NYCFC: 3 things we learned from the NYCFC battle against Atlas F.C.

1. Former NYCFC player Gabriel Pereira was clearly missed

Gabriel Pereira’s departure from New York City FC was clearly missed in the first game without the former star.  The right-winger always made his presence known, including in games where he struggled.  He was a contributor to attacking opportunities and was always a threat. 

For the fixture against Atlas, Nick Cushing chose Matías Pellegrini to start.  Now, in most games where the Argentine started over Pereira, the Brazilian was often missed.  It was always confusing as to why Nick Cushing would not start the best player of the 2023 season.

In Sunday’s match, Pellegrini was mostly absent throughout his time on the pitch.  In fact, most times it was forgotten that he was there.  He barely made an impact, and minus winning half of his duels, his statistic line was lackluster. 

As such, it was not surprising that he was substituted out in the 61st minute.  Truthfully, he should have not made an appearance in the second half. 

If Pereira never left, and if Cushing would have started him, then NYCFC would have had a few more shots on target.  There would have been more opportunities, and of course, more crosses coming in from the right side of the pitch. 

The secondary transfer window will be closing in less than two weeks.  Will New York City FC sign a proper replacement for Pereira?  This is yet to be seen, but Pellegrini should not be the answer.