To remember everything is a form of madness, especially when you’ve been having as bad a run as NYCFC have these past two months. So you pick through the rubble of your failures in the hopes of finding something inspirational, something you can use, something you can build upon, and you throw away everything else. Fans who saw NYCFC draw the Chicago Fire last weekend saw something useful. Saw a lot of things, actually. Things they can build upon, things they can draw inspiration from, things would never have expected to see after the NY Derby. Heck, things they weren’t expecting even after the first half.
Like the fact that despite being down a man for most of the game, and despite ultimately losing the possession battle, the team hustled and worked their tails off for the full 90. For the first time in several games, Mix Diskerud looked like a force to be reckoned with; David Villa chased down balls like an angry spaniel; Mehdi Ballouchy’s hustle scored the first goal, Khiry Shelton’s hustle scored the second; even Shea Facey, who looked like he may have pulled a muscle in the second half, never backed down. One cannot overemphasize the importance of this, especially in light of the lackluster efforts against the Red Bulls the previous week and the Fire the week before that.
Fans were also reminded that this is an attacking team, and that when they stop attacking bad things happen. Partly this is because NYCFC’s backline is struggling (which the injuries and red cards haven’t helped any), and partly this is because just about everyone on the team is an attacking midfielder. And while it would be hyperbole to say that every time they attack, they win, one can’t help but notice that when they don’t attack, they lose. They started out on the defensive against the Red Bulls and gave up a quick goal, as they did against Chicago both times. So they must attack. Interestingly, RSL have been having some back line troubles of their own, which Montreal recently took advantage of. If the Citizens come out strong and early, like they should, they could get lucky. Wouldn’t that be a nice change?
Of course, it has to be the right kind of attack. Which means that whatever strategy Jason Kreis was trying out in the first half of Friday’s match should be sent to Hunts Point with the rest of New York City’s rubbish and quickly disposed of. NYCFC are a possession team and punting the ball down the field as they did time and again was – at best – highly counterproductive. Indeed, as soon as they stopped doing it, as soon as they started working the ball up from the back line like they’re supposed to, they started to take control of the game – even though they were a man down.
And they’re going to need to remember these lessons because Saturday is going to be tough. You know that this game has been circled on the calendar of every RSL player, supporter, and media outlet since the schedule was announced. The return of not just Jason Kreis – the man who coached them to their only title – but also Wingert, Grabavoy, Saunders, and Velazquez, is going to have RSL fired up. Heck, even Mehdi Ballouchy put in time among the claret and cobalt. Meanwhile, NYCFC are coming off of two emotionally draining matches. Will this trial by fire have hardened them, or simply sapped their strength?
Also, did I mention that Saturday is going to be tough? RSL have twice as many points as NYCFC, with draws against two teams that beat the Citizens (Portland and Sporting KC) and have taken three points each from Toronto, San Jose and the very same Fire that NYCFC just squeaked out a draw with. Additionally, they’re coming off a veritable shellacking by the only team in MLS with a worse record than the Baby Blues. So you know they’ll be hungry for points, especially as they’ll be facing conference rivals LA and Vancouver before the month is over.
And lastly, we have to remember that Saturday is going to be tough. On the one hand, it’s at altitude (4,500 feet) and on the other, it’s more than 2000 miles away. And sure, Villa and Mix have talked about how they’re not worried about the travel. But the last time NYCFC crossed the Mississippi, they played to a scoreless draw against gutterdwelling Colorado, and afterwards, Kreis himself admitted that the altitude and travel had had more of an impact than they anticipated. Will a team that just played down a man for an hour be fit enough for a full 90 in Sandy, Utah? Would you?
One hopes so. Because Saturday is going to be, well…
