When my bosses tell me I need to make predictions at the beginning of the year, I’m going to tell them to shove it from now on.
Because we can’t predict something like a key player for one of the top teams in the league going down for the year.
On Wednesday, New York City FC announced that center midfielder Yangel Herrera would miss the rest of the 2018 season after undergoing surgery to repair his ankle. Herrera sustained the injury on May 25 after a 50-50 challenge with Houston’s Alejandro Fuenmayor. The Dynamo center back was subsequently suspended two matches for the challenge.
Herrera's value
Herrera was a key part of NYCFC’s success over the last 12 months. Since winning a starting spot last June, the 20-year-old has found a home in a bustling box-to-box midfielder role, in front of Alex Ring and behind Maxi Moralez. Herrera may not be NYCFC’s biggest name, but his absence may change the season for NYCFC and, consequently, the outcome of the Eastern Conference.
To understand how NYCFC will miss Herrera, we first need to discuss what made him so valuable.
Herrera made the game easier for his teammates. His ability to cover ground and get around the ball, both offensively and defensively, allowed Ring to stay central and protect the back four. On the other end of the field, Herrera’s skill to transition possession from back to front allowed Moralez to float into dangerous attacking positions. Herrera allowed Ring and Moralez to play as the best versions of themselves.
"I think he's a big lad, he's really strong, he's winning a majority of the 50-50, he can break play down, but he can play as well," NYCFC head coach Patrick Vieira said after training on Thursday. "He's a big loss for us. We have players on our roster who can fill the spot with different characteristics, but we need to replace Yangel."
On any given day, NYCFC could have beaten you through finesse or pure aggression, and much of their variety was afforded because of Herrera’s skill set. The Venezuelan international provides a rare blend of bite, skill, intelligence and composure on the ball. He could kick the life out of opponents in the middle and also outposses them. You don’t find that combination in the market on a regular basis (probably why Herrera is under contract to Manchester City).
I’m writing this article because he’s not just another good player. It’s not as easy as plug and replace. And it’s not just about NYCFC, either; it’s about the prospects for the entire Eastern Conference. Herrera was a glue player for one of the top contenders in the league, and without him I’m not sure how the team is tied together. His absence extends beyond his singular spot on the field.
There’s a caveat to all of this. Herrera hasn’t been as good in 2018 as he was in 2017. He hasn’t had quite the boundless energy or aggression. Earlier in the year, he was rested (or benched, depending on how you viewed it) against Portland because Vieira felt he could already see Herrera’s energy levels had dropped. NYCFC have been good – 2nd in the East and perfect at home – even though their young midfielder hasn’t been his usual self. NYCFC are already a little used to life without peak Herrera, so perhaps the transition will be easier.
Just before Herrera’s injury, too, Vieira had made a tactical switch for his team. After NYCFC lost to Red Bulls 4-0 and then drewLAFC, Vieira veered from his usually 4-2-3-1 and implemented a 3-5-2 for the next game on May 19 against Colorado. Ring (#8 below) played center back and Ebenezer Ofori (#12) joined Herrera (#30) and Moralez (#10) in midfield.
The switch seemed to revolve around giving David Villa a partner up top so the Spaniard could have more freedom to improvise. Jo Inge Berget would carry the burden of the central striker duties and Villa could move into the openings. The team continued with the 3-5-2 against Houston, but maneuvered to a 3-4-3 variation in their last MLS game against Orlando City SC (their first game after the Herrera injury) with David Villa starting on the bench as the Cityzens won 3-0.
In other words, it was tough to tell what Vieira was going to do before Herrera’s injury, and it’s tough to tell now. NYCFC had already been experimenting.
Vieira's options
Tommy McNamara (right) will be one of the players Vieira turns to in Herrera's absence | USA Today Sports Images
"We don't have different players in our roster at the moment with the same characteristics as Yangel. We have to find somebody who can replace him," Vieira said. Let's investigate who that somebody might be.
The first option Vieira turned to was to insert Tommy McNamara into Herrera’s role. McNamara entered the Houston game when Herrera couldn’t return and has started the two MLS games since. The New York native offers the same type of brash, controlled energy that Herrera provided, though without the midfield guile; McNamara is a more direct, goal-seeking player.
The second option, if Vieira wants to stay in a three-center back system, would be to move Ring back to midfield to partner Ofori. Maxime Chanot, who started almost every game in 2017 when he was healthy, could provide a natural replacement at center back. Ofori could move to Herrera’s role and would provide a more pass-first, like-for-like switch in terms of style for Herrera than McNamara.
The third option would be to return to the 4-2-3-1 and play Ring and Ofori behind Moralez in midfield.
The fourth option would be to give more playing time to 22-year-old center midfielder Kwame Awuah, who started at center mid in the U.S. Open Cup.
As you can see, Vieira doesn’t lack options. Most coaches would love that type of cover. Ofori won the Swedish Allsvenskan’s Midfielder of the Year award in 2015 before moving to Stuttgart in 2. Bundesliga, the same league in which NYCFC found Ring; McNamara has long been a fan favorite around Yankee Stadium for his fearless mindset and slick dribbling; and Maxime Chanot seemed to be a lock starter until a recent poor run of form.
But it all brings us back to the original point of the article: Can any of them do what Herrera did? Can any of them keep NYCFC at the top of the East in Herrera’s absence? Should Atlanta United start popping bottles already?
All three might be answered this weekend, when NYCFC take on the Five Stripes (12:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info), the one team ahead of them in the standings.
Dylan Butler provided additional reporting for this piece.
