Crooks: NYCFC's Struggles In The Air Need To Be Addressed Immediately
By Glenn Crooks
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David Horst is a 6-foot-3 center back for the Houston Dynamo and in the 16th minute on Saturday at Yankee Stadium, he soared above 5-10 New York City FC defender Jason Hernandez and knocked down a header to the feet of Will Bruin.
Bruin finished off the half-volley and for the ninth time in 13 matches this season NYCFC trailed within the first 30 minutes. In 111 games this season across Major League Soccer, only 10 teams have scored the initial goal and lost.
"I think you saw that we were doing quite well and then they score on a soft dead ball," frustrated NYCFC head coach Jason Kreis said following Saturday's 1-1 draw. "You can see that the guys looked a bit deflated there. That is something that we can control."
For at least a fleeting moment, Kreis and his coaching staff may have pictured Oguchi Onyewu, who had joined the club for training last week. "Gooch," the former U.S. Men's National Team center back, was recently released by Charlton Athletic in England and is now on trial with NYCFC.
"He's a massive boy with real good size and strength and has done pretty well in training so far," Kreis said of the 6-3 Onyewu. "We'll continue to look at him over the next several days. Even then, I don't know if we'll be in a position to make an immediate decision."
That was Kreis' judgment prior to the match.
NYCFC lacks an enforcer along with the back line – a quality that "Gooch" can provide along with a more effective presence in the air. Earlier this season, Ike Opara of Sporting KC beat Kwame Watson-Siriboe, arguably NYCFC's best player in the air, to score the lone goal in a 1-0 victory.
New York City has now dropped a minimum of four points due to an inadequate air game, and has failed to score a head ball goal among its 10 tallies.
I'd be stunned if Onyewu is not signed this week. He is not tied down to the type of transfer regulations that will prevent Frank Lampard from competing until after July 8. "Gooch" can be acquired as a Discovery Player on a first come, first serve basis. Unless another team has put a claim in for Onyewu, NYCFC would be free to add a back with 69 caps for USA. If another MLS team has already made a claim on "Gooch," NYCFC would need to offer a $50,000 allocation fee to that club. The allocation fee is a modification to the previous MLS process and was recently criticized by LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena, who called the process a "blackmail job" after his team had to pay New England in order to acquire Sebastian Lleget from West Ham United.
Barring any complications, I would anticipate a move on Onyewu this week. There is no reason to wait. He is fit and provides an element that has been missing all season at the back – an intimidating presence. If signed, I would anticipate a back line of Chris Wingert on the left, Onyewu and Shay Facey in the middle and RJ Allen posing a strong challenge to Jeb Brovsky on the right.
Throw-Ins
- The ninth and 10 teams to go up 1-0 in a match and lose in MLS were the New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia. On Saturday, Chris Rolfe scored in the 85th minute and first-place DC United defeated the Union 2-1.
Lloyd Sam opened the scoring for the Red Bulls in Seattle on Sunday, but Chad Barrett's strike in the first minute of stoppage time furnished the Sounders with a 2-1 triumph.
There are rudiments on the defensive side of the ball that are gospel in soccer. Close down the attacker and deny service.
With his sophisticated attacking skills, Sacha Kljestan is an integral part of the Red Bulls' quick start this season. However, he is not known for his defending prowess and the basics in defending need to be adhered to by every outfield player in soccer.
Kljestan failed to close down and deny the Sounders' Tyrone Mears, whose bending cross found Clint Dempsey at the back post. Dempsey re-directed the ball with a brilliant first time volley that probably was a side-net finish, but Barrett was less certain and got a glancing touch for his third goal of the season.
NYC defender Brovsky was guilty of similar neglect last week against Real Salt Lake. Luke Mulholland was free to whip a service in to Alvaro Saborio, whose flying header essentially put a close to RSL's 2-0 win at Rio Tinto.
As a coach, I have spent countless film sessions alerting players to the importance of closing down, denying service, blocking shots and focusing on those moments that led to goals. The film never fibs – it is there for the entire team to witness. I just wonder whether Brovsky, Kljesten and the myriad others across the league who fail in this fundamental technique are subject to the same review.
- At least when Jeffrey Webb and his other 13 alleged comrades-in-bribes were arrested by Swiss police in the wee hours last Wednesday morning, they had the comfort of $4,000 per night suites at the Baur au Lac in Zurich – the Watergate Hotel of soccer.
- Here are a series of past comments from Sepp Blatter, the embattled FIFA President who was re-elected to a fifth term last Friday:
"There are no rotten eggs. We are financially clean and clear."
"We are not in a crisis, just a difficulty."
"Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball. They could, for example, have tighter shorts. Female players are pretty, if you excuse me for saying so."
"I like my Johnny Walker black and my women blond."
OK, that last utterance is attributed to New York Jets legend Joe Namath. However, the third quote was attributed to Blatter in 2004 when he was asked about his plan to promote the women's game.
This year, he ordered the German federation to do a gender test on its women's soccer team ahead of the World Cup. It turns out that all the German players were indeed, women.
In my opinion, FIFA's leader is likely corrupt and is a documented sexist and homophobe. And he'll be entering his 18th year in charge of the world governing body of soccer. Brilliant.
- You may want to head to Hempstead on Wednesday, June 17. The Cosmos, currently at the top of the table in the NASL, will host New York City FC with the fewest points in MLS. It's the fourth round of the US Open Cup at Hofstra University. Only 1,000 NYC supporters' tickets will be sold for the New York derby, which will be held at Shuart Stadium, which has a capacity 12,500.
- The Cosmos are serving as ambassadors on a trip to Cuba. They will play the Cuban national team Tuesday at 5 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2. The Cosmos are the first pro soccer team to visit Cuba since the Chicago Sting of the original NASL in 1978. Cuba is preparing for World Cup qualifying and the CONCACAF Gold Cup hosted this summer by the United States.
Glenn Crooks is the color commentator for New York City FC on WFAN and the former head soccer coach at Rutgers University. You can follow him on Twitter at @GlennCrooksand glenncrooks.sportsblog.com.
