New York City FC: 3 positives to take despite CCL defeat
2. Central midfield exercises control
The first-half performance versus Tigres was a phenomenal performance. As Ronny Deila commented after the match: New York City FC had everything, especially in possession, if not the final pass or shot:
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"“We get the ball in central, get it wide, put up the wingers one-v-one, get chances. The way we played was fantastic.”"
A large reason for their overall command of the match in the first half stemmed from the superb showing of their central midfield trio: James Sands as the anchoring midfielder who shuttled the ball from teammate to teammate and shielded the defence against counter-attack; Keaton Parks in an all-action box-to-box role, using his height and rangy athleticism to good use; and Alex Ring as a more offensive-minded player to drive into the penalty area with late runs and conduct play in and around the middle and final thirds.
This was an all-encompassing trio that allowed NYCFC to build out from the back beautifully, implement a high-energy press that suffocated Tigres on the counter-attack, and put the front three into some excellent offensive situations that they were ultimately unable to take advantage of. If Deila can build on this trio in the future, NYCFC have an excellent foundation to the team.