Tag: MLS

NYCFC vs Sporting KC: Preview

On Saturday March 28th NYCFC will suit up for their second home game of the season, taking on Sporting Kansas City.

Form

Sporting KC are quite the anomaly as of late. Footie fans will recognize star players such as Graham Zusi, Matt Besler, Dom Dwyer (just to name a few) and wonder how this team has yet to win a game this season.

It’s not for a lack of trying, though. Sporting KC actually lead the MLS in most shots taken with 45. Kansas City will be hoping to hand NYCFC their first loss of the season, and with the amount of shots and chances being created you figure eventually their finishing will improve.

New York City are top of the Eastern Conference with a win and two draws, but they are flattering to deceive. In two of their three games their opponents have been shown red cards. They have faced 47 shots in total and have come out of these games very lucky to have Josh Saunders playing outrageously well and only one goal allowed.

There were some bright spots, though. If David Villa can shake off his inability to play footie away from Yankee Stadium, the NYC faithful could be in for another man of the match performance (or the cute/annoying Americanism: “Player of the game”).

Jason Kreis has said before this season that he believes this team has the most depth that he’s worked with. That’s quite a claim, considering the meat of this team consists of MLS’s sloppy seconds, a second tier Bundesliga player, and fresh-outta-college rookies. At his most recent press conference Kreis spoke of this game as an “opportunity” for some fringe players who haven’t gotten a chance. Let’s see how they do.

Lineups

Sporting KC (4-2-3-1): Marin (GK), Sinovic (LB), Besler (CB), Opara (CB), Dia (RB), Feilhaber (CM), Nagamura (CM), Nemeth (LM), Anor (CAM), Zusi (RM), Dwyer (ST)

-Kansas City will consider themselves very lucky to have retained the services of Besler and Zusi, as both were omitted from the USMNT squad.

-Espinoza, however, will be absent (Honduras). This will be difficult for Sporting, who have come to rely on his ability to control games in these first few weeks.

-Dom Dwyer has been surprisingly wasteful in front of goal this season, missing easy opportunities. He may have a point to prove and will come out as determined as ever.

NYC (4-2-2): Saunders (GK), Brandt (LB), Wingert (CB), Hernandez (CB), Brovsky (RB), Grabavoy (LM), Diskerud (CM), Jacobson (CM), Calle/Ballouchy/McNamara (RM), Villa (ST), Taylor/Mullins (ST)

-The back line is hard to predict, as both available right backs (Facey suspended, Williams injured) are out. It’s likely Kreis would want to keep his center back pairing the same and switch up the full backs. Yet, it’s possible Wingert goes out to full back (the position he played all of last year) and Watson-Siriboe partners Hernandez.

-With Velasquez injured and Shelton on international duty, right midfield is up for grabs. Ballouchy started the first game of the season there but was largely ineffective. Kreis could bring in Thomas McNamara or keep it Colombian with Calle and his rocket of a left foot.

-Kreis mentioned this week that he wants whichever striker he plays to bring the strength and hold up play that Nemec (gone for Slovakia qualifying) usually provides. Only problem is that no one can do that. Tony Taylor’s biggest asset is his pace and Mullins is more akin to Villa than Nemec. It will be interesting to see what Kreis conjures up.

Final Thoughts

MLS is one of a few handful of leagues in the world that will play competitive footie this weekend. With injuries and key players (Nemec, Shelton, Velasquez, Williams) absent, this will be a test for Kreis and his much heralded “depth.”

Sporting KC will look to jump-start their season and will want to be the first team to beat NYC at the historic Yankee Stadium.

Will the fringe players impress? Will Kreis change his tactics without Adam “I win every single header” Nemec? Will Sporting tick without Espinoza? Can Dom Dwyer score a goal?

We’ll have to wait and see. Either way, this game is one to watch.

How to Watch

Talking about watching, if you live in the Tri-State area you can catch this game on YES (assuming you don’t have DISH).

You can also watch it online, on your tablet, or whatever small screen you have by using the FOX Sports GO app or going to www.foxsports.com/foxsportsgo (if you’ve got Cablevision or TWC).

Kick off at 7pm ET. Let’s see what happens.

A Concerned Cityzen

“A Concerned Cityzen” is a segment in which a friend of NYCFootie, Christopher Dobens, discusses NYCFC and the world of football.  

Before our home opener against New England, my only experience at the new Yankee Stadium had been in the press box. And for a soccer game, those seats really suck. So I was eager to arrive early that day and have a look around. A baseball stadium is undeniably far from an ideal venue for soccer, but I have to say that they certainly made the best of it.

We were fortunate enough to snag front row seats in Section 206 for the season. Though they’re far from center pitch, our seats offer some of the best sightlines in the stadium. We’re fairly close to the action yet have enough elevation to see the full field of play. How did we get such good seats? We panned ahead, and acted early.

But not everyone was as pleased with their Yankee Stadium experience as we were – especially those who failed to plan ahead or arrive early. In fact, some fans sounded quite irate. So as we prepare for our second home match, I thought I’d take a look back at some of the complaints – and offer a few suggestions.

Getting to the Game on Time

Knowing that this was NYC FC’s first game, and a large crowd was expected, we opted to arrive extra early. We got off the subway around 3:15 PM or so and had a short wait to get in. I’ve waited in much longer lines for World Cup matches. And compared to those, there was surprisingly little chaos at Yankee Stadium.

Now if you arrived any time after 4:00 PM, you probably deserve whatever hassle you got. You’ve had two years to plan for this day. And all day to get to the stadium. Rather than complaining about the consequences of your own decisions, I encourage you to plan better for our next home match. Anticipation, my friends. Expect the unexpected.

Food for Thought

Another grumble has been about the lines for food and bathrooms. After finding our way into the stadium around 3:30 PM, we made two laps – one on the lower level and another on the second level – before taking our seats. Halfway through our circumnavigations, we stopped to stuff our face at Parm. There was no line when we arrived. There was no line when we left. And it was glorious.

The truth is that there are some things you can do during halftime at a soccer game, and there are some things you cannot do during halftime at a soccer game. The interval is only 15 minutes long, and that’s a much shorter time than most realize.

It is enough time to stretch your legs and have a look at the people around you. It’s plenty of time to reiterate your argument about the referee’s incompetence to your friends. And you can easily call or text people who couldn’t make it to the game, or who are sitting too far away in the stadium to visit in person.

However, it isn’t enough time to get something to eat or drink in any stadium, except maybe for a Chivas USA home game last year. Nor does it offer sufficient time to walk over and see some friends on the other side of the stadium. And, in most cases, it isn’t even enough time to hit the bathroom.

Put on Your Big Boy Pants

Now if you are 15 or under, I’ll give you a pass on not realizing this. But everyone else should know better. And if this does come as news to you, I recommend designating someone in your group to play the mother role, asking everyone before the game if they need a snack or need to make potty. And if you are old like me, then be smart and don’t drink beers during the game or you may struggle to make it for the full 90 minutes without needing to take a leak.

Remember, you are supposed to be there to watch the game. This isn’t a day at the mall, full of shopping, eating, and drinking.

Sure, you can get up and head to the concessions before the first half is over. That’s how a lot of fans in England manage to get a pie or a cup of tea. And a lot of them still fail to make it back to their seat in time for the start of the second half. But that is their choice. Just as it’s your choice. So don’t whine about the club or Yankee Stadium failing to meet your feeding schedule.

We’ve got our second home game coming up this weekend. Plan ahead. Be realistic. And come to terms with what matters most – the action on the field, not in the food court.

The Day After (Colorado)

I think watching the first half of that game took a good five-six years off my life expectancy, such was the outrageous stress and pain it caused me. The game improved a lot in the second half, but overall a pretty poor display from our club. Let’s start with the first 45.

The First Half

There was a first half? Someone should’ve told NYCFC because I really don’t think they knew there was a soccer game going on.

David Villa was entirely absent, as he’s prone to do in away matches (see: Orlando City).

Velasquez tried to make something happen, but every single time he did he either ran into someone or horribly misplaced his pass.

Mix Diskerud had a nightmare of an evening. He seemed to give away every pass he made in the opponents half, and bizarrely had the ball stolen from him off a short corner. To quote another white guy who hasn’t been good for a long time: Will the real Mix Diskerud please stand up?

Nemec and Jason Hernandez were the only visible bright spots. Nemec worked tirelessly to try and create something while Hernandez is proving an absolute beast in the heart of the back four, often making crucial last-ditch tackles.

The Second Half

This was a much stronger performance. You figure Kreis set them straight in the locker room at half.

There was a lot of encouraging interplay in the opponents half, which seldom happened in the first. Nemec and Villa started combining better, and on another day Villa might have buried some of his chances.

NYC started moving the ball around the top of the box well, especially wreaking havoc down the left flank with Jeb Brovsky overlapping nicely.

Shelton was again the super-sub, putting in a very solid 30 minutes, linking with Villa, holding up the ball, and using some of his staggering pace.

Possession for the Sake of Possession

There’s a common argument amongst footie fans about how useful possession really is. Often teams such as Barcelona and Spain are lauded for their ability to keep over 70% of possession in a match, but sometimes that possession leads to zero goals. So, possession for the sake of possession is not really useful.

In last night’s match NYCFC had a lot of possession in their own half. Especially in the first 45 minutes the defense was essentially passing it between themselves and our ‘keeper until Saunders inevitably kicked it into Colorado’s half only for the 6’7 Rapids defender to head it right back. That passage of play was repeated entirely too often. Isn’t the definition of insanity continuing to do the same thing but expecting different results?

It’s nice to see some more possession in NYC’s game plan, but the next step is to have that possession in the other teams half of the field.

Shay Facey

Cut him some slack.

He’s young and inexperienced, which doesn’t bode well for defenders. If Shelton, a rookie attacker, makes a mistake, he loses the ball in the opponents half and we’re slightly annoyed. If Facey makes a mistake he almost costs the team a penalty and gets sent off.

Although his defending was suspect at times Facey was the only defender consistently linking up well with midfielders. His ability to find those passing lanes into players like Velasquez and Mix is vitally important for a team that has such trouble doing so. Also, he made copious runs up the right flank to support the attack, but was almost never passed to. It’s possible that’s something he learned over in Manchester that his teammates here haven’t quite adapted to yet. The marauding full back is a staple of the european game.

Facey is a quality footballer. He’ll learn the defensive side of the game with time. Give him some more opportunities and NYC will reap the benefits of a skilled attacking wing back.

Power, Pace, & Finesse

Nemec played a quality match, his one highlight a fine touch to control and send a beautifully weighted pass to David Villa, who almost scored. Thus, it was a little annoying to see him subbed off early for Shelton, although Shelton did have a good match.

NYCFC have struggled this season to have a fluid attack. Kreis seems infatuated with Grabavoy, so we’ll not suggest pulling him off. But when we’re searching for goals it’s worth considering taking off Mix/Velasquez and having Nemec, Shelton, and Villa up top.

We haven’t seen them play together much and it makes sense that having all three would provide the missing link. Think about it: Nemec has great strength and aerial ability, Shelton is dangerously quick and has a few tricks, Villa has the tactical nous and a killer instinct. Together they all bring very different attributes which could link up for something wonderful. Yes, it is a far more attacking option but it’s certainly worth the risk, especially when you need a goal.

Power, pace, and finesse.

On To The Next One

At the end of the day an away draw isn’t the worst result, as everyone from NYCFC will be quick to point out.

The problem wasn’t really the result, it’s the fact that we could play so ineptly for such a long period of time. The second half was better, but any good play was reserved to small five minute patches.

It’s early days and at some level games like these are to be expected. But even the players out on the pitch could tell they were playing poorly. Today we spell redemption: Sporting KC.

On To The Next One.

Colorado Rapids vs NYCFC: Preview

NYCFC are getting ready for their third game of the season going on the road to take on the Colorado Rapids.

How To Watch

We would usually close with the “How To Watch” portion, but we’ve included it at the start because it seems unnecessarily difficult to actually watch this game.

Firstly, the MLS only shows a limited amount of games per weekend. NYCFC were lucky enough to have their first two ever matches televised nationally, but for this weekend’s game, the only TV provider will be the YES network.

NYCFC games on YES are only available to watch in the New York Metropolitan area. Yet, DISH network users in New York can’t watch, as DISH “does not currently have an agreement to transmit these channels.” 

So what to do if you’re a DISH user from New York? Watch online.

But wait! You can’t.

The FOX Sports GO website and app is only available for Cablevision and Time Warner Cable users.

So if you’re a DISH customer head to your local bar and hope they show MLS matches, because otherwise, to quote the great Guy Ritchie film Snatch, you’re “proper fucked.”

Form

It’s not a great time to be a Colorado Rapids fan. In fact, it hasn’t been a good time to be a Rapids fan since July 26th of 2014, which was the last time they won an MLS match.

That’s right. Colorado haven’t won a match for 15 consecutive games in the MLS. Their last match, away to the Philadelphia Union, was a dismal start to what Colorado fans were hoping would be a better season. The Rapids recorded a whooping zero shots on target and a measly two shots off target. Sergio Ramos gets more shots off target per game, and he’s a center back.

Point is, the future (and the recent past) looks dark for the Colorado Rapids. The last thing they need is Spain’s all time leading goal scorer knocking at their door.

NYCFC supporters, on the other hand, are in quite festive spirits. After some nerves in their first ever home and away matches, NYCFC have 4 points and sit at the top of the Eastern Conference.

Granted, they got very lucky to come out of the New England game two nil winners. The match wasn’t pretty, and if it weren’t for a certain 33-year-old bearded Spaniard the game may have been a lot different.

What this means, though, is that NYCFC are looking to improve. Maybe not just kick up to their 6’3 Slovakian and hope all goes well. Jason Kreis will want his team to start implementing some of his methods, and going up against a weak Colorado side seems the perfect time to start.

Lineups

Colorado (4-2-3-1): Urwin (GK), Harrington (RB), Riley (CB), Sjoberg (CB), Burch (LB), Pittinari (CDM), Sarvas (CDM), Sanchez (RM), Ramirez (LM), Torres (CAM), Badji (ST)

-Right back Riley will most likely play in the center, as starting center back Burling picked up a red card against Philly.

-Colorado may drop their starting striker Badji, as they search for someone who can get them some much needed goals.

-The only player to have a quality game against Philly was Sjoberg, the Swedish rookie center back out of Marquette. Standing at 6’7, he was impressive technically and possesses obvious aerial prowess. Look for him to man mark Nemec to nullify a focal point of NYCFC’s attack. Will be an interesting battle.

NYCFC (4-4-2): Saunders (GK), Williams (RB), Hernandez (CB), Wingert (CB), Brovsky (LB), Jacobson (CM), Diskerud (CM), Velasquez (RM),  Grabavoy (LM), Villa (ST), Nemec (ST)

-Don’t expect too many surprises from Kreis’s starting XI, yet he may opt for a more defensive minded player at right midfield, such as Ballouchy. We hope Shelton or Velazquez get the start though.

Final Thoughts

The initial hype is over. No more “First Ever Away Match” or “First Ever Home Match” headlines.

Now it’s time to get to business. The league is past opening weekend fanfare. NYCFC will have to play quality footie every week if they hope to keep the spotlight on themselves and challenge for the MLS Cup.

Let’s see what they can do.

A Concerned Cityzen

“A Concerned Cityzen” is a new segment in which a friend of NYCFootie, Christopher Dobens, discusses NYCFC and the world of football.  

Tinkering with the Team

Looking back on our first two games, as well as our pre-season performance, I’ve been wrestling with what can be done to fine-tune our team. New York City FC clearly has talent and potential, and earned four out of six possible points so far, but there’s plenty of room for improvement.

The Midfield Muddle

While a lot of people have turned their attention to our back line, I’m more concerned with our midfield. Yes, defenders Josh Williams, Chris Wingert, and even Jeb Brovsky have looked a bit confused when they had the ball. But I think the real problem is that they have so few options with the ball at their feet. They’re looking for an outlet, but no one is showing for them. So they end up passing it back to goalkeeper Josh Saunders, booting it upfield for a 50/50 ball, or trying to force a pass into the crowded midfield for what often results in a turnover.

After the New England game, I watched a recording of the Real Madrid match against Levante. Two very different teams, of course, but they were playing the same game. Madrid’s back four were able to move the ball laterally until Luca Modric or Isco found a gap in the Levante midfield. If they were quickly closed down, they either passed it back to the defender or squared it to another midfielder. If they had space and time, they would turn and attack.

Far too often NYC FC’s midfield has been static. The need to find space – or create it. And if they can’t find any space in the center, then they need to give their defenders an option out on the flanks.

Of course this requires some technical ability. You can’t have sloppy passes, sloppy traps, or take too long with the ball. And, frankly, our midfielders were doing all of that (as were our defenders as well), which led to turnover after turnover – especially when the sides were still even, before New England went down a man.

The one exception was Sebastian Velasquez. He kept the ball close, though he often held onto it for too long or tried to dribble through one too many opponents. We need quicker decisions, and quicker passing. And we also have to quit bunching-up like a U9 squad. All too often we were passing to someone so close that the opponent only needed to take a step from one player to the other. It’s a narrow field, but we should be using a lot more of it.

A Simple Solution

Fixing our midfield mire is simple in concept. Spread out. Find the pockets. If they’re not there, create some space. Move for the ball. Make tight traps and then good passes. No extra touches. Let the ball do the work. And knock it off with the footvolley; bring the ball down and control it. In a nutshell, be smart, not sloppy.

The challenge is in the execution. Even for a coach as respected as Jason Kreis, it won’t be easy to instill this kind of discipline in what has proven to be a surprisingly erratic and inconsistent midfield.

As I mentioned, Velasquez demonstrated his value behind the tandem strikers during his performance against New England. And Ned Grabavoy has certainly made some key contributions, including his role in the give-and-go on David Villa’s goal in that same game. But, despite Kreis’ confidence in the MLS veteran, I’m still not entirely convinced. The same could be said of Andrew Jacobson in the holding role. I’d be curious to know how many times he turned over the ball compared to how often he won it for NYC FC.

But the real question, and the toughest one for Kreis, has to be Mix Diskerud. He did net a golden goal against Orlando, the first in the franchise’s history, but he’s certainly struggled beyond that. For a man who is supposed to be our playmaker, he’s giving away far too many balls. I’m a big fan, but at times he’s looked genuinely lost out there.

I’ll also be the first to admit a bias towards Kwadwo Poku. What I like about the Ghanaian midfielder is that he’s strong. Like Adam Nemec, he isn’t easily muscled off the ball. More importantly, though, he has a habit of making those little power turns – like Alexis Sanchez – that can create enough space to get him out of trouble. Those two qualities, along with ample technical ability, make him one of our midfielders least likely to turn the ball over cheaply. And unlike Velasquez, who is the only other midfielder showing a similar gift for possession, he knows how to get rid of the ball before it’s too late. Plus, when Poku did get sufficient time in pre-season matches, his service was unparalleled.

If I had to make the call, I’d put Poku in with Mix – or maybe even for Mix. Pairing him with Velasquez in that advanced role. Though it would be hard to bench a star like Diskerud, even for Kreis. I’d also give Khiry Shelton the start at right midfield with Grabavoy on the left. Or maybe Connor Brandt out there instead of Grabavoy, since the rookie seems have a better appreciation of the importance of staying wide.

Don’t Scratch the Nemec

In addition to the aforementioned gripes about our back line, there’s also been plenty of grumbling about Nemec up top. I don’t want to sound condescending to people who think he’s a waste of space, but such an assertion really reveals a poor understanding of the game. The Slovakian international has actually been playing quite well. The problem is his finishing.

As a striker, you need to either find the pockets of space or create them for a teammate. Nemec has been doing both, very well. If you watch him play, he’s almost always there as an option, whether that be from a Brovsky cross, a Velasquez through ball, a Villa square pass, or even a long ball from Saunders. In fact, Nemec was the only workable option for Saunders on goal kicks. Villa wasn’t winning anything in the air, nor were our midfielders.

Did Nemec fail to convert his chances in this match? Yes, he did. Some were saved, others were brutally squandered. And the same can be said of his performance against Orlando. But Nemec is consistently there, finding those chances. And that’s more than I can say for New England’s Charlie Davies – and a lot of other strikers around the league.

So to dismiss the big Slovakian striker because he didn’t put the ball in the back of the net show’s a certain naiveté about the game. He did a lot more on that field than miss shots. And if he continues to miss them, then it will indeed become a problem – and eventual grounds for benching him. But writing the guy off after two matches in which he’s found chances but failed to convert is as short-sighted as writing off Chris Wondolowski for missing a few golden opportunities for the US National Team.

Remember, Nemec is new to the league and still finding his way. Give him time to adjust his sights and gain a little confidence. He’s finding space, he’s making runs, he’s creating opportunities – and that cannot be underestimated (just ask Jozy Altidore, or – better yet – anyone who has coached him).

Plus, Nemec has proven to be our only player capable of consistently winning those 50/50 long balls in the air. If he wasn’t on the field, our possession would have dropped dramatically.

Once Nemec does start finding the mark, given his physical strength and aerial ability, he will also start drawing defenders away from Villa. And that will make our attack all the more potent. Give the man some more time.

The Day After

1 Comment

Today we begin our first edition of “The Day After”, a segment which will be posted after every NYCFC match, with some thoughts and observations.

The People and Their Children

After so many difficulties leading up to this day (Frank Lampard enjoying the bench at Man City, no soccer specific stadium announced, and a horrendous music video) it was impressive to see 43,507 people fill up Yankee Stadium for this match. What’s more, most people came to the game early, walking around the stadium and reveling in the excitement that was NYCFC’s first ever home match.

As far as demographics were concerned, it was encouraging to see so many children. If you watch a English Premier League or La Liga match, you see a plethora of young kids with their parents at the games. This is vitally important for NYC. Those of the pre-Guliani era will be the first to tell you that New York has become overrun with families that used to live in the suburbs. Truth is, New York has now become a safe and desirable place to raise a family. The children who put on a sky blue t-shirt and saw World Cup winner David Villa in the flesh will be the future of this club. Because after all the fanfare and the supporter clubs’ memberships and exclusive scarves, NYCFC will need to attract the youth. If yesterday is any example, we’re on the right track

Will People Show Up Again? And Again? And After That Time???

It was nice to see over 40,000 people for a footie match, yet the real question is: Who’s going to be there 3 months from now?

The first few matches were always likely to have large support. They were inaugural, they were special. But after the special games are over, and aside from the local rivalry games against The Team Who Must Not Be Named, it will be difficult to get people to come out every few weekends for MLS soccer.

NYCFC say they have sold over 15,000 season tickets, which is encouraging. Presumably, there will be at least 15,000 people at every home game, if everyone always shows up. The real question becomes the rest of the people. Yankee Stadium will have space for just over 27,000 people for normal, run-of-the-mill MLS matches. There is a big difference between a stadium with 15,000 and one with 20,0000 or 25,0000.

In order to keep getting those extra 10,000 fans, NYCFC has to play some good footie.

Let’s Talk About Some Footie

NYCFC did not play well.

Head coach Jason Kreis has told the media that NYCFC wouldn’t be playing its best footie for a while, as this is a brand new team which needs time to gel.

That said, the 2-0 headline was more than flattering towards the home team. After an energetic first 15 minutes, David Villa grabbed a well taken goal. Yet, after that, the rest of the first half was better off forgotten.

The midfield was non existent. Rumors spread that from the 20th minute until halftime, Mix Diskerud was getting his hair done at a local Bronx salon. The game plan seemed akin to what it was for opening day: Kick the ball up the field to 6’3 Slovakian powerhouse Adam Nemec and hope for the best.

Maybe Jason Kreis has tried to instill a more fluid, possession based style into his team, but it seems as if that will take quite some time to take effect. Granted, a large criticism of American footie is the focus on strength and fitness rather than skill and possession, which has been evident in the first two games of NYCFC’s season.

So, after what became a dismal first half, NYC was more than lucky to go into halftime winning the match. After 90 minutes, there were at least 4 clear cut chances that New England failed to score .

The second half was more encouraging, and ESPN reported that Kreis told his players to be more “aggressive”, which translates to, “try and actually play some soccer.” There were many nice interchanges between Mix, Villa, and Velazquez. But all too often the final pass was lacking. More worryingly, NYC often turned over possession in their own half. Against stronger opposition NYC will be made to rue those mistakes. It’s only the second game, though, and expect NYC to improve each week.

On To The Next One

NYCFC just beat the 2014 MLS Cup finalists 2-0 in front of 43,000 fans. NYC is now in first place in the Eastern Conference.

One Yankee Fan who had bought tickets to the game remarked: “We never get 40,000 people to come to our games, and we’ve won 27 World Series!”

NYCFC don’t have any championships, history, or Babe Ruth memorabilia. But we do have something special. To quote everyone’s favorite New York City person, Jay-Z, “On To The Next One.”

NYCFC vs New England Revolution: Preview

The day has arrived.

Almost two years ago, on May 21st of 2013, NYCFC was announced to the public as MLS’ newest franchise. At that point in time, every person had their own speculations of what this team would become, and finally on Sunday at 5pm (ESPN 2/WatchESPN) NYCFC will play their first ever home game at the historic, albeit problematic, Yankee Stadium.

Form

New England recently lost their season opener by being completely outplayed by the Seattle Sounders, with the explosive tandem of Dempsey and Obafemi Martins inflicting a 3 nil defeat upon the Revolution. The Revolution, after acquiring Jermaine Jones in the summer, stormed their way to the MLS Cup final only to be defeated by the LA Galaxy. Two key players for that run were Lee Nguyen and Jermaine Jones, Nguyen only recently returning from injury while Jones remains sidelined for another month after undergoing hernia surgery. New England will hope to rebound from their poor display in Seattle, but without their two best players fully fit that feat may become very difficult.

NYCFC managed to win a hard-earned point down in Orlando last weekend, but didn’t play particularly well. This is to be expected from a team that has never played a competitive match in their history. They will come into this game with home advantage, but the chemistry and understanding the players have between each other is far weaker than that of New England. That is not to say NYC can’t or won’t win, though. David Villa will need to put on a more convincing performance than he did against Orlando, but NYCFC’s best hope comes in the form of Norwegian-American Mix Diskerud, who’s glorious curling effort was nominated for goal of the week.  NYCFC will hope that these two players can light up Yankee Stadium and give their first home crowd a night to remember.

Predicted Lineups

New England (4-2-3-1): Shuttleworth (GK), Alston (RB), Gonçalves (CB), Farrel (CB), Tierney (LB), Dorman (CM), Caldwell (CM), Nguyen (CAM), Fagundez (LM), Rowe (RM), Agudelo (ST)

-Starting winger Teal Bunbury came off injured last week with what appeared to be a fairly serious shoulder injury.

-Nguyen was back in training this week and could start, or perhaps come off the bench.

-Striker Charlie Davies could be given a start after a mediocre return to MLS from Agudelo, but head coach Jay Heaps could give Agudelo another chance to get acclimated with his teammates and hopefully get back into form.

NYC (4-4-2): Saunders (GK), Williams (RB), Hernandez (CB), Wingert (CB), Brovsky (LB), Jacobson (CM), Diskerud (CM), Grabavoy (LM), Shelton (RM), Villa (ST), Nemec (ST)

-It’s likely Kreis will keep his back line the same as he hopes to build chemistry between his defenders, despite players such as Watson-Siriboe and Mendoza vying for a starting berth.

-We’ve selected Khiry Shelton to start over Ballouchy at right midfield. It’s possible Kreis will partner Shelton with Villa up top and drop Nemec, or not start Shelton at all. Ballouchy was largely anonymous against Orlando and Shelton brought an infectious energy which seemed to spurn the team on towards Mix’s opener. If Kreis decides to keep Shelton out of the starting XI, expect the 21 year-old striker to be the first man off the bench.

Final Thoughts

Both these teams will be desperate for a win in their second MLS game of the season. It will be fascinating to see how NYC competes against a fully established MLS franchise, rather than playing against another expansion club. Tune in this Sunday at 5pm to find out.