Formations & Tactics
The Great Left Back Debate: Mata vs. Sweat
Vieira flipped the script by starting Sweat in the season opener. So, who will get the lion’s share of playing time at left back this season?
Tactics Time: How to break through against Sporting Kansas City
Can NYCFC start the year off with three points?
How Can the Boys in Blue Replace Mata?
Short Answer: They can’t. But there are alternatives NYCFC can utilize.
NYCFC Player Ratings, Week 3: Limited Impact
What did whoscored.com had to say about our Boys in Blue on a cold day in the Bronx?
NYCFC Player Ratings: Baby It’s Cold Outside
The Blues gave DCU the cold shoulder on Sunday. Let’s see how our boys fared on whoscored.com!
Week 1 NYCFC Player Ratings: Into the Lion’s Den
A new weekly series commenting on whoscored.com’s analytics
Has Johansen Leapfrogged Saunders?
Vieira has not ruled out starting Johansen in the playoffs
Is the 5 Man Backline Our Secret Weapon?
In the last game of the season Vieira opened up a new option in his arsenal with a 5 man backline. Could this lineup be the key to playoff success?
Can Tommy McNamara Fill the Lampard Void?
With Lampard sidelined for the next month, it’ll be up to #McNamaradona to pick up the offensive slack.
Don’t Give up on Khiry Shelton Just Yet
The club’s first ever SuperDraft selection is not what many hoped he might be. But maybe he’s something else altogether.
The 109ers
One midfield. Three men. Over a century of combined age. It shouldn't work in a tough, athletic league like MLS. But it's working.
"Better Call Saul" loves Vieira's 'WM' formation
Jimmy McGill isn't a typical lawyer, and Patrick Vieira isn't a typical manager. No wonder that the man who became Saul Goodman is a big fan of the 3-2-2-3 formation, a.k.a. the "WM."
NYCFC's Home Field Disadvantage
Is Yankee Stadium going to be a hindrance to NYCFC in 2016?
Is Federico Bravo the Key to Vieira's Formation?
Is Bravo a defensive midfielder or a center back? The answer could be both, and it could be the key to Vieira's tactical plans for the upcoming season.
An Exercise in Formation Infatuation - Part 2
How can NYCFC maximize its roster this upcoming season?
Piecing Together NYCFC's Midfield Puzzle
New manager, Patrick Vieira, will be tasked with getting his most talented lineup on the field, a task that may have ultimately led to Jason Kreis's firing.