Slow, then fast. That’s how NYCFC plays soccer.
A lot of pixels have been spilled, especially by my colleagues over at The Outfield, trying to describe the tactics that have elevated NYCFC from the unpredictable side that stumbled through a string of draws to start the year into the even less predictable side that’s shapeshifted its way to the most successful season in the club’s short history.
Read More2018 LAFC turned out to be just like 2017 Atlanta United, bowing out in the first round of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. In 2019, the comparisons with Atlanta United continue. Second-year club LAFC not only caught, but surpassed the 2018 MLS Cup winner’s marks in 2019. LAFC exceeded their points (72 to 69; 2018 RBNY had 71) and Carlos Vela surpassed Josef Martinez’ shiny new single-season goal scoring record by three goals (34). LAFC also tied the single season goals record (with the 1998 L.A. Galaxy) with 85, set the best goal differential with 48, bettering that same Galaxy team by seven. And Vela finished with 10 primary assists (the only ones we count at ASA). For comparison, the only other player with 10 or more assists and over 20 goals in our dataset was Sebastian Giovinco in 2015.
Read More#SnowOpener. Lost 1-6 versus the other new kids on the block. Now Minnesota is the one putting up 7-1 scorelines versus newcomers.
“We deserve more respect in this league.” The former captain was traded to the Chicago Fire, and Minnesota’s defense is now one of the best in the league.
“Three-year plan.” Although the exact origin of this phrase in reference to MNUFC’s inaugural triad of seasons in MLS isn’t well-documented, it looked incredibly unlikely the Loons could turn it around after 2 disastrous years, but they have.
Read MoreI loathe Brad Friedel. I’m going ahead and getting this out of the way because it’s important that you understand that I’m writing this preview balanced precariously on a high horse and sipping a cocktail of equal parts gin, schadenfreude, and vindication. I found his appointment puzzling, his teams maddening, and his termination surprisingly cathartic for me despite it being about a team I honestly could not care one iota less about. I don’t hate the New England Revolution. No, it’s just been a very long time since the New England Revolution have given me any reason to feel any one particular thing about them beyond the occasional moment of amusement or confusion.
Read MoreTo say that the Seattle Sounders exist solely to confound me would simultaneously be both incredibly narcissistic and also accurate. I’ve been tasked with the preseason and postseason previews for the perennial contenders for the past few years, and every single time I’m more and more tempted to just submit this as my draft:
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
(Editor’s note: this would not be up to ASA’s stringent editorial standards, as we’re not Bleacher Report… yet.)
Read MoreAt times this season the New York Red Bulls have looked like a very good soccer team, sometimes even harkening back to the 2018 Red Bull team that set (what was then) an MLS record for points in a season. Case in point, nine of New York’s 14 wins this year have come against playoff teams. That included wins over FC Dallas, Atlanta, and Real Salt Lake during a five match unbeaten stretch early in the season and back to back wins over Portland and Philadelphia during a late season run to put them into the playoffs.
There have also been times when the Red Bulls have looked exceptionally mediocre. They’ve looked like a team that not only lost its most important player in Tyler Adams, but also lost a whole lot more of something else as well, despite mostly returning their entire squad from 2018. The flip side of nine wins against playoff teams was picking up only one point from four games against Montreal and Columbus.
Read MoreToronto FC’s 2019 season started off strong. They picked up 16 points in their first 8 games, including a 4-0 win against NYCFC where their marquee signing, Alejandro Pozuelo, put up 2 goals and 1 assist. Things went south after that - they got just 1 win in their next 11 games. From July onward, though, TFC were pretty good. They lost only twice, and closed out the season on a 10-game unbeaten streak.
Read MoreEarly into the 2019 season, DC United looked like a contender in the East. Through May 15th, they had picked up 24 points in 13 games, including a win over last season's champion, Atlanta, and a 5-0 victory over RSL. Their schedule, though, was pretty soft. Those two games were their only wins over playoff teams, and they lost to NYCFC, LAFC, and Minnesota. After their first 13 games, DC played a tougher schedule, and they hit a slide. They got just 15 points out of their next 16 games, with wins over only Orlando, Cincinnati, and LA. DC United ultimately did save their playoff hopes with a 5-game unbeaten streak to close out the season, but their Decision Day draw to 9-man FC Cincinnati relegated them to playing on the road for the entire playoffs.
Read MoreWell, let’s just say that did not quite go according to plan. Ideally, the plan was this: survive the epic road trip to begin the season, then do a 2018 DC United and ride a tsunami of home games in front of the Timbers Army to a high seed in the Western Conference and a home playoff game or two.
For a while, it even looked like it was working. Portland did better than most expected, earning 4 wins and 2 draws against 6 losses on their road trip to pick up 14 points from 12 games.
As recently as September 7, Portland sat just 3 points outside of 2nd place, with a game in hand and 5 of 6 remaining games at home. No problem, right? Just Lock up that #2 seed. Or not. Portland won just 1 of their last 6 games and slid into 6th place in the West. Not exactly ideal, but this is MLS, and the Timbers rode a 5 seed into an MLS Cup Final appearance last year, so not all hope is lost.
Read MoreFC Dallas were expected by many to miss the playoffs in 2019. Following a disappointing early playoff exit in 2018 Dallas came into the season with a new coach and one of the youngest teams in the league. That mostly suggested it should have been a rebuilding year. It wasn’t, though. Luchi Gonzalez got the team playing attractive-ish, solid soccer right out of the gate. They lost just two of their first nine games. The season after that was a little more uneven, but on the whole Gonzalez managed to develop the team’s youth while implementing a fun, possession-oriented, high-pressing style of soccer that has, aside from in front of goal, been pretty effective.
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