A New York City FC team that many consider a contender for the 2018 Supporters’ Shield, awarded to the team with the best record in MLS, is now seeing those lofty expectations shaken following a 2-0 loss to the Philadelphia Union in Week 25.
“The focus is not to win the regular league. The focus is on the playoffs,” head coach Dome Torrent told media postgame. “We have to be able to at least play the playoffs. Because I know, and the players know, in the last three games especially, we didn’t play well.”
After playing a strong first half and creating a handful of dangerous early looks at goal, NYCFC ultimately succumbed to two Union goals in the second half and failed to recover.
“We had the same mistakes the last 2-3 games. I’m disappointed in myself,” Torrent said. “Maybe I’m not able to convince my players … the last few games we don’t improve in the second half. The opposite. We don’t play well.
“We have to improve quickly because I’m worried about what happened in our second half.”
Torrent lamented the fact that his team, which has slipped to a 1W-2L-1D in its last four games, continued a tendency of defending deep in their own half in the second half, a scenario that transpired because “maybe we are tired. I need to ask them if maybe they’re tired in the second half. Then we have to change a little bit the trainings [sessions]. I don’t know. I need to know what happens in the second half.”
NYCFC’s head coach, who has a 6W-3L-1D record since taking over for Patrick Vieira, claimed that he exhorted his players to push “maybe 11-12 times” in the second half against Philadelphia. But his imploring was to little effect.
“If you defend deep they have the ball. If you defend [high] normally you can win the ball,” Torrent continued. “I prefer to defend forward [up the field], not backward [deep]. If you defend deep you don’t have the ball … If not, you’re in trouble. And you run a lot when you don’t have the ball.”
In addition to the second-half issues Torrent must navigate, he now faces the difficult task of missing three starters for NYCFC’s Heineken Rivalry Week match on Wednesday against derby foes New York Red Bulls (7 pm ET | FS1 - full TV & streaming info), who sit one point ahead in the standings.
Torrent confirmed the absence of Alex Callens (“problems in the knee”), Jesus Medina (hamstring) and Costa Rican international Ronald Matarrita, who was sent off late in stoppage time against the Union and will be suspended vs. RBNY.
“It’s not good news for us when we miss three players for the next game and it’s in three days on Wednesday.”
