MLS - April 13 - New England (Home - YS)

That was the coldest, most miserable night to be outside in 2 weeks. At least it didn't rain.
Ojeda started, and he and Fernandez scored. How about that?
Winning is fun.
We're definitely not the worst team in the league. I'm not sure I draw any further conclusions.

The new MLS official xG stats continue to be way out of line with others.

Opta NYC 1.63 NER 0.37
ASA NYC 1.72 NER 0.73
MLS NYC 2.4 NER 0.7

The MLS stats have consistently been very off for at least one team in every game this year since I noticed. I don't trust them. They're easy to find when you're on the MLS site anyway, but I don't think they're reliable. If you don't want to deal with the Opta demo widget, you can get the Opta figures from FotMob or FBref.
Is MLS doing its own stat collection? Not relying on an outlet like Opta is quite silly.
 
Is MLS doing its own stat collection? Not relying on an outlet like Opta is quite silly.
It is silly, if that's what they are doing. All I know for certain is their stats no longer match Opta, and they don't match ASA or any other source I'm familiar with.
The MLS xG figure for NYCFC this week is >40% away from the Opta and ASA figures. Over a season Opta and ASA would occasionally have large variances. This year the MLS figures for NYC have been off by 20% (vs Atlanta), and 40% (vs Miami), plus Charlotte xG against us was off by 63%! I'd have to check the others. That's not static.
 
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Weird stadium thing I noticed: After the game the Revolution went down a tunnel near left field where the grounds crew would come out for Yankees games. Usually the away would also go into the 3rd base dugout. Wonder what changed that. (It might have happened at half time or earlier games this year, but I didn’t notice)
 
I dunno but it’s the same one they used to replace Blitzkrieg Bop last year and it sucks. They brought the Bop back this year u til this match but then they butt fumbled again. Blitzkrieg Bop has always been one of the few things that gets the crowd going consistently but between that and 170.00 (with Member Discount! Blank!) jerseys they just seem intent on crushing our souls until the stadium opens.

Great win tonight. Always extra sweet for me vs. Revs.

But the YS experience is going to shit. No Heineken. No Mighty Quinn. No Blitzkrieg Bop.

Thank heavens for that Citi Field Pastrami sandwich.
Can anyone explain to me what Justin Egan’s reply means, from the Outfield mailbag question about what happened to Blitzkrieg Bop? I don’t understand it.

JE: After some investigation, I discovered that there's a rivalry between fans of the Ramones and fans of the Rolling Stones. Given that John Stones plays for Manchester City, it's quite possible that "Blitzkrieg Bop" was a casualty of CFG synergy.
 
Can anyone explain to me what Justin Egan’s reply means, from the Outfield mailbag question about what happened to Blitzkrieg Bop? I don’t understand it.

JE: After some investigation, I discovered that there's a rivalry between fans of the Ramones and fans of the Rolling Stones. Given that John Stones plays for Manchester City, it's quite possible that "Blitzkrieg Bop" was a casualty of CFG synergy.
I think it's a joke that didn't quite hit. That's my best guess anyway.
 
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Can anyone explain to me what Justin Egan’s reply means, from the Outfield mailbag question about what happened to Blitzkrieg Bop? I don’t understand it.

JE: After some investigation, I discovered that there's a rivalry between fans of the Ramones and fans of the Rolling Stones. Given that John Stones plays for Manchester City, it's quite possible that "Blitzkrieg Bop" was a casualty of CFG synergy.
I'm sure it's just a joke. A few years ago, the Ramones were named the second-greatest band in history to the Beatles in some poll in Spin magazine and it became a thing.

The team should definitely bring back Blitzkrieg Bop, though. Especially since we're moving permanently to Queens. The Ramones are from Forest Hills for cryin' out loud. And the organization itself even posted a "Hey HO, Let's GO" meme to social before the match yesterday.
 
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It's time to play the kids and see what they can do.
Ojeda for sure. The kid is dynamic. If Fernandez starts too, then there has to be some significant shuffling in the XI. But I'm sure it's all planned out. The fixture congestion in May and July alone screams for rotation.

My big question: is Talles Magno moving? The primary window closes April 23, and the secondary window opens July 18. Or does Nick have something up his sleeve?
 
My big question: is Talles Magno moving? The primary window closes April 23, and the secondary window opens July 18. Or does Nick have something up his sleeve?
I think he's just hurt, and the club is on the extreme edge of its usual secretive approach. I don't think you take a young player with great talent but whose development stalled and sit him for two months if you plan to sell him.
 
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I think he's just hurt, and the club is on the extreme edge of its usual secretive approach. I don't think you take a young player with great talent but whose development stalled and sit him for two months if you plan to sell him.
Oh, I'm sure he has a knock. I'm just looking down the road a little. At some point, someone somewhere has to be left without a chair when the music stops playing, and left wing is the place where we have the most options.

For all I know, he'll come back from the injury like a house on fire and make that position super competitive, too. Which would be awesome. At his best, he can twist a defending side all out of shape. Plus, he's a really good dude and clearly loves New York. I get a huge kick out of him channeling 'Clyde' Frazier when he's out and about.
 
I think he's just hurt, and the club is on the extreme edge of its usual secretive approach. I don't think you take a young player with great talent but whose development stalled and sit him for two months if you plan to sell him.

Yeah, when he was first out I suspected it meant a sale was imminent but I agree at this point it has to be a real injury. Sitting him this long just trashes his value.

Ojeda for sure. The kid is dynamic. If Fernandez starts too, then there has to be some significant shuffling in the XI. But I'm sure it's all planned out. The fixture congestion in May and July alone screams for rotation.

My big question: is Talles Magno moving? The primary window closes April 23, and the secondary window opens July 18. Or does Nick have something up his sleeve?

I don't think it takes too much shuffling, you'd just need to bench Wolf for Fernandez. The other wing has been a rotation of guys so Ojeda can just lock that spot down. I like Wolf as a player but he and Santi seem redundant. Ojeda also seems more than capable of replacing Wolf's creativity and off-ball movement. Given Wolf's ball control, passing skills, and his general tendency to look for a pass vs. take his own shot he seems like more of a CAM than a winger. We go long stretches without a shot because we try to finesse everything, Fernandez is always looking to cut in and rip a left-footed curler, I think we need players like that out there. The more guys out there that will as someone said in chat last night "SHOOT THE DAMN BALL" the better.
 
I agree with the above including that maximizing Wolf’s creativity and technical quality would mean playing him as an AM. Could he play the Parks role? Not necessarily that Parks has earned a benching but would love to see Julian, Jovan, Augustin, Santi, and Wolf all on the field together…
 
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The more guys out there that will as someone said in chat last night "SHOOT THE DAMN BALL" the better.
HEY! 😁

Anyway, I've been thinking very much along the same lines, although I'm not sure about Santi and Wolf being redundant. I'd like to see what we can do in a 4-3-3 with them at midfield. I can see them constructing some terrific triangles with Keaton at the pivot.

But in a 4-2-3-1 I totally agree, I can't see them both on the pitch at the same time with Ojeda and Fernandez.

The good news is, we have a ton of tactical flexibility, provided everyone is ready to contribute. That's what I mean about taking the training wheels off. I have the sneaking suspicion Nick has been holding back until he had his weapons. He may just have them now.

(Yes, that might be a prayer as much as an analysis, but there it is.)
 
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Last night was miserable, definition of a “cold 50” with the wind and clouds felt much colder. I was one of those “huddle in the bathroom at the half” cold games.

Speaking of YS, practically all the vendors were closed on the 200 level except for the baseline 2 windows, one beer vendor and popcorn. It mirrored the quiet and cold atmosphere.
 
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Can someone please teach Bakrar to lean forward on his shots? I swear he skied every one in this match. Every thing else he did in this match was textbook Taty. He just needs his scoring boots. Such a cold streak from such a hard working player.
 
Can someone please teach Bakrar to lean forward on his shots? I swear he skied every one in this match. Every thing else he did in this match was textbook Taty. He just needs his scoring boots. Such a cold streak from such a hard working player.

To me it looks like he has zero composure. He's not looking to put the ball where the keeper isnt. He also doesn't seem to have the innate awareness of where the goal is, which I think every true goal scorer has. He just seems to pull the trigger and tries to kick it as hard as he can.

I'm sure a lot of it has to do with lack of confidence and feeling the pressure since he hasn't scored. This all just makes it worse. He needs to give himself a good slap in the face and play more calmly.. the goals will come. he's working way too hard for them not to.
 
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To me it looks like he has zero composure. He's not looking to put the ball where the keeper. He also doesn't seem to have the innate awareness of where the goal is, which I think every true goal scorer has. He just seems to pull the trigger and tries to kick it as hard as he can.

I'm sure a lot of it has to do with lack of confidence and feeling the pressure since he hasn't scored. This all just makes it worse. He needs to give himself a good slap in the face and play more calmly.. the goals will come. he's working way too hard for them not to.
One of the announcers on the Bundesliga coverage over the weekend put it best: great strikers have composure, control and confidence. And all three attributes go together. Mounsef works hard. If he puts it together, he'll be a weapon.
Can someone please teach Bakrar to lean forward on his shots? I swear he skied every one in this match. Every thing else he did in this match was textbook Taty. He just needs his scoring boots. Such a cold streak from such a hard working player.
I made a little crack in the match chat Saturday, let's refine it: "Skyball starring Mounsef Bakrar as Agent 009."
 
I thought Nick made an adjustment in his tactics the second half which was really effective and hopefully we will see the rest of the season. In the first half despite great attacking play from Hannes Ojeda and Santi on the wings there werent enough attacking options when we got the ball in dangerous positions. In the second half instead of hanging back to defend against counters with James, Keaton was consistently making late attacking runs into the box. The runs were creating overloads and opening up dangerous spaces. The extra runs ask more of Keaton, but we have Perea on the bench to come in when Keaton gets gassed, so I hope we continue to see more attacking play from Keaton for the rest of the season. Let James handle the dangerous counters while Keaton attacks.

Fun to see the speed off the bench (Martinez Jones) at the end of games -- When Talles and Mijatovic are back we are going to have enough solid attackers with different styles of play that it will be hard to prep against us, because you are not sure what you will see ahead of time.

The game was fun to watch -- more of that please.