Nick Cushing has been pleased with the response of his players in training this week as they prepare to face Toronto FC.
New York City FC host Toronto at Yankee Stadium on Saturday eager to pick up a victory after a frustrating result last time out against Portland Timbers.
Reflecting on the week since Saturday, Cushing was pleased with the response of his players and how they have applied themselves in training this week.
“In our dressing room after the Portland game there was a lot of anger,” Cushing said. “There was a lot of anger based on the result, not between us as a group but because we know we should win the game.
“I think after that result, it’s about how you have those conversations as a group. You have to be constructive. Sometimes you must have honest conversations, and sometimes it must be constructive questions and answers and we went through that this week.
“It was really good actually. We had a good Monday and Tuesday as a group in terms of developing who we want to be and how we move forward to get results.”
Cushing also praised the role of his senior leaders across this week in terms of helping further the group’s shared goal.
“The senior leaders of the group have been excellent this week,” he said. “The likes of Birk Risa, Thiago Martins, Andrés Perea, James Sands, Keaton Parks, Luis Barraza. Guys that are in the team and are not in the team, have showed a tremendous strength and togetherness to continue to improve the team.
“There are huge areas of the game that we are pleased with and impressed with in terms of how new players have come in and adapted, and there are areas we have to improve in.
“I said after the [Portland] game, this team is developed by experiences. It takes time to develop it, but we're realistic, we have to get points along the way.
“We want to be further up the table, but I think going through the process of real honest, respectful reflection as a group, from the team to myself and myself to the team - with the support staff - is a really beneficial process.”
Elsewhere, Cushing was also able to provide an update on the status of Talles Magno after the Brazilian missed the last two weeks with a knee complaint.
“He’s just having some pain,” Cushing said. “He’s in and around the facilities. He's been brilliant around the group actually.
“Even though he's not involved in the team, his contribution to the team, whilst not being able to contribute on the field have been excellent.
“I've been really impressed with Talles, but he's frustrated. He's got a little bit of pain. He's with the medical department and I don't think they think it’s too serious, but it's just not something that we feel is right for him to play with.”
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