Inter Miami Vs New York City FC: 3 things to watch for – Last chance

With both teams looking to progress, Inter Miami and New York City FC will have their work cut out for them when they face one another on Monday morning. Here are three things to watch for.

The MLS is Back Tournament didn’t turn out as planned for Inter Miami or New York City FC. The former, who many believed they would have an impact, have been largely disappointing, while NYCFC have been struggling to find their footing under new manager Ronny Deila.

Both of these teams have a slight chance of making the knockout rounds, but they will need to both win and hope other results go their way. Perhaps more pertinently, a win for Inter Miami will see them get their first three points in club history, and for NYCFC, it will take them out of a slump that has seen them lose all four of their regular-season matches thus far.

With both teams are eager to win, the upcoming contest will be full of intensity and desperation. It could be a terrific affair. Here are three things to watch for.

3. Something’s gotta give

Inter Miami’s need for a number eight is clear to everyone. The past two games have shown that the midfield pairing of Wil Trapp and Victor Ulloa will not work for Diego Alonso’s style of play. Against the Philadelphia Union, there were several instances where Trapp and Ulloa were caught out of position and left the defensive line scrambling to not give up a needless goal.

Take Philadelphia’s opening goal for instance:

It only took a cheeky drop of the shoulder by Brendan Aaronson to fool Trapp, which Aaronson then exploited to attempt a cross in front of goal. That ball eventually wasn’t cleared properly and  Miami ended up conceding the first goal of the match.

If Inter Miami wants more defensive solidity and offensive flexibility, either dropping Ulloa or Trapp in favor of a more technically gifted player like Lee Ngyuen or a more mobile player like Jay Chapman will give the midfield a much-needed change.