New York City Football Club recorded their first point of the season after a 0-0 result against Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday afternoon.
Here are Five Points from our trip to BC Place.
Bright Start
NYCFC set the tone against Vancouver Whitecaps and that produced an impressive opening to the game.
Attacking the match with pace and energy, all that was missing for the visitors was a goal. Talles Magno and Thiago Andrade both earned good looks at goal inside the first twenty minutes, and the regularity with which the team starts games so well is a major advantage.
As Ronny Deila rightly said afterward, Saturday may not have produced a goal, but when a team shows this kind of consistency with chance creation then goals will arrive soon enough.
Early change
Ronny Deila was forced into a first half change when Tayvon Gray pulled up injured and that allowed Andres Jasson to enter the game.
The Homegrown was presented with a tough test in Cristian Dájome, but to his credit he excelled. Defensively Jasson was able to marshal his opponent – his recovery run midway through the second half denying Dájome a chance to cross – while he also forced the winger back with some good attacking runs.
The 20-year-old is more known for playing further up the field, but as Deila explained he feels Jasson could have a future at fullback.
“He has been training in that position the whole winter,” Deila said. “He is doing the job very well. He has talent to play right back. He can defend one v one, he’s good on the ball, he can challenge one v one offensively, he has a good cross. It’s about understanding the role offensively even more through experience - it's going to make him a better football player. I think he did well today.”
After Saturday, we are inclined to agree.
Clean Sheet
If NYCFC were seeking a response defensively to last weekend’s result against LA Galaxy they got one.
The team’s defensive unit not only kept a clean sheet against Vancouver Whitecaps, but they also limited their opponents to just a single shot on target during the match. That effort was Lucas Cavallini’s header in the first half, and spoke to the team’s quality and organization as a unit.
Keeping clean sheets is a valuable habit to get into and so far NYCFC have managed it in three of their four competitive games this season. They’ll be aiming for two more in the next seven days.
Squad Depth
As the game approached the 65th minute Ronny Deila turned to his bench to make a bold triple substitution.
The NYCFC head coach revealed afterward his decision to make changes was partially influenced by Tuesday’s Concacaf Champions League game. Being able to introduce players with the quality of Héber, Gedion Zelalem, and Santiago Rodríguez is a blessing for Deila and his staff.
The team has grand ambitions this season as they attempt to compete on multiple fronts. That will test the squad’s depth at numerous points during the campaign, and on Saturday we saw no drop in quality between those that started the game and those that entered later on.
Thiago Martins also came on to bolster the backline, and that also facilitated a switch in system, to a back three. That subtle change also hints at the other benefit of such depth as it offers NYCFC tactical versatility as they attempt to find a breakthrough.
Home Time
The game against Vancouver on Saturday represented the end of a seven-week trip away from home for NYCFC.
The Boys in Blue have started the season with some solid results and now they will make their way back to New York for games against Comunicaciones and CF Montréal. The presence of away fans on Saturday at BC Place was another reminder of what awaits the team in the Big Apple, and the hope now is that the platform established on the road can be added to with some good home results.
And while it’s always nice to see new places, there’s nothing quite like home, and both players and staff can’t wait to reunite with the Club’s fans.
