RBNJ Postmatch

[EganSoccerWords]

Not pretty, though I will say that in watching the condensed 20 minutes version of the game on MLS Live, he was the direct pass or the secondary pass on at least 4 or 5 goal scoring opportunities. It struck me if only because I didn't remember him doing that much other than playing a very nice ball down the sideline for Harrison to run onto which led to the second goal.

I just finished watching the condensed game too. Lampard made a lot of key passes. The chemistry that Harrison is developing with Villa & Lampard is awesome.

It seems like everyone is on the T-Mac doesn't do anything bandwagon but how much of it is it really with the emergence of Harrison the last couple of games that we are attacking heavily down the right side. He had a couple of nice passes and one scoring opportunity even though he should have passed to Harrison cutting in the middle. I think would like to see eventually T-Mac move into Lampard or Pirlo's spot depending on their contracts next year and a add a true winger that can cross and cut inside with pace, but I don't know if any other player on the roster gives us more than T-Mac right now.

 

[Fantazma]

Even pre-game before this one, there were some WWE-like quotes from Dax and co. which I thought were too cocky.

i dont mind WWE type comments pre game/ post game etc....i DO mind pricks like kljestan going after players in dead ball situations...or the RB players going studs up on opposing players with no intention to play the ball....like pirlo has suffered.....in two games.

 

[Viewfrom226]

I just finished watching the condensed game too. Lampard made a lot of key passes. The chemistry that Harrison is developing alot great chemistry with Villa & Lampard.

It seems like everyone is on the T-Mac doesn't do anything bandwagon but how much of it is it really with the emergence of Harrison the last couple of games that we are attacking heavily down the right side. He had a couple of nice passes and one scoring opportunity even though he should have passed to Harrison cutting in the middle. I think would like to see eventually T-Mac move into Lampard or Pirlo's spot depending on their contracts next year and a add a true winger that can cross and cut inside with pace, but I don't know if any other player on the roster gives us more than T-Mac right now.

Totally agree on TMac. I think he is he best option for now, particularly as a 60 minute guy. But, that is a prime spot for an upgrade.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Totally agree on TMac. I think he is he best option for now, particularly as a 60 minute guy. But, that is a prime spot for an upgrade.

If we were to move Mix and bring in a winger, we could move TMac back to midfield as the first offensive option off the bench. That said, I still prefer bringing someone who can provide an upgrade to central defense.

 

[Ccmcadam]

Could not agree more.

I've been whining about this since the start of last season. It'simply goes with the territory we had to endure this nonsense from internet village idiots, but it's mind boggling when you see this garbage from so called professionals who should know better. That's why a clown like Wahl should be kicked squarely in the nuts and I wouldn't click on a link to his work if you paid me.

Yeah, it's been pretty absurd especially this season but I've started to just ignore it. If any other team had the victories we have had this year they'd be way higher in the power rankings and reporters would be lauding them every game. I imagine this is due to our foreign ownership and how we basically came in with a ton of money and big names (both of which MLS teams aren't known for aside from really LA). I mean PHI and COL were both around us (if not below us) in the table at the end of last season yet after a few games when they were both high in the tables they got so much praise from the media. We do something similar and it's constantly being said that our stats will average out to lower than we are.

I just find reading and listening to people promote this stuff comical and will love when we finish near the top of the eastern conference and make a good run in the playoffs.

 

[EganSoccerWords]

i dont mind WWE type comments pre game/ post game etc....i DO mind pricks like kljestan going after players in dead ball situations...or the RB players going studs up on opposing players with no intention to play the ball....like pirlo has suffered.....in two games.

and literal chokeholds with zero punishment during or after the game.

 

[Rimil]

Bummer, i couldn't keep reading through this thread. so very testy. On to the next match.

 

[JayH]

Bummer, i couldn't keep reading through this thread. so very testy. On to the next match.

Which unbelievably somehow happens to be tomorrow. I could almost use a few more days to come back down to earth. Well, not really. Is it tomorrow yet?!?

 

[mgarbowski]

As this is the first time we've managed to attain first place at a meaningful point in the season, I'm not going to moan about lack of respect.
I am curious to see where we are in the Power Rankings probably coming out tomorrow. I think we are at 11th through last week. Based on PPG we're now tied for 1st in the East and 5th overall. Maximum respect would have them list us above those rankings at 3rd or 4th. I see less than 2% chance of that. Minimum respect has them putting us around 7th, behind all 4 West teams with better PPG and also Montreal and Philly. Rational for putting us behind Philly and Montreal would be strength of schedule. I'm not saying that's fair but what they would say. Sub-minimum respect and active diss would be anything below 7th, because the next best records are teams we beat and the ppg gap is pretty big (Portland and Vancouver). I predict 6th or 7th.

 

[Vallos]

ESPN has their rankings up.

4. New York City FC (+4)

There are almost too many positives to list from NYCFC's win over the Red Bulls on Saturday. It was a rivalry win, their first at Yankee Stadium this year, and took them to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-...e-colorado-rapids-atop-the-mls-power-rankings

 

[Ulrich]

ESPN has their rankings up.

4. New York City FC (+4)

There are almost too many positives to list from NYCFC's win over the Red Bulls on Saturday. It was a rivalry win, their first at Yankee Stadium this year, and took them to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-...e-colorado-rapids-atop-the-mls-power-rankings

The generous rankings for Montreal and RB are ridiculous. RB has the most losses in the league.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

hes not worth it. half the forum has him on ignore.

Well, now I know why I often have to repeat my prescient insights. Good to know we don't have that many people with comprehension issues. Mystery solved.

 

[mgarbowski]

The generous rankings for Montreal and RB are ridiculous. RB has the most losses in the league.

If Montreal at 3 is unwarranted than so is NYCFC at 4 because we're effectively tied when you account for games played. I can see why it should be us at 4 and them at 5 but that's hardly the worst over-ranking apart from RB (which I agree is ridiculous). Portland at 5 is insane. They're ranked 9th in PPG and 10th in points. I can't justify them over RSL and the Galaxy. SKC should also be lower. Their position in the standings is significantly a function of games played. They have a tiny points lead over 3-4 teams with more games to play.
ETA: I know that the point of power rankings is to look beyond the standings but I see nothing to justify these teams ranked so much higher than their official spots.

 

[JayH]

I loved watching Iraola sprint full speed at Duvall and go after him after he stomped Pirlo. He's taking his new position very seriously. Andoni the Enforcer.

 

[danger]

This thread should be a happier place.

I bought two extra tickets to the first derby this season, forgot I had done that, and ate them on top of the 7-0 loss followed by having spent 1,500 cityzens points on the most depressing post match meet-and-greet/send-off for just desserts.

This time, my sister (who I went to my first MLS game with back in 2012) and my brother-in-law flew up for the holiday weekend and they had a fantastic time, as did I. Now I'm slowly savoring the highlight videos/condensed match/post-game interviews to sustain the positivity

 

[Gotham Gator]

If Montreal at 3 is unwarranted than so is NYCFC at 4 because we're effectively tied when you account for games played. I can see why it should be us at 4 and them at 5 but that's hardly the worst over-ranking apart from RB (which I agree is ridiculous). Portland at 5 is insane. They're ranked 9th in PPG and 10th in points. I can't justify them over RSL and the Galaxy. SKC should also be lower. Their position in the standings is significantly a function of games played. They have a tiny points lead over 3-4 teams with more games to play.
ETA: I know that the point of power rankings is to look beyond the standings but I see nothing to justify these teams ranked so much higher than their official spots.

Well, think about things that can justify a ranking besides points: recent form, players in-out of the lineup, lucky breaks, goal differential.

Pretty much all those except for the last would suggest putting us higher than our place in the table.

Portland has had a solid run of form recently, and going into the league leaders and stealing a draw isn't bad.

New Jersey has cooled off the last three games with only one point, but before that, they had taken 4 straight. They probably deserve something around #8-10.

 

[Ccmcadam]

ESPN has their rankings up.

4. New York City FC (+4)

There are almost too many positives to list from NYCFC's win over the Red Bulls on Saturday. It was a rivalry win, their first at Yankee Stadium this year, and took them to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-...e-colorado-rapids-atop-the-mls-power-rankings

Loved seeing this but I'm more interested in seeing MLS' Power Rankings only because they had us ridiculously low all season even after we went on these two good runs of form. I think after our sounders win it was the first time we broke into the single-digits place (1-9 as opposed to 11-20). We didn't even do it after beating Portland IN Portland and tying TOR in Toronto.

But very happy to see at least one media outlet acknowledging our progress.

 

[Goodfella]

It didn't result in a goal but one of my favorite highlights of the match is David Villa juking Dax "Chuckie" McCarty out of his little boots not once, but twice, on the same run. Dax is left grasping at Villa's shirt back for balance at the end.

 

[gbservis]

I say you play your best CM, Diskerud, and relegate holiday frank to the bench for late game appearances like they did in Manchester. Mix plays defense and isn't careless with possession.

You can check my post history I have been a serious Lampard detractor and a big Mix supporter but after watching a healthy Lampard play the last few games I'll admit I was wrong.

The things Lampard does to help us win don't always show up in the box score and at times can be very subtle. The guy's positioning is amazing. He might not have the legs to track back like Mix but he contributes on D in different but possibly more effective ways. Watch how many times after we turn the ball over and the opposing player looks to make the first up field pass only to see Lampard positioned directly in the passing lane. Invariably this causes the player to slow down and look to a second option allowing our players to get back and/or press as needed. For a team that plays ina heavily counter attack based league, likes to let our fullbacks get way up field and has slower midfielders these disruptions are extremely valuable.

On offense watch how Lampard, Prilo, and Iraola play in tight spaces using very slight shifts in positioning to create space and free each other up. Prilo often will have the ball, Lampard will draw defenders away and Iraola will slide into space. Nothing hits the stat sheet but the play doesn't happen without Lampard's movement. Mix doesn't play in tight spaces he moves away from them trying to find open space because that's where he is comfortable.

My preference would be for Mix to stay and learn from these guys intern becoming a key part of our future when they move on but I can understand why the team may move him. Right now Mix doesn't fit. If we had a team full of fast young guys, played a very direct style and played on a bigger home field he would be great. Unfortunately at the moment we play all of our home games on a tiny field, our system is based on playing out of the back and our midfield is full of guys who excel the most when they are surrounded by others with the same world class positional awareness as they possess.

 

[JayH]

Photo Credit to someone on Twitterverse