NYCFC Take Positive Steps on the road to DC

Fans will say what they will about the own goal by Sean Johnson and Dome Torrent starting Tony Rocha over Ben Sweat but the game this past weekend against Minnesota saw some positive developments for NYCFC. This weekend offers the perfect test to see if NYCFC have evolved into a team with a cohesive style.
It has been a little over a month since the boys in blue faced off against DC United this season in a goalless draw at Yankee stadium. In March the defense was able to shut down Wayne Rooney and Luciano Acosta and largely negate their attacking power. NYCFC’s back line will be tested once again on a larger pitch and in a more hostile environment on Sunday. It is a game that will show if the renewed attack seen in Minnesota with surface again or if they focus on containing Rooney and company will slide the team backward to yet another goalless game.
There are several positives. Ismael Tajouri-Shradi showed why he should be a no brainier as a starter for the rest of the season last week. Taty Castellanos had the best game of his career with the club and played more direct than he ever has when attacking the goal. Torrent has to find a way to keep developing that talent and still being able to get his best eleven on the pitch. His inclusion of Rocha in the back three last week was a real head scratcher and he was burned because of it. When Alexandru Mirita came on for Rocha the team slid back into a more familiar 4-2-3-1 formation and may have played the best half of the year. Heber also needs to find a way onto the pitch. Torrent has had a different line up in 27 of the last 28 games he has coached for New York City so what he ultimately chooses to do Sunday is anyone’s guess, but The game on Sunday will be a way to test the progress of his team and his progress as the manager.
The game is on the road and a draw would be a decent result, but NYCFC are winless this season. The team needs a win and they need to score goals to win. even though it is just April, this is the last time they will face DC this season. NYCFC must focus on their positives from last week and make it count.