Toronto Postmatch - Goodbye 2016

[Angela Miller]

That was a beat down tonight - NYCFC didn't even belong on the same field as Toronto. The team couldn't even put on any early pressure (the ball was in the defensive third for the first 6 minutes before Giovinco got isolated on Brilliant, made a good play and it was over).

Way too much to discuss in the offseason, but several questions about the game:

1. The team committed to playing out of the back, but it was cringeworthy - the team could not get it out of their own end...the passing crispness was awful, compared to Toronto who would get the turnover, two quick passes and off to the races. The speed of play was so slow.

2. Much has been made about Toronto and their 3-5-2...it didn't seem that PV changed his lineup at all - which led to the mismatches across midfield. You had players dribbling into triple teams. Awful.

3. The fitness level seemed way off...NYC was late to every ball, was muscled off the ball easily and seemed a step late the entire game. You can nitpick the ref and a couple of early calls (plus wasn't Jozy offside on the third goal?) but that isn't why they lost.

4. This game is example A of why your DPs need to be your best player. Compare Giovinco, Altidore and Bradley - the people who pretty much drove the Toronto side - to Villa (who never touched the ball), Pirlo (injured and ineffective) and Lampard (not fit and ineffective). That is why NYCFC got blown out.

Hurts to know that there was a path to MLS Cup not through RBNY - NYC most likely would have matched up well vs Montreal. The secret to beating City is out - stack midfield and press. There is not enough talent to play out of the back against a team with a strong midfield or who can press.

The Guy in your picture needs to go home to the dog he left behind !!! Poor Dogie !!!

 

[sonastride]

That was not how I wanted our season to end but alas it happened. Gotta give it to Toronto who definitely outplayed us today.

I'd like to thank all you forum members. I'm still learning about soccer tactics and strategy but I've gained a lot of knowledge from you all through supporting this team especially when it comes to our non-existent stadium. Also to Chicken Bucket FC for bringing that insane chant to every game. It was a wild ride of a season but looking forward to the next. See you all next season!

 

[Keith Putnam]

The team committed to playing out of the back, but it was cringeworthy - the team could not get it out of their own end...the passing crispness was awful

It's the unfortunate result of not having the squad to perform the tactic. Committing to playing out of the back requires acceptance that the countermove is to press you. To beat the press, you need players who can do two things extremely well: play their way out of very tight spaces, and play accurate one-touch pass and move.
The reason Vieria's POFTB system isn't used much in MLS is because MLS teams can't afford enough players who have those skills at the level required. You'd need a backline and a midfield entirely made up of DPs.

 

[Kjbert]

We struggle when guys who can't possess are involved in distribution. Saunders. RJ Allen. McNamara. Mendoza.

You know who improved vastly in that department this year? Shelton. I would love to see him as a target man holding up olay

 

[Ulrich]

We struggle when guys who can't possess are involved in distribution. Saunders. RJ Allen. McNamara. Mendoza.

You know who improved vastly in that department this year? Shelton. I would love to see him as a target man holding up olay

Only when he's running towards their goal, he's very tough to dispossess. When he's facing ours, he passes across field to the other team.

 

[Kjbert]

Did Mix bang your wife too? I figure he must have banged PVs. But your relishing the fact that we willfully made our team worse is weird AF.

I was told yesterday he will never play for us again. This isn't my opinion. It's what I was told. I could care less either way.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

I was told yesterday he will never play for us again. This isn't my opinion. It's what I was told. I could care less either way.

Well that much was obvious to everyone a long time ago. I don't suppose your source gave you a reason, did he?

 

[Hobo]

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

Cleaned it up a little. Let's not go that route...
The team lost, not by any fault of ours.
Take it to PM if you must.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

Cleaned it up a little. Let's not go that route...
The team lost, not by any fault of ours.
Take it to PM if you must.

Don't make me call Angela on you.

 

[Ulrich]

We failed so miserably tonight because we worship false idols: Chicken Bucket.

I'm not going to comment on the game at this point because there isn't much I want to talk about, but I'll talk about everything else...

- They gave out the Playoffs State of Mind scarves to those Pitchside, so I can add another to the collection. I also picked up the two scarves I redeemed from Cityzens. So, in total I was wearing four scarves tonight.
- Thought the pregame atmosphere was awesome. This is why I enjoy night games so much. The blackout, the Irish band, the pyro, the white smoke (as steam from the sewer pipes). If they could do some of this for every game, it would make Yankee Stadium even better for soccer.
- The construction was really evident. The dugouts were gone, the bleacher sections closest had part removed, etc.
- In front of me was Drew Moor's wife, baby, and family. They were fun to talk too. They laughed at all my banter during the match. One of them said I should have my own reality show.
- After halftime, I said to Patrick, "This building was built for miracles. Always believe." He nodded. A miracle will come soon for us.
- I'm glad it was a quick rip of a band-aid to know we were out. Maybe this was better than having it be close and losing in a typical city fashion.
- Saw Leslie Jones leaving the stadium. She is a very large and tall person.
- Funny when they showed Mike Myers everyone was booing since we was wearing a Canadian hat. That box was probably full of celebrity and not the best showing to get them fans of us for the future.

- I was told that Vieira ended practice early on Saturday because Alexi Lalas, Fox Sports & Co. wanted to film practice and do interviews. Vieira didn't want that, but there's a league rule that the media is allowed inside the last 30 minutes of practice. He wasn't going to have any of that.
- 5 goals is going to make any keeper look bad, and Johansen didn't have the best night. Still, I just pray that this showing by him won't loom largely in considering 2017 roster decision and lineups.

I'll add any more commentary if I remember something.

A great season in context considering no one expected us to be where we got. 2017 will be even better.

Their construction was a week too early. They ripped out the two sets of water fountains by my seats. That's lame and actually a code violation. Par for the course with the Yankees.

The only goal that was on Lurch was the 5th(?) that dipped on him with a funky bounce. Total howler, but I can't fault him if his head was already demoralized - the other goals weren't his fault. He made some absolutely incredible saves tonight, ones that saunders wouldn't have made without his extra height/reach.

And I told you not to wear multiple scarves.... four?!?! Really?!?!

 

[roxfontaine]

It's only year two.
It's only year twoooooo.
We have a good reason.
Now what's your excuse?

City all day. We'll be back. We'll be better.

 

[LionNYC]

Anyone know the reason behind Mendoza's exclusion from the 18?

 

[Midas Mulligan]

It's only year two.
It's only year twoooooo.
We have a good reason.
Now what's your excuse?

City all day. We'll be back. We'll be better.

Man, I know we'll be better some day. But next year may not be it.

We actually over-achieved for our play this year. And that scares me for next year.

We absolutely must get some midfielders who can and will run. And Villa will be one year older, as will AI. And Pirlo will still be TWD.

If a team doesn't high press us, their manager should be immediately fired for sabotage. It's so easy to stop us from even getting going. We need a big revamps.

That said, sing on. I'll be there to watch it whatever happens. Unless it's 5-0 aggregate. Then, my ass is going home.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

Anyone know the reason behind Mendoza's exclusion from the 18?

Seconded.

 

[Hobo]

Anyone know the reason behind Mendoza's exclusion from the 18?

Diwali?

 

[Christopher Jee]

2. Much has been made about Toronto and their 3-5-2...it didn't seem that PV changed his lineup at all - which led to the mismatches across midfield. You had players dribbling into triple teams. Awful.

3. The fitness level seemed way off...NYC was late to every ball, was muscled off the ball easily and seemed a step late the entire game. You can nitpick the ref and a couple of early calls (plus wasn't Jozy offside on the third goal?) but that isn't why they lost.

Solid post.

To point 2) – I thought we came out in a 4-3-3. Small mod was that Iraola dropped when we had the ball and I think both Matarrita and RJ pinched in. Something that Guardiola has been doing but we can't possess the way his teams do so when we lose the ball, we leave a lot of space wide. This is how Giovinco got isolated twice. We went back to the weird 3-2-2-1 I think when Shelton came on.

It didn't work. I think this may be your point 3). I suspect it's got something to do with all of the tinkering. We lacked familiarity, we weren't moving fluently, which makes sense if we are subtly shifting shape so often. I hope Vieira learns from this.

Already looking forward to next season!

 

[Kjbert]

They need a thoroughbred in midfield.

 

[Davo15]

Well it was always going to be nigh on impossible to overturn the first leg still that got a little ugly... but I still think we surpassed realistic expectations for year two on the whole. I now expect/hope for some serious turn over so we can continue to improve in year 3 and on about the only bright side from today at least we're not the ones that are 0 for 21 in the quest for an MLS cup unlike some teams that could be named.

 

[Jock]

Can't fault the fans - it was a great atmosphere from start to finish, even though a lot of the seats emptied out steadily from half time on!

Although on the field we were served a huge pile of dog shite. The worst performance since the Red Bull Wedding and an embarrassment to watch.

For one of the goals, we lost it on a shite pass on the halfway and I was in the middle of telling my mate how that summed up our game and season when the ball went in the net. We had a lot of highs (particularly compared to last season) and a number of lows, but again, this season was a great lesson in what it's like to be a football fan and I enjoyed it a great deal.

Roll on 2017 with a dozen or so fresh faces (new DP??) and FOOTBALL AGAIN, if President Trump allows it.

 

[ManhattanValley]

Chanot was absolutely horrible tonight. My god. Him and Brillant are paid too much to have them shit the bed so horribly in our biggest game of the year like that. It must be in Brillant's contract that he has to implode three times a season.

Tonight sucked, but at least we made it clear that we could give up hope early on. And generally speaking, this season was great. So weirdly enough, I don't mind how it ended. We're going to be even better next year.