Postmatch Toronto

[NYCFC_JD]

Toronto played the EXACT same lineup as Wednesday and were still playing without using subs way into the second half. Bunkering helps them out by letting them control rhythm and conserve energy. I guarantee if those tired players are on the back foot they will make mistakes which lead to goals. And road goals count.

Paragraph for griping: Completely agree with this. There was no reason whatsoever for the game plan Vieira chose. The big advantage you get with the bye week is fresh legs, and we completely threw that out the window. At no point tonight did we look like we were playing to win. If we saw that, then Vanney and Toronto sure as hell saw it. A 90 minute soccer game requires balance. You cannot ask your defense to defend for 90 straight minutes and expect not to get beat. Was the ball ever out of our half of the field for more than 30 seconds? Brilliant and Chanot were great tonight, and I didn't see Iraola do much wrong, but everyone else on the field was garbage tonight. Many others have already said it, but I'm so disappointed in Mata tonight... honestly just looked like he did not give a f!@# about this game.

Paragraph for balance: With all of the above said, we just have to move on. Just like the 7-0 against RBNY. You just have to say okay, that's one game, we sucked, and we have to win the next one. In the big picture, it's our 2nd year. Vieira will learn from this. Pirlo not be available killed us, and that just shows that we are not deep enough. Not hating on Mix, but you just can't have $750k of cap space tied up in someone you're never going to play. That's money that buys a starting caliber defensive mid that gives you an option when Pirlo is injured. We have that tonight, and maybe we're looking at a different game plan and a different result. Vieira's 2nd year will be an opportunity to continue to build the roster and improve off a great season.

Paragraph for hope: We sure as hell are not done yet. If you need an argument, here's my argument: This is MLS. Anything can happen in this league. Crazier things have definitely happened in playoffs past. The biggest question is which NYCFC is going to show up. I care about us winning, of course, but I care more about the fans and the team showing up and putting forth 110% effort. If we lose 3-2 on aggregate, it'll be disappointing, but so be it. If we go down, we better go down swinging - not the bullshit we saw tonight. If Villa and Lampard and others play with the amount of heart and desire to win as I think they will next Sunday, this ain't over.

 

[LionNYC]

Patrick Vieria this week...

“I look in the dressing room and we know anything can happen. We have to believe, we have to give ourselves a chance and go for it.”

 

[ZYanksRule]

Paragraph for hope: We sure as hell are not done yet. If you need an argument, here's my argument: This is MLS. Anything can happen in this league. Crazier things have definitely happened in playoffs past. The biggest question is which NYCFC is going to show up. I care about us winning, of course, but I care more about the fans and the team showing up and putting forth 110% effort. If we lose 3-2 on aggregate, it'll be disappointing, but so be it. If we go down, we better go down swinging - not the bullshit we saw tonight. If Villa and Lampard and others play with the amount of heart and desire to win as I think they will next Sunday, this ain't over.

We've all watched enough of this team this season to know that if they go down, they'll go down fighting.

 

[Viewfrom226]

Personally, I have no problem with the tactics. We've been getting shredded in the road for three months save for the Houston match and have been consistently winning at home. The goal should be to keep it close so you can win it at home. Commentary on the lineup, some of the performances and roster construction requires some sleep first because those are all much more complicated for me.

 

[NYCFC_JD]

I'm not sure they do anymore, but they used to play this at Yankee stadium... maybe around the 7th or 8th inning when the Yanks were down. Thought it was perfectly fitting for right now....
Nothing is over!

 

[S1ARK5]

PV created a team to go out and score goals and then threw his whole philosophy in the toilet to try to bunker out a 0-0. Yes, he brought on Lamps and Shelton. Losing this game 2-1 or 3-2 is much better then just trying to hold 0-0.

Toronto played the EXACT same lineup as Wednesday and were still playing without using subs way into the second half. Bunkering helps them out by letting them control rhythm and conserve energy. I guarantee if those tired players are on the back foot they will make mistakes which lead to goals. And road goals count.

Season is over, folks. NYCFC will bounce back and most likely win on Sunday, but because they will give up a goal to Toronto, they need to beat Toronto by 3 goals. Not happening. Toronto has only lost by 3 once in the regular season (to the RBNJ where they got stomped on early and then TOR got red carded).

Imagine this - even if NYCFC is stomping TOR and winning by 3 goals, TOR is just one goal away from advancing. TOR is not Columbus or Chicago. They will not get blown out.

My thoughts exactly. I just don't get it. Rest? Taking Villa out at 75 mins? The next game is 7 days away wtf??????? In soccer you do not need more then 3 days off for the next game, I have always said this, and I have played the game before so its not like the NFL where your body is totally shot for the first 3-4 days.

Again we were one of the leagues leading in goals scored and yet we come out and play for a fucking draw, one of the most puzzling things I have seen in sports.

 

[S1ARK5]

I agree with you, but to be in this spot two years into the franchise, after last year, is pretty remarkable. We were (arguably) the underdog going into this series anyway, since the only reason Toronto fell out of the top 2 was Giovinco's injury.

Listen, I want them to win this thing. I want them to go all the way. But sometimes you have to be realistic with your expectations. They're not a top-4 team in this league, not with their defense the way it is. This is a good team, but this realistically isn't the kind of team that deserves to win a title this year. I hope they continue to work on improving the backline -- if they do that, then I'll believe they're a team capable of winning a trophy.

Also, why are you speaking in the past tense? We're behind the 8-ball, but this thing is far from over.

I agree but fact is we did make it to the playoffs playing a certain way and lineup. To totally dismiss that and play not to lose instead of win is what is pissing me off and a lot others. I think even if we beat TFC and advance, which I still think can happen easily, there is no way we beat Jersey so might as well not even advance if it means getting beat by them again. Rather lose to TFC. We are not there yet as a team.

 

[LionNYC]

“I had all week to make a decision,” Vieira said. “I’m really happy with the decision that I made.”

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/792888403352231936

 

[NYCFCfan]

What would you make of a player's agent outside of the locker room on an away trip?

 

[LionNYC]

What would you make of a player's agent outside of the locker room on an away trip?

He enjoys travel. Mix?

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

What would you make of a player's agent outside of the locker room on an away trip?

Not much, might have just flown out to take in the game. Which player? Mix was back home obviously.

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

He enjoys travel. Mix?

Mix didn't make the trip

 

[NYCFCfan]

He enjoys travel. Mix?

Frank's

 

[LionNYC]

Mix didn't make the trip

Doesn't mean the agent didn't go to Toronto. Maybe it's not an NYCFC players agent but someone coming into the team for 2017.

 

[NYCFCfan]

Also the mood in the locker room was like a funeral. Vieira was not a happy camper.

The players all seemed like they just wanted to go home and forget about tonight. Everyone was looking forward to sunday. Hoping that there is a loud crowd behind them for it.

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

Also the mood in the locker room was like a funeral. Vieira was not a happy camper.

The players all seemed like they just wanted to go home and forget about tonight. Everyone was looking forward to sunday. Hoping that there is a loud crowd behind them for it.

I can imagine. The game was pretty much lost before it began.

 

[NickA]

A few more minutes and a 0-0 result, many of you would have applauded Viera for a defensive masterclass.

A few points regardless...

There's no reason at all to start Lopez AND Bravo. Lopez is a sporadic substitute that sometimes helps close a game out. He's not a starter. I'm fine with Bravo in there...but you have a legit starter in T-Mac on the bench and if Lampard is well enough to sub, you could have started him also instead of Lopez. That boggles my mind.

Both goals were bullshit goals and a clearance away for not happening. We parked the bus from the get go with no-skill
midfielders that can't handle a press. Pirlo was missed. We could hardly go beyond midfield for the majority of the game. Again. If Pirlo is not there...start Lampard or TMac.

Everyone wants to sign this guy, or sign that guy now. That wasn't the problem. The problem was our coach playing not to lose instead of playing to win. Toronto bullied us and pushed us around. They wanted it more. We were playing scared at the end. That's not ok. Patrick tried to be cute and it backfired.

Every time we have a long wait between games, it seems like we suck the first one back..but if memory serves me right, the following game we go off. It'll be hard, but it's doable.

 

[Seven]

Somehow, Simon Borg, the king of handing out red cards, is fine with Villa not getting red for his kickout.

 

[LionNYC]

Also the mood in the locker room was like a funeral. Vieira was not a happy camper.

Evidence of this, NYCFC.com hasn't posted the post game interviews (players and #AskNYCFC with Vieira) or the post game press conference. Typically it's been gone 2-3 hours after a game. Nothing tonight.

But maybe that's just Mark Booth's decision to get more views in the morning.