MLS Cup Playoffs - October 30 - Philadelphia (Away)
- Thread starter LionNYC
- Start date
It seems to me that lion may be in trouble at work this morning… let’s hope the soccer gods help him power through the onslaught
Something I think is true - maybe someone has a different recollection:
- The only other time we were caught flat-footed on an opponent quick start free kick was against Houston in Hartford and that was unrelated to a sub.
- NYCFC has not had a practice of deferring subs when they occur just before an opponent set piece and rather, NYCFC has been letting subs happen just before opponent set pieces for 8 years.
- This is based in part on my certainty that I have never read the following sentence here (or anything similar): "I like how our coaches defer subs whenever they are given just before an opponent free kick."
- Conversely, until last night, nobody on this forum has ever said the club should stop making subs before opponent set pieces because eventually it will bite us.
- The Union tried to quick start as soon as the foul was called and McGlynn was still writhing on the grass. Chapman stopped them to let Parks sub in. Everyone on the field needed to be on alert when play resumed because the Union made their intentions clear.
- Callens was responsible for Carranza at that point regardless of whether Parks or Pereira was on the field.
- If we refused the sub and the Union scored a goal in the next 2 minutes, Cushing would be killed for deferring the sub.
I am OK with him getting the job, but there has to be some sort of mid-season departure protection. This can't keep happening.
The loss is on me. This week I decided to ignore superstition and wear my blue gameday shoes most of the week. I went out yesterday wearing a NYCFC sweatshirt, hat and third rail scarf that caused my daughter to comment as that is an excessive amount of club garb for me. I wore a different shirt during the game. I let us down.
Maybe the worst thing I did was question the heart of the team during the slide. It nags at me like a beating heart on the floorboards.
Whether the sub had anything to do with the collapse yesterday, I did not like the GP sub.
I think he’s too dynamic and provides the team with an certain intensity. Taking him off takes the foot off the gas pedal for me and I thought NYCFC was kind of bossing the game.
A butterfly flaps it’s wings and a soccer team falls apart in a conference championship.
It was another heck of a run this year.
Happy Halloween!
Maybe the worst thing I did was question the heart of the team during the slide. It nags at me like a beating heart on the floorboards.
Whether the sub had anything to do with the collapse yesterday, I did not like the GP sub.
I think he’s too dynamic and provides the team with an certain intensity. Taking him off takes the foot off the gas pedal for me and I thought NYCFC was kind of bossing the game.
A butterfly flaps it’s wings and a soccer team falls apart in a conference championship.
It was another heck of a run this year.
Happy Halloween!
Before this loss NYCFC had won four straight road playoff games dating back to last year. Can’t go to that well every time.
Went back and watched the moment of "contention" (which I really don't think was an issue):
Literally 2 seconds before the foul, Cushing yells "Parks! you ready? k. At the next stoppage" or something like that, and then immediately chapman fouls for the philly free kick.
...It's a free kick at midfield. There was basically 0 risk in that change at that time and we've done that same thing countless times before.
As Mark said, yeah, they should have expected a quick one since they tried going quickly and Chapman pulled it back, but then also the footage shows a philly player down so maybe the nycfc players thought it was going to take longer because of that? Not exactly sure.
Either way, I think it's kinda petty to blame the coach for making a change when the ball's at a little bit past the halfway line.
Literally 2 seconds before the foul, Cushing yells "Parks! you ready? k. At the next stoppage" or something like that, and then immediately chapman fouls for the philly free kick.
...It's a free kick at midfield. There was basically 0 risk in that change at that time and we've done that same thing countless times before.
As Mark said, yeah, they should have expected a quick one since they tried going quickly and Chapman pulled it back, but then also the footage shows a philly player down so maybe the nycfc players thought it was going to take longer because of that? Not exactly sure.
Either way, I think it's kinda petty to blame the coach for making a change when the ball's at a little bit past the halfway line.
Overall it was a successful year and don't really find myself to disappointed today. Most of y'all have already touched upon the reasons why and we'll have much to discuss with roster changes coming up. Feel very fortunate to be apart of such a stable organization.
As a wrap up for myself on our season, just wanted to say thanks to all of you who go so in depth with your analytics or discussion of tactics and to those who run the site. With lack of coverage about the league and team this is really a great and engaging place to learn and talk about everything happening. Looking forward to more of it and our celebration of a stadium! (lol that last part is never gonna happen
)
As a wrap up for myself on our season, just wanted to say thanks to all of you who go so in depth with your analytics or discussion of tactics and to those who run the site. With lack of coverage about the league and team this is really a great and engaging place to learn and talk about everything happening. Looking forward to more of it and our celebration of a stadium! (lol that last part is never gonna happen
)
This. And the rest of what
Shwafta said about it.I think it comes down to a mental lapse by one of our most consistent (arguable MVP) players of the last few years. Personally, I think Callens still had his mind on the header Blake saved. I don't blame him. He's fantastic and is one of the players I most look forward to seeing in blue again next year. I'm ready to move on.
i have to say the goal we scored was absolutely magical.
pretty sure i remember it stunned stu and the other guy... (jon strong?) they didn't know what to say for a bit cause they were not expecting us to score.
the one time we played like we can, and we unlocked philly. last night was definitely winnable, but mistakes cost us and that's that. game of fine margins just like cushing said it would be and we all knew it would be.
i hope maxi stays another year. he's getting up there in age, but it feels like he still has another year in him. maybe not as a every game starter but as a start half the games, come on other games as an impact sub.
There's a LOT to do this off season. Anton, Johnson, Callens - all free agents. I would think we'd all like to see them resign. Maxi question. Santi loan ends as well, and I think we'd be crazy not to sign him permanently. I also think heber's contract is done too. Club might be letting him go and focus on magno as the #9 and look for a target in the market as a backup striker.
but yea - as someone said earlier in this thread, the team as potential to look very different next year and hopefully, stronger.
pretty sure i remember it stunned stu and the other guy... (jon strong?) they didn't know what to say for a bit cause they were not expecting us to score.
the one time we played like we can, and we unlocked philly. last night was definitely winnable, but mistakes cost us and that's that. game of fine margins just like cushing said it would be and we all knew it would be.
i hope maxi stays another year. he's getting up there in age, but it feels like he still has another year in him. maybe not as a every game starter but as a start half the games, come on other games as an impact sub.
There's a LOT to do this off season. Anton, Johnson, Callens - all free agents. I would think we'd all like to see them resign. Maxi question. Santi loan ends as well, and I think we'd be crazy not to sign him permanently. I also think heber's contract is done too. Club might be letting him go and focus on magno as the #9 and look for a target in the market as a backup striker.
but yea - as someone said earlier in this thread, the team as potential to look very different next year and hopefully, stronger.
What you said here but I think we also need to give Philly credit for it. Not only did they catch Callens off guard, but the ball in behind was perfectly placed, Carranza's run perfectly timed, and then an incredible finish.
We aren't talking about what we should or shouldn't have done if any of those three things aren't perfectly executed by the Union
Interesting stat here: NYCFC played 10 more games this year than Philly. LAFC also played only 39 games. And that was coming off a short offseason. Puts what they did in perspective.
Oh, yeah, I agree - we got punished by the undebatably best team in the east (and arguably west) purely on goals for and against:
The fact we scored one in and of itself is incredible, against a team that let in less than one goal per game and scored... um, >2 goals per game.
But we got punished, and that's how it works at these levels! Only one team can win
That goal shows exactly WHY philadelphia scored 72 goals this season.
And Andre Blake showed WHY philadelphia only conceded 26 this season.
Also I need to make a correction for something i said last night about Elliot - I said he'd be great in the USMNT and I wonder why he hasn't been selected.... turns out it's a simple reason. He's English. From London. Whoops!
We were carving them up in the first 15 minutes of the 2nd half until Blake made his save and they scored right after. That save by Blake changed the entire complexion of the game. Tip your cap to him, he won them this game because if we get it to 2-0, they don't make the comeback.
Andre Blake made sure to withhold adorable alex callens celebration from us, and he must pay for it next year
I love the Philly reply guy who starts an argument - and won't let go - because the Union played a friendly against CF Pachuca and that should count as their 38th game.
But anyway, yeah, we were tired and depleted. Not a complaint or excuse, just true. Some of it was self-imposed.
Allowing coaches to leave midseason for better jobs is just bad and hamstrings the club unnecessarily. Nick pulled it together, but for the second time it led to a serious new coach slump in the second half. It's not good to force midseason transitions on the players every few years.
Wish we knew more about the roster $$ details and could tell how much room there was to add a center forward or additional depth on defense.
Unfortunate that neither Parks nor Tinnerholm ever came back for good and in full.
We can't rely on Heber. He scored 1/2 of his 2019 goals in 2/3 of his 2019 minutes. Those both trend the wrong way while the ratio got worse. He also never could create for himself even in 2019, and we can't expect we'll see someone provide 2019 Maxi level of service.
We were thin at the back all year. Tinnerholm was a known question, and Gudi and Ibeagha left. Signing one DP CB was not a proper refill for all that. Haak didn't develop into what we needed, which is not saying he did not develop as much as could reasonably be expected.
Missing Morales for so much of the second half of the season was low-key catastrophic.
Basically we had holes everywhere. I'm amazed the team got as far as it did, especially playing so many games.
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Lots of great commentary, and I'm 100 percent with the consensus: Despite the tough loss, it was an amazing year. What this team was able to accomplish despite all the adversity is pretty remarkable.
In the end, we went toe-to-toe for 60 minutes with arguably the best team in the league and actually had the lead. In their house. Were it not for Blake's awesome save we would have been up 2-0 and had them chasing the game. And even after we slipped up and let it get away from us, we fought hard right to the final whistle. Win or lose, this squad doesn't quit.
And you can bet Philadelphia knows it, too. Did anyone catch the hug Maxi got at the final whistle? I think it was Carranza. It was more than the usual quick slap on the back kind of thing. More like what you see from two fighters who just went 15 rounds. Genuine respect.
So, like everyone else, I'm bummed but not sad today. If anything, I'm just proud.
In the end, we went toe-to-toe for 60 minutes with arguably the best team in the league and actually had the lead. In their house. Were it not for Blake's awesome save we would have been up 2-0 and had them chasing the game. And even after we slipped up and let it get away from us, we fought hard right to the final whistle. Win or lose, this squad doesn't quit.
And you can bet Philadelphia knows it, too. Did anyone catch the hug Maxi got at the final whistle? I think it was Carranza. It was more than the usual quick slap on the back kind of thing. More like what you see from two fighters who just went 15 rounds. Genuine respect.
So, like everyone else, I'm bummed but not sad today. If anything, I'm just proud.
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I didn’t get to attend or even watch the match because of a family wedding. But I saw the highlights and will watch the game sometime this week. But this one hurts. One amazing save and one switch off after a sub and we’re all booking flights for a chance to win back to back MLS Cups.
Still saying “Fuck the Union.” Rooting for LAFC in MLS Cup.
I just want to take a moment to say that the Union put on an awesome show. I had some great moments of banter with their fans and was able to show my dad how special soccer could be.
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