Amidst the cheering of the 24,000 faithful, amidst a certain Norwegian American scoring his second goal on his second continent in less than a week’s time, amidst the first three-goal game for NYCFC and, more importantly, amidst the three points they can add to their tally in the standings, there was something going on at Yankee Stadium that should make fans very optimistic.
Again and again during NYCFC’s win over Montreal, the Citizens were passing to places they, by and large correctly, anticipated their teammates would be.
This is huge.
First, because it means that the players passing have enough understanding of the teammates they’re passing to to be able to predict their runs. This means that after months of static soccer, months of guys passing left when the player turned right, months of attackers starting runs only to find themselves offsides by the time the ball arrived, NYCFC’s players finally are showing they understand the preferences, idiosyncrasies and predilections on the pitch of their teammates.
It also means that the players being passed to are capable not only of properly reading game-time situations, but reading them in the context of how their teammate with the ball will react to them, and how they are expected to participate. Which means they can move to space before the defender can. Which means they can also keep the ball moving – and away from the other team. And a team that keeps the ball moving in possession is a team that increases its odds of scoring.
In short, it’s important because all other things being equal – training, strength, skill, talent – the only real advantage a team has, that the other team cannot steal, copy or videotape before the game, is knowledge, and the knowledge that each player has of each of his teammates. Knowledge of where a teammate will put the ball before he plays it literally gives that player a step advantage. Teams defending against teams with a step advantage must, by definition, play less aggressively, running fewer risks both offensively and defensively – which provides the attacking team with more space and time in which to operate – providing another advantage. As we saw again and again in NYCFC’s win over Montreal.
When you don’t have it, when players are as clueless about the intended runs, passes and feints as their opposition is, you don’t have a team; you have 11 individuals on the pitch, each trying to score by themselves. You have opposing teams that are double- and triple-teaming star players in an effort to shut them down. You have designated players who become so frustrated by their teammates, the opposition, and the officiating, that they effectively check out of entire games. Sure, you may have occasional, arbitrary success. But nothing that can be sustained.
But what one saw during NYCFC’s win over Montreal, consistently for the first time, was the kind of teamwork that wins. In the first half when RJ Allen one-timed a pass on to David Villa’s forehead for a terrific scoring opportunity. When Kwadwao Poku passed by David Villa for a sprinting Mix Diskerud. When David Villa scored after a symphony of touches by McNamara and Mullins and Ballouchy, each of whom put the ball where their teammate was going to be. When Villa passed to Mullins and later when he passed to Poku. Again and again, players put the ball in to space that was immediately filled – usually on the run – by another NYCFC player.
By starters and by subs, by team mates who regularly played with each other, and by team mates who haven’t. Tremendous.
But the veil around us is very fragile, and we mustn’t get carried away. It’s only one game. It’s only one streak, in which NYCFC defeated the #7 and #8 teams in the Eastern Conference. Not exactly Barca they’re beating. And it’s only going to get tougher from here on out. Saturday they face TFC in Toronto (the Citizens third game in a week), then welcome the Red Bulls to Yankee Stadium for Round 2 of the New York Derby. Then its up to Montreal for an Independence Day match, then Toronto at home, then New England (in Foxboro), and then Orlando at home. Or, as things stand right now, the #4 team twice, the #5 team (and our fiercest rival), the #2 team, and the #3 team (also a fierce rival). That’s a tough row to hoe.
And, ahead of the attacking power of Altidore, Bradley and Giovinco on Saturday, one has a right to be concerned about the shoddy marking that allowed the goal in the 88th minute, and by what can hopefully be dismissed as an anomaly by Josh Saunders.
One has to be concerned, but also optimistic. And shivering with anticip…
