How New York City FC are becoming Manchester City of the MLS

New York City FC are evolving…

Now, that should be a given considering their status as a City Group owned club.

But their evolution in terms of recruitment and personnel has been timed perfectly with the MLS’ respective tactical rise.

After putting in one of their greatest displays of the season against FC Dallas last time out, the fluidity within this young, promising side is beginning to prevail in ways that we have not seen before.

Watch the video:

The Old Testament

The beginning iteration of the New York City franchise featured the likes of David Villa, Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard and Jack Harrison, who - albeit - was a prospect at the time.

But it’s important to note that the signing of the now-Premier League star back in 2016 would set the wheels in motion for an ideology that would promote sustained success.

In 2016, former Palace boss Patrick Vieira was at the helm and brought in a free flowing, press-based system.

Now, this was key and helped birth a formidable strike partnership between David Villa and Jack Harrison, which saw the Cityzens qualify for the playoffs for the first time in the club’s history.

And this is important for two reasons:

1. New York City achieved the second-lowest points tally in the league just the season prior to this and were no where near the play-offs.

2. Vieira achieved success through the implementation of a more fluid attacking approach, which would later set the course for further success under Ronny Deila, who would go on to win the MLS Cup in 2021.

The New Testament

Now we get into the juicy bits of this present day New York City side and their modernised tactical approach.

With former Manchester City Women’s manager Nick Cushing at the helm, New York City have carried on this notion of fluidity within their playing style, but have also prioritised shape, developing a modernised systematical approach in the process.

Their recruitment of young, promising talents in the likes of Talles Magno, Gabriel Pereira and Santiago Rodriguez is helping the side develop the true identity of a City Group club, with this now showing on the pitch through their smart and attractive build-up methods.

Barraza is key

In the Premier League, we’re used to seeing the goalkeeper heavily involved in the build-up, particularly when watching the likes of Brighton, Arsenal and, you guessed it, Manchester City.

Though, in the MLS, whilst there are some notable exceptions, this concept wasn’t as common on the whole last season.

Now, interestingly, New York City were the exception and whilst Sean Johnson did a fine job last season, Luis Barraza has taken the role of sweeper keeper to an even greater level in the States.

Cushing has Barraza heavily involved in the build-up, forming a three-base build-up between centre-back duo Maxime Chanot and Thiago Martins.

This season, the 26-year-old goalkeeper ranks 10th in the squad for most accurate passes per 90, clocking up an astonishing average of around 32 accurate passes per game.

It gets even better than that too.

In the 3-1 win against FC Dallas, Barraza played an integral role in the build-up phase from deep and completed 45 passes with an accuracy of 88%.

For comparison, Manchester City keeper Ederson has averaged a total of around 27 passes this season, in what is an increase from last term.

So, with 45 passes in the game against Dallas, it emphasises Barraza’s importance to the side in the first phase.

Now with that covered, the interesting thing here is the consistency to which this build-up pattern occurs.

The Cityzens are entirely comfortable in working the ball back to the goalkeeper and look to restart the attack in multiple scenarios throughout the 90 minutes, and there’s good reason for this.

Artificial Transitions

Cushing is a big advocate for drawing the opposition out of their defensive shape, and he does this through the method of artificial transition.

Now Roberto De Zerbi’s emergence in the Premier League has highlighted the advantages that this can bring, with his Brighton side possessing a build-up style that has Pep Guardiola waxing lyrical, with the Manchester City boss saying in a recent interview:

“That [Brighton] is the best team in the world in making the build-up, the best team, is Brighton.

“There’s no team better that make[s] the process to bring the keeper, the ball, to the last quarter.

"There’s no team better in modern football right now.”

As you can see here, Cushing has fully invested in this build-up style and instructs his side to play out from deep.

Now this example is from a goal kick. Including the goalkeeper, there are six players in the defensive third and midfield pivot James Sands is on the ball.

We’re two passes into this sequence. It starts with Barazza, who plays the ball to Martins, Martins to Sands, Sands to Ilenic, Ilenic back to Sands who comes short for the ball. And Sands then offloads to Ledezma who works the ball back to Ilenic who’s hugging the touchline. This is where New York City work the angles.

Ilenic works the ball back to Sands, who’s under pressure, with the NYC captain passing first time to Martins who delicately spreads the ball to Braian Cufre out on the left and BOSH. They’re well on their way to the attacking third.

It’s important to note that during this nine pass exchange in the deep areas, five Dallas players get baited into pressing the Cityzens’ backline and are consequently drawn out of position.

Cufre then carries the ball towards the final third as the attack gains immediate momentum.

It goes without saying that it’s a risky manoeuvre, and clearly requires astute ball playing players in the deep areas of the pitch in order to carry out the task effectively.

But, when it works, it gives the team in possession the ability to attack with numerical superiority in a transition-like state.

Conclusion

These aforementioned modernised tactical themes are just a couple of reasons as to why New York City are flexing their muscle as a City Group club, with their principles of play arguably the most attractive in the MLS at this current moment.

Their ability to bait the opposition into pressing them in the first phase of the build-up is akin to that of De Zerbi’s Brighton side.

Though, their fluidity in and around the final third is similar to that of Manchester City, their bigger brothers across the pond.

Nick Cushing has a lot of talent at his disposal, with one of those players becoming a symbol of relationism. If you know, you know (article and video on this out very soon).

LA Galaxy: Watch Riqui Puig tear Seattle Sounders apart [VIDEO]

Stop that Riqui Puig!

Once a promising asset at Barcelona, and now a genuine star-boy in Los Angeles…

It’s safe to say that Puig has not looked back since his switch from La Liga to Major League Soccer.

The 23-year-old is one of the main focal points in Greg Vanney’s side and offers a sensational and consistent level of stability in-possession, as well as creativity.

WHAT’S THE WORD?

Puig has quickly proven himself as one of the string-pullers in the Galaxy engine room.

Having started all five games in the MLS this season, the 23-year-old averages the second-highest total of accurate passes per game with 70 accurate passes per 90.

It’s worth noting that this is the third-highest overall total in the league.

Only Gaston Brugman, who sits as a pivot for Vanney’s side, ranks higher in the side, having averaged an impressive average of around 83 accurate passes per 90.

PROGRESSIVE PUIG

As you’re about to see, La Masia graduate Puig is a progressive and mobile star.

His average of 4.2 successful dribbles per game see him rank towards the pinnacle of the MLS rankings once again, this time placing second just fractionally behind Columbus Crew’s Armenian star Lucas Zelarayan who has averaged 4.6 successful dribbles per 90 this season.

With Vanney looking to play possession-based football, Puig fits perfectly and served as a key man in a game that the Galaxy should have at least got something from.

The 2-1 loss to Brian Schmetzer’s Sounders side will have been tough to take, considering their total of 28 shots, drumming up an Expected Goals (xG) total of 2.52xG in the process.

OUT OF THIS GALAXY

The second-half switch from Vanney, which saw his side shift into a back-three shape worked wonders, with Puig able to find space in the deeper central areas, carrying the ball forward with great esteem.

This clip captures LA Galaxy’s wonderful build-up, with 23-year-old Puig integral to his side’s ever-so-close masterclass of a move.

Former Barcelona starlet Riqui Puig’s astonishing feat in LA Galaxy’s build-up phase.

Courtesy of AppleTV via WYSCOUT

In other news: Chelsea: Why Tuchel WILL NOT "recommend" Nagelsmann to former club

Dynamo: MLS side set to sign former Celtic star

It looks as though the MLS will inherit another former Celtic star sooner rather than later…

Erik Sviatchenko looks set to follow in the footsteps of Montreal’s Victor Wanyama and recent Atlanta United signing Giorgos Giakoumakis.

What’s the word?

That is according to a recent report from Daily Record who state that the Danish defender is closing in on a move to Houston Dynamo.

The commanding central defender joined Glaswegian giants Celtic back in the 2015/16 season and excelled during his time there, becoming a fans favourite whilst winning an unprecedented treble under the guidance of current Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers.

Danish Dynamo

Sviatchenko made the move back to hometown club FC Midtjylland back in 2018 and, just like his first spell that commenced back in 2009, has not looked back since.

The 31-year-old is somewhat of a dynamo for Midtjylland and tops the charts for defensive actions among the squad in the form of 1.5 interceptions and 4.5 clearances per 90.

On the ball, his presence is clear too.

Sviatchenko’s average of 46.8 accurate passes per game rank him third among the Midtjylland squad, whilst his average of 4.0 accurate long balls per 90 would rank him second among the Dynamo set-up, just behind Hector Herrera.

The Final Say

Having conceded a gut-wrenching five goals in their first two games of the season, Houston Dynamo have a potential weak point at the back.

A clean-sheet against Austin FC in their last game is positive but arguably fortuitous, given the fact that the away side had 13 shots on goal, drumming up an expected goals (xG) tally of 0.96, which included a big miss from the Oaks.

The arrival of Sviatchenko will bring further stability and experience to the Dynamo defence, giving manager Ben Olsen a positive benching conundrum in the process.