Scrappy vs Refined Tactics: How do you feel about our playoff chances this year?

[jaycrewz]

I know its the MLS, and I know most teams will not be as tactical as the best teams in top Euro leagues...but I do feel NYCFC is lacking in this department even when compared to some of the good teams in our league like Toronto or Houston.

Having watched several of those other teams games, and watching NYCFC this year, it seems we have a lot of scrappy play. Which can lead to wins, like our comeback against Philly yesterday....but I worry about the playoffs. We need more sustained and confident tactical play.

And tbh, I think a part of the reason for our scrappiness is Yankee Stadium. It still seems like players come to this stadium, and have a hard time with the shrunken dimensions and adjusting to the different playstyle it requires. Imagine playing on normal sized pitches all your life, and then playing professionally on a bit of a smaller pitch on a baseball field.

I feel like NYCFC knock the ball around in the air or try to bomb it forward more at home than when on the road. I feel like I see more combinations and tactics on the road. Am I wrong?

 

[JGarrettLieb]

I know its the MLS, and I know most teams will not be as tactical as the best teams in top Euro leagues...but I do feel NYCFC is lacking in this department even when compared to some of the good teams in our league like Toronto or Houston.

Having watched several of those other teams games, and watching NYCFC this year, it seems we have a lot of scrappy play. Which can lead to wins, like our comeback against Philly yesterday....but I worry about the playoffs. We need more sustained and confident tactical play.

And tbh, I think a part of the reason for our scrappiness is Yankee Stadium. It still seems like players come to this stadium, and have a hard time with the shrunken dimensions and adjusting to the different playstyle it requires. Imagine playing on normal sized pitches all your life, and then playing professionally on a bit of a smaller pitch on a baseball field.

I feel like NYCFC knock the ball around in the air or try to bomb it forward more at home than when on the road. I feel like I see more combinations and tactics on the road. Am I wrong?

I completely disagree with your assessment of how our team is lacking in sustained and confident tactical play.

Our A- and B+ team are lacking in sustained and confident play.

Our A team, or best XI is monsterous and probably the best team in the league. We have managed to put that team on the field for roughly two games. With Mata and Herrera back the team looks completely different, more stout on defense and stronger offensively. Additionally with the full XI we have the youth and legs available to really be physical and cover more ground. Look at the first Atlanta game we were high pressing for parts of it, do you really think that we can pull that stuff off when Ucubed is flailing around in our midfield?

FFS yesterday the Union were barely marking Ucubed because they wanted us to pass the fricking ball to him. We are not our best selves and have only been so on rare occasion. I'm in no way concerned about the rest of the season, except for injuries.

 

[roxfontaine]

^ Injuries and international duty.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

I know its the MLS, and I know most teams will not be as tactical as the best teams in top Euro leagues...but I do feel NYCFC is lacking in this department even when compared to some of the good teams in our league like Toronto or Houston.

Having watched several of those other teams games, and watching NYCFC this year, it seems we have a lot of scrappy play. Which can lead to wins, like our comeback against Philly yesterday....but I worry about the playoffs. We need more sustained and confident tactical play.

And tbh, I think a part of the reason for our scrappiness is Yankee Stadium. It still seems like players come to this stadium, and have a hard time with the shrunken dimensions and adjusting to the different playstyle it requires. Imagine playing on normal sized pitches all your life, and then playing professionally on a bit of a smaller pitch on a baseball field.

I feel like NYCFC knock the ball around in the air or try to bomb it forward more at home than when on the road. I feel like I see more combinations and tactics on the road. Am I wrong?

Also, I don't think this is really a tactics post. If it were, there's a thread for that.

 

[ZYanksRule]

To answer the question in the headline of this thread: I think we are one of the best teams in the league and at full strength I'd match up our XI with anyone's.

 

[Sabo]

Compared to the rest of MLS we don't use scrappy play as the benchmark of what we do. I haven't seen updated stats lately, but we have completed about 20% more passes than any other team in the league, have about 57% possession for the season. NYCFC insists on playing the ball out of the back whether its the MLS team or our youth teams. Most teams are afraid to do that at either level.

We have to mix it up sometimes and play direct balls over the top -- we probably see that more often when we don't have Pirlo or our starting XI on the field.

We play the most attractive soccer in MLS.

Its just a matter of time before we go on a 3-4 win streak and are clearly one of the top 2 teams in the East. Toronto is a deeper team and it shows in the standings right now.