Consistency is key for NYCFC after the Hudson River Derby

New York City FC is coming off a fantastic Hudson River Derby win against the New York Red Bulls. Saturday’s match saw the team score more than one goal for the first time since the Atlanta United FC loss. In that fixture, they were up 3-1, but lost 4-3. Perhaps that loss caused the goal-scoring issues, for it was after that game that NYCFC lost their clinical finish.

This was extremely concerning, for while the Pigeons won three games afterward, their lack of goals led to unnecessary draws and losses, including the 0-0 draw with D.C. United. In some of the previous matches, they were lackluster in the attack, but the one against the District team saw the Boys in Blue threaten in every aspect of the game; the ball just would not go into the goal.

That is why it was great to see NYCFC score twice in the derby, leading to the 2-0 win. They could have easily scored another goal or two. Still, it was vital that they finally scored more than one after eight games in all competitions.

NYCFC needs consistency

So, what does this mean? Will the team from Queens start to score more consistently? Will the players provide more consistent performances?

While nobody can predict the future at Skyscraper Blues, these are all valid questions to ask. Overall, the match against the Red Bulls did not see the Pigeons dominate in every statistic. They did lead in the one that matters the most: goals. But since NYCFC is a City Football Group club, they must return to dominating the possession in almost every fixture. They did so against D.C., but RBNY led them with about 60% of the possession. 

It does appear the defense is on the right track, for the Boys in Blue have only allowed five goals in their last seven Major League Soccer matches. Therefore, if the team can improve their goal-scoring numbers, return to consistently being one of the better teams in possession, and limit defensive mistakes, then they can compete for a top-four spot in the Eastern Conference. 

Again, consistency is a concern since their roster depth is lacking. There are multiple younger and inexperienced players with potential. However, they need more players to help the roster and compete with the Starting XI today, and not in a year or two. 

The addition of Aiden O’Neill before the primary transfer window’s closing was helpful, but sadly, NYCFC must wait until the summer to add more players. Ideally, anywhere from one to three players who can compete as starters or act as legitimate backups will join the team this summer. In some ways, it might be too late, especially if the players come from a team that plays a summer-to-spring season like many European teams do. They might not suit up for the Pigeons until August.

At the same time, they can be a boost for the end of the season and then truly make an impact in 2026. Nevertheless, the current roster must try their best to be as consistent as possible. Clearly, they can compete with some of the top teams in Major League Soccer. After all, they beat the Philadelphia Union and FC Cincinnati, who are in first and second place in the East, respectively. They also have the tactics and players to produce better results regardless of the depth.

Hopefully, the Hudson River Derby will be the spark for better days to come. NYCFC fans need better results after the last two years, and Head Coach Pascal Jansen should provide that. Of course, consistency and scoring goals will ultimately lead NYCFC to success. Without the ingredients mentioned above, the Pigeons will not end the 2025 season where they should.