Is the winless streak just a bad streak, or is this the real NYCFC?

Frustration. Anger. Confusion. These are all the words that can be used to describe New York City FC as the team is in the middle of a six-match winless streak in Major League Soccer. The streak continued over the weekend during the game against CF Montréal after a 1-0 loss.

NYCFC opened the MLS season with a draw with the LA Galaxy before winning their next three games. It felt like the false nine with Nicolás Fernández Mercau might be the answer by the time the team won their third match. However, they have since lost four of the next six, going winless during that time span. Plus, in four of those six games, they have scored one or no goals.

What is going on with NYCFC?

Sure, the Boys in Blue scored five in the U.S. Open Cup win against Westchester SC. But remember, the team still scored twice against NYCFC, and competed well for a third division side. Then, over the last five MLS matches, the team has struggled to score, excluding the draw against FC Cincinnati. That fixture opened up the scoring for the Pigeons with four goals, but the defense failed.

So, was the beginning of the season a mirage in the desert? Was it a façade that the team and fans are seeing now? Notably, the Pigeons have played well in the losses against Charlotte FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The issue at hand in some of the matches is the lack of goals or the inability to score the number that they should have. Then, miscommunication in the backline has allowed some goals that should not have occurred.

Which also leads to this question: Is the lack of a striker truly that detrimental to the team, and was Fernández Mercau just lucky that it sometimes works out? With this, that is not likely the case. Alonso Martínez did not score in every game, either. The Argentine has done well filling in for the injured Costa Rican, despite being better on the wings and in the attacking midfield.

Notably, NYCFC is known for going through streaks where they struggle to get the results that they should. And there is no question that the current roster is a solid one. But the poor results could lead to some troublesome times ahead.

One can also wonder if there is a mental aspect to the struggles. Is something not clicking with the Pigeons, despite the majority of the team and starters returning for 2026? Are there issues in the locker room? Or did the Inter Miami CF loss that started the streak truly impact their belief and confidence? If any are true, then hopefully the team has a sports psychologist. If not, then they need to hire someone.

Finally, the problem might be that Pascal Jansen is going through his first big challenge as the head coach. While he is not like Nick Cushing, and is often honest and realistic in his press conferences, there have been questionable decisions as of late, including the stubbornness to not start Talles Magno. Truth be told, the winless streak has led to some fans being frustrated with him. If Jansen cannot fix the issues, then things will only get worse.

When all is said and done, the answer to whether this is the real NYCFC is fluid. The winless streak could end, and perhaps they will go through another similar period later on in the season. Again, this has happened in the past. But at this moment, the first four games do not feel real, and the winless streak is alive and well.

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