New York City FC Vs Philadelphia Union: 3 things to watch for

New York City FC, Maxi Moralez (Photo by Timothy Bouwer/ISI Photos/Getty Images).
New York City FC, Maxi Moralez (Photo by Timothy Bouwer/ISI Photos/Getty Images).
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Valentin Castellanos of New York City FC
COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 01: Valentin Castellanos #11 of New York City FC reacts to their 1-0 loss to Columbus Crew SC at MAPFRE Stadium on March 01, 2020 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

2. New York City FC must find scoring rhythm

Ever since the first game in the CONCACAF Champions League, New York City FC have been pretty dry in the scoring department. In the regular season, they are yet to score. Of course, in a game that requires scoring goals, this is far from ideal.

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In comparison to 2019, NYCFC has the same forwards and attacking midfielders. According to NYCFC’s website, there are five players listed as official forwards.  Of the five, three scored in the double digits last year, with Héber scoring a team-high 15. In total, the team scored 63 goals in 2019, which attests that they have proven scorers in their arsenal. The only question is whether they can get the scoring legs going in 2020.

It is certainly not a question of lack of talent, then. And neither is it a question of creativity, either. Maxi Moralez is an elite playmaker, Alexandru Mitrita is an exceptional dribbler from out wide, while the likes of Jesus Medina, Alex Ring, and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi are all able to contribute to a high-level MLS attack.

Thus far, the team hasn’t quite clicked under new head coach Ronny Deila. That should come with time and patience. And once the goals start, they should flow. Confidence is vital for scoring. If NYCFC break the drought, it should spread throughout the team and lead to sharper attacking play.