New season and a new team? At least, that’s how it feels after the changes that took place during the offseason. A new manager, James Sands, with a move to Europe and an unexpectedly expected departure by Santiago Rodriguez added a twist to both the season and the home opening game. Will the team keep the spark they had with Santiago Rodriguez? Is the new manager going to bring the best out of the current squad? Questions that were answered in the first two games of the season.
A draw against Inter Miami CF with an outstanding performance by Alonso Martinez put things in perspective since the team’s top goal scorer resumed his scoring streak. The last-minute defeat against LAFC did scratch off the team’s overall performance to hold the match at a draw. However, in general, the new manager imprinted a new mindset and identity on the squad. The switch from last season is definitely noticeable. It was now time to see how that change would play out at home.
What we learned against Orlando
Yankee Stadium has become a source of strength for New York City FC. The team needed to regroup after two difficult games on the road. With Alonso Martinez and Maxi Morales in good form, the opportunity to bounce back against a classic rival like Orlando City was a good way to kick off the 10th-anniversary celebrations.
The lineup didn’t see much change aside from Justin Haak’s inclusion in defense to make way for Jonathan Shore in midfield alongside Maxi Moralez and Keaton Parks. The attacking third saw Julian Fernandez, Hannes Wolf, and Alonso Martinez. Including Shore in the starting lineup came as a surprise prior to kick-off. These kinds of decisions are not expected this early in the season, but the 17-year-old has impressed manager Pascal Jansen with his maturity and work ethic.
New York City did what it does best when playing at home. Keeping possession and short passing through the first 30 minutes of the half. I have to point out that one noticeable change with the new manager is the amount of long distance shots the attacking players are taking when they are near the opponent’s final third. It’s always good to see the team have a more aggressive approach when the circumstances allow it.
Without Santiago Rodriguez to pull the strings in midfield, the team lost a source of game creation. He was the team’s leader in assists last season, his absence will be felt through the season, without a doubt. Having said that, it’s important to point out that Maxi Morales continues to be the determining factor with New York City FC. In fact, he was the main source of game distribution against Orlando City. The only counterpoint to this is how quickly the team is unable to have clear transitions when he’s unable to distribute the ball.
The team often bases their games on the wings a bit more in comparison to previous games. Both Julian Fernandez and Hannes Wolf were very active on both flanks pushing the team forward. However, only Julian Fernandez was able to pose real danger against Orlando. Wolf was unable to have the same effect, causing Maxi to drift away from midfield. This created gaps for Orlando to build counter attacks in transition.
Alonso Martinez was also affected by the positional change during the game. The striker would appear on the wings from time to time, yes, he was dangerous, but having him on the wing, the team played without a 9 inside the box. It was a double-edged sword, but in the end it paid off. It took 59 minutes for Alonso to break the draw, his awareness to follow up a rebound helped him score his second goal of the season.
Luis Muriel would equalize for Orlando in the 69th minute with a great shot from distance. Which in part also highlighted the defensive line’s lack to press the player who had the ball. Had Orlando finished their goal scoring chances, the story would have been different, they had two clear shots on goal during the first half, but they were unable to capitalize on it.
New York City would have the final say and sealed the win two minutes after Orlando equalized. In yet another deflected shot, Julian Fernandez was able to pick out Hannes Wolf to score the second and final goal of the match. Ironically, Wolf had to move away from the wing to become more dangerous, but it was a play executed perfectly. The score wouldn’t see any more changes after that. The Boys In Blue managed to walk away with the three points despite Orlando’s late resurgence in the second half.
Manager Pascal Jansen praised the team’s mentality after the quick response following the equalizer. His “Team First” mentality looks to be growing in the group. Players like Agustin Ojeda and Julian Fernandez are enjoying more opportunities under the new management. It’s a long season, but so far, so good for New York City FC. The team now prepares to face the New England Revolution next Saturday.