Toronto Postmatch - Goodbye 2016

[NickA]

Would be curious to hear your take on how the 3-5-2 usually gets broken down given your experience watching Italian football, NickA. It's been a long time since I saw a lot of this formation.

I continually watch teams try to combat the 3-5-2 with Juventus. Some succeed, most don't. They have been adapting lately, going into a 4-4-2 when necessary. They mainly switch when they get bogged down when a team uses a single striker system...like a 4-5-1 or 4-1-4-1. They'll push a CB out wide and push Alves, Sandro or Cuadrado up to the outside mid. If an opponent stacks the midfield, the 3-5-2 can't breathe and you start to see too many sideways and cross-field passing. That's when you know you are locked into them. Obviously Juventus has the personnel to adapt...but that is how they lose...they can't get out of their own way and the offense becomes stagnant.

The beauty of a 3-5-2 is that it can be extremely hard to breakdown. On a narrow field with 3 midfielders, you can count on a double, sometimes triple team every time you have the ball in midfield. They didn't even need to try hard to press us, it was automatic. It leads to turnovers and if you have a solid striker trio (which they do) the counters are dangerous.

If Viera's plan was to hope Harrison and T-Mac could track back and be an outlet for the midfield, he was completely mistaken. I think Shelton and Mendoza would've been better options. In an aggregate scenario where TFC was in the drivers seat and knew that we had to play attacking football, we served it on a platter for them. There is no way that we have the personnel to go 3 v 5 in the midfield.

 

[Kjbert]

Last night felt like the first time the stadium was presented just for NYCFC. I didn't feel like we were in a rented home last night, if that makes any sense. Really gave you a sense of what our own stadium could feel like.

And for roxfontaine , I think your guys did a great job last night. Loved seeing the wall of blue settled into their seats before the game, and they chanted to the very end.

 

[JayH]

Smoke stacks were incredibly cheesy - and I LOVED it. I hope they come back.

I agree. It was a goofy, but fun idea. And it showed that YS was/is amenable to taking some steps to improve the fan experience. I hope that continues next season.

We may finally have achieved some trust between YS and fans (other than the exceptions with last night's bottle throwers, field runner(s), and puto chanters).

 

[Seth]

Smokestacks: Smoke didn't come out fast enough like at other stadiums. That being said, awesome NYC concept, though while white is the natural color for them it's also the color of surrender. Maybe have blue and orange too

New York City steam system street smokestacks:

It took me a while to figure out what those were in the bullpen but I thought it was a great idea. Definitely waaaay too esoteric but I still liked 'em.

Also loved that the police bagpipe band refused to stop playing and the stadium people didn't quite know what to do with the standard MLS walk-on music. And also kudos to them for not blasting it out over the pipers.

All in all it was a totally New York game intro. Someone in the team organization pays attention.

 

[SFphoto]

Any thoughts on the aesthetics, like the fireworks, smoke stacks, tifo, team-colored nets, etc.?

Really liked the smoke stacks. You'd have no idea what it was unless you lived in NYC. Hell, I didn't put it together until kylelovescrayons pointed it out. Nets were cool.

I've said it before, but I really wish we'd copy Timber Joey in Portland. But instead of a logger, we get a deli man to hold up a roll of salmi or capicola, throw it on a slicer and cut off a slice for every goal. He builds a sandwich over the course of the game and the player of the match gets to eat it at the end. Cutting gyro meat off of a vertical cooker/spit also works. I want lunch now.

 

[LionNYC]

Really liked the smoke stacks. You'd have no idea what it was unless you lived in NYC. Hell, I didn't put it together until kylelovescrayons pointed it out. Nets were cool.

I've said it before, but I really wish we'd copy Timber Joey in Portland. But instead of a logger, we get a deli man to hold up a roll of salmi or capicola, throw it on a slicer and cut off a slice for every goal. He builds a sandwich over the course of the game and the player of the match gets to eat it at the end. Cutting gyro meat off of a vertical cooker/spit also works. I want lunch now.

How about a Soup Nazi instead?

Why don't supporters just dress in costume to the game themselves. I remember from an MLS video last year there's a fan at Toronto games that always goes as a Pizza guy with a pizza box. Why can't a fan dress up as Soup Nazi or Deli Man, etc. etc.

 

[engine46]

Really liked the smoke stacks. You'd have no idea what it was unless you lived in NYC. Hell, I didn't put it together until kylelovescrayons pointed it out. Nets were cool.

I've said it before, but I really wish we'd copy Timber Joey in Portland. But instead of a logger, we get a deli man to hold up a roll of salmi or capicola, throw it on a slicer and cut off a slice for every goal. He builds a sandwich over the course of the game and the player of the match gets to eat it at the end. Cutting gyro meat off of a vertical cooker/spit also works. I want lunch now.

...but what happens if we don't score? Just two slices of bread?

 

[NYCFCfan]

...but what happens if we don't score? Just two slices of bread?

Whoever was to blame has to eat the dry bread in front of the fans.

 

[SFphoto]

...but what happens if we don't score? Just two slices of bread?

The whole team has to eat three day old bagels as punishment. Not toppings. No toasting.

 

[NickA]

On an unrelated note...Italian coach was asked about calling Giovinco up, basically said he plays in an inferior league where all his goals mean less. It sucks that MLS still gets a bad rep. I think Gio is fantastic and it sucks to see players get stigmatized cause of the league.

 

[canchon]

Tinfoil hat time - this is all because 1) MLS HQ scheduled the conference finals around BMO Field's schedule and 2) MLS put both of our games on Fox! MLS is rigged!!

One more thing, thanks too for MLS to not nominate Giovinco for MVP. That didn't motivate him at all.

 

[Schwallacus]

On an unrelated note...Italian coach was asked about calling Giovinco up, basically said he plays in an inferior league where all his goals mean less. It sucks that MLS still gets a bad rep. I think Gio is fantastic and it sucks to see players get stigmatized cause of the league.

Didn't the coach call up Pelle too, who plays in the Chinese Premier League?? I can't say I follow the Chinese League at all, but I can't imagine it being better or on a higher level than MLS.

 

[Angela Miller]

How about a Soup Nazi instead?

Why don't supporters just dress in costume to the game themselves. I remember from an MLS video last year there's a fan at Toronto games that always goes as a Pizza guy with a pizza box. Why can't a fan dress up as Soup Nazi or Deli Man, etc. etc.

Or a full on Pigeon from head to toe !!! How could you forgot that ?? It's funny how I never seem to see a bounty of pigeon masks or heads in the stands ? Where's that Support??

 

[Ulrich]

On an unrelated note...Italian coach was asked about calling Giovinco up, basically said he plays in an inferior league where all his goals mean less. It sucks that MLS still gets a bad rep. I think Gio is fantastic and it sucks to see players get stigmatized cause of the league.

But do you think Giovinco would be given so much freedom freelancing across the top with the Italian team? I think he's so effective in MLS because he's in all three forward zones and it's murder on the defenders to mark him and hand him off. From the limited amount I know of the Italian team, it seems to be very system-based and there isn't much crazy freelancing - is this accurate? If so, then they'd have to re-think the team's tactics to fit him in.

 

[joe]

Or a full on Pigeon from head to toe !!! How could you forgot that ?? It's funny how I never seem to see a bounty of pigeon masks or heads in the stands ? Where's that Support??

Stadium rules prohibit wearing masks/having your face covered

 

[NickA]

Didn't the coach call up Pelle too, who plays in the Chinese Premier League?? I can't say I follow the Chinese League at all, but I can't imagine it being better or on a higher level than MLS.

It's not better and he hasn't necessarily been killing it there either. He was good with Feyenoord & Southampton previously but nothing spectacular. He's a strong guy, good header and shot power. I'd assume it's to fill that stereotypical striker role.

Every Italy game I watch, I totally see Gio being able to make an impact. Doesnt make sense to not even be called to train.

 

[NickA]

But do you think Giovinco would be given so much freedom freelancing across the top with the Italian team? I think he's so effective in MLS because he's in all three forward zones and it's murder on the defenders to mark him and hand him off. From the limited amount I know of the Italian team, it seems to be very system-based and there isn't much crazy freelancing - is this accurate? If so, then they'd have to re-think the team's tactics to fit him in.

yes and no.

They are very structured, but they play a target striker Pelle, Zaza with a a semi roamer: Eder or Immobile. Their forwards do a lot of holding, so they may feel he's not physical enough.

 

[21Architect]

Pirlo looked like shit again, tonight and i think hes the typ of player that you live and die with. If he is off, you are done.

Super weird time to single out and shit on Pirlo. Toronto completely dominated us in Game 1 when Pirlo didn't play and our entire squad looked like ass tonight (even with every single guy on NYCFC giving 200% effort).

If Josh Saunders had given up 5 goals I feel like you would have given us a 4 paragraph diatribe about all of the holes in his game.

We got totally outplayed in Game 2 with NOTHING going our way (no yellow given when Pirlo's leg was grabbed on a breakaway, Altidore and Giovinvo had the MLS games of their life, Lampard missed 2 shots he makes 9/10 times etc.

Toronto is hot at the right time. NYCFC needed to win the road game. It's a shit side at home with the narrow pitch.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

Super weird time to single out and shit on Pirlo. Toronto completely dominated us in Game 1 when Pirlo didn't play and our entire squad looked like ass tonight (even with every single guy on NYCFC giving 200% effort).

If Josh Saunders had given up 5 goals I feel like you would have given us a 4 paragraph diatribe about all of the holes in his game.

We got totally outplayed in Game 2 with NOTHING going our way (no yellow given when Pirlo's leg was grabbed on a breakaway, Altidore and Giovinvo had the MLS games of their life, Lampard missed 2 shots he makes 9/10 times etc.

Toronto is hot at the right time. NYCFC needed to win the road game. It's a shit side at home with the narrow pitch.

The entire team is built around him, he's the QB of the offense. When we look worse with him in there than we did with Mikey Lopez, I can say he had a bad game. Frankly, he's not been good for the past few months. Even Angela has given up on him. He may be injured, he may be ineffective because PV inexplicably took irola away from him, I don't know.


He also takes all our free kicks, which have been horrible since he's been here.
He also takes our corners, which have continued to be horrible.

Sorry if that offends you, I care more about the team than one player.

 

[21Architect]

I'm not offended. Just really weird to single him out. Please name the NYCFC players who had a good match.