As the saying goes, two seemingly contradictory things can be true.
For example: New York City FC's four wins and one draw in five games make them one of the hottest teams in Major League Soccer, and yet they have remained stuck in 8th Place in the Eastern Conference since July 19.
New York City have taken 13 out of a possible 15 points in those games, second-best in the league behind Charlotte FC's 15. And yet the team simply can't translate those results into a higher position on the table.
That could be cause for concern in an Eastern Conference that's unusually competitive this year. NYCFC currently sit in 8th Place with 44 points after 26 games. In any other season, 44 points would be enough to all but guarantee a playoff spot — just look at 2024 and 2023, when the 8th-Place team finished with 43 points total. But this year, it might take 55 points to finish in 8th Place, the most in the history of the league. A point total that usually would be good for 4th Place, and home-field advantage in the First Round of the postseason, instead might place you in the Wild Card matchup.
But if you open the aperture a little and look at the bigger picture, you'll see that New York City's current run of form puts them in a strong position to move up the table as the season draws to a close — and build the momentum required of any team looking to make a deep run in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
1. The top of the Eastern Conference is tighter than a...
To better understand how competitive the East is this year, just compare it to the West. If New York City were in the Western Conference, their 44 points and 13 wins would put them in 4th Place, ahead of Seattle Sounders.
