Official 2016 Nycfc Roster Discussion Thread

After last night I'm really starting to champion the idea that the best place to spend the 800k in TAM is on buying down two 600k centerbacks to a salary cap hit of 200k. Yes our offense could use a bit of fine tuning before it becomes rediciously lethal, but holy shit does our defense need some immediate shoring up.

Additionally, two stout centerbacks, especially ones that can run, would dramatically alleviate a lot of the problems that Pirlo can caused with his general lack of defensive work rate.

Further Iraola the way Iraola likes to play, we're playing more of a 3-4-3 than a true 4-3-3 and you can't do that shit without some seriously good centerbacks.
Iraola plays more of a Right Midfielder than Angelino ever played Left Midfielder.... and at least Angelino had the speed to recover. Iraola last year just said olé and watched when he lost the ball
 
Villa drifts to the left anyway. Poku is better in the middle. Mullins or Shelton if we're playing a 4-3-3.
Poku is better in a number of places. But is he at his best up ahead of everyone else? I don't think so. Put him on the wing with freedom to be fluid. Freedom to survey the field in front of him. Also, on the side he has a chance to do what almost no one else on our team ever does - change fields. Put Mullins up top where he likes to be - close to goal.
 
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Villa drifts to the left anyway. Poku is better in the middle. Mullins or Shelton if we're playing a 4-3-3.
I was busting your balls about the Shelton inclusion. If he gets a lot of minutes this year, it's going to be indicative of our attack struggling. His touch and decision making needs a lot of improvement.

(And really, I know about needing to improve in decision-making.)
 
Poku is better in a number of places. But is he at his best up ahead of everyone else? I don't think so. Put him on the wing with freedom to be fluid. Freedom to survey the field in front of him. Also, on the side he has a chance to do what almost no one else on our team ever does - change fields. Put Mullins up top where he likes to be - close to goal.
I think everyone agrees that Poku's best spot is CAM, but we got Lamps who can't be going box to box anymore. I think the best bet right now would be for Poku to start at CF and have Mullins sub in Lampard and allow Poku to move to CAM.

I would rather see Shelton with his speed on the wing. I also thought that Shelton did a great job backtracking on defense. Obviously it was a little disappointing to see Shelton not convert on his chances, but I think some of you are a little too critical of Shelton. Where is the vitriol for Lampard and Villa for not converting on their chances against PR? I am hoping for big improvements for Shelton this year working with PV and his new staff who all have a developmental background. He is the one young player we have now besides Poku/Mix that have the potential to be great and hopefully we see him progress this year.

I personally don't think that Mullins is a starting caliber player. I think he is a great scrappy player who will be great for us off the bench, but I don't want to see him starting every game. He came off the bench 13 times to score 4 goals and started 11 times for only 2 goals. That's a goal every 5 games he started vs a goal every 3 games he came off the bench. He doesn't have to be a goal every other game guy like Villa, but a goal every five games is not good production for a forward.

I am also ok with bringing in an EDS guy like Baker to compete with Shelton for those right wing minutes.
 
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I think everyone agrees that Poku's best spot is CAM, but we got Lamps who can't be going box to box anymore. I think the best bet right now would be for Poku to start at CF and have Mullins sub in Lampard and allow Poku to move to CAM.

I would rather see Shelton with his speed on the wing. I also thought that Shelton did a great job backtracking on defense. Obviously it was a little disappointing to see Shelton not convert on his chances, but I think some of you are a little too critical of Shelton. Where is the vitriol for Lampard and Villa for not converting on their chances against PR? I am hoping for big improvements for Shelton this year working with PV and his new staff who all have a developmental background. He is the one young player we have now besides Poku/Mix that have the potential to be great and hopefully we see him progress this year.

I personally don't think that Mullins is a starting caliber player. I think he is a great scrappy player who will be great for us off the bench, but I don't want to see him starting every game. He came off the bench 13 times to score 4 goals and started 11 times for only 2 goals. That's a goal every 5 games he started vs a goal every 3 games he came off the bench. He doesn't have to be a goal every other game guy like Villa, but a goal every five games is not good production for a forward.

I am also ok with bringing in an EDS guy like Baker to compete with Shelton for those right wing minutes.

That's quite simple. We know what they're capable of. Shelton is developing, playing an opponent he should be making strides against, and might be fighting for his spot in the XI depending on who PV might be able to grab from City. That's also dumb to look plainly at Mullins' production. He tries to play off the shoulder and NO ONE was on the field even trying to feed him because everything was side to side and backwards.
 
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I think everyone agrees that Poku's best spot is CAM, but we got Lamps who can't be going box to box anymore. I think the best bet right now would be for Poku to start at CF and have Mullins sub in Lampard and allow Poku to move to CAM.

I would rather see Shelton with his speed on the wing. I also thought that Shelton did a great job backtracking on defense. Obviously it was a little disappointing to see Shelton not convert on his chances, but I think some of you are a little too critical of Shelton. Where is the vitriol for Lampard and Villa for not converting on their chances against PR? I am hoping for big improvements for Shelton this year working with PV and his new staff who all have a developmental background. He is the one young player we have now besides Poku/Mix that have the potential to be great and hopefully we see him progress this year.

I personally don't think that Mullins is a starting caliber player. I think he is a great scrappy player who will be great for us off the bench, but I don't want to see him starting every game. He came off the bench 13 times to score 4 goals and started 11 times for only 2 goals. That's a goal every 5 games he started vs a goal every 3 games he came off the bench. He doesn't have to be a goal every other game guy like Villa, but a goal every five games is not good production for a forward.

I am also ok with bringing in an EDS guy like Baker to compete with Shelton for those right wing minutes.


Apparently PV believes Lamps can still play box to box. Look at the lineup from Friday night.
 
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I was busting your balls about the Shelton inclusion. If he gets a lot of minutes this year, it's going to be indicative of our attack struggling. His touch and decision making needs a lot of improvement.

(And really, I know about needing to improve in decision-making.)

I'm not Kreis, Midas.
 
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I have a feeling there will be a PTBNL who will end up starting at forward, whether an MC loanee or new blood, someone with some speed. Otherwise (and even if so) hoping that PV can accelerate Khiry's development in other facets as his speed is a potential game changer. MLS defenders often have trouble handling speed (see for example our D), and with an improvement on touch and nose for goal, it would make Khiry dangerous getting by defenders, making runs, drawing fouls etc. I still have hope for him, but would be very happy with a holiday gift by way of a new speedy forward to both compliment and supplement DV.
 
The only way Khiry or Mullins will become better finishers is with playing time. Same for any other young player be it our draft pick or a loanee.

Unless you want to splurge on a CF or RW with all of our TAM and buy a finished product, let's actually let the kid we drafted last year develop.
 
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The only way Khiry or Mullins will become better finishers is with playing time. Same for any other young player be it our draft pick or a loanee.

Unless you want to splurge on a CF or RW with all of our TAM and buy a finished product, let's actually let the kid we drafted last year develop.
I agree with this as applied to both Mullins and Shelton. Let's spend our TAM on defense. We've got a front 6 that can do some serious damage next year. Our D on the other hand ...
 
Vitoria is a waste, was a terrible CB for Philly last year. Listen, most MLS pundits and every Union fan says the same thing, White is just a journeyman. So we just spent more on a younger Kwame. Not the smartest move.

Beyond that, it was clear in the YES article yesterday that the main reason NYC brought in White was because our wonderful and apparently coach-firing-spree-survivor goalkeeping coach, who used to work at Philly, recommended him. I am so glad that Reyna and PV are getting player acquisition advice from a failed coach and TD from the hapless Union. This is what a FO led by Reyna will get us. More of the same from last year.
After your post, I began to join the fire Reyna campaign
 
The only way Khiry or Mullins will become better finishers is with playing time. Same for any other young player be it our draft pick or a loanee.

Unless you want to splurge on a CF or RW with all of our TAM and buy a finished product, let's actually let the kid we drafted last year develop.
Yep, I think Shelton is the type of guy that really needs to feel relaxed and at home to perform his best and I'm not sure NYCFC's first season really provided that kind of atmosphere.

Imagine how hard it is to start your first season of pro-ball alongside a visibly pissed off David Villa? It has to be intimidating and nerve-racking, who can play well with Villa throwing a fit at everything you do?

I think PV might be able to talk down Villa and talk up Shelton. Shelton is the perfect project for a PV.
 
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