10 STATS FROM THE 2023 SEASON
Stat 1 – The team made the playoffs 7 straight years until last year. Last year saw the departure of a number of key veterans, include Goalkeeper and captain Sean Johnson, midfielder and veteran Maxi Morales (who later did return at the end of the season), popular striker Heber & former captain and defender Maxime Chanot late in the season and more. As a result, the drastic roster change the team suddenly became the second youngest in the league lead to falling 2 points out of a playoff spot in the new 9 team playoff format, ending with 41 points.
Stat 2 – The team was negative in goals for the first time since 2016. With just 35 goals in 34 matches the struggle to put the ball in the net was noticeable, being held to 1 goal or less in all but 8 matches.
Stat 3 – On the other hand, the team only gave up 39 goals which was tied for 5th best in the league, holding their opponents to 1 goal or less in 24 of their 34 matches. In addition and something I’ll add to with the next stat, the club only gave up 4 goals in their final 8 matches. Speaking of.
Stat 4 – Despite only picking up a club second worst 41 points on the season, they ended strong, picking up 15 of those points in their final 8 matches, going 4W-1L-3D.
Stat 5 – The team actually only lost 11 matches last year. This is the same number as the 2021 & 2022 season when they won the MLS Cup & returned to the Eastern Conference Final respectively.
Stat 6 – The team did set a record for draws in a season with 14. This is what hurt the club, as several winnable games ended in a draw costing the team two points. Because……
Stat 7 – The team was clearly a first half squad. Of the 39 goals the club gave up last season, a full 27 of them came in the second half.
Stat 8 – New acquisition Matt Freese seemingly will be the starter next season, a question I will address shortly. In his 10 starts on the season he amassed an 83.8% save percentage and 6 clean sheets, all of which came in the final 8 games of the season.
Stat 9 – In 2023 the club when the club had 3 defenders in the back (either 3-4-3 or 3-4-1-2 formation) – 1W-4L-7D. With 4 in the back the team went 8W-7L-7D.
Stat 10 – And lastly, the team went a surprising 1 for 3 on Penalty Kicks last season, the worst percentage in the entire league.
Now, 5 Questions I Have To Roll Into This Season:
Question 1 – How will this team come out of the gate? The season starts out rough, beginning with two road matches to start the season, including game one in North Carolina against Charlotte FC on February 24. Of the 26 teams the Pidgeons have faced since their debut in 2015, Charlotte is the only team they haven’t beaten, going 0W-3L and a draw in four matches. This is a huge test right out of the gate for a team that’s desperate to prove last year was a fluke. After that, they face a St. Louis team that went 11-4-2 at home and picked up a western conference best 56 points in it’s first season. To me, anything about 3 points there is a win, but starting out with 2 losses can set a bad tone for the season. Tying into:
Question 2 – Can the team continue it’s success late in the season? The struggle with this team last year was all the mid season moving parts. Giving Mounsef Bakrar, Burk Risa and the other new acquisitions a full off season to prepare will help them gel and showcase a team that picked up 15 points in it’s final 8 and defeated Miami in an end of season Friendly.
Question 3 – How many places will the team call home next season? This is a borderline nomadic team, playing in primarily Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, with as of the moment, 9 matches in the Bronx, 6 in Queens and two final games still to be determined. But this is a team that has also played in it’s Derby rivals home stadium, Stamford Connecticut and once literally a home game in Los Angeles in the past 2 years. The lack of stability makes respect for the squad difficult.
Question 4 – Is Nick Cushing on the hot seat? To me, yes. I feel he gets a pass for last season because not only all the changes to a younger, less experienced squad, but in his decade of coaching it was the first losing season he ever had, so it was a challenge for him as well. Personally I like Cushing, but feel that if they struggle out of the gate and have less than I’ll say 10 points in their first 8, he might get the ax.
And Question 5 – Can they reach the postseason? I feel yes, they showed me enough at the end of last season to convince me that their success can carry over to this season. Their struggle last year was the absolutely lack of a #9, which Bakrar, Risa or even Gabe Segal might be. They attempted to convert left winger Talles Magno to the Striker position which he doesn’t seem acclimated for. During the 2022 season prior to Golden Boot winner Taty Castellanos’s departure for Girona, Magno was tied for Assists in the league. Having him back on the wing might help him put up those 2022 numbers and get him back in the good graces of the fans.
And now, my prediction for the end of the season. I’m predicting 6th place in the east with 55 points. I feel the pieces are in place for this squad to shake off last year’s struggles and get back into the postseason. Do I see them getting back to the Eastern Conference finals again? No, they’re still a year or two away from that. Do I see them winning a game in the postseason? Now that I do. I feel last year was a growing year that some players have to go through to raise their game and a full offseason gives me reason to believe this team can return to credibility in 2024.
About the author – Scott Churchson has been an actor in every way for the past 13 years, from BG to stand in to stunts and principal, a sports writer for the past 4 and is one of the people that created Stream Punk Entertainment. He’s married to a veterinarian, has a cat with three working legs, a mother-in-law who just moved in and is just a simple man trying to make his way in the universe.