Let’s face facts. After 28 games it is becoming clear that NYCFC under Nick Cushing is a mediocre team. Occasional flashes of brilliance, long stretches of possession without purpose, but worst of all a commitment to underperforming talent. Last year in 2023 the team suffered through the extended Barraza experiment and in a “rinse and repeat” pattern 2024 saw the Bakrar drought go on and on. Even after the emergence of Alonso Martinez, Bakrar still finds his way on to the pitch for 20 minutes per match.
This week Mike Anderer, J.R. deBart and Mike Allen take a long hard look at the club’s identity as being a mid-table side that will compete, but ultimately lacks the talent to be a top tier team in the league. Nick Cushing has put his stamp on the squad and the ink-stained image on the crest reads, “Ordinary”.
Not much goes smooth and simple with NYCFC. Their first-ever signing is now scorned by half of the fanbase, their second biggest signing arrived months later than anticipated, heck, even Jason Kreis misspoke during the expansion draft that gave Orlando the first pick in that year’s superdraft. Since day one there has been chaos and controversy. So why after 10 years would fans expect anything less when it comes to elements as beloved and cherished as the team badge?
This week Mike Anderer and J.R. deBart are joined by Haylon Harroo from Five Borough Footy to discuss the unexpected update to the iconic NYCFC badge.
Each week the goal is to find a whimsical title for the episodes but this week required brazen honesty.
NYCFC flew to Columbus and played the reigning MLS Champions to a hard fought 2-2 draw for 90 minutes. The final score would be 4-2 after the home side notched two goals in stoppage time. While NYCFC head coach and players blamed Ted Unkel for the loss, the reality was that NYCFC wasted numerous chances to put the game away.
In the episode Mike, J.R. and Mike Allen go over the game but also take a deep dive into the leadership of the team starting with head coach, Nick Cushing.
MLS regular season returns and there are only nine games remaining. NYCFC dropped points in a crucial match-up against a struggling Chicago Fire side on Saturday night in Flushing.
This week the two Mikes (Anderer and Allen) are joined by Justin Egan and Chris Campbell of The Outfield to talk about Leagues Cup, NYCFC playing down to their competition and the draw from CitiField.
After shocking Tigres in Red Bull Arena last Tuesday night, NYCFC took reigning MLS champions, Columbus Crew, to PK’s in a tense quarterfinal match on Saturday night.
NYCFC returns to MLS league play this coming Saturday at home, in CitiField against the Chicago Fire. The big question is which team will show up for Nick Cushing on Saturday, the gritty squad from the two most recent games or the passive group that could barely muster any offense against New England and Queretero?
This week Mike Anderer, J.R. deBart and Mike Allen talk about all that and more on Blue City Radio
Talles Magno’s time with NYCFC will never be clearly defined in a single term or word. His arrival was met with high praise and fanfare. He was a key to the NYCFC offense often drawing double team defense that created space for others to operate. He was a magician with the ball at his feet, but following the departure of Ronny Deila Talles was mismanaged. Nick Cushing’s style didn’t favor Talles’s talents and the situation quickly became the cliche of the square peg in the round hole.
This week Mike Anderer, J.R. deBart and Mike Allen look back the young Brazilian phenoms career with NYCFC. They also discuss how this departure and the conversations that Nick Cushing shared with the press inform how Nick will be judged as a coach that can be trusted.
In the second segment the guys touch on the game in New England from Friday and the upcoming match at Red Bull Arena against Tigres.
Nick Cushing and NYCFC can only face the team in front of them. Whether it be an MLS squad weakened by injury and suspension or a struggling Liga MX side the Boys In Blue have to compete against their opponent and win the points. This past Sunday Queretero, a team that has failed to earn a single point in league play, came to Yankee Stadium and stifled the NYCFC attack earning a point in tournament play.
Mike Anderer, J.R. deBart and Mike Allen breakdown the key moments of the most recent match and highlight the key players of the day including Talles Magno, Maxi Moralez and Justin Haak.
The guys also round out the episode with some conversation about the Canadian soccer controversy and spy scandal that was exposed in the Paris Olympics.
NYCFC wrapped up their four game road trip with a pair of exciting draws. The pigeons in back to back games would have to earn points after conceding the opening goal.
Justin Haak, Matt Freese and Talles Magno would all have impacts on the games this week. Mike Anderer, J.R. deBart, and Mike Allen take a look at the games from the past week and dig deeper into the odd handling of one of the club’s best prospects in Talles Magno.
This weekend hosted a magnificent Euro 2024 Final, a chaotic and scary Copa America Final, and a snoozefest of an NYCFC match between an injury-riddled away side and simply a poor home side in Chicago.
This week JR Dibart takes the hosting duties and talks about all the week’s topics with Mike Allen and guest host, Scott Churchson from Steampunk Entertainment.
The guys talk about all of the weekend’s topics as well as the media availability that Sporting Director, David Lee, hosted with the local independent journalists.
This week’s episode could almost be recorded at any given time in the year. The USMNT under performed under Gregg Berhalter and NYCFC won a home game and then lost a road game. There really is not much shocking about these occurrences.
This week the guys take a moment to talk about Berhalter’s future with US Soccer and possible replacements both from a pipe dream level but also realistic options.
Second segment is all about the home match versus Montreal in CitiField and in the final segment they discuss the loss in Austin.
There is lots of post-game audio shared from the Montreal match.
