Bakrar's goal was exactly what he rarely seems to do: a powerful strike with ideal placement.
Bakrar has been shooting a bit better this year. His /96 xPlace (diff between pre and post shot xG) in ASA was -0.25 in 2023, -0.22 in 2024, and -0.07 in 2025.
His G-xG is actually positive in 2025 at +0.09 per 96. It was -0.29 and -0.23 in the prior years.
His minutes are way down, so the 2025 figures are from an unreliable sample. Even full seasons are small samples but as a bench player halfway through a season these prove pretty much nothing. It's very hard to tell if he improved or if this is natural variation. Still, better is better.
I want to believe that the team identified a flaw in his mechanics and worked with him to improve it. But I have no real evidence either way to support or counter that possibility.
It's really easy. Now we won't score more than 1 for 3 months probably.
You prompted me to compile something I almost added to my giant midseason post but it missed the cut. Our overall G/Gm is inching up but the mix is what interests me.
Note: this table says PPG where it should say G/Gm.
My first note is the 2025 G/Gm was 1.18 before last night which shows how 1 extreme result can skew a small sample size. After 17 games NYC G/Gm in 2025 was much closer to 2023 levels than 2024. Now it is a smidge closer to 2024.
But the shutouts and 1-goal games are what interests me.
2023 had an extraordinary number of 1-goal games but not a crazy number of shutouts. 2025 suffers the most 0-goal games, not by a lot but still the most. But when the 2025 team scores at all, it is more likely to score again than stay at 1 goal by a 2:1 ratio, in line with 2024. That is basically flipped from 2023.
Not to knock the performance last night, but Atlanta is tied with the Galaxy with fewest Away points and has the worst Goal Differential. I feel bad for Deila, but I also note that NYCFC's multi-year run of excellent Away form ended while he was head coach.
