Patrick Mullins [Forward]

My response to this thread and others where Mullins has run down:

1. Patrick Mullins isn't lazy or a bad player. He has worked hard and given his best for the club. He is probably one of our 10 most talented. But Villa has played almost every minute and is having an MVP season. Mullins really just doesn't fit here right now since he isn't considered for a wide spot.

Not sure what folks expected him to do in 1 appearance of any meaningful length, when he and Mix were the only quality on the field along with a bunch of USL level players. I like him a lot as a player, and I think he will do well at DC.

2. Khiry Shelton is not an acceptable answer as a backup striker. I don't see anything with him other than physical tools. Maybe he could transition into a fullback.

I would have agreed with all of that till the Cosmos match. I can't question his hustle, but his game was way off that night. Fair to judge him solely on that? Probably not, but that's sports. You don't show up when the spotlight is on you, you get panned. That match, right or wrong, represented his 2016 NYC season. He didn't need 90 spectacular minutes, but a shining moment or two would have helped his cause, and it didn't happen.

Do we now have a depth problem at the position? YES. But till the transfer window is over, we don't know the club is not addressing that. However, till its addressed we are exposed.
 
His watch has ended...
And now, his watch has ended
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He actually scored two of the most memorable goals of last season for me.

First, the second goal in the home opener when none of us knew quite how frustrating the season would turn out to be and were deluded into thinking we might actually be good.


And, second, the, out of nowhere, goal against Philadelphia that ended the 11 match winless this streak. By then, I had realized it wasn't likely to be a great season, but that was a moment of pure joy (followed by Leah and me getting booed by the Philly fans).


He was also always one of those guys that I came away far more impressed with when I got to see him live and close-up rather than from afar. Generally worked like an animal, including going toe to toe with Michael Bradley up in Toronto earlier this year.

Ultimately, I agree with others saying that there just wasn't a role for him here that was likely to satisfy him given that we have Villa playing not only fantastically, but nearly all of the time. I hope he does well in DC.
Thanks for posting these. Lots of fun to relive.

And I'm actually in the first video. :)
 
Mullins to me is an excellent super sub. He's not a game breaker but I think he's an excellent goal poacher in front of the next. Right place/right time kind of guy. I saw great glimpses of potential in him during his time at NE and here as well. Not sure if he'll ever be a breakout type starter but need to see a continued string of starts to determine. I think he'll have a solid, steady if not spectacular MLS career.
 
Mullins to me is an excellent super sub. He's not a game breaker but I think he's an excellent goal poacher in front of the next. Right place/right time kind of guy. I saw great glimpses of potential in him during his time at NE and here as well. Not sure if he'll ever be a breakout type starter but need to see a continued string of starts to determine. I think he'll have a solid, steady if not spectacular MLS career.
What amazes me about Mullins, and I thought last year showed glimpses of it, is that for two consecutive years in college he won the Herman Trophy as the best player. I don't follow college soccer, but to win that still seems quite the achievement, and yet I'd never say he's a better player than any number of other guys drafter his year - in many cases far from it. Add to it he was at a College Powerhouse like Maryland, and I have to wonder if he was the beneficiary of being surrounded by great teammates? Like in college football - there are QBs that are competent, but not pro caliber, and yet lead their teams to amazing seasons (all of Alabama's QBs). Hopefully for Mullins' sake, this isn't the case and he finds a team like DC that fits his style of play and he can shine again. I think he's a poised guy off the field, and have always rooted for him on our team, but his play this year was left wanting. Hope he rebounds.
 
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What amazes me about Mullins, and I thought last year showed glimpses of it, is that for two consecutive years in college he won the Herman Trophy as the best player. I don't follow college soccer, but to win that still seems quite the achievement, and yet I'd never say he's a better player than any number of other guys drafter his year - in many cases far from it. Add to it he was at a College Powerhouse like Maryland, and I have to wonder if he was the beneficiary of being surrounded by great teammates? Like in college football - there are QBs that are competent, but not pro caliber, and yet lead their teams to amazing seasons (all of Alabama's QBs). Hopefully for Mullins' sake, this isn't the case and he finds a team like DC that fits his style of play and he can shine again. I think he's a poised guy off the field, and have always rooted for him on our team, but his play this year was left wanting. Hope he rebounds.

I am not sure we will know what he's capable of unless he gets a chance to start consistently in a 2 striker system with enough time to build chemistry with his strike partner. Hopefully he gets that chance with DCU.

Unrelated, everyone seems surprised by how much we get for him and how highly DCU appears to have valued him. The geographic connection with Maryland is an interesting twist to that valuation. I wonder if people in DC have stronger memories of the Maryland version of Mullins than other teams and that played a factor in us getting so much for him.
 
I am not sure we will know what he's capable of unless he gets a chance to start consistently in a 2 striker system with enough time to build chemistry with his strike partner. Hopefully he gets that chance with DCU.

Unrelated, everyone seems surprised by how much we get for him and how highly DCU appears to have valued him. The geographic connection with Maryland is an interesting twist to that valuation. I wonder if people in DC have stronger memories of the Maryland version of Mullins than other teams and that played a factor in us getting so much for him.
Maybe it wasn't so much of DCU valuing him so high, but also having other items they weren't going to use.

The international spot they weren't going to use, so while it did have value for us, the only value it had for DCU was trade-wise.

We don't know how much TAM and GAM was given and yes DCU could have used those, but they haven't shown a willingness to spend, so would they have used it? TAM does roll over year-to-year, but does GAM?

I tried searching on the MLS site, and it was clear TAM rolls over, but wasn't clear if GAM does or not (though I'm assuming it does).
 
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As time goes on MLS will get better and better for nycfc fans because we can watch our seedlings in action all over on different teams. More to bitch about too, if any develop into stars, but still fun.
 
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As time goes on MLS will get better and better for nycfc fans because we can watch our seedlings in action all over on different teams. More to bitch about too, if any develop into stars, but still fun.
Just like Grabavoy... :)
 
I'll be wearing my Mullins Hypno Jersey. I probably won't go to the game, but it'll be the last time this season I'll rep my boy and my team. But I hope my boy loses tbh
 
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Wonder if it's a new, freak injury, or if he's been fighting through something for a while? The latter would explain why he's been off compared to last season.
He had a different injury that he was dealing with for a few weeks, which is why he misssed our game in DC