that game was… something. Really shined a light on roster structure, roster management/minutes. Honestly was just sad to watch
MLS - September 2 - Vancouver (Home)
- Thread starter LionNYC
- Start date
I've been out of the loop for a bit so I'm not sure what exactly has been going on. Lots of changes, a little drama thrown in. One thing I can say for sure: that was one hell of a disappointing result. I was hoping we'd be better than this by now (and objectively, I think maybe we should be).
I really want to be fair to Cushing, but it is perilously close to got to go time.
Accepting that I do not see training, I fail to understand why on a short week there is *one* player rotated. Vancouver was also on short rest after traveling across the country. Why not rotate significantly and push hard in the first half to get a lead?
Further, the right side was the defensive minded Jasson and Gray, again. I appreciate Jasson, but he was poor today - possibly tired - and there is no reason why Fernandez could not have started. Or Ilenic.
Finally, Magno can't get any significant play time over a two game, four day period? Why bring in another midfielder late instead of Magno? It makes no sense. Magno may have had a rough year, but no one can deny that he will try things...and this team needs someone to try things.
This team plays solid defense yet has trouble scoring. Nick needs to roll the dice and accept that losing 3-2 is better than trying to win 1-0. Here's hoping he shoves it in my face, but Cushing seems on his way to a new job next year.
Accepting that I do not see training, I fail to understand why on a short week there is *one* player rotated. Vancouver was also on short rest after traveling across the country. Why not rotate significantly and push hard in the first half to get a lead?
Further, the right side was the defensive minded Jasson and Gray, again. I appreciate Jasson, but he was poor today - possibly tired - and there is no reason why Fernandez could not have started. Or Ilenic.
Finally, Magno can't get any significant play time over a two game, four day period? Why bring in another midfielder late instead of Magno? It makes no sense. Magno may have had a rough year, but no one can deny that he will try things...and this team needs someone to try things.
This team plays solid defense yet has trouble scoring. Nick needs to roll the dice and accept that losing 3-2 is better than trying to win 1-0. Here's hoping he shoves it in my face, but Cushing seems on his way to a new job next year.
If Jasson misses the hard shot and makes the easy shot NYCFC has 6 points this week.
When you’re on the edge, the randomness of soccer is cruel.
Risa needed to jump 4 inches to keep the ball in front of him. Then he needed to body up and protect it and not go down like a paper doll.
Sands can’t wrap his arm around someone’s waist with the ball in the pen area.
Less than a minute after play started.
When you’re on the edge, the randomness of soccer is cruel.
Risa needed to jump 4 inches to keep the ball in front of him. Then he needed to body up and protect it and not go down like a paper doll.
Sands can’t wrap his arm around someone’s waist with the ball in the pen area.
Less than a minute after play started.
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Risa does seem to be pretty weak on the ball. He's lost most physical battles that I can remember.. at least he's lost enough to make it stand out.
i would love it if nick just throws caution to the wind and goes all out attack for the rest of the games.
I've missed a lot, but even a brief look leads me to believe there's a lot for Nick to work with. It may have come too late this year to judge whether he's making the most of it. But I can see why doubts would creep in.
If that sitter with an empty net goes in instead of over, or if that cross-that-hit-the-post goes in instead of out, we're all pretty happy with that game. Not our best, but I don't think it was as bad as it's sounding in here. We should definitely have had at least two goals, could have easily had four.
And if the refs call a foul on Risa, we win 1-0.
We have had so many results go against us that were right on the margins. Just one of those seasons where the soccer gods don't smile on you. A ton of referee decisions, a ton of bad luck ... this team does not deserve to be where it is in the table. We've been way better than 30 points through 28 games.
I don't think Cushing deserves to be fired, but if we miss the playoffs the team probably fires him.
Cushing rotated a single player on a short week.
I want him to succeed. My doubts are rising.
I agree that Cushing hasn't been good enough this year. But a lot of people around the organization haven't been good enough. My point is that we are maybe 5 bounces/favorable calls from being comfortably in the playoff picture. Both things can be true.
it's strange that he seemed to rotate a lot more before and this busy week, he just didn't. parks shouldn't have even started. he was gassed from the start and it showed.
before we couldn't count on a consistent XI at all, and with 10 games left and a busy week, he decides it's time to build some consistency... sigh
Here’s the thing…we are living and mostly dying in the margins because we are not creating enough quality chances. That cross that didn’t go in may count toward XG but it was never going in. One missed sitter shouldn’t doom us. Sure we were hard done by the ref but my beef is that in the last 10-15 mins at home needing 3 pts, this team under Nick didn’t have a plan to exert pressure (with or without Maxi).
Every time we got into the box we created chaos. We just never get there. We bang it about in our own end. When this team has had success in the past it’s been working close within 30 yards of the opposing goal. We just don’t do that enough. We certainly have the personnel to do it, but Nick, or CFG or whatever seem to have the players terrified of pushing forward for fear of losing the ball.
Nick reminds me of so many corporate middle managers I’ve seen toeing the company line well enough not to get fired but never really succeeding. As with many of these folks, I’m sure the players like him, and may even go the extra mile for him. But he doesn’t seem to have any ability or leeway to inspire them to get on the front foot and do anything inspiring.
We have enough talent to be a playoff team.
We should have had three points today.
I guess my biggest qualm is when the worst thing imaginable happens, an injury to your starting striker, where is your back up? Putting in a winger and playing a false nine hasn’t worked since the Dallas game. I don’t like it but you’ve pegged Talles as your backup #9. Why didn’t he come in? We need a striker on the field to play how we’ve wanted to play. I know he’s not the greatest but please take Gabe out of purgatory. He’s atleast put the ball in the back of the goal this season from the nine slot.
The non-call on the foul on Risa was baffling. It was a two handed push in the back. Now, I would have preferred Risa get up and chase the play instead of rolling around like a little bitch, but it was a clear foul.
That said, the penalty call on Sands was entirely correct. James needs to be smarter there. Reaching around someone’s body makes it obvious for the ref to see.
One of our issues this year is that our midfielders have not been as strong as they were last season. Sands and Parks have been making the kinds of mistakes they previously avoided.
That said, the penalty call on Sands was entirely correct. James needs to be smarter there. Reaching around someone’s body makes it obvious for the ref to see.
One of our issues this year is that our midfielders have not been as strong as they were last season. Sands and Parks have been making the kinds of mistakes they previously avoided.
One of my favorite little tidbits I noticed in this match was I think martins fouled a player and offered a helping hand. The other player took it and as Martins was helping him up the play had begun so martins just let go and ran away leaving the player to fall right back on his ass. It was pretty awesome.
What we are seeing is the downside of the City Way—“pass the ball, move the ball, pass the ball, move the ball” but it’s too slow and too sideways/backwards. They need more dynamism, more aggression. It probably has to come from the coaching staff.
This really hits the nail on the head: I think Nick has to find that special something in himself first and then pass it on to the team. If the special something is there to begin with. From what I can see I suspect it is, but he has to break through to it.
He's on a learning trajectory too, and he's at an inflection point. He can break either way.
hilarious. he knew about it. but that's what he's supposed to say and that's what he does. only time he's ever expressed his own words and personality was when he wrote our cup run song. since becoming head coach, he's been a puppet.
