New York City FC will be ready for the challenge of Columbus Crew on Wednesday night, according to Head Coach Pascal Jansen.
Jansen’s side welcomes Columbus to Yankee Stadium tomorrow fresh off an important win on the road against Chicago Fire. Keen to extend their winning run, they host a Columbus side also coming into the game following an impressive road win against Atlanta United.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Jansen spoke of his admiration for Wilfried Nancy while also confirming he expects his side to be prepared for the test awaiting them.
“Well, first of all, he’s an impressive coach, I think a very good and genuine colleague who also plays good football with his team,” he said.
“He has some great players he can use to implement his ideas. But we do our homework as well. So it’s not only about the last game they played [against Atlanta United] this weekend, it’s also about games that they played over quite a bit of time, and also, of course, the lessons that we learned from game number one playing away in Columbus.
“That is something that we take with us in preparation for this game. So I think we’ll be prepared enough. We still have one day to make sure that we have our plan ready, and then let’s see what happens on pitch.”
New York City FC is in the midst of a busy period with five games in fifteen days, a run that will challenge the team both physically and mentally. Jansen confirmed the run of games will require even more effort from his players and staff.
“Yeah, that hasn’t changed one bit,” he said. “It needs more focus and more attention when you play these games rapidly after each other, but it’s been part of our routine since the beginning of the season. I must say, my guys have gotten way better in that area.
“We have to respect the fact that the routines have been created, and now we have to apply them to the best we can again, knowing that we have fast turnarounds for the games ahead.
One player that should be available for the game is Raúl Gustavo. The Brazilian defender made his first team debut against Chicago after joining from Ferencvaros, and although appearing to pick up an ankle injury, should be cleared for the meeting with Columbus.
“No, it was just the ankle,” Jansen said of Gustavo. “Unfortunately, he hurt his ankle quite early, and played through it. If you’d seen his ankle after the game, it was quite serious, but physically he was good to go, and that was the one I was surprised by the most.
“Knowing Raúl like I do, I had no hesitation to put him in the starting eleven, because he knows the way I want to play with my team, and what his part in the team is.”
Back in the Five Boroughs for their next three games, that stretch comes after a successful period on the road that saw New York City FC win four and draw one in their last five road games. Discussing the positive form, Jansen discussed his team’s constant pursuit of consistency both at home and away.
“I would say the growth of the team in general,” he said when asked what inspired the positive run.
“Consistency has been the word that we’ve talked about since the beginning of the season. And you can see in the away games that we’ve found ourselves in a better place at the moment.
“But other than that, just being consistent in what we try to establish on pitch always, and somehow it’s paid off now in the away games as well,” he concluded.
