. All I see is a guy who is not running more to give his blood, sweat and tears to the team. I was really hopeful Jansen could unlock something in Talles that Cushing could not. So far, it's been a failure.