New York City vs Nashville player ratings

Sunday wasn't the prettiest win for New York City FC, and that's OK. Your player ratings reflect both the streaky quality of play and the three-point result, with mostly 7s across the board. The high-water mark belongs to Santiago Rodríguez, who not only earned a 9.0 from you on the night, but is your choice for Player of the Match.

Incredibly, that 9.0 lags behind the 9.2 bequeathed by FotMob. Rodríguez was once again the best No 10 on the field, outplaying Nashville SC's Hany Mukhtar just four days after outplaying FC Cincinnati's Luciano Acosta. It wasn't just that he scored 17 seconds into the game, or that he added a second goal 17 minutes later. It's that Rodríguez was once again the engine of a New York City attack that now has 11 goals in three games — that's the joint-most in Major League Soccer, equalling the 11 goals scored by LA Galaxy.

Notably, you gave Head Coach Nick Cushing a 7.0 after his squad successfully ground out the win. Not only is it the third win in a row for the team, it's the third game in a row with a key midfielder missing from the lineup. But Cushing had Justin Haak stand in for a suspended James Sands, and New York City won a game that the algorithm decided they should have lost.

Note: FotMob ratings are in parentheses.

Who should NYCFC want to face in the MLS Cup Playoffs?

This New York City FC winning streak has made it possible to play hypotheticals with the upcoming MLS Cup Playoffs. It’s also made it possible to wonder: What team would want to face this NYCFC?

Hudson River BlueAndrew Leigh