What's NYCFC's vision after yearlong post-MLS Cup exodus?
Just three starters remain from the NYCFC team that won MLS Cup a year ago. With so much turnover in such a short time, what's the plan in New York?
NYCFC in the Media Thread - 2023
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How many Red Bulls did Noah Davis drink before writing this? This is the most opinioned piece of writing I've seen from ESPN about MLS in years.What's NYCFC's vision after yearlong post-MLS Cup exodus?
Just three starters remain from the NYCFC team that won MLS Cup a year ago. With so much turnover in such a short time, what's the plan in New York?www.espn.com
Seriously. Aimless? Lack of vision? Just because Davis doesn't see what Lee and Cushing are up to doesn't mean it isn't there.
We're definitely a tight-lipped organization. But it's not hard to see the plan.
What I find funny is the way Davis stumbled on a big part of it and totally missed what he was seeing:
"There's an aimlessness to the roster construction, an indecision between being a destination for promising young South Americans to stop for a few seasons, a pipeline for youth academy prospects, a holding place for wayward CFG players and other kind of, sort of identities."
What indecision? We're all of those things, to one extent or another (although not quite the way Davis characterizes some of it). We're leveraging the CFG network. Most other MLS franchises would kill to be able to do that.
But where he really gets it wrong is in thinking those are strategic decisions, when in fact for us they're tactical. They're each just different methods for securing talent, and we're in a position to use all of them rather than just settle on one. It's not at all aimless.
I think Davis missed it on identity, too. We're clearly stocking up on young, flexible, versatile players to give our mad genius of a gaffer (did Nick start Thiago Andrade at center-forward today?) the opportunity to run whatever formation suits the circumstances. We're looking to be dangerous every game by being surprising. That's our identity.
We're also looking at this season's workload and making sure we can rotate players, including having a couple guys to bounce up and down from the Deuce rather than just stuffing our roster with squaddies. I wouldn't be surprised to learn David Lee has an embroidered pillow for his naps that says, "no wasted slots." LOL
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That article was entirely unfair to the roster construction. It's really quite easy to see what we're doing. We're letting older players leave, bringing in younger players, and trying to develop them, sell them, and win while we do it. This isn't really that difficult. Some of the descriptors in that article were wholly unfair and patently false. I'm surprised a respectable organization like ESPN allowed it to be published on their site.
The idea we've squandered our first 8 seasons when we just won MLS Cup 14 months ago is laughable. What in the hell? We have the best record in MLS since 2016. What have we squandered? The organization may struggle off the pitch at times, and I wish there were more fans coming to the stadium every week, but the team is hardly squandering its opportunity. Just ridiculous.
The idea we've squandered our first 8 seasons when we just won MLS Cup 14 months ago is laughable. What in the hell? We have the best record in MLS since 2016. What have we squandered? The organization may struggle off the pitch at times, and I wish there were more fans coming to the stadium every week, but the team is hardly squandering its opportunity. Just ridiculous.
lol @ Gass and Bogert.
Also, gotta say I'm surprised with BWP's prediction. Maybe he's actually gonna think about this rationa-
oh, nevermind
After another blood clot procedure, Keaton Parks looks to impact NYCFC locker room
The former Benfica midfielder could be a big part of NYCFC's latest evolution after two seasons impacted by long spells on the sidelines
theathletic.com
Hudson River Blue announces they will continue after SBNation drops them.
Doyle's tiered ranking came out today. We're in Tier III: High-Upside Mystery Box.
New York City FC
If it was any other team caught staring at such a massive teardown and rebuild – Maxi Moralez, Sean Johnson, Alex Callens and Anton Tinnerholm were all elite at their spots in this league (Johnson still is, he’ll just be elite in Toronto now), and Héber was starting caliber – I’d toss them in the bin.
But the Pigeons have that City Football Group pipeline, and that CFG pipeline has constantly infused them with both a highly successful system of play and with high-level players. So there is a level of confidence around the league that while, yes, those guys will be missed, Nick Cushing will figure it out.
And understand that “high-level” still means “multiple potential Best XI guys on the field at the same time.” Gabby Pereira is maybe my favorite young attacker in the league, Keaton Parks is a one-man field-tilt machine at d-mid. If they formally push the Santi Rodríguez deal across the line, he’s at that level as well.
It’s a lot. It’s just a whole damn lot, and after writing this blurb I’m actually leaning toward bumping them down a tier. Losing half a lineup’s worth of elite players is just so much.
Still, they’ve got just enough for me to err on the side of “they’ll probably figure out how to be good again” even if it doesn’t happen right away.
Ranking all 29 MLS teams by tier for 2023
New York City FC
If it was any other team caught staring at such a massive teardown and rebuild – Maxi Moralez, Sean Johnson, Alex Callens and Anton Tinnerholm were all elite at their spots in this league (Johnson still is, he’ll just be elite in Toronto now), and Héber was starting caliber – I’d toss them in the bin.
But the Pigeons have that City Football Group pipeline, and that CFG pipeline has constantly infused them with both a highly successful system of play and with high-level players. So there is a level of confidence around the league that while, yes, those guys will be missed, Nick Cushing will figure it out.
And understand that “high-level” still means “multiple potential Best XI guys on the field at the same time.” Gabby Pereira is maybe my favorite young attacker in the league, Keaton Parks is a one-man field-tilt machine at d-mid. If they formally push the Santi Rodríguez deal across the line, he’s at that level as well.
My Worry
So is Talles Magno, but not as a No. 9 – the early returns from last year’s experiment with him at that spot were not great. I’m very worried about the plan to play him there from the jump. Keeping Parks healthy has always been a challenge, but they desperately need him to be because he’s plopped in front of the underwhelming defensive pairing of Thiago Martins and Maxime Chanot, who will be in front of either one inexperienced goalkeeper (Matt Freese?) or another (Luis Barraza?).It’s a lot. It’s just a whole damn lot, and after writing this blurb I’m actually leaning toward bumping them down a tier. Losing half a lineup’s worth of elite players is just so much.
Still, they’ve got just enough for me to err on the side of “they’ll probably figure out how to be good again” even if it doesn’t happen right away.
First-Choice XI
4-2-3-1: Freese; Cufré, Martins, Chanot, Gray; Parks, Morales; Andrade, Rodriguez, Pereira; MagnoRanking all 29 MLS teams by tier for 2023
Doyle's tiered ranking came out today. We're in Tier III: High-Upside Mystery Box.
New York City FC
If it was any other team caught staring at such a massive teardown and rebuild – Maxi Moralez, Sean Johnson, Alex Callens and Anton Tinnerholm were all elite at their spots in this league (Johnson still is, he’ll just be elite in Toronto now), and Héber was starting caliber – I’d toss them in the bin.
But the Pigeons have that City Football Group pipeline, and that CFG pipeline has constantly infused them with both a highly successful system of play and with high-level players. So there is a level of confidence around the league that while, yes, those guys will be missed, Nick Cushing will figure it out.
And understand that “high-level” still means “multiple potential Best XI guys on the field at the same time.” Gabby Pereira is maybe my favorite young attacker in the league, Keaton Parks is a one-man field-tilt machine at d-mid. If they formally push the Santi Rodríguez deal across the line, he’s at that level as well.
My Worry
So is Talles Magno, but not as a No. 9 – the early returns from last year’s experiment with him at that spot were not great. I’m very worried about the plan to play him there from the jump. Keeping Parks healthy has always been a challenge, but they desperately need him to be because he’s plopped in front of the underwhelming defensive pairing of Thiago Martins and Maxime Chanot, who will be in front of either one inexperienced goalkeeper (Matt Freese?) or another (Luis Barraza?).
It’s a lot. It’s just a whole damn lot, and after writing this blurb I’m actually leaning toward bumping them down a tier. Losing half a lineup’s worth of elite players is just so much.
Still, they’ve got just enough for me to err on the side of “they’ll probably figure out how to be good again” even if it doesn’t happen right away.
First-Choice XI
4-2-3-1: Freese; Cufré, Martins, Chanot, Gray; Parks, Morales; Andrade, Rodriguez, Pereira; Magno
Ranking all 29 MLS teams by tier for 2023
Lol he has 18 teams in the High Upside Mystery Box category, but that's fair for preseason I guess, and certainly apt for NYCFC.
it's even funnier when you read the LAFC one where he was like "i wasn't sure if to put them here or not..." meaning he had even more he was thinking of dropping a tier? lol
I think that’s a fair review of where we stand today.
You essentially need Gabby to score 10-12 goals, Talles to score 15-20 and Andrade to learn how to play soccer.
You essentially need Gabby to score 10-12 goals, Talles to score 15-20 and Andrade to learn how to play soccer.
I think they have built a good team this off-season, i think we spoke about it in another thread. I can see that being accurate. Same with Cincy, if they continue last year's form.
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