NYCFC falls to 5-11-8 (W-D-L) after a deflating 2-1 loss to Eastern Conference rivals, Philadelphia Union.
This result keeps City in a lowly 13th position in the Eastern Conference, only ahead of the dueling dumpster fires themselves in Toronto FC and (pre-Messi) Inter Miami. If you’ve followed either of those teams this season, you’ll understand why that’s not a company you’d like to be in if you’re NYCFC.
But what’s perhaps most frustrating about the fate of the Pigeons thus far is that they don’t feel like they’re in that ‘dumpster fire’ conversation in quite the same way as Toronto or Miami. While their fires would have boasted spectacular blue and orange flames, City’s has resembled something more of a slow, smoldering burn.
Maybe that’s because, in many games this season, NYCFC look like they’re the better team. They’ll dictate possession, create a good number of chances, and stifle opponents’ attacks for large positions in many matches.
But, to quote a New York coaching legend in Bill Parcels, “You are what your record says you are.”
They’ve dropped points from winning positions, missed a ridiculous amount of the chances they’ve created for themselves, fallen victim to untimely defensive errors, and ultimately shown a lack of the killer instinct necessary to win matches in this league.
So, coming off the back of conceding a 94th-minute equalizer in Columbus last weekend, and compounding that with an unconvincing 2-1 loss to the Union, I’d imagine vibes were about as low as they’ve been all season in that City locker room on Saturday.
But, instead of pulling themselves together and hitting the training pitch to prepare for another chance at climbing the Eastern Conference standings next week, they’ll be readying themselves for an entirely new challenge: Leagues Cup.
I’d argue this couldn’t have come at a better time for NYCFC.
For a team that’s felt stale, and is clearly struggling with the mental side of the game these days, what could possibly be better than a full reset? I’m talking 47 teams playing in a knockout-style tournament for a month type of reset.
League form is thrown out the window, familiar foes give way for unfamiliar adversaries, and instead of seeking three points you’re simply seeking survival. It’s a hell of a shot in the arm for any club, but for a teetering team like NYCFC, it’s got to feel like a massive opportunity.
All of a sudden, they’re completely level with every other club in the competition. If they get two results against Atlas and Toronto, they’re on to the knockouts. And, thanks to the genuine chaos that knockout football typically produces, who knows what can happen from there?
And, at long last, reinforcements may finally be on the way to aid NYCFC’s thin squad. The signing of striker, Monsef Bakrar, has been announced by the club, and rumored center-back target, Birk Risa, was spotted in attendance at the Philadelphia match on Saturday.
Whether either player will be available for selection during the course of the tournament remains unclear, but their addition to the squad would provide a further dose of “new” to go along with the refresh that is Leagues Cup.
Ultimately, if this becomes a successful tournament for City, it could function as a souped-up version of the Campeones Cup victory that provided the much-needed spark to NYCFC last season en route to the Eastern Conference Finals. It would be a huge confidence boost.
But, even if NYCFC exits the tournament early, a few weeks of rest and recharge doesn’t sound like the worst thing for this trying group either.
That’s a win/win in my book, so bring on Leagues Cup.
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