NYCFC: 3 things we learned from the disappointing Hudson River Derby draw

2. Nick Cushing should have started Julián Fernández or Talles Magno

The Hudson River Derby requires the best New York City FC players to start, regardless of where the team sits in the Eastern Conference table.  The team is not eliminated from the playoffs. Yet, the 0-0 draw pretty much confirms that the Pigeons will miss the playoffs with five matches to go.  That does not mean Nick Cushing should not start the best of the best in a derby.

Mostly, the Starting XI was a solid one.  There was one lone exception: Matías Pellegrini.  The overplayed and overpaid winger started the game over Julián Fernández and Talles Magno. 

And Pellegrini did not disappoint.  There were times he was a forgotten man, barely contributing to the flow of the game and the attack.  It was not due to mistakes but the inability to make a difference. That made his start a hard pill to swallow.

Instead, Fernández would have been a better option, even if he played just half of the match.  So far, his appearances have revealed a talent that has yet to fully blossom.  The newer Argentine has contributed more than the older one.  When he came on as a substitute, his presence on the right side was known immediately.  His movement on the pitch was full of skill, and then he had some decent shots and passes into the box.

Magno is best suited for the right-wing but would have been a better option over Pellegrini.  The fact Cushing continues to bench him when the head coach and club are both at fault for his downgrade in his playing level is insane.  The Brazilian has not had the chance to prove himself as the winger everyone knows he can be. 

Alas, Magno was brought on for a brief stint in stoppage time.  NYCFC desperately needed a goal, and the head coach decided to wait until the end of the derby to bring him on.  Not only did Cushing butcher his starting choice at the right-wing by starting Pellegrini, but his decision not to bring on Magno sooner highlights some of his incompetence as a coach.