New York City Football Club Interim Head Coach Nick Cushing has confirmed that Anton Tinnerholm is fit and available for the game against FC Cincinnati.
The Swedish defender made his return to competitive action on Sunday after suffering an Achilles injury last October. Tinnerholm managed 45 minutes of action that culminated in winning the team a late penalty thanks to a driving run down the right, and Cushing confirmed the defender is available for selection on Wednesday.
“He's in the in the squad, so of course there's every opportunity that you will see him,” Cushing said. “I thought his introduction was really good because firstly he’s been such a pivotal player since I’ve been here until he got injured. To get him back makes us a stronger team, not just because he can play but because he has experience and he's a really valuable member of the squad.
“I think in the game [against Philadelphia] it gave us a little bit of life. I don't say so much it was because we put better players in, it was more because we needed something different and I think changing the fullbacks instantly gave us a little bit more within the game and a little bit more energy in the game because we’ve played so many games.”
NYCFC travel to TQL Stadium knowing they will face a Cincy side that has lost just two in eight heading into the game. Guided by new Head Coach Pat Noonan, Cushing believes Wednesday will see a meeting of two teams eager to control possession.
“I think you see they look to play more,” Cushing said of the changes under Noonan. “They look to keep possession and switch the play more. I think they tried to do that under Jaap Stam, but I think a summer has allowed them to sign players that can play that style a lot better. They have good depth in their squad. You see that in the Orlando game - in the changes that they made within the game and the way they could move players around in the system gave them the opportunity to win the game.
“I think just like most opposition in this league, they have a very defined system that works for them and that's where they've got positive results from. Bringing in a new head coach has given them the opportunity to really pin that down so we expect it to be a really difficult game.”
