Three things we learned from the NYCFC vs Philadelphia Union match:
1. How important it is to have your Designated Players fit and healthy to play the way they can play
Frank Lampard came back to the team today and showed us what he’s all about.
Lampard is such an experienced player that he can have an impact on any team in Major League Soccer, to be honest, any team around the world, even at his age. But he needed to be one hundred percent fit, he needed to get his training done, he needed to get himself back and ready one hundred percent so that mentally he can be tuned in to play to the best of his abilities and I thought his performance today was simply outstanding.
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We also see a great performance again from Andrea Pirlo, in midfield, he’s been supported by Iraola, who has done so well in that DM spot that it’s allowing Pirlo to be the best he can be going forward.
At his age he does not move around as much as he used to do, but he doesn’t need to because his ability on the ball is just incredible, so Pirlo, we see a great performance from him today, as well as his goal. It’s great to see him score a free kick at Yankee Stadium and hopefully it’s the first of many to come from Pirlo.
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David Villa once again continues to show all the DPs in this league how it’s done.
His work rate is unbelievable, his performance overall is unbelievable because his determination to get into the right place to help his team, to fight for his team, to challenge, to score goals, to put himself into great position to score goals.
Unusually over the last two games we’ve seen him [Villa] have maybe ten clear chances, he should have scored more. But he’s there, he’s in that spot, so, having your DPs performing at the best of their abilities is all down to having them one hundred percent fit, on the field, ready to play, and let’s hope that continues going forward that they are fit and ready to go.
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2. Jack Harrison needs to continue to play more.
Harrison needs to play minutes alongside these talented players around him because this is a kid that is at a stage in his career and in his life where it’s so important developing and that next step in professional soccer from the college game.
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We see it so many times where kids coming into the league don’t get an opportunity to play because a Coach doesn’t think he’s ready, or because the game’s too fast for them, it’s a big jump from the college game into the pros. But I think that Harrison is a great example as to what can happen when a Coach supports you, gives you an opportunity to go be yourself, play your game, I mean this kid has so much talent it’s frightening.
He has so much confidence it scares me, because he’s not frightened to try a trick or two in Major League Soccer against veterans of this league and he’s not frightened of trying to open up the door that is normally closed. He’s got a wand in his hand, and he’s got a wand on his feet right now, he’s a special player.
3. NYCFC needs to see out matches and get better at it.
That’s probably your key, get better at seeing out the game. Jason Hernandez picks up two silly yellow cards, now he’s missing for the next match, but what happened more importantly for the team was they were under pressure and Hernandez was missing for that final five minutes of the game when they needed him the most.
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They needed his leadership, they needed his ability. I was impressed on Vieira’s decision making on who to bring onto the field. He knew his team wasn’t doing much going forward in the second half so he brought Ethan White onto the field and replaced him with Tommy McNamara who went off, so that was a great decision, and in the end it proved to be key because Hernandez went out, and we seen White sit in the defensive role. But I still think there’s room for improvement defensively.
Making sure that they see out the games, especially at home where 3 points is so important, you cannot allow teams so many opportunities like Philadelphia had in the closing stages. Philadelphia did not play well, but they scored two goals. Why did that happen? Give away a soft penalty kick, it should have never have happened. The second one was an unfortunate own goal. Luck comes into play as well, if you’re gong to see out games, you’re going to see out performances where you have to win and get 3 points which NYCFC clearly did today.
COME SEE NYCFC AT THE NEW YORK DERBY ON JULY 3
You have to setup shop, don’t concede, don’t give away free kicks and penalty kicks, and make sure you try to protect your goal. I’d love to see Josh Saunders pickup a zero, a clean sheet, he so desperately deserves it. He’s made some great saves in matches but we keep giving away goals and that has to get better and improve.
Ian Joy is an analyst on the YES Network's telecasts of NYCFC.
Joy played over 250 league games for five different teams in England, Scotland, Germany, and the MLS. Joy's 14-year pro career started in Scotland before he moved on to England and then to Germany (playing for Hamburger SV and then FC St Pauli in the Bundesliga). After joining Real Salt Lake in 2008, he helped the team reach the playoffs that year, the first post-season berth in franchise history. After an injury-plagued start to the 2009 MLS season for Real Salt Lake, Joy returned to Germany for a brief spell before accepting an offer stateside to captain the 2010 Portland Timbers team in what would turn out to be his last-ever season as a player.
Following his retirement, Joy did TV and radio color commentary for FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake. Since August 2012, Joy has been a soccer analyst for beIN Sports, where he has held multiple roles including color commentator and studio analyst working on Serie A, French Ligue 1 and La Liga telecasts. He regularly appears on beIN Sports'The Locker Room, a studio show that discusses and debates controversial games of the weekend. He also hosted beIN Sports' 2014 World Cup studio show from Rio.
Joy was born in San Diego and was raised in Scotland.
