New York City FC player ratings are determined by Hudson River Blue readers — here are your NYCFC player ratings after NYCFC hosted Atlas FC at Citi Field for the first Leagues Cup group stage game. NYCFC let Atlas score early, and ended the night with a 0-1 loss after Justin Haak’s late goal was overturned by VAR.
The next day, Atlas tweeted out a made-up Joseph Goebbels quote in support of the VAR decision, but that’s a story for another time.
Starting XI
Talles Magno (off 81′) – 4.8
What makes Talles Magno so magnificent and so maddening was wrapped up in one run of play when he carried the ball deep into the box, beat his defenders, and fired a weak shot off wide. Maybe things will pick up now that the team has a proper No 9? His HRB rating of 4.8 is in keeping with the season average of 5.0. FotMob handed him a more favorable 7.3
Santiago Rodríguez – 5.0
The Designated Playmaker has yet to assert control over a game: We know Santiago Rodríguez is a good midfielder, but is he a star? Show us what you got, Santi. FotMob rated him a 7.0.
Matías Pellegrini (off 61′) – 4.0
We’ll be seeing a lot more of Matías Pellegrini on the right wing now that Gabriel Pereira is plying his trade in Qatar. He has big shoes to fill. FotMob handed him a 6.2.
Atlas FC misquote Nazi reichsminister Joseph Goebbels in support of VAR call
Keaton Parks – 5.8
Keaton Parks completed 82 passes, good for most in the match, but he wasn’t able to slice open a stingy Atlas defense. Still, you voted him and James Sands the Players of the Match. FotMob rated Keaton a 7.3.
James Sands – 6.1
The Guy from Rye is back in the Starting XI after spending much of the last month with the USMNT. It was another day at the office for Sands: 110 touches, 89% pass accuracy, 11 recoveries, two tackles won. FotMob gave him a team-high 7.8.
NYCFC held scoreless by Atlas, lose Leagues Cup opener
Maxime Chanot – 6.7
The homme de fer put in another solid 90 minutes anchoring a back-three that eventually shifted into a back-four. Easily the team’s most consistent player, Chanot was handed a 7.2 by FotMob.
Thiago Martins (off 81′) – 5.8
Thiago Martins is back in the Starting XI, which is good news for NYCFC: This team needs consistency in the defense, and a strong partnership between him and Chanot is the key to a strong finish to the season. The Brazilian made nine recoveries, won three out of three ground duels and three out of four aerial duals, and ended the night with a passing accuracy of 89%. FotMob rated him a 7.3.
Tayvon Gray – 6.0
Once again, HRB readers seem to undervalue a performance by Tayvon Gray. The Homegrown started in a back-three with Chanot and Thiago Martins, then switched to the right when the shape switched to a back-four late in the game. Does he carry some responsibility for the Atlas goal? That feels like it’s on the organization of the entire back line. Either way, FotMob gave him a 7.5 rating, good for second-best within the squad.
NYCFC vs Atlas FC video highlights
Mitja Ilenič (off 56′) – 5.1
Mitja Ilenič looked sharp at times, flat at others. The 18-year-old still has lots to learn in this league, but we’ll take his learning curve. FotMob gave him a 5.9.
Braian Cufré – 5.1
The left-back has shown serious quality this season, but we didn’t see much of it tonight. TBH, he looked exhausted, or like he’s carrying a minor injury: Braian Cufré didn’t win any ground duels, couldn’t make an accurate cross into the box, and was dribbled past twice. FotMob handed him a 5.9.
Luis Barraza – 3.4
Another low rating from HRB readers for Luis Barraza, who remains NYCFC’s number one No 1. The shot-stopper made four saves, including the scrappy dive below, but your impression of him seems to be more about vibes than numbers. Fair enough. FotMob gave him a fine-not-good 6.1
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Substitutes
Gabriel Segal (on 56′) – 5.1
Gabriel Segal did Gabriel Segal things — he made the runs, opened the attack, and was muscled off the ball by more experienced defenders. Even if he didn’t get it done, he brought some energy to a lifeless attack. FotMob gave Segal a 5.4 for his time on the field.
Richy Ledezma (on 61′) – 5.4
Richy Ledezma is still growing into this league, and into the position of playmaker. The 22-year-old had a pass accuracy of 95%, but didn’t create any chances in his substitute appearance. FotMob handed out a 6.1 for the effort.
Mounsef Bakrar (on 81′) – 6.4
NYCFC’s new No 9 made his MLS debut late in the game and came oh-so-close to scoring in the first touch of his New York City career. He looked good in his nine-minute plus stoppage time of action — just look for yourself below. He didn’t play enough to earn a FotMob rating.
Justin Haak (on 81′) – 7.3
The goal that Justin Haak seemingly scored but that was overturned by a VAR check that took close to six minutes should’ve drawn the game even, but refs gonna ref, and the 21-year-old was denied the second goal of the season. Still, his thrilling late cameo was enough for you to give him the highest grade on the team. He didn’t play enough to earn a FotMob rating.
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Player of the Match
Keaton Parks and James Sands
This Player of Match vote is a deadlock between Keaton and Sands, the midfield duo that always keeps NYCFC in the game. What else can you say about two solid performances in an otherwise disappointing night? Keep it up, boys. A steady midfield should reap rewards when the attack starts to sharpen.
Leagues Cup is here. Do you care?
Head Coach
Nick Cushing – 3.8
The head coach will always be the flack-catcher of a team that suffers yet another frustrating result. For all of the #CushingOut chatter, consider two questions. One, was there a stronger Starting XI he could have fielded? Two, were there better substitutions he could have made?
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Officiating
Bryan López (referee) – 2.3
About that VAR…
Was the original call that whistled on Haak’s goal a clear and obvious error? So clear and obvious that it took almost six minutes of frame-by-frame analysis to pull apart? And that even now doesn’t seem correct? Because no footage has been released that shows a clear and obvious error?
It was López’s call to make. Respectfully, he got it wrong.
It’s not just the incorrect VAR call that was the issue with the referee. He let far too much go–at one point in the match he signaled a play on for three different shoving fouls (from both sides) that all happened within seconds of each other. And he failed to control Atlas’ timewasting efforts, especially on corners–two corners that they took, no one even went over to put the ball down for at least 30 seconds either time, and he didn’t book anyone.
I’m not #CushingOut by any means but I rated Cushing low this time because, yes, there were better substitutions he could have made–namely, bringing Bakrar on instead of Segal with around 30 minutes to go, instead of the 10 minute cameo he actually got.
My guess is Baki will start tomorrow – might be wrong – which he can do on short rest after 15 minutes. Would be harder after 45 minutes plus stoppage time. That’s the reality of a thin squad. Sometimes you make lineup/substitution decisions based on both the game on the field and the one about to come.
Best hope, then, that he does start and can net us a multiple goal win.
Surely if an aging Messi and Busquets can put in 35 minutes on Friday night and then 70+ tonight, Baki can do it too?
Not to put too fine a point on it, but Messi and Busquets were in Miami for more than 10 days before their first appearance for Inter Miami and had at least four full training sessions with the team. Not sure about Baki’s arrival, but it seems it might have been three days/one session.
Jet-lag, familiarity with players: There’s a huge difference between three days and 10+ days
Baki will now have three full sessions, at least six nights in this time zone. Still not as much adjustment time as Messi and Busquets but we can expect to see more of him.
My question with Cushing, and it is just that, a question rather than a known problem…..is whether his version of the “City style” is affecting our inability to be creative and score? Is it inhibiting the natural talent of some of our players? Viera, Torrent, and Deila have all had a different take on how to be effective in the possession based, build from the back system. And right now, I question whether his system depends too much on the individual creativity of the players to create the opportunities and not in a system that leads to opportunities that an individual player can exploit. I don’t know the answer, but I hope we have an idea by the end of the season.