PURCHASE, N.Y. – With 11 games remaining in the regular season, New York City FC sit atop the Eastern Conference with 36 points and appear poised to make a first-ever MLS Cup playoff appearance in just their second year of existence.
But is Patrick Vieira’s team actually a Supporters' Shield contender?
NYCFC head into a Friday night clash against the San Jose Earthquakes at Avaya Stadium (11 pm ET; UniMás in US, MLS LIVE in Canada) third in the Shield table, eight points behind leaders FC Dallas. But there are five teams within four points of NYCFC.
“It’s still too far,” Vieira said. “We are really pleased where we are. But look at how tight the league is. We know that two wins in a row can put you up and losing two games in a row can put you in the middle or the bottom of the league.”
A big reason why NYCFC are even in the Supporters' Shield conversation has been the team’s consistency. Their only back-to-back losses came against Columbus Crew SC and the Philadelphia Union in April. NYCFC have lost four more times since that point, but three times they’ve responded with a win.
NYCFC also enjoy the best road form in MLS with a 6-4-1 record and since their early struggles at home, they are 3-1-1 in their last five at Yankee Stadium.
Then there’s the goals, a league-high 40 of them. A year after relying heavily on David Villa, who sits atop the league’s goalscoring chart with 13, several players have contributed.
No one has more goals in the league since June 18 than Frank Lampard, who has found the back of the net eight times, and 13 players in total have scored this season.
As they proved in a stunning 5-1 drubbing of the Colorado Rapids Saturday, NYCFC can even win without Villa, who was among several regulars out due to injury or suspension.
“I always believe in football the group, the roster is more important than individuals,” Vieira said. “The individual will make you win a game, but I believe the roster will make you win the competition. I’m a big believer in the team spirit and the squad.”
At this point last year, the expansion side had a 6-11-6 record and were well on their way to missing the playoffs.
Now, NYCFC are one of the league’s best comeback stories. But Vieira remains cautious, with difficult matches against the LA Galaxy, FC Dallas and Orlando City SC on the horizon.
“We are pleased, because of course it’s always good to be where we are. But we don’t take anything for granted because we know that we have to concentrate on game at a time and see what’s going to happen,” Vieira said. “But we are happy with where we are.”
