New York City Football Club return to the field this weekend against Toronto FC.
Here’s the Keys to the Match, presented by Tri-State Ford…
Back In Action
While several of the first-team squad were away on international duty during the last two weeks the rest of the squad combined some much-needed time off with a return to training.
They were bolstered by the arrival of new-signing Gabriel Pereira. The Brazilian winger joined the Club from Corinthians recently and took part in his first training sessions during the international break. The winger adds dynamism and creativity to an already strong attack, and will be available this weekend along with his new teammates, he will be raring to get back on the field as they prepare to take on Toronto FC on Saturday.
NYCFC had a busy start to the season that involved a lot of travel, both domestic and international. While their determination did not dim, there was a clear need for a break to rest and recharge and now feeling much fresher they will be able to attack the game at the weekend.
Wing Battle
One thing that Head Coach Ronny Deila regularly references when discussing his team’s performance is overloads.
The Norwegian is keen for his fullbacks to contribute in the final third by stretching the field and creating 2v1 situations. As Joe Lowery explained, Toronto are keen to get the ball wide to the left and right hand side of the penalty box as this is considered the optimal assist zone as it requires only one more pass to create a shot on target.
The consequence of this is that NYCFC’s fullbacks will need to be wary of space in behind and diligent defensively. If they can do that and find combinations at the other end of the field then NYCFC will be well on their way to claiming an important three points.
Control The Ball
Something Bob Bradley has been keen to change since inheriting this Toronto FC side is their use of the ball.
The former United States Men's National Team Head Coach was keen to dominate possession with his former side LAFC and that trait has carried over to his work at BMO Field. Compared to last season Toronto are now seeking to control the ball more, and that shares a similarity with how NYCFC approach games.
Therefore, this game will be heavily influenced by what happens in the midfield. This is why NYCFC consistently try to start games on the front foot and control proceedings to give themselves that foundation to establish their way of playing.
That same approach will be needed on Saturday as NYCFC take on a team striving toward the same goal, with the battle for the ball something to keep an eye on.
