MLS - March 9 - Portland (Home - YS)

[Revfugee]

Just watched on delay. First 35 minutes were among the best we have played in the last year. But not even the last two years.

Haak sub was utterly baffling. Just wow. One of these days Wolf will go 90 and pile on the goal contributions (probably for a new coach).

Bakrar was actually pretty good today. If he stays on this trajectory we may have something special (reminded me of early Santi). With that said he needs better supporting runs from his fellow forwards or midfielders. Regardless of his lack of finishing we could have had at least three goals on pullbacks or tap-ins today off his runs in behind.

Santi is magic at times but he does not elevate his teammates (yet).

We all love to crap on the homegrowns but Jasson was better than Fernandez today (not like for like, but a fair comparison) and it wasn’t close.

Nick really screwed that one up. He put in bunkering personnel, failed to admit he was bunkering, and then the bunker got penetrated. That he’s not out proves that we are just a double A affiliate and not a serious MLS competitor. Even with all that, the first 35 today proves that the talent is there. It’s just not well directed.

At some point Garber and the other owners are going to realize that having two farm teams in the #1 media market is a bad look. I’ll still take CFG over the Krafts, but sometimes it’s a challenge to support this team’s setup.

Silver lining is that I’m on vacation in the Virgin Islands so I didn’t have to watch that debacle in the cold rain. Kudos to those who did. You deserve better.

 

[moogoo]

That wasn't for us. That was for his players.

they aren't that stupid.

 

[moogoo]

His statement that he didn't want to go defensive in the 2nd half is complete bullshit. If he didn't want to go defensive, why did he take off an offensive player for Justin Haak?

as he explained - to get more control in the midfield cause he thought we weren't playing through perea and parks enough.

 

[moogoo]

The head coach throwing his players under the bus second week in a row. That’s bad. To me that means he’s already gone. Question is how long will it take for the FO/CFG to identify and install his replacement.

he seems to be blaming it more on youth, inexperience, and lack of time together as a team. but it doesn't sound good. especially considering the ones who are starting the game are none of the new guys save for wolf.

damn sorry for all the replies.

 

[Shwafta]

Just fwiw I don't think I shwafta'd anything. The team just sucks under nick.

 

[Revfugee]

Just fwiw I don't think I shwafta'd anything. The team just sucks under nick.

It’s more fun when we can actually blame you.

 

[LionNYC]

He knows he's in trouble. The front office/CFG have splashed $25 million in transfer fees alone the last 9 months. They didn't do that for an 0-3-0 record. I think he gets until the five-game homestand in April/May. If we still suck then, I don't know how they keep him.

Dome Torrent was once one bad result from getting canned -- he was able to turn it around, and Cushing can turn it around too. Because this team is far too talented to be 0-3-0.

If they wait until after the April home stand I’m deeply worried there won’t be time to salvage the season. We need those home games to get points.

 

[mgarbowski]

People already hit Jovan for his flopping. I want to mention Jasson. His standard flopping is fine. He is legitimately good at drawing real fouls and that does mean sometimes he pushes it. I'm ok with that. But his totally fake "I was kicked in the face" act yesterday was embarrassing.

WRT Dome, he whined incessantly when he had to start the season with a frontline that included Taty, Shradi, Mitrita, and Medina, plus Maxi -- 5 players who combined to score 39 goals the previous year. The entire roster of 2023 NYCFC scored less than that total. I'll be shocked if he comes to take over this bunch. Also, his record the year he took over midseason sucked. He inherited a team at 1.87 PPG and went 1.47 the rest of that year. Everyone who wants Dome back assumes we get the 2.11 PPG Dome of his last 28 games. They ignore the 1.32 PPG Dome of his first 25 games, and that he was fired from both of his next 2 jobs in less than a year.
2.11 PPG Dome benefitted from a near historic high finishing rate from Heber especially and the team as a whole. Torrent never had players do that for him before or since. It was a fun ride, but a quirk very unlikely to repeat.

 

[canchon]

If they wait until after the April home stand I’m deeply worried there won’t be time to salvage the season. We need those home games to get points.

Their next 3 games are Toronto (h) and then away to Cincinnati and Messiami. I don’t see more than one point with a possibility of 0-6 or 1-5. That’s time to do what they should have done last year.

I believe NYCFC was the only Eastern team to miss the playoffs to keep their coach. Enough.

 

[moogoo]

People already hit Jovan for his flopping. I want to mention Jasson. His standard flopping is fine. He is legitimately good at drawing real fouls and that does mean sometimes he pushes it. I'm ok with that. But his totally fake "I was kicked in the face" act yesterday was embarrassing.

WRT Dome, he whined incessantly when he had to start the season with a frontline that included Taty, Shradi, Mitrita, and Medina, plus Maxi -- 5 players who combined to score 39 goals the previous year. The entire roster of 2023 NYCFC scored less than that total. I'll be shocked if he comes to take over this bunch. Also, his record the year he took over midseason sucked. He inherited a team at 1.87 PPG and went 1.47 the rest of that year. Everyone who wants Dome back assumes we get the 2.11 PPG Dome of his last 28 games. They ignore the 1.32 PPG Dome of his first 25 games, and that he was fired from both of his next 2 jobs in less than a year.
2.11 PPG Dome benefitted from a near historic high finishing rate from Heber especially and the team as a whole. Torrent never had players do that for him before or since. It was a fun ride, but a quirk very unlikely to repeat.

Tbh I'd take 1.47ppg over 0.

I'm probably wrong but I thought dome complained about not having a striker to start the season and when he got one it was his 5th choice or something..

I agree Heber outperformed expectations but I don't think anyone can deny that once dome got his system into the players, we looked so good.

Yea he didn't do great at his next few jobs... But they were all high pressure jobs. Maybe he'd enjoy the low pressure MLS life again

 

[Locopsu]

agreed. we need to attack and stop with the safe, predictable, slow passing to the sides and back. all that gave us were repeated turnovers when our slow passing was easy to read and press. our attack is toothless.

in the last training vid, mcfarlane looked pretty good and was picking out crosses. i wouldn't mind giving him a shot over otoole just to see what the kid can do. he's at least a true left back instead of a converted one, like otoole.

overall, our keys to improving are faster passing, more movement to create more options for faster passing, and attacking with ruthless speed and aggression. we haven't done that in awhile... not since maxi was leading our midfield and taty/heber were reading the front line.

I noticed Risa not passing forward as much in second half instead recycling ball. Padding that New York City FC stat of possession. Less pressing full backs, passes through tentative and late leading to multiple offsides.

 

[Locopsu]

Nah - last game we dominated possession, passed the ball 500 times, had 3 crosses and 1 shot on goal. That’s as unproductive as you can get. I am suggesting we need better service to a tandem of intended goal scorers, more direct and intentional play rather than unproductive neutral safe passing that never materializes into scoring chances.

But that’s what the Coach wants, which is why #cushingout, now please, losing record overall, more ties than wins.

 

[moogoo]

I noticed Risa not passing forward as much in second half instead recycling ball. Padding that New York City FC stat of possession. Less pressing full backs, passes through tentative and late leading to multiple offsides.

yea. sounds like that was a cushing directive to play less long balls. but the directive should be, try to play but if it's on, play the long ball. mixing up your style of play is part of being a good team and vs a high line and you have a striker willing to run. you gotta use that weapon.

 

[mgarbowski]

Tbh I'd take 1.47ppg over 0.

I thought about adding a disclaimer saying please don't say you prefer 1.47 PPG over 0.00 PPG because what you're really saying is you're happy with a new coach who's team gets worse by 20% when he takes over. Or I could have pointed out that the comparison has logic as an argument for firing Nick but it is not an argument for the guy who inherited the best start in NYCFC history and set it on fire. I figured people would realize all that was implicit. But I guess I have to be explicit about it.

I agree Heber outperformed expectations but I don't think anyone can deny that once dome got his system into the players, we looked so good.

It took him 3/4 of a season to "get his system into the players" and start winning. If anything, that's an argument against hiring someone like that midseason when the team has been bad for more than a full year already.

Yea he didn't do great at his next few jobs... But they were all high pressure jobs. Maybe he'd enjoy the low pressure MLS life again

wut? It was so low pressure he quit. And saying you want a head coach who cannot take high pressure situations is an argument, I guess? I mean, his MLS record in knockout rounds is 1 W and 2 Losses. That's worse than Nick. By all means, let's re-hire the coach who fails under pressure.

"Anyone but Nick" doesn't have to mean Torrent, and shouldn't. I mean, if the only 2 choices in the world are Dome or Nick well, yeah, I'd go with Torrent but there's a whole world out there.

 

[gbservis]

I thought about adding a disclaimer saying please don't say you prefer 1.47 PPG over 0.00 PPG because what you're really saying is you're happy with a new coach who's team gets worse by 20% when he takes over. Or I could have pointed out that the comparison has logic as an argument for firing Nick but it is not an argument for the guy who inherited the best start in NYCFC history and set it on fire. I figured people would realize all that was implicit. But I guess I have to be explicit about it.


It took him 3/4 of a season to "get his system into the players" and start winning. If anything, that's an argument against hiring someone like that midseason when the team has been bad for more than a full year already.


wut? It was so low pressure he quit. And saying you want a head coach who cannot take high pressure situations is an argument, I guess? I mean, his MLS record in knockout rounds is 1 W and 2 Losses. That's worse than Nick. By all means, let's re-hire the coach who fails under pressure.

"Anyone but Nick" doesn't have to mean Torrent, and shouldn't. I mean, if the only 2 choices in the world are Dome or Nick well, yeah, I'd go with Torrent but there's a whole world out there.

It's likely just the apathy caused by the terrible start setting in for me but as long as CFG is going to treat our roster like a teenage prospect farm team we might as well keep Cushing. As long as we are going to be used as a corporate pawn we might as well keep the corporate stooge around.

 

[moogoo]

I thought about adding a disclaimer saying please don't say you prefer 1.47 PPG over 0.00 PPG because what you're really saying is you're happy with a new coach who's team gets worse by 20% when he takes over. Or I could have pointed out that the comparison has logic as an argument for firing Nick but it is not an argument for the guy who inherited the best start in NYCFC history and set it on fire. I figured people would realize all that was implicit. But I guess I have to be explicit about it.


It took him 3/4 of a season to "get his system into the players" and start winning. If anything, that's an argument against hiring someone like that midseason when the team has been bad for more than a full year already.


wut? It was so low pressure he quit. And saying you want a head coach who cannot take high pressure situations is an argument, I guess? I mean, his MLS record in knockout rounds is 1 W and 2 Losses. That's worse than Nick. By all means, let's re-hire the coach who fails under pressure.

"Anyone but Nick" doesn't have to mean Torrent, and shouldn't. I mean, if the only 2 choices in the world are Dome or Nick well, yeah, I'd go with Torrent but there's a whole world out there.

i wouldn't mind if dome came back. but i don't think he'd be a good midseason coach swap cause he needs time to implement his system. if he does come back, he'd need a full preseason.

whether he succeeds or not again with the players we have now, who knows. the players he had when he was here were better in key positions. hell, having a younger maxi on the field alone made a huge difference imo.

I'm not thinking he'd be the guy. but i wouldn't be mad if it happened. There are probably better choices. Maybe another Ronnie type guy out there that we don't know about. Or a postecoglu type guy. If they decide to replace nick, I think one of those kinds of coaches (man manager type) would be better than a pure tactical mind that needs specific players to implement their vision.

Personally, midseason coaching changes suck and only way i'd really be ok with it is if he's completely lost the locker room (which we don't know). If the players are still with him, then things can change. But otherwise, cut him loose and let medhi take over as interim while they search for a replacement.

 

[moogoo]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1766569444417962109

 

[KevinJRogers]

they aren't that stupid.

I'm sure Nick Cushing knows that.

But he also knows they'll be paying attention to what he says. Personally, I'd much rather see him take the positive line and emphasize how good we were in the first half rather than focus on the negatives in the second, even if it means fluffing it a bit (which I'm sure everyone recognizes).

It's possible he was fluffing it a bit when talking about the Haak substitution, too. It would have been counterproductive, to put it mildly, to say in the presser, "I took the best available option because we just aren't good enough yet to do otherwise."

Strictly speculation on my part, of course. And it's an open question whether he'd be right about that, anyway. As much as I doubt it -- and I highly doubt it -- he may indeed just be a bad gaffer with a tendency to lose his nerve.

One thing is certain: he has a heck of a lot to prove, and the schedule is not his friend. We need all the home points we can get.

 

[mgarbowski]

All this parsing of Nick’s press conferences to put the worst possible spin on his statements is just an example of my general observation that when fans decide they want a coach fired they just start making up nasty crap to justify it, when all you need is "I think someone else would do better."

He’s not divorced from reality, at odds with the players or even generally incompetent. He was very successful with Man City Women and while he probably had a talent advantage, hundreds of coaches have flamed out with similar talent.

There’s no statement fans will accept with his record. You either deny reality or you’re too negative or you don’t take enough blame or you’re disingenuous when you accept blame.

I think someone else would do better and it’s time for a change.

 

[CCMore]

All this parsing of Nick’s press conferences to put the worst possible spin on his statements is just an example of my general observation that when fans decide they want a coach fired they just start making up nasty crap to justify it, when all you need is "I think someone else would do better."

He’s not divorced from reality, at odds with the players or even generally incompetent. He was very successful with Man City Women and while he probably had a talent advantage, hundreds of coaches have flamed out with similar talent.

There’s no statement fans will accept with his record. You either deny reality or you’re too negative or you don’t take enough blame or you’re disingenuous when you accept blame.

I think someone else would do better and it’s time for a change.

I’m on the Cushing out train but I don’t hate him or think he’s a bad person. I believe we had a very similar conversation at the end of last season in which we said, He is probably a very good coach, but he is not the right fit for the time or situation. I think often about him singing and chanting with the fans and players after the cup win in Portland. He’s just not the right person for our manager at this time.