In this edition of the Hudson River Blue Roundtable, John Baney, Andrew Leigh, Matthew Mangam, Mark Radigan, and Raf Noboya y Rivera look at what we learned in the 2026 preseason, and what we can expect to see in New York City FC’s second season under Head Coach Pascal Jansen and first season under Sporting Director Todd Dunivant.
Hudson River Blue: Let’s start with a gut check: How are you feeling about this New York City squad leading into the season opener on Sunday?
Matthew Mangam: I think the squad is in a great spot. Every position is strong, except for striker. I’m confident that the Kai Trewin signing will be great, and although he won’t be Justin Haak 2.0, I’m sure he will make an impact. We also know what to expect out of the returners, which is a good thing. Bring on Pascal Jansen’s second season at the helm.
John Baney: I feel better than I did this time last season, which is pretty promising considering NYCFC made the Conference Finals last year. How NYCFC can manage the loss of Alonso MartĂnez, and the failed signing of Moussa Sylla as a replacement, will likely determine whether they can build off last season or not.
Andrew Leigh: That there’s more depth up and down the roster when compared to what they had to start the 2025 season, but that the squad still remains one or two players away from really challenging for a spot among what you’d consider the elite group of MLS teams, like Inter Miami or LAFC, or similar.
Mark Radigan: While I’m more confident going into the regular season this year rather than in 2025, I’m still concerned with the state of the squad’s front line. MartĂnez had 18 MLS goals in 2025, which was 36% of New York City’s season total. I’m still waiting for those attacking reinforcements the Toddfather promised.
Raf Noboa y Rivera: I feel slightly better. Obviously, just like last season, this roster has pretty solid gaps: Martinez is out for most of the season, if not all of it, the FO whiffed on signing Sylla, and even though Trewin is presumably a good acquisition, I think we should’ve done better at keeping Haak, given he was one of our homegrowns.
That said: Seymour Reid’s the real deal as a teenager, and I’m excited to see how he does against real MLS competition leading the line.
Mark Radigan
HRB: What are your takeaways from preseason training? What did we learn from Coachella?
JB: Keaton Parks is back! Pascal Jansen has proved he can make this midfield work with just about anyone in there, Kevin O’Toole included, but the peak Jansen-ball we saw at the end of 2025 never had the luxury of dropping in a healthy Keaton Parks. On his day, he’s a top midfielder in MLS. So, seeing him pulling strings out there in Coachella is a significant development for NYCFC ahead of 2026.
RNyR: I’ll echo the Parks praise. If the training staff can keep him healthy, that’ll make such a huge difference. The other part is seeing young players play; even if they don’t make the big team, you hope they can contribute to the Squabs.
MM: As John said, it’s great that Parks is back and we’re seeing more of O’Toole in the midfield, which looked good against Philadelphia in the playoffs. There isn’t much to take out of Coachella, but it’s cool to see some of the youngsters like Max Murray and Drew Baiera get some minutes — seeing how those guys perform is always something we can take out of preseason.
MR: I’m thrilled that Parks is back with the boys, but I was really impressed with AgustĂn Ojeda these past few weeks. With Julián Fernández officially out the door, Jansen clearly trusts Ojeda to be a difference maker for the Pigeons, and I’m looking forward to seeing the energy the Argentine brings this season. With Alonso out, the opportunity for Ojeda to grab a place in the Starting XI is right in front of him; he just needs the consistency to take it.
AL: Coachella showed me how badly MartĂnez will be missed. Rolling with Nico Fernández Mercau, Talles Magno (when healthy), or Reid in that spot just does not seem like it will be enough to adequately replace what they’ll be missing with Alonso sidelined.
Once the Sylla deal collapsed, if they intended to use those Coachella games to figure out if they had enough on hand to fill in for MartĂnez’s missing goals, the answer should have been loud and clear to Dunivant: They do not and still need another proven option at striker, badly.
HRB: Obvious question, but: What’s the biggest hole in this roster?
JB: The obvious answer is a No 9, but I’ll zag here for the sake of argument. While NYCFC are missing a natural center forward in a positional sense, what they really lack is a consistent goalscorer. If this team had reliable goal threats on the wings or in midfield, they could probably cope without a true No 9. But, I’m not sure I trust Nico Fernández, Hannes Wolf, Talles Magno, Agustin Ojeda, or Maxi Moralez to put up Alonso-esque numbers, regardless of where any of them play on the field.
MR: I’m beating a dead horse, but New York City will not look as strong as in 2025 without signing a true back-up striker, or a No 9 who can pair up with Alonso when he returns.
Reid is too inexperienced and too raw to be the guy right now, and Nico Fernández’s skillset would be much better suited in attacking midfield. Plus, Raf is right. Maxi is going to be 39 this year. I got egg on my face last season for this, but Maxi Moralez should NOT start more than 30 games this season. If a striker isn’t brought in, slot Nico up there and sign a young and starting quality No 10.
RNyR: Man, it’s really the scoring. I said up top that I’m excited to see Reid up top, but after all, he’s just 17! That’s a lot of responsibility to put on his shoulders. MLS is taking a break from May 25 to July 16 for the World Cup, so I’m hoping that Dunivant takes that time to land a solid goalscorer. The other piece would be a midfield orchestrator. Maxi’s awesome, but he’s also 38. With a healthy Parks and a full season of Nico Fernández, that’s less of a need, but still, it’s something I’m keeping an eye on.
MM: I don’t think there’s any other answer besides striker. As of right now, Talles Magno is expected to be out one to two weeks, leaving NYCFC without a “striker” to start the season. The failure to sign Sylla looks like a horrible outcome right now, but if a striker is brought in, things could change. Still, not having MartĂnez to surely bag at least 15 goals for most of the season will hurt, no matter what happens.
AL: I think we’re unanimous. A reliable goal-scorer who can line up as a center-forward or as a wide attacker might not be the easiest player to find before March 26, when the MLS Primary Transfer Window closes, but it’s what this year’s team desperately needs, especially since Kai Trewin seems up to the task of replacing Justin Haak.
Andrew Leigh
HRB: Who are you most excited to watch play?
AL: Talles Magno. What will this guy produce while partaking in his first season of JansenBall? Talles is a riddle wrapped in an enigma as far as what he’ll produce in 2026, as in, I could see him flourishing alongside Nico, Maxi, and the improved supporting cast assembled since 2024.
Conversely, I could also see him not making enough of an impact to justify continuing to hold a Designated Player spot. Slightly frustrating that we won’t get any answers about Talles for a while, given he’s battling an injury that sidelined him for weeks to end the preseason.
RNyR: I’m on the Seymour Reid hype train. I always like seeing whether teenage prospects pan out, and we’ve got a solid record in that regard.
JB: A full season of Nico Fernández Mercau.
MM: John, that’s what I was going to say! But I will also say I’m very excited to see more of Aiden O’Neill and Jonny Shore. With Andrés Perea still out and Keaton Parks coming off an injury, I’m sure we will see plenty of O’Neill and Shore together in the midfield.
MR: It’s Kai Trewin for me. The Aussie was a game-breaker in the A-League last season, and is the closest thing to a Justin Haak clone one can be. Haak was a Top 3 player in the NYC squad last season, and leaves massive shoes to fill. But, I think Kai is more than up to the task, and is going to flourish in this Pigeons backline.
John Baney
HRB: We’re now in Year Two of the Pascal Jansen Era. When we held this roundtable in 2025, he was still an enigma, but we were getting to know his personality. What are your feelings about Jansen heading into the season?
MR: Pascal Jansen is a Top 5 coach in Major League Soccer. He’s one of the best tacticians in the league, a leader of men, and quite frankly, a very interesting character. The locker room seems bought into the Jansen mindset, and I feel like an MLS Cup Final birth is right around the corner. The Western Conference is STACKED, so winning the thing could be a challenge, but 2025 should indicate more fun ahead under the Dutchman. I just hope he sticks around long enough to hoist the cup. The Premier League will come calling soon enough.
MM: I don’t care how crazy this sounds, I’ll say he’s one of the best managers in MLS. He’s already proven what he can do, and I’m confident he will continue to succeed. The question is: How much longer will he be NYCFC’s head coach?
AL: If Jansen can make it work even while starting this season without a clear-cut striker, it will be more proof that he’s the best manager NYCFC have so far employed.
RNyR: Jansen’s an excellent manager. For my money, he’s right there with Wilfried Nancy as a “great MLS manager”. It’s not a question of if he’ll win a league title, but when. I don’t think it’ll be this year, but I’ll plant a flag on it happening next year or in 2028, once the roster is fully built out.
JB: I think Pascal is one of the best tacticians in MLS. Combine this with his ability to develop young players, along with his general aura, and he feels like someone who’ll prove hard to keep around for too much longer…
HRB: Follow-up question: We’re now at the dawn of the Todd Dunivant Era. What are your initial impressions of the new sporting director?
AL: Feels impossible to form an opinion on Dunivant yet, though maybe that’s a bit concerning in itself, given how little movement he’s made thus far? The only signing he’s made in Trewin is a move that feels like a bit of “corporate City Football Group” business more than a shrewd find on the international market made by the Sporting Director or his team. Make what you will of how the Sylla Saga played out, but failing to get a striker in before the season starts, or even before the Primary window closes in late-March, would be a mark against Todd to start his tenure.
MM: It started off great with Dunivant bringing in Trewin, but then Sylla’s transfer failed, and things got gloomy. I still think Dunivant will be great, but I really don’t hope missing out on Sylla comes back to hurt NYCFC this season.
RNyR: It’s too soon to tell. I’m not bummed about missing out on Sylla, even though there was drama around that transfer, for a few reasons. First, Schalke are leading the 2. Bundesliga by a point, and they’re desperate to get back to the Bundesliga — they’re the third-largest German club, so of course they don’t want to lose any of their players, let alone a striker.
Second, I’m not convinced that Sylla would’ve made an immediate impact. He’s only got four goals and two assists on this season, and German soccer is on a trough right now. Playing in MLS would’ve been a significant step up for him. I’ll have a better sense of his eye for talent after the secondary transfer window closes.
MR: I agree with Raf, it’s too early to give a verdict on Dunivant. But what I will say is it’s not a great feeling going into another regular season with a glaring hole in the squad. Ask me again in six months, and if the Pigeons still don’t have a backup for Alonso, I’ll have a more strongly worded answer.
HRB: We can now see that 2025 was a year when New York City seriously contended. That came on the heels of 2023, which was a tear-down season, and 2024, which was a rebuild. How do you think 2026 will be characterized?
AL: They have four separate paths to silverware in front of them, and it would be a letdown if they didn’t come closer to lifting a trophy this year than they did last year. I have a hard time seeing them taking the Supporters’ Shield, but any of MLS Cup, Leagues Cup, or US Open Cup are attainable given the nature of knockout soccer and given the solid base of talent from which NYCFC starts the season.
RNyR: I get what the public expectations are, given how last season ended. That said, this is still a rebuilding season for me. If the Pigeons play “entertaining” soccer, make the playoffs, and do well – ie, make the conference semifinals, let’s say? That’s a success for me.
MM: Pascal Jansen set an expectation for NYCFC this year. MLS pundits, media, and fans expect NYCFC to compete for a top spot in the Eastern Conference this season, with or without Alonso MartĂnez for most of the year. NYCFC has to do as well as it did last season, or things will be seen as a disappointment.
MR: Title challenge. NYCFC is the fifth-most valuable club in MLS. The club has a tactical savant on the touchline, multiple DPs, multiple seasoned internationals, and a front office with a desire to win. The expectation for 2026 is to compete with Inter Miami for the Eastern Conference title and get to the final. To win it this year would be fantastic, because that will certainly be the objective when Etihad Park opens in 2027/28.
Oliver Strand
HRB: What’s your biggest concern for this team?
RNyR: Scoring, scoring, scoring. It’s wild that this deficiency wasn’t addressed in the offseason, and that the main answer was a guy who couldn’t really score in the German second division. looks at Inter Miami. At some point…you have to think that CFG loosen the purse strings even a little bit to sign a proven goalscorer, even if it’s not a “name” player.
MR: I’m not even sure who the main goal threat is going to be. Will Nico be the main No. 9? Who will create around him? Will Hannes remember how to score after the World Cup break? Will Talles Magno even start? The forward core has so many question marks, you could call it the SAT.
MM: It has to be goal scoring. Without MartĂnez for most of the season, who will step up? Hannes Wolf was the second primary scorer for the past two years, but he’s too inconsistent. The last time we saw Talles Magno play the No 9, it went horribly. Could Ojeda finally break out and contribute more than three goals in a season? I think Nico Fernández will be crucial, but will the rest of the attack pitch in enough to make up for the loss of MartĂnez? Based on previous seasons, unfortunately, I think the answer is no.
AL: That their defense takes a step back. Trewin, on paper, seems like a solid player, but they go into this season expecting both he and Raul Gustavo to produce full campaigns that keep them among the best teams in MLS at goal prevention. Given how many goal-scoring concerns have been voiced in this roundtable, they would be in double-trouble if they can’t rely on winning those tight 1-0 matches as regularly this season.
HRB: What’s this team’s greatest strength?
MM: Despite the loss of Justin Haak, I’m going to go with the defense. I have faith in Kai Trewin, whether he plays center back or in the midfield. After a rocky start to 2025, Thiago Martins had a great end to last season, giving me confidence that the captain will have another big year. Tayvon Gray has proven he is one of the most underrated right backs in MLS — he plays lock-down defense and also contributes to the attack. I’m not sure who will see more time at left-back, O’Toole or Raul Gustavo, but I trust both of them. And you can’t forget about Matt Freese in goal; he can save anything.
RNyR: The spine. I really wish we’d hung on to Justin Haak, but man, the New York City defense is so solid. I’m curious to see how Kai Trewin handles the jump up to MLS from the A-League. To give you some context: I’m the kind of sicko who actually watches A-League matches on ESPN+, and the level of play is where MLS was around 2010 or so? Melbourne City is a sister club and one of the better teams, so the jump should not be as rough, but it’s going to be an adjustment. There’s a reason why you haven’t seen that many A-League-to-MLS transfers.
MR: What Matthew said, especially with Matt Freese in goal. You’re talking about, on his day, the best goalkeeper in the MLS. He stands on his head week in and week out, and I expect him to be in the form of his life in the lead-up to strapping on the gloves for the USMNT.
AL: Pascal Jansen is their greatest strength. The roster may have issues with injuries, players leaving, new players not coming in — but Jansen proved in 2025 that he knows how to figure his squads out and shape them into whatever form gives him the best chance to win on any day. Given how in flux things remain with NYCFC’s personnel, they’ll need the coach to remain near-MVP if they want to finish higher than they did a year ago.
HRB: Speed round: Give us 2026 in five words or less.
MM: Who will score the goals?
RNyR: Slow and steady building.
MR: The Talles Magno Experience.
AL: Final year of baseball banter.
