Against Belgium, Matt Freese didn't start for the first time in 12 matches and the United States conceded five goals, though only one goal could be, possibly, placed at the feet Freese's replacement, Matt Turner of the New England Revolution. Why did USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino drop Freese from his lineup, and what does that move, and Turner's less-than-amazing performance, mean for The Iceman's chances to start in goal at this summer's World Cup?

The field of teams in this summer's World Cup just got clearer, and Freese and the United States now know that they'll face Turkiye in their third and final match of Group D play. We go through the full USMNT group schedule and try to game out a path through the group stage and into the knockout rounds, then set some internal HRB Pod expectations for how we think the USMNT should perform while hosting the World Cup.

After the international scene is covered in full, the second half of the show is entirely New York City FC-focused. That begins with a rundown of some random and somewhat dubious transfer rumors to emerge around NYCFC in the days immediately before and after the closing of the MLS Primary Transfer Window. First we sketchy cover a rumor that Nico Fernández Mercau is wanted by the two biggest teams in Portugal, then it's over to a thin report linking NYCFC with interest in signing Charlotte FC star Wilfried Zaha, and our brief portion of transfer chatter ends with a head-scratching rumor linking a young central defender with Fluminense in Brazil, 20-year-old João Loiola, with a loan move to come play for NYCFC II in MLS Next Pro.

When done weighing the validity, or lack thereof, of the transfer rumor mill's latest offerings, it's time to preview NYCFC's return to MLS play, when they host St. Louis City SC for the first time ever. St. Louis missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, but they're not a familiar opponent for New York City, and they can hurt teams thanks to employing the likes of Marcel Hartel in their attack.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

That coverage is uninterrupted, at least as far as this podcast is concerned. After the housekeeping, it’s on to a deep dive into the epic clash between New York City FC and Inter Miami CF in front of an announced crowd of 45,845 at Yankee Stadium.

Miami won for a third straight time against NYCFC, but the 3-2 victory for the visiting Herons was filled to the brim with talking points and controversies. The non-call on a possible handball outside his penalty area by Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair was a major point of contention, and so too was the fact that every in-game break and call from the referee seemed to go Miami’s way.

While it was still the first loss of the season for New York City, there were positives even in defeat. We do spend some of our breakdown highlighting the good things that happened even in defeat, specifically that both Nico Fernández Mercau and Maxi Moralez continued their white-hot starts to this season while carrying the NYCFC attack.

Once the Miami game is wrapped, we discuss the latest big development at Etihad Park, as the new permanent home for NYCFC in Queens is set to celebrate its “topping out” with the placement of a final structural beam. The new stadium really looks like a stadium, though we’re here griping about having to wait another 16 months or so for it to open.

We also fill you in on all the NYCFC players to receive international call-ups for games played during the late-March FIFA international window, and that includes a few players mentioned who should have received national-team calls, but didn’t — looking at you, Jamaica national team, for not calling up Trayvon Gray.

The episode closes with a more big-picture reflection on where things stand with the NYCFC squad as the MLS Primary Transfer Window comes to a close on Thursday, March 26. Was it enough to only add one new senior-level player to the roster from outside the club, Kai Trewin? How do we feel about the prospects of an Antoine Griezmann-level star joining New York City during the summer’s Secondary Transfer Window? Transfer and squad-building chats always bring out the strongest takes and emotions, and this was no exception.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh review the standout performances against Colorado, like Nico continuing his early goal binge, Maxi Moralez picking up yet another assist, and Talles Magno getting a confidence-building goal to seal the result. Discussing the win over Colorado and the club's red-hot start to the MLS season also means stopping to consider: How serious of a trophy contender is this year's NYCFC squad, really?

From the Colorado win it's on to a less upbeat topic, as we discuss James Sands suffering another season-ending ankle injury with FC St. Pauli in Germany. Despite a solid year as a regular starter in midfield, it's unclear what the future will hold at club level for the first-ever NYCFC Homegrown, whose loan to St. Pauli expires at the end of June, but who has now had back-to-back Bundesliga seasons cut short by injuries.

While the injury definitively rules Sands out, another NYCFC player is in for the United States men's national team, and that's goalkeeper Matt Freese. We discuss Freese getting called up for the USMNT's March friendlies and size up the state of the race for the title of "starting keeper at the World Cup," with it looking likely to come down to Freese or New England Revolution stopper Matt Turner.

After a break, we run through the changes made to the schedule for this year's MLS Cup Playoffs. It's across-the-board praise for the decision to stop letting the playoffs be interrupted by a FIFA international break, though opinions are less clear-cut about a Friday night MLS Cup final that also could take place on the chilly East Coast on the wintry date of December 18.

Finally, it's time to shift attention to the marquee match at Yankee Soccer Stadium: Inter Miami CF coming to town for a rematch of the 2025 Eastern Conference Final.

Is New York City catching Miami at the right time, meaning when they're vulnerable and there to be beaten? Miami is juggling the start of the regular season with the Concacaf Champions Cup, and they've not clicked in league play so far in the early days of the 2026 season. Still, they soundly defeated NYCFC in back-to-back meetings late in 2025, and they've got one of the deepest squads in the league. How much will we learn from these teams playing this early in the season?

Get ready for the big Sunday matinee in the Bronx by listening to the full episode and by catching up with more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode starts with a fond look back at the big win over Orlando at Yankee Stadium, as we attempt to zoom in on what had more to do with the 5-0 scoreline: Orlando's badness, or New York City's greatness? Really, Orlando was quite bad before and after the tragi-comic early red card shown to goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, but is that the real reason NYCFC looked so good in this win? And will Pascal Jansen's team ever come across an opponent who can finish a match with all 11 players still out on the field?

After singling out some top performers and top moments from the Orlando victory, we try to take stock of where NYCFC stands three matches into their MLS season. In taking seven of nine available points to start the year, it means the club is off to its best start since 2018. Have we seen enough to definitively say this team is legit and good enough, as constructed, to win a trophy this season, or is a striker still a must-sign to be considered a true contender?

Then it's a brief detour into the land of Leagues Cup, everyone's favorite mid-summer tournament. New York City learned the identities of their opponents – Cruz Azul, Santos Laguna, and Club Necaxa – and the logistics of the three Phase One matches they'll play in this year's tournament. Spoiler Alert: They're all taking place in Harrison, New Jersey, and thus our excitement for the early-August, post-World Cup tournament takes a big hit.

Finally, it's time to preview New York City FC's Matchday 4 when Colorado Rapids come to the Bronx. New York City is unbeaten through three matches, but can they rise to the somewhat less-anticipated occasion of an early-season Colorado visit and maintain the momentum that they gained from their home opener?

Listen to the full episode to hear where our optimism levels currently reside, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

That includes some choice words about the controversial refereeing decisions that influenced the match, from two contentious penalty-kick decisions to the quick-trigger second yellow card that reduced the Union to 10 players shortly before Tayvon Gray's dramatic winning goal. Gray is one of a few players we zoom in on, including Agustín Ojeda and his match-winning assist, and Keaton Parks in his first Starting XI appearance since May 4, 2025.

Following a thorough unpacking of the Philly win, the episode switches gears and focuses on the wide-ranging, eye-opening interview given this week by NYCFC president and CEO Brad Sims.

We digest some of the biggest things shared by Sims, including why Etihad Park is opening in July 2027 instead of during the 14-match mini-season held next spring, some of the ins and outs of how New York City FC executes player scouting and transfers while inside the City Football Group apparatus, and that the club still might sign a high-priced Designated Player during the current MLS Primary Transfer Window.

To wrap up this jam-packed episode, it's a preview of the 2026 home opener against Orlando City SC at Yankee Stadium. Orlando is winless and looking far less dangerous than their 2025 selves, and NYCFC is off to a rare unbeaten start through their first two games: Is confidence too high, or just right heading into the season's first home match?

Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh all agree that the Galaxy game served as another reminder of how badly New York City FC needs to sign a new striker or versatile forward to fill in at the No 9 while Alonso Martínez rehabs from his knee injury.

The NYCFC striker situation once again is a big topic of discussion, with Nico Fernández Mercau getting the start at striker vs the Galaxy and enjoying a strong game with a penalty-kick goal scored, but all while not playing like much of a true center-forward. We break down Nico's role and tendencies against the Galaxy and wonder what could make Pascal Jansen turn to Talles Magno or promising 17-year-old Seymour Reid while searching for the team's ideal answer at striker.

After diving in deep on the Galaxy match, the pod's attention shifts to NYCFC's soon-to-open soccer-specific stadium and the announcement that Etihad Park will first open for the Summer-Spring portion of the 2027/28 MLS calendar. Is it a wise move for the new stadium to entirely skip the brief 14-match "Sprint Season" MLS has planned for the early part of 2027?

With one point on the board, NYCFC's season-opening road trip now shifts to Chester, Pennsylvania, and a Matchday 2 clash with Philadelphia Union. It's a very different-looking Union team from the one NYCFC dispatched to reach the MLS Eastern Conference Final last November, so we lay out what to expect as New York City reacquaints with one of the club's biggest rivals.

Listen to this super-sized, season-opening podcast, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Before the predicting and previewing, hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh put a bow on the preseason. There was one final Coachella Valley Invitational friendly played, and there were many updates about the health of some key members of the NYCFC squad shared by Pascal Jansen.

After catching up on the state of the team as preseason ends, we move into season preview mode, and that involves laying down some bold predictions about the season ahead. We each share where we think New York City FC will finish in the Eastern Conference standings, then all call out our choices for who will be NYCFC's top goal-scorer, breakout player, and overall Player of the Season, across the entirety of the 2026 campaign.

The big-picture predictions finished, this episode wraps up with our first match preview of the 2026 season, a look ahead to the inaugural Justin Haak Derby when NYCFC plays LA Galaxy. You might know all about Justin Haak already, but he wasn't the only big roster addition made by the Galaxy this offseason. We cover the new faces and dangers posed by LA and each try to predict how we see this first meaningful match of 2026 playing out.

Listen to this super-sized, season-opening podcast, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

To start this episode, hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh revisit the 1-1 draw between NYCFC and LAFC to open the Coachella slate. The review includes some analysis of the first Coachella Starting XI rolled out by Jansen, a lineup that included usual defender Kevin O'Toole as a defensive midfielder.

Nico Fernández Mercau scored in a second straight preseason friendly, but this time while playing as the team's starting center-forward. The pod is bullish on a Nico breakout in 2026 during his first full MLS season, and his performance during preseason is reinforcing that bullishness.

While Nico is looking good in preseason, some key players have been looking on from the sidelines while injured and unavailable to feature in any of New York City FC's preparatory friendlies.

It's easy to wonder about how the New York City FC midfield will hold up while both Aiden O'Neill and Jonny Shore are out recovering from injuries, and it's similarly easy to wonder why Talles Magno has seemed so absent since playing that friendly at Austin FC earlier this month.

To wrap things up, there are some serious and judgmental takes offered about NYCFC's new 2026/27 away kit, the All Nations Kit. The show has generally positive feelings about the new jersey, but it's not all must-cop sunshine and roses for the new shirt, which gets explained as part of our animated discussion on the pros and cons of those All Nations Kits.

Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The first portion of this episode is spent unpacking all the dramatic twists of the Sylla transfer saga. This is the first time in recent memory a New York City FC transfer fell apart due to a medical exam, so there's lots discussed about this Sylla medical, and about Schalke and their fans having very strong and very anti-NYCFC reactions to the transfer breaking down.

A ripple effect of Sylla not signing is that it now remains an open and unanswered question of where New York City FC will turn next, to the transfer market or to their own roster, as they try to find a solution at striker to hold them over until Alonso Martínez is healthy again.

After lots of Sylla talk, hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh shift to some preseason observations coming out of NYCFC's friendly against Austin FC, and as the team sits on the verge of starting the Coachella Valley Invitational. What players and positions on the roster are we keeping closer eyes on as the preseason games start ramping up, and as the MLS regular season draws closer?

Finally, we can't overlook the one big signing that New York City FC did successfully make this week: Sky Scraper, the team's new pigeon mascot. How are we feeling about the club's new big bird in not-quite-Timberlands? Opinions are mixed and varied, but there are plenty of opinions to be had about MLS mascots and Sky joining their ranks.

Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The biggest NYCFC move is the first one covered, as hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney, plus producer Andrew Leigh, discuss the new Designated Player striker reportedly heading to New York City FC, Moussa Sylla of FC Schalke 04 in Germany's 2.Bundesliga.

We wonder how Sylla's prolific goal numbers from the second divisions in France and Germany will translate to MLS, speculate how this new-look New York City attack might line up once Sylla is in the fold, and cover how Sylla fits on a roster now maxed out on its Designated Players.

Sylla's arrival isn't 100% confirmed just yet, but NYCFC did officially announce the signing of Kai Trewin, the versatile Australian central defender and midfielder from fellow City Football Group side Melbourne City FC. Is Trewin the ideal Justin Haak replacement, and what might his best position be once he settles into life playing under Pascal Jansen?

The first half of the episode is all about new players joining the NYCFC roster, while the second half is about players leaving or getting even further removed from the NYCFC roster. First, there's Julián Fernández heading back to Argentina to join Rosario Central on a year-long loan.

While in past episodes the pod gang was on the fence about whether or not it was wise to part with Fernández, the pending arrival of Sylla and the continued presence of Talles Magno has changed a few minds about the importance of keeping Julián around for another season.

Fernández will join another former highly-regarded U22 Initiative signing, Jovan Mijatović, on the list of loaned-out NYCFC players. Mijatović, though, is about to head to yet another different non-NYCFC team on loan, as he's set to terminate his loan to OH Leuven in Belgium early in order to join Eintracht Braunschweig in the 2.Bundesliga in Germany.

It's been nothing but struggle for Mijatović since his club-record transfer to New York City FC, and we wonder if the two moves made by former U22 Initiative signings, coupled with the different age and career profiles of the recently-signed new players, indicates a shift in transfer philosophy on the part of New York City FC.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh dissect some of Dunivant's first statements to the press in search of hints of what he might do now that he's in charge of NYCFC's soccer decision-making. Is a goal-scoring forward going to be his first priority on the transfer market, and is Talles Magno really going to factor into the team's 2026 plans? Questions that didn't outright get answered by Dunivant, but questions that left us trying to read more tea leaves.

After talking Todd, it's time to talk transfer rumors. More and more reports keep popping up about Julián Fernández potentially leaving New York City during this winter transfer window. São Paulo FC in Brazil and now Rosario Central in Argentina supposedly want to sign Fernández on loan with an option to buy him, but the pod crew remains unconvinced that this is the right time to part ways with the 21-year-old attacker.

We wrap up the episode by taking a glimpse at the downright scary 2026 Inter Miami CF roster taking shape down in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The reigning MLS Cup champions shored up in net by signing the Goalkeeper of the Year, replaced the retired Jordi Alba with a former Tottenham Hotspur FC and Spain left back, and are on the verge of adding firepower at striker in the form of a $15 million transfer for Germán Berterame from CF Monterrey. Their squad looks insane on paper and we're already wondering if anyone can keep Inter Miami away from the trophies next season.

Listen to the episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 72 starts with a discussion of legendary midfielder Maxi Moralez coming back for another season in 2026, still going strong as he nears his 39th birthday. Was it the right move to bring back Moralez for another season, and can we expect him to still be as ever-present in 2026 as he was in 2025?

While Maxi will be there next season, it increasingly sounds like fullback Mitja Ilenič won't be with NYCFC much longer, as the 21-year-old Slovenian was left off the club's traveling roster for preseason and is reportedly getting loaned out to a club in Poland. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh wonder if Ilenič got enough opportunities during his time in New York, and wonder if a move to Raków Częstochowa, reportedly only a loan with an option to buy, is the right one.

Preseason is prime time for player rumors and the Ilenič chatter isn't the only transfer talk this episode, as we also cover a report that winger Julián Fernández is wanted on loan by São Paulo FC in Brazil. Do we buy this as a plausible move, and are we ready to give up on Julián after parts of three up-and-down seasons in New York?

We wrap up this week's show by talking through the highlights from NYCFC's traveling preseason roster, namely that prodigal son Talles Magno is back with the team and officially taking part in the 2026 preseason. For a second straight episode, we wonder: Will this Talles-NYCFC reunion actually stick, and might he contribute in MLS this season? We also each shout out NYCFC players we're excited to keep tabs on throughout this preseason, from an injured midfielder making his comeback to a promising teenaged striker possibly filling Alonso Martínez's shoes.

Listen to the episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney first turn to the resident West Ham expert, producer Andrew Leigh, to paint the bleak picture of where things stand with the Hammers as Castellanos joins the club: West Ham is staring down relegation and has had a terrible recent track record signing strikers and getting them up to speed in the Premier League.

Taty going to West Ham also nets New York City FC millions more dollars, reportedly over $5 million, in transfer profits thanks to the sell-on clause they retained when selling Castellanos to Lazio. How should NYCFC spend its newfound Castellanos money?

The transfer mill is active in Major League Soccer, even if it's been quiet for New York City FC in the earliest days of new Sporting Director Todd Dunivant's reign. While the moves have yet to materialize, we still have thoughts on what positions NYCFC should most prioritize most on the transfer market before the 2026 season begins.

One on-the-fringes NYCFC player with an uncertain future: Talles Magno, who just ended his time out on loan to Corinthians in his native Brazil. Is there any chance we see Talles make a triumphant return to NYCFC and MLS next season? The pod crew is split on that possibility, but we talk through all the potential next moves that might be on the table for Talles Magno as he tries to find a next place to play.

Listen to the episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh get into some of the reasons why New York City FC ended up letting their third-ever Homegrown go as a free agent, and on a one-year contract to a team within MLS. The crew also attempts to make some early guesses as to how NYCFC and its new Sporting Director will replace the versatile and elite defensive presence of Haak.

Haak's departure was preceded by two new Homegrown players entering the fold for New York City, so there are introductions made to Cooper Flax and Kamran Acito, as well as a conversation about the recent approach taken by NYCFC to making Homegrown signings.

Flax and Acito are officially on the roster, but four new 2026 MLS SuperDraft selections who may or may not sign and play for New York City FC. Two of the four SuperDraft picks, including First Round choice Ransford Gyan, get picked out as possible future MLS standouts, with the caveat that it's hard to know if the team's fourth and final pick in the draft will end up signing and playing for NYCFC.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

He's got a new book just released, "Put It On Frame: Stories and Strategies from Top Soccer Coaches and Experts," so he tells hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh about the process of interviewing all the coaches and influential figures of the sport who end up in the book, like Emma Hayes of the United States women's national team and Mikey Varas of San Diego FC.

There's talk of some of the things the most successful coaches tend to have in common, and, given Glenn's 11-season stint as New York City FC's radio voice, we also have him tell us what stands out about NYCFC's current coach, Pascal Jansen. We wrap up our talk with Glenn by discussing his reaching the milestone of 400 NYCFC matches called, and by getting his thoughts on the current state of MLS broadcast and media coverage.

After our short break, it's just your usual trinity back to discuss what looks like the pending departure of Justin Haak, with his contract talks with New York City reportedly broken down and not looking to end up with Haak and NYCFC reuniting. We each weigh in on how badly New York City FC's front office fumbled the Haak situation, and we seem to collectively hope he doesn't join another MLS squad but instead goes and tests himself at one of the multiple European clubs reportedly interested in signing Haak.

Listen to the episode in its entirety, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Given that Hudson River Blue is in the midst of publishing a series of final 2025 report cards for members of the New York City FC roster, we then dedicate a big chunk of this episode to running through some of our own 2025 season superlatives. Each of hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh grade the totality of the New York City FC season, then name their Player of the Season, most memorable moments, best new arrivals, and most improved players.

Once our end-of-year grading of NYCFC is wrapped up, we move on to talking about the hours-long spectacle that was the 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw, and more importantly, all the World Cup groups and group-stage matches confirmed by the draw. We discuss the favorable but not what we'd call easy draw for the United States men's national team, and the five enticing group matches confirmed for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, while calling out a few other games and groups we're excited to watch next summer.

Listen to the episode in its entirety, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh review what went wrong for New York City at Chase Stadium, from defensive miscues to wasted scoring opportunities and everything in between. We wonder if the heavy defeat detracts from the rest of the run New York City made through the MLS Cup Playoffs, and reflect on where the team stands now that they've come up short in the postseason.

The Eastern Conference Final didn't work out, but New York City pivoted quickly into offseason action after the defeat, giving us our next big topic of the episode: The club's newly-appointed Sporting Director, Todd Dunivant. We fill you in on some of Dunivant's background as a soccer executive and as a long-tenured, highly successful player in Major League Soccer.

Dunivant has decisions aplenty to make once he's settled into the Sporting Director role, but NYCFC already made a wave of end-of-year roster decisions to kick off the offseason. That means we're spending some time debating who stays or who goes out of the three out-of-contract players New York City is still in negotiations with – Justin Haak, Maxi Moralez, and Andrés Perea.

The 2025 ride has ended, but there's no rest for the weary as the build toward 2026 begins. Listen to this episode in its entirety, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Two-man show this week as host John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh take you back through the highs of that most satisfying yet slightly nervy 1-0 victory for New York City at Subaru Park, which included a few surprising but successful starting lineup twists from Pascal Jansen, one of the best New York City goals our eyes have ever seen, and some unreal saves made by Matt Freese against his former team to make sure New York City held onto their razor-thin advantage, in what John called "a legacy performance of all legacy performances."

The win in Philadelphia felt iconic and is still fresh in our minds thus gets lots of talk in this episode, but we're not shorting you on an Eastern Conference Final preview, either.

Lots to be said about Inter Miami and it's not all Lionel Messi talk, either, as we get into what's changed about Miami's team since New York City last faced them back in September, we get into the ridiculous run of goal-scoring form the team and Messi have been on in the late stages of this season, and we try to guess how Pascal Jansen will line his team up to pull off yet another playoff upset.

Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York City FC now has to adjust on the fly to an injury to a key player that sends ripples across the club and feels like it could be franchise-altering, not just in these playoffs but in the next MLS season that follows them in 2026.

Your hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh try to pick up the pieces left behind in the wake of losing Martínez for the long-term, an injury made possible by the fact that the current MLS league calendar makes it necessary to pause for two weeks in the middle of the playoffs.

Fret not, though, as after we've lamented the loss of Alonso, we're on to talking about how MLS will fix the exact international break problem that led to his injury by changing the entire league calendar starting in 2027. Say goodbye to February-to-December seasons and say hello to July-to-May seasons, plus there's a new winter break, and a whole reformatted competition format that does away with the Eastern and Western Conferences and creates a single league table, but with the twist of breaking teams up into five geographic divisions.

There's a lot to digest about all the changes MLS is making in 2027 and we dutifully catch you up on all the biggest points there before we switch gears and get to the meat of this episode: Our preview of the Eastern Conference Semifinal between New York City FC and the Philadelphia Union.

How will Pascal Jansen compensate for the absences of Martínez, plus the injured Andrés Perea and the suspended Aiden O'Neill? We debate the merits of lining up with three-at-the-back, set our expectations for who needs to step up the most amid the trio of absences, and wonder if some of the super-young players left healthy on NYCFC's bench will have a say in the result in Pennsylvania.

Listen to the full episode to get as ready as you possibly can be for the latest playoff meeting between Philly and NYCFC, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode starts with a complete unpacking of the away win over Charlotte FC that got New York City through Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs and set a date with Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. That unpacking includes marveling at the pair of goals scored by Nico Fernández Mercau, praising the consistent greatness of the New York City defense over the course of the three-game series, and making picks for our New York City FC MVPs from the three matches against Charlotte.

There's also some less positive fallout from the Charlotte triumph, specifically the awful fractured leg injury suffered by Andrés Perea. We lament the loss of one of the team's most important midfielders, a loss made more tough to take since it's compounded by another NYCFC midfielder, Aiden O'Neill, being suspended for the next playoff match in Philadelphia due to yellow card accumulation. How will Pascal Jansen compensate without Perea and O'Neill?

Maybe it's lucky for the New York City coach that he's got two weeks to figure out his midfield before his next game, because we're also in the thick of another international break right now. This one comes with a few twists, like Kevin O'Toole getting called up by Ireland for the first time right as they play crucial World Cup qualifiers.

We run you through all the national-team action planned for NYCFC players this November, but we also collectively wonder why players from NYCFC or any still-alive MLS playoff team are traveling to play World Cup qualifiers right in the middle of their playoff runs. No episode could be complete without some time spent wondering aloud about the logic of the MLS playoff schedule, especially as we wait over two weeks for the international games to end so the playoffs can resume.

Get your MLS playoff fix in podcast form while the games pause for a few weeks by listening to Episode 64, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Before grappling fully with the stress of Game 3, hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh review Game 2 at Yankee Stadium. The scoreless draw that became a loss on penalty kicks offered multiple points of frustration from the NYCFC perspective, and we cover many of them, including the conservative nature of Pascal Jansen's lineup and substitutions, and the team's inability to capitalize on the few good scoring opportunities presented before things went to penalties.

With Game 2 covered it's time to fully stare down the do-or-die series decider at Bank of America Stadium. In previewing the biggest game of NYCFC's season, we weigh possible lineup changes to be made or not made by Pascal Jansen, and we try to find some ways to get Alonso Martínez better shots than what was available to him during a quiet and ineffective Game 2.

The New York City FC season could march on or it could end abruptly, and this episode will get you as ready as you can be to go through the ups and downs of must-win playoff soccer.

Listen to Episode 63 and then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We start the episode by giving you our immediate reactions to the win and by singing the praises of Martínez some more, given the quality of his winning goal, and also given how he's come to be Charlotte's primary tormentor.

It wasn't all down to Martínez that NYCFC won in Charlotte, though, as we spend a fair amount of time talking about the lineup and tactical decisions made by Pascal Jansen for Game 1 in North Carolina.

That means we get into the decision by Jansen to not start Hannes Wolf, the player with the second-most goal contributions on the team this season. We also discuss the fluid, unpredictable formation deployed by Jansen in Charlotte, which at times featured defender Kevin O'Toole operating as an out-and-out winger. Jansen's tactical decisions worked wonders in Charlotte, so the Head Coach comes in for some post-win praise to go with all the nice things we had to say about some of his New York City FC players.

With Game 1 broken down to the best of our abilities, we shift focus to the weekend's Game 2 back in New York City at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Charlotte will have Wilfried Zaha back from his suspension, but New York City now has all the confidence in the world after winning on the road, plus the advantage of now playing at their home field.

How different will Game 2 look, given Charlotte now enters must-win mode and given that the series moves to Yankee Stadium? We preview all the possibilities and wrap the episode up by making some (confident) predictions about the next game in this series.

Check out the episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We can't jump right into our Charlotte preview, though, because there's Decision Day and one final regular-season game to revisit. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh discuss the disappointments and concerns coming out of the loss to Seattle Sounders FC, flagging some points of worry that emerged for NYCFC over the final few games of their MLS season.

With the dust from Decision Day settled, we also survey the full MLS playoff picture across the Eastern and Western Conferences and call out some of our most-anticipated match-ups set to take place during Round One of the postseason.

Our main focus in these MLS Cup Playoffs, though, is the series between Charlotte and New York City FC. New York City has never won in four all-time trips to Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina, though a few factors – Pep Biel's injury and Wilfried Zaha's Game One suspension – are leaning in NYCFC's favor as Game One approaches.

How confident are we feeling about this first New York City away day of the MLS postseason, and how do we feel about Pascal Jansen's team, given we now have a full season's worth of evidence on their strengths and weaknesses?

Get playoff-ready by listening to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Our Decision Day-centric episode begins with hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh talking through all the possibilities in front of NYCFC, as they have a chance to earn home-field advantage at the start of the playoffs by finishing as high as fourth in the East.

To do that, they'd need a positive result in their own season finale, plus a little help elsewhere in the conference from a team with nothing to play for, and we've got mixed feelings on whether or not New York City gets its necessary combination of results to clinch a Top 4 finish.

We still don't know where they'll finish, but we now know where NYCFC will play at least one MLS Cup Playoff match, and that's Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. How big will it be to return to the Boogie Down for playoff soccer for the first time since that magical 2021 run? It could be huge, and it also might well be the last time we see NYCFC playing their postseason games in the Bronx, given Etihad Park's looming arrival in 2027.

Before we dive into our full-on preview of Seattle Sounders FC and New York City's final regular-season match, we review how some of NYCFC's most notable international call-ups fared during the October window of national team games. That means we spend some time talking United States men's national team and Matt Freese, but also, and maybe more importantly, Costa Rica and Alonso Martínez.

After a break, we wrap up Episode 60 by getting you ready for Seattle's first trip East to face New York City since 2022 and their first-ever trip to Citi Field in Queens. The Sounders have absolutely nothing to play for, clinched for the postseason and locked into 5th Place in the Western Conference, but they've also got one of the more dangerous attacks in MLS. We wonder what Pascal Jansen will consider his ideal Starting XI for handling Seattle's various threats, then weigh in with our predicted results for the Sounders match as well as where we think NYCFC ends up in the final Eastern Conference table.

After you listen, find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh kick things off with a review of the 1-0 road loss to the Philadelphia Union, a win that saw Philly clinch the Supporters' Shield and saw the New York City FC attack silenced while the team lost ground in the race for home-field advantage in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Our conversation about the Union game includes discussion of the game's one and only goal, Pascal Jansen's lineup choices, and an off night in front of goal for players like Alonso Martínez and Hannes Wolf.

Alonso Martínez is top of mind again as we discuss the most significant NYCFC international call-ups of the October window. The consensus is hoping that Martínez, freshly recovered from a leg injury that limited his availability for NYCFC, gets through Costa Rica's two World Cup qualifiers unscathed. We also celebrate James Sands and Matt Freese holding a New York City FC reunion in USMNT camp, and 17-year-old striker Seymour Reid receiving his first call-up to the senior Jamaica national team.

Once we're finished analyzing all the internationals, we turn attention to New York City FC's now-former Sporting Director, David Lee. To coincide with Hudson River Blue's poll asking readers to single out Lee's best and worst moves as Sporting Director, we each make the case for one hit signing and one flop signing made by Lee since taking control of NYCFC's soccer operation in late 2019.

Even without a new NYCFC match to preview, we had plenty to say, and after you listen to all we had to say, find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

First order of business: Those two most recent NYCFC matches, first the heavy loss at Citi Field to Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF, then the Hudson River Derby triumph over the Red Bulls on the road in Harrison, New Jersey.

Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh discuss what went so wrong against Miami, namely that New York City missed injured striker Alonso Martínez, and that Pascal Jansen's roll of the dice to remove Thiago Martins and try Aiden O'Neill at center-back failed spectacularly in the second half.

We spend less time on that bad Miami loss and more time discussing the dramatic win in the Hudson River Derby, with New York City all but eliminating their hated rivals from playoff contention on their home field. There's heavy praise for Nico Fernández Mercau's work filling in for Alonso Martínez at striker, and for the work of a resilient NYCFC defense to see out a close win despite losing star goalkeeper Matt Freese to injury in the second half.

Match discussion done, we turn our attention in the second half of the episode to the shock departure of New York City FC Sporting Director David Lee. What will it mean for NYCFC to see Lee switch MLS sides and take over Sporting Kansas City, and what might his departure do to the club's general approach to building a competitive squad?

We also make first attempts at summing up Lee's legacy with New York City, touching on some of the big successes he enjoyed while criticizing his handling of some of the talent that passed through NYCFC's halls but didn't yield anything in the way of transfer profits.

Finally things wrap up this week with a preview of New York City's trip south on I-95 to play Philadelphia Union in the regular season's penultimate game. Can a possibly injury-depleted New York City squad play spoilers and keep the Union from possibly clinching or all-but-clinching the Supporters' Shield?

Listen to our jam-packed hour of powerful takes, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

That's the name of the game at this busiest of busy part of the MLS season, though the fixture congestion isn't doing anything to slow down a scorching-hot NYCFC team that's now won three straight matches and climbed way up to 4th Place in the Eastern Conference.

This episode kicks off with hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh reviewing the club's two most recent wins, both at Yankee Stadium and both over Eastern Conference playoff rivals, Columbus Crew and Charlotte FC.

We talk about Hannes Wolf's best season ever continuing in the form of another brace, the Columbus win representing his fourth two-goal game of 2025. The at-the-death winner from Julián Fernández and the pair of assists from Agustín Ojeda against the Crew also has us marveling at how much deeper the roster feels now compared to the start of the season.

The good run would continue a few days later when NYCFC beat Charlotte FC 2-0 on Kids' Day in the Bronx, a game partially won by the goalkeeper with a new long-term contract extension, Matt Freese. Our Charlotte review includes talk of Freese's penalty-kick heroics against Wilfried Zaha, the defensive domination of a potent Charlotte attack, and what the win does for New York City FC's chances of finishing even higher up the Eastern Conference and Supporters' Shield tables.

After diving deep on those wins, we shift into preview mode and try to figure out what we'll see across the two matches the team will play this Wednesday and Saturday night. How will the one visit to New York City by Inter Miami this season, for a Wednesday night game in NYCFC's second-choice home venue, compare to the hugely-attended spectacle that occurred at Yankee Stadium late last season when Messi first landed in New York City?

The sheer volume and frequency of matches has us wondering when the lineup rotation from Pascal Jansen will arrive – though at least one of us, Andrew, is adamant that rotation shouldn't be happening during the second and final Hudson River Derby of the regular season. The derby might just be one match, but it also could be the result that pushes the Red Bulls right to the very brink of playoff elimination, a result that might be as close as NYCFC can get to exacting real revenge for the loss to the Red Bulls in the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.

There's so much ground covered in this episode, which you can listen to in full here, then find more coverage on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by visiting HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Any pessimism that lingered from the disappointing loss to DC United before the international break got washed away by those three New York City goals scored on the shores of Lake Michigan, and your hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney plus producer Andrew Leigh kick off Episode 56 by diving into the team's big win over the Fire.

That includes discussing the potential for Nico Fernández Mercau and the NYCFC attack to reach new heights now that the team's new Designated Player finally bagged his first goal, scoring the equalizer at Soldier Field. It also includes analyzing the debut of new defender Raul Gustavo, and wondering how the pieces will now fit together for Pascal Jansen, given he might have some tough lineup decisions to make with the Brazilian center-back's arrival and integration.

The Chicago win gave us plenty to cover, but it also leads into two more NYCFC matches set to be played this week in quick succession at Yankee Stadium. The second half of this episode is a preview of both the Columbus Crew and Charlotte FC games, with all three of the gang surprisingly optimistic about New York City's chances against the Crew at midweek – maybe in part due to the key absences of players like Diego Rossi and Sean Zawadzki, and due to the Crew's poor recent form in MLS play.

We're collectively less optimistic about Charlotte FC coming to town this weekend, given they're entering on a nine-match winning streak, and given that they're something of a bogey team for NYCFC, who own an unsightly 1W-1D-5L record in head-to-head meetings with the team from North Carolina since they joined the league.

Will our optimism for Columbus and pessimism for Charlotte prove accurate or misguided? Listen to the full episode for each of our predictions for this two-match week, then find more of our coverage on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by visiting HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Matchday 28 will see NYCFC travel to face the team one spot and two points below them in the MLS Eastern Conference standings, Chicago Fire FC, in what's not hyperbolic to call a playoff-like match-up.

Host John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh begin Episode 55 by breaking down all the qualities of Gregg Berhalter's Fire team and how red-hot they've been over their last seven matches, pulling themselves up above the playoff line and onto the heels of NYCFC in 8th Place.

New York City FC heads to Soldier Field looking to wash away the disappointment of the home loss to DC United that preceded this international break, and they're now into the final stretch of seven games that all really do have a playoff feel about them, given that six of the seven teams NYCFC has left to face this season currently sit in the Eastern Conference playoff field, if the MLS Cup Playoffs began today (sorry, 10th Place Red Bulls, not sorry).

Taking another step closer to the playoffs for New York City FC will mean stopping the likes of Fire attackers Philip Zinckernagel, Jonathan Bamba, and Hugo Cuypers, meaning New York City will hope Matt Freese returns feeling healthy and ready to step back into the MLS grind this weekend now that he's wrapped up his responsibilities with the United States men's national team while on international duty.

Speaking of the USMNT, the second half of our episode is all about the Stars and Stripes, with Andrew recapping his trip to Sports Illustrated Stadium to cover the big friendly between the USMNT and South Korea. That was yet another loss for the United States while playing in Harrison, NJ, and yet another troubling performance during the somewhat rocky tenure of Mauricio Pochettino, USMNT Head Coach.

Our USMNT conversation ranges from questioning Pochettino's approach to the South Korea game and the limited windows of games he and the team have left before the World Cup, to wondering what his performances this September will do for Matt Freese's standing on the goalkeeper depth chart.

Listen to our full split NYCFC/USMNT episode below, then find more of our NYCFC/USMNT coverage on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by visiting HudsonRiverBlue.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The pattern held true when the Eastern Conference's last-place team, DC United, came into Yankee Stadium and won, and it's a pattern that has us starting Episode 54 once again wondering how to make sense of this team that can beat some of the top teams in MLS, but one that struggles against the league's strugglers, DC United included.

We get into what went so wrong for New York City in the dispiriting DC defeat, and provide some context for what the loss means for the ongoing race for a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

The MLS playoff race is temporarily on hold, though, as it's another international break. The crew runs through the details for all nine New York City FC players called up by their national teams, then zooms in on a pair of the team's high-profile call-ups, Matt Freese and Alonso Martínez.

Freese is back with the United States men's national team after his big Concacaf Gold Cup breakout, and we discuss what we're expecting to see from the NYCFC goalkeeper and the USMNT when they face Son Heung-min and his South Korea teammates locally at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, then travel to play Japan out at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.

Martínez, meanwhile, leads Costa Rica into a pair of crucial World Cup qualifiers, and right when his name is popping up in the European transfer rumor mill. While discussing Martínez's international and club success, we wonder: Will New York City lose Alonso to a lucrative transfer back to a team in Europe, or will the Costa Rican striker stick around even if he continues to score lots of goals for NYCFC and gets Costa Rica to the World Cup?

Not content to end this episode speculating over an outgoing Alonso Martínez transfer, we also discuss the thrilling and surprisingly violent conclusion to the 2025 Leagues Cup tournament. Seattle Sounders FC picked up the only trophy they were missing from their cabinet, while Inter Miami CF veterans Luis Suárez and Sergio Busquets melted down after suffering a 3-0 loss in the final: Only prestigious tournaments like Leagues Cup give us this kind of drama.

We covered a potpourri of topics on this special international break episode, which you can hear in its entirety here, and when finished, find more of our coverage on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by visiting HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 53 starts with a review of that huge 1-0 victory for New York City at TQL Stadium, a relatively dominant 1-0 win at that.

Your hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh give you a rundown of all that worked well for New York City against Cincinnati, like an influential performance from midfielder Aiden O'Neill, more key saves made by Matt Freese, and another clutch match-winning goal scored by Alonso Martínez.

The wins and positive results have been coming with regular frequency for New York City, as they're now winners of three straight MLS matches for the first time this season and have picked up 13 of a possible 15 points across their last five league matches – but they're still stuck in 8th Place thanks to the Eastern Conference being insanely competitive this season.

We talk through the other important results and trends elsewhere among NYCFC's conference rivals while trying to get a collective feel for where we think this 2025 season is heading as New York City heats up and strings wins together late in the schedule as the MLS Cup Playoffs begin to get closer.

After wrapping up talk of the Cincinnati win and the crowded and convoluted playoff picture, it's a preview of NYCFC's upcoming home match against the Eastern Conference's basement dwellers, DC United and old friend Luis Barraza. DC have zero wins across their last 12 matches played, but they also do still have Christian Benteke, and it won't be so easy for New York City to avoid falling into yet another dreaded "trap game."

With DC previewed, we move on to a brief wrap-up of the MLS summer transfer window, which closed late last week. Our consensus is that NYCFC had a "meh" window, in that while Nico Fernández Mercau and Raul Gustavo seem like promising additions, there was still more work to be done to turn this year's team into a true contender.

One player who happens to be a true contender to start for the United States men's national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup: NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese. We conclude our episode by discussing Freese's latest call-up to the USMNT for a pair of September friendlies, part of a decidedly weird roster assembled by Mauricio Pochettino, but a roster that sure makes it seem like Freese is the current undisputed first-choice American goalkeeper.

Listen to our full jam-packed 53rd episode, then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All that waiting still culminated in a victory for New York City FC, giving hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh lots of points of discussion to kick this episode off. We first take a wider view of the win for NYCFC and discuss how significant it is for the team's season, then discuss some of the top-performing players from the second meeting with Nashville this season.

That discussion includes Agustín Ojeda, whose assist gave him a goal contribution in three straight appearances in all competitions. It also includes Andrés Perea, who scored against Nashville and continues to cement his status as a vital member of Pascal Jansen's Starting XI.

Once the reflections on Nashville are through, we try to set expectations for the newest New York City City FC recruit, defender Raul Gustavo. It's not been straightforward to predict Pascal Jansen's lineups, and it's now harder to predict how he'll line up his defense once Raul Gustavo secures his work visa and joins the rest of the team.

We wrap up this episode with a preview of NYCFC's trip to TQL Stadium to play FC Cincinnati. It's a stadium that's not usually been kind to New York City over the years, though you likely don't worry about that given how the 2024 MLS Cup playoff match ended when the teams met, and given the sneaky-good form NYCFC is currently in. Do we think that good form extends through the Cincinnati meeting?

Listen to our full episode and then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney plus producer Andrew Leigh kick Episode 51 off with much to say about the (dead) grass situation at Citi Field and the scheduling headache it forced New York City FC into. We've got thoughts on the schedule change being confirmed at what felt like the latest possible moment, and we've got thoughts on the negative side effects of concerts being held in the Tri-State Area's soccer (and baseball) stadiums.

Lamenting of a canceled match complete, we next shift to some MLS transfer talk. We cover a few new rumors popping up around NYCFC and wonder what's holding up the announcement of defender Raul Gustavo's signing with the club. There's also a bigger question posed: Did NYCFC do enough in this window, if they end it with Nico Fernández and Raul Gustavo being their big acquisitions while saying goodbye to players like Birk Risa and Mounsef Bakrar?

Our transfer talk isn't limited to just NYCFC, though, as we survey the wider landscape of major moves made by MLS teams so far this summer. So we're talking Son Heung-min debuting for LAFC, the pending arrival of Thomas Müller at Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Rodrigo De Paul at Inter Miami CF, and even Matt Turner coming back to play in goal for the New England Revolution.

The episode wraps up with a preview of Nashville SC's first-ever trip to Yankee Stadium, the baseball stadium with an outfield still green and healthy enough to host some soccer. While we prep for the Nashville game, we also take a wider look at the final 10-match stretch post-Leagues Cup that lays before New York City, and each give our predictions as to how we see the rest of this season playing out for NYCFC and where we think they'll finish in the Eastern Conference standings come Decision Day.

We packed a lot in here for a week without an actual NYCFC match to discuss, so listen to the full episode, and then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Yes, another midseason cup tournament has unsuccessfully come and gone, with three matches played and two losses sending New York City out meekly in Phase One of the overhauled tournament between MLS and Mexico's Liga MX.

Episode 50 starts with Mark and Andrew reviewing the pair of mixed results earned across the Hudson River at Sports Illustrated Stadium, beginning with the disastrous tournament-opening 3-0 loss to Club Puebla.

It all went wrong for a rotated version of NYCFC, behind after two minutes of the tournament and ultimately handed a heavy three-goal defeat that essentially doomed the club to elimination. We wonder what that loss really said about the depth available to Head Coach Pascal Jansen, which also leads to some talk more generally about the new Leagues Cup format, an unforgiving one for results like the Puebla loss.

It wasn't all bad in Leagues Cup, though, as proved by NYCFC's 2-0 win over Club León. That match gave us reason to talk about a rare goal from Agustín Ojeda, and the challenge in front of him to try to take advantage of the opportunity to start throughout Leagues Cup. We also had lots to say about both Alonso Martínez, who scored and assisted in the win, and Matt Freese, who denied Colombian megastar James Rodríguez of Club León from the penalty spot.

After the break, Mark and Andrew drop in from the press box at Yankee Stadium to give an immediate post-match reaction to the Leagues Cup-closing 2-1 loss to Deportivo Toluca FC. There's talk of the latest loss, but also talk of what the tournament as a whole did for our rest-of-season NYCFC expectations, and whose stock we thought rose during Leagues Cup.

Listen to our one all-Leagues Cup, all-the-time episode of 2025, and then get more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading HudsonRiverBlue.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We start with a wrap-up of the FIFA Club World Cup, with our co-host Mark Radigan discussing covering the final and Chelsea FC's triumph over Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium. All of Mark, fellow co-host John Baney, and producer Andrew Leigh then discuss the pros and cons of FIFA's new summertime club competition and render their yay or nay final verdicts on the tournament.

Then it's time for some hot New York City FC transfer gossip, namely that Nico Fernández Mercau is officially in the fold as a new Designated Player signing, and that Birk Risa left New York City to return to Molde FK. We reflect on Risa's time with NYCFC and wonder if this means another shoe's about to drop in the form of a new defender joining the team – maybe Raul Gustavo of Ferencváros? – once the MLS transfer window reopens on July 24.

The fun transfer talk over, things shift to the less-fun topic of Charlotte FC 2-0 New York City FC. The loss felt familiar and continued the club's poor trend of looking great at home and terrible on the road, a trend that we highlight with some ugly numbers from the team's last five MLS regular seasons' worth of away games.

Not the most promising way to segue into our final segment, which is all about the next two NYCFC away games to be played this week against Orlando City SC and Sporting Kansas City, respectively. It will be hot and sticky in both cities, but how confident are we that New York City can finally turn around their poor away form?

Listen to the full episode to find out, and find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The dramatic late win in Orlando and the slightly disappointing draw in Kansas City improved our outlooks on NYCFC and their ability to perform on the road. Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh discuss what stood out most from those two away performances, which each had highs and lows for NYCFC.

That included NYCFC II forward Sebastiano Musu and his energy and involvement when entering as a substitute against Sporting Kansas City, Alonso Martínez's down-then-up game in Orlando which featured a shocking open-goal miss followed not long after by a last-minute winner, and the inconsistency of New York City FC's performance in both these matches.

Lots of transfer talk then follows our look back at the second and third of four straight NYCFC away games. Most focus is on the reported departure of Mounsef Bakrar back to Croatia with Dinamo Zagreb, and the uncertain status of Mitja Ilenič, who's also linked with a possible transfer out this summer. We also discuss a rumor from Israel linking Philadelphia Union striker Tai Baribo with a transfer to NYCFC to round out this episode's transfer rumor section.

After the break, it's time to preview the final match of the road gauntlet thrown before Pascal Jansen and his team, at a limited capacity Toyota Stadium and against a down-in-the-standings FC Dallas. We wonder about Dallas's star No 10 Luciano Acosta's status for this game and set our expectations for the final leg of the long, hot July road trip.

Before we wrap up the episode, we take an early look ahead to Leagues Cup, which kicks off five days after the Dallas match, at Sports Illustrated Stadium on July 29. Andrew gives a general overview of the modified format for this year's Leagues Cup, which will only have MLS teams playing Liga MX teams during Phase One of the competition – it's complicated, and we do our best to make North America's quirkiest new tournament make sense so you're not caught off guard when it's back next week.

Listen to the full episode, then be sure to find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 49 begins with a review of that wild 4-3 New York City FC win over FC Dallas, a match almost overflowing with notable storylines and developments. Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh tackle a few of the biggest topics emerging from the win at Toyota Stadium, like Alonso Martínez's hat trick, the sparkling debut of new Designated Player Nico Fernández who assisted on the match-winning Martínez goal, and the shaky performance from the team's defensive back line in their first game without the injured Thiago Martins.

Once we'd sufficiently chatted about the win over Dallas that made it three straight road matches unbeaten for NYCFC, the focus fully shifted to Leagues Cup and the first two match-ups this week against Club Puebla and Club León.

The Puebla game arrives and, in the pod's collective opinion, this one feels the most like a must-win fixture, given how unforgiving the tournament's new format is meant to be. and knowing how much the Puebla attack has struggled in recent seasons.

We wrap things up by dabbling in a second Liga MX club preview ahead of the clash with James Rodríguez and his Club León teammates as part of a packed Friday night doubleheader. The lingering Leagues Cup questions continue to be, "How much will Pascal Jansen rotate?" – will we see regular starts take a back seat until they're needed in the later rounds? Or does Jansen just keep pushing through with exactly what's been working of late, who needs rest?!

Listen to the full episode and then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The club's floating pigeon publicity stunt got even some of the most soccer-disinterested people in New York City's attention, so we had to open the latest Hudson River Blue Podcast by weighing in on the latest Big Bird in the land of NYCFC.

The big old pigeon was exciting, but it definitely wasn't the biggest news discussed on Episode 46. That distinction goes to recent reports that NYCFC will sign Nicolás "Nico" Fernández as their next Designated Player, with the team poised to pay a sizable transfer fee to acquire the 25-year-old Argentine currently of Elche CF, a Spanish club freshly promoted back to the top-flight LaLiga.

Is Nico the answer, or is Sporting Director David Lee about to repeat his recent history by paying a big transfer fee for another less-than-stellar player who fails to live up to the expectations that accompany his signing? Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan, plus producer Andrew Leigh share interesting perspectives and background on NYCFC's new Designated Player and the possible like-for-like replacement for departed Santíago Rodríguez. Before we wrap up all our Transfer Talk, we also discuss a recent rumor linking one of Pascal Jansen's former Ferencváros players, left-footed center-back Raul Gustavo, with a move to join his old coach at NYCFC.

Transfer talk sorted, we then spend some time reviewing the comfortable 3-1 win New York City FC earned over Toronto FC on a pre-4th of July match at Yankee Stadium before taking a break and returning to do our version of a postmortem on the United States men's national team and their run to the Concacaf Gold Cup final, and a 2-1 loss in that final to hated rivals Mexico.

There are attempts to take a big-picture view of the entire summer of USMNT training camp, friendlies, and a runner-up finish at the Gold Cup, while we also single out some American players who helped their cases and will hope to now stick in bigger roles and in Mauricio Pochettino's future plans, such as those for the 2026 World Cup – it's a list that includes NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese right at the top after his breakout showing this month.

Speaking of Matt Freese, with the Gold Cup over, he'll likely rejoin his NYCFC teammates for their trip to face Charlotte FC on the road. Episode 46 wraps up with a closer look at what to expect from a Charlotte team that's underwhelmed ahead of the first 2025 meeting between these teams.

Dean Smith's team is led by reigning Goalkeeper of the Year Kristijan Kahlina, and they've got a coveted (by PSV Eindhoven, reportedly) young center-back in Adilson Malanda, but the club has been leaking in goals throughout the first rounds of MLS action. Will the tide finally start to turn for New York City in its four straight road matches, or will the club's bad head-to-head history against the team from Charlotte, North Carolina, feature one more loss added to the ledger?

Listen to the full episode, and find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The New York City FC narratives were multiple in that USMNT-Costa Rica match, since Alonso Martínez was the biggest Costa Rican thorn in Freese's side. Freese's rise with the USMNT also has us asking the important questions, namely: Is The Iceman going to the World Cup in 2026? Might he even be the USMNT's starter at the tournament?

Once the Freese and Gold Cup talk wraps, we switch gears and review New York City's second 1-0 loss to CF Montréal of the season. That means discussing Pascal Jansen's absence, the team's awful first half, and what this game means for filling in backups like Mounsef Bakrar and goalkeeper Tomás Romero.

After the break, Michael Battista stops by to discuss his bombshell Hudson River Blue story about the potential return of the New York Cosmos in USL League One, with the new Cosmos set to play home matches at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey. Michael walks through the key things to know about Cosmos 3.0 and what their arrival will mean for the Tri-State soccer scene.

We wrap this episode up by previewing New York City FC's one and only home MLS match in the month of July, when Toronto FC comes to visit for another random installment of Thursday Night Soccer. Toronto just dumped their two expensive and disappointing Italian Designated Players, so does this TFC match become an absolute must-win for an NYCFC team that's looking at four straight games on the road before the Leagues Cup games begin in late July?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 44 starts with talk of the Gold Cup and the United States men's national team, specifically the USMNT's starting goalkeeper Matt Freese. Freese made his first big mistake since becoming the Gold Cup starter in goal for Mauricio Pochettino, handing Haiti a goal in what was still a 2-1 USMNT victory. What will the gaffe do for Freese's place in the Starting XI, and how warranted is some of the criticism being thrown the way of the NYCFC goalkeeper?

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh have a lot to say about Freese's USMNT status, as well as the divided opinions among USMNT fans about striker (and college buddy of our own Mark Radigan) Patrick Agyemang of Charlotte FC.

Our Gold Cup talk also includes some previewing of the big quarterfinal match that's next up for the United States, a New York City FC Derby of sorts pitting Freese's USMNT against Alonso Martínez and Costa Rica. NYCFC will get one of its two MVPs back after that quarterfinal, but we spend some time wondering who needs a good performance for their national team the most between Freese and Alonso.

The other big non-MLS focus in this episode is the Club World Cup, which is just getting to its knockout rounds but is proving more captivating than we first anticipated. Is this tournament better than we thought, and able to overcome the off-field baggage that's hounded it before and during the matches?

Club World Cup proved pretty difficult to navigate for the three MLS teams who qualified, with Inter Miami CF and their trio of superstar ex-Barcelona players the only MLS squad to escape the group stage. Miami advanced to the knockouts and became the first Concacaf team to ever beat a team from UEFA to get there – and earned some $21.5 million in prize money in the process.

We discuss what Miami's success says on behalf of MLS on the global stage and get into a wider discussion of some of the off-field pros and cons of the Club World Cup – from DAZN to the underdog teams to Saudi Arabia's involvement and beyond.

Finally, after a big stretch without one, there's another New York City FC match to preview. We get you all caught up on what's going on with CF Montréal as New York City prepares to head north of the Canadian border to try to earn a second road win this season. We wonder about Pascal Jansen's personnel and lineup choices for the trip to Montréal, but also all sound bullish on NYCFC's chances in this last MLS match in June.

Listen to our full Cup-centric episode and then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 43 begins with a breakdown of that dominant display by NYCFC in the Ronny Deila Derby, one made more impressive due to it occurring without leading goalscorer Alonso Martínez at striker, nor with the always reliable Matt Freese in goal.

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh have wondered all season where the non-Martínez goals would come from, and the win over Atlanta added to a growing body of evidence that the team's next best option in attack might be Hannes Wolf, who now leads the team in goal contributions and who could be rounding into the best form of his MLS career to date.

Our Atlanta win wrap-up also includes some more talk about Pascal Jansen's tactical creativity and flexibility, given his defensive line against Atlanta included four players you'd consider center-backs, and given that, on top of the international absentees, Jansen was also missing injured midfielder Keaton Parks.

The New York City coach has been pushing all the right buttons, and he might need to keep doing it, because following a break, we run through updates on how NYCFC's remaining international call-ups are faring, namely the two Gold Cup participants, Martínez with Costa Rica and Freese with the United States, plus Mitja Ilenič at the UEFA U21 Euros with Slovenia's U21s.

Finally, we wrap up this episode by discussing the new soccer circus that came to town in recent days: The FIFA Club World Cup. Do your hosts have growing cases of Club World Cup Fever, or is this whole thing one big mess that we'd rather not get involved with?

Listen as we dive into some of the many interesting, sometimes perplexing, sometimes infuriating angles of the Club World Cup, especially as it pertains to the three participating MLS teams and the matches taking place in our backyard at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Check out this latest episode and then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We covered a lot of ground, like how Ronny feels about coming back to face NYCFC for the first time since leaving the club in 2022, what went into his departure from New York City back in 2022, and what happy memories stick out the most from his time with NYCFC, including and in addition to the biggest one, when his team won that 2021 championship.

After our conversation with Ronny wraps up, hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh shift things in the direction of previewing the game Deila's team will play against Pascal Jansen's NYCFC.

Both managers will have to make tough lineup choices given the game falls right during a busy period of international games, with many Atlanta and New York City players called up and active with their national teams and likely unavailable for the rare Thursday night game. We run through all the key absentees and possible absentees on both sides of the game and attempt to guess how New York City might line up while missing key starters like Matt Freese and Alonso Martínez, to name just two.

Speaking of Matt Freese, we wrap up this episode by discussing Freese's debut with the United States men's national team in the friendly against Türkiye, and wonder if he'll see more time during the Gold Cup, especially given how bad the USMNT looked with Matt Turner in goal in the heavy loss to Switzerland.

Listen to our full Ronny Deila Episode and then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 41 starts with a review of the big moments from that exciting draw in Tennessee, as well as a look back at the miserable midweek home loss to Houston Dynamo FC that preceded the Nashville game.

Reflecting on the two most recent games, hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh have a lot to say about the importance of Keaton Parks, Hannes Wolf's climbing goals total, and what makes the group optimistic heading into the second half of the MLS schedule despite an up-and-down opening 17 league matches.

After the break, we zoom out and take a bigger-picture look at the first half of this season for New York City FC. Andrew runs through a bunch of notable stats to emerge from the first 17 games of the MLS season, and then everyone names their first-half MVPs and discusses players they think have room for improvement in their game during the second half of the season.

Is it crazy to want to see more from Alonso Martínez, the team's leading scorer? Has Matt Freese been NYCFC's best player? We have thoughts on these exact topics, so listen to the full episode and then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chicago Fire FC proved no match for New York City on Matchday 15 at Yankee Stadium, and there's now one home and one road match left, against Houston Dynamo FC and at Nashville SC, before a much-deserved break in MLS action.

We begin Episode 40 by revisiting New York City's 3-1 win over Chicago, a topsy-turvy one that saw the Fire take an early lead but then throw the game away thanks to a Brian Gutiérrez elbow to Aiden O'Neill's face and an ensuing red card.

New York City had a man advantage most of this match but still got three different goal scorers and dominated Chicago, so hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh have lots of positive thoughts on what the result said about non-Alonso Martínez attackers like Hannes Wolf, Mounsef Bakrar, Julián Fernández, and even substitute Agustín Ojeda.

Speaking of substitutes, New York City will soon need to rely on a few more of them thanks to the looming Concacaf Gold Cup, and the call-ups coming for Matt Freese from the USMNT and Alonso Martínez from Costa Rica. We go through the United States roster situation Freese faces as he joins their June training camp, and also discuss the signing of 17-year-old striker Seymour Reid to a Homegrown contract with the New York City First Team as a likely hedge against Martínez absences while with Costa Rica.

Our final segment in this episode is a double-preview of sorts, looking ahead to the midweek meeting with Houston followed by the quick turnaround on Saturday afternoon in Nashville. How will New York City handle two very different opponents, and will they end their busy May on the highest possible note?

Listen to Episode 40 to find out how we think it will go, and then find all of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

First, your hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan, plus their producer Andrew Leigh, discuss the importance of the Hudson River Derby win given the context of New York City FC's recent struggles without any goals scored in hundreds of minutes played, and given the fact that the Red Bulls knocked New York City out of the playoffs at this same stadium some months ago.

Then we're into analyzing the nuts and bolts of what was NYCFC's best performance of the season, the first game they've won all season by more than one goal, and the first time they've managed to score more than one goal since way back on March 29, a streak of eight matches. We spend time talking about that incredible early Alonso Martínez goal, strong recent play from New York City's defensive backline while anchored by Thiago Martins and Justin Haak, and what this overall showing in the highest-pressure game of the season to date tells us about the 2025 edition of New York City FC.

The Hudson River Derby sufficiently covered, we briefly discuss the news that James Sands is staying with FC St. Pauli in Germany's Bundesliga through the end of their upcoming 2025-2026 season. Among us, there's a unanimous approval for his continued stay in Germany, mixed with some concern about the severity of the ankle and leg injury that's sidelined Sands since February.

Then our attentions turn to the next NYCFC opponent, Chicago Fire FC, who enter Sunday's afternoon matinee at Yankee Soccer Stadium riding a streak of four consecutive wins across all competitions. Our preview of the Fire game also leads us into a discussion about new New York City signing Aiden O'Neill, with John particularly impressed by what the Australian midfielder has shown in his early games in MLS.

It's a loaded episode. Listen to the full show then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mark Radigan called the loss in Pittsburgh "one of the most frustrating games" while lamenting that a rotated New York City lineup still, on paper, looked to have enough firepower to get past the USL Championship's Riverhounds – but couldn't.

As for the match against Montréal, it left us wondering if something's up with Alonso Martínez who suddenly can't buy a goal, and if the New York City midfield can cope with the injury absence of Keaton Parks, even as Aussie Aiden O'Neill made his MLS debut.

DC United is up next for NYCFC and we preview the latest away day, including the challenges of dealing with imposing striker Christian Benteke and balancing the midweek trip to the nation's capital with the huge home game that awaits back in Queens this weekend.

Yes, the Hudson River Derby returns to Citi Field and our final segment of this episode is all about the Red Bulls and this latest chapter in the cross-river rivalry. We talk to Michael Battista, Hudson River Blue's senior writer and resident New York Red Bulls expert, who catches us up on everything new with the red side of the rivalry in 2025. How legit was that recent 7-0 blowout of the LA Galaxy, how potent is the Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Emil Forsberg attacking duo, and who will bring the spice to the table in this usually testy affair now that John Tolkin is gone?

It's a jam-packed episode that's got lots to say about four different NYCFC matches. Listen to the full show then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com. 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 37 starts with a deep dive into New York City's somewhat surprising yet undeniably impressive 1-0 win over a streaking FC Cincinnati team at Citi Field. We discuss some parts of the tactical chess game that played out between coaches, including Pascal Jansen making changes to his NYCFC's formation to open the match.

There's also lots to say about the early-game loss of Keaton Parks to another foot problem, as well as the goalscorer and lightning rod for both praise and criticism, Julián Fernández. Is Julián on the cusp of finally breaking out, or will he go back to being a maddeningly inconsistent hot-and-cold attacker?

With seemingly every angle of the Cincinnati match covered, we move on to talking US Open Cup and a first-ever match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. The million-dollar questions, as they usually are when NYCFC enters the Open Cup: How seriously will the team take the tournament, and how many regular fixtures in Jansen's Starting XI will we see on the pitch in Pittsburgh?

NYCFC will be the favorites in Pittsburgh and they'll definitely be favored to win when MLS play resumes over the weekend and Montréal visits the Bronx on Matchday 12. With one win over an elite Cincinnati team already in the bank, we look ahead to these two matches against lower-division Pittsburgh and struggling Montréal and wonder if this simply has to be a "three matches played, three matches won" week for New York City.

Episode 37 has all our thoughts and opinions on Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Montréal and more, so listen to the full episode and then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 36 begins with hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh breaking down NYCFC's gritty, slightly boring 1-0 win over Toronto FC that came thanks to another Alonso Martínez goal, and despite gale-force winds blowing inside BMO Field in Ontario, Canada. The win was helpful and important but also didn't inspire a ton of confidence, and left us wondering when, or if, we'll see more goals and assists from players like Agustín Ojeda and Julián Fernández, and if Pascal Jansen might be considering other tweaks to his formation or to his preferred personnel after 10 games in charge.

A good time for that aforementioned Argentine duo to start scoring might be Matchday 11 when FC Cincinnati comes to Citi Field. Pat Noonan's Cincy squad is scorching hot, winners of five straight games and now sitting atop the MLS Eastern Conference table. We preview this rematch of Round One of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs and wonder just what it will take to slow down Evander and Kèvin Denkey when they show up in Queens.

This episode wraps up with some more talk about NYCFC's newest signing, Australian midfielder Aiden O'Neill. The consensus among our hosts is that it's a breath of fresh air, or maybe a fresh gust of wind, to see the team sign a seasoned veteran to fill a roster hole, rather than roll the dice on another promising, untested youngster.

Listen for our full thoughts on O'Neill, the win in Toronto, and the match vs. FC Cincinnati, then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Before wading deep into transfer discussion, hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh review New York City FC's depressing 2-0 defeat at Gillette Stadium against New England Revolution.

Nothing went well against the Revs so we've got plenty of (bad) things to cover, like failed Pascal Jansen lineup experiments, the team's continued attacking struggles when playing away from home, and whether or not NYCFC's season is already approaching or in a downward spiral.

That discussion of what went wrong in New England naturally blends into transfer talk, because the performance again highlighted glaring NYCFC weaknesses that could use addressing by way of new player signings.

Knowing what we know about New York City FC nine games into the 2025 season, and without a wave of new signings set to burst through the door on Transfer Deadline Day, we try to answer an important question: How good can this year's team really be, and what should expectations be given how little there's been in the way of incoming transfers since the summer of 2024?

That gets John Baney going on a solid rant about City Football Group and the NYCFC front office's approach to team-building and the disparities between how the team talks and acts publicly, and how they actually operate with their transactions or lack thereof.

We spend less time than usual in this episode previewing NYCFC's next match, blame the transfer deadline, but we do share our predictions for the trip across the northern border of the United States to face Toronto FC – a team with only one win this season but one, like New England, with just enough momentum and motivation to cause NYCFC problems.

Listen to the full episode and then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 34 has your hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh wondering if we'll now see more of Justin Haak playing in central defense and also if we'll see more of Agustín Ojeda as a starter on the wings since both players looked good in the Philly win.

When we're done discussing current members of the roster, we dive into a fresh NYCFC transfer rumor, namely that the team is reportedly trying to sign 26-year-old Australian defensive midfielder Aiden O'Neill from Standard Liege in Belgium. Is a potential James Sands replacement the right signing to make as we approach the close of the MLS transfer window? We share our thoughts on that and give you some background on O'Neill in case he ends up making the move to MLS.

We wrap this episode up with a preview of NYCFC's trip to Gillette Stadium to take on New England Revolution on Matchday 9. Our scouting report: Do whatever it takes to stop Carles Gil, New England's one-man wrecking crew who has scored all New England's non-Thiago Martins own goal goals in 2025.

Listen to the full episode and then find more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Your hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh lament the sluggish start to the game from NYCFC while also discussing the team's wasteful possession and inability to break through a bunkered Minnesota defense once down by two goals after 30 minutes.

There's also a review of the big in-game decisions from Pascal Jansen, who made a rare first-half double substitution while trying to spark a comeback. What to make of the early hooks for Birk Risa and Julián Fernández, and what other changes should Jansen make to stop the skid?

That segues nicely into a preview of the upcoming visit from rival Philadelphia Union at Citi Field in Queens. It's New York City's first look at the post-Jim Curtin Union now led by Bradley Carnell, so there's a review of what's new with their squad and some suggestions as to what NYCFC will need to do to get a positive result against one of their more heated rivals.

One of NYCFC's biggest transfer needs is again a hot topic in this episode: A new Designated Player attacker, preferably a No 10 central midfielder. As it happens, a pretty big-name version of that player with a connection to City Football Group, 33-year-old Belgian superstar Kevin De Bruyne, is confirmed to be leaving Manchester City FC and available to sign this summer.

De Bruyne is rumored to be weighing interest from MLS and Saudi Arabia as he mulls his next move, so John, Mark, and Andrew all answer the burning question: Should New York City do whatever it takes to sign KDB?

When you've finished listening to Episode 33, get more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and by reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh do their best to make sense of all that went wrong while NYCFC threw away a 3-1 lead at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which includes talking about the mistakes that led to the final three Atlanta goals.

It's not an entire segment of finger-pointing, but we do each weigh in on that particularly disastrous mix-up between Thiago Martins and Matt Freese on Atlanta's fourth match-winning goal, which naturally leads us to each make known who we hold most responsible for that specific mistake.

The tone gets more positive when the talk turns to the upcoming Minnesota United FC match at Yankee Stadium. Even though NYCFC just suffered that emotionally draining defeat, and even though Minnesota is in good form and boasts a potent attack, we all like the home team's chances during a rare Sunday matinee in the Bronx.

You'll have to listen to Episode 32 in full to hear the reasons for our confidence heading into the Pigeons vs. Loons Bird Derby. After you've done that, get more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Was it a positive result, a valuable point gained in a tough environment against a tough if shorthanded Columbus team? Or was it a concerning performance that showed just how badly NYCFC needs new players added to the roster if they want to beat the other top teams in the MLS Eastern Conference?

The draw with the Crew also featured the MLS debut of a pair of 17-year-olds, Máximo Carrizo and Seymour Reid, who together with 35th-minute substitute Jonathan Shore made it a teen-heavy match in Columbus. Mark Radigan explains why he views the involvement of these three NYCFC teenagers as "both a positive and a negative at the same time," which makes total sense when you hear him tell it.

That thrilling 0-0 properly digested, we move on to preparing for NYCFC's trip to the turf of Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the big emotional reunion with the team's former head coach, Ronny Deila, who is in his first season in charge of Atlanta United. There's some talk of all the feels stirred up seeing Ronny back in MLS, as well as Atlanta's tumultuous last year leading into the hiring of Deila. To wrap up our Atlanta preview, we tackle the big NYCFC question hanging over this match: How will Pascal Jansen cover for the possible absence of his midfield mainstay, Keaton Parks?

All that and more is discussed at length, but not at too much length, in this our 31st episode. Listen in full and then get more of our coverage by following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and reading all our work at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh praise the performances from players like Julián Fernández, Alonso Martinez, and Keaton Parks, plus they touch on the adversity the team overcame in the win, namely the early double-whammy of a Thiago Martins own goal and an early injury to fullback Nico Cavallo.

Episode 30 then shifts to some news updates, including NYCFC being down four players due to international call-ups and promising young winger Malachi Jones facing a second surgery to try to correct his broken right leg.

We wrap things up this week by previewing the trip to Columbus, Ohio, which NYCFC will make without star striker Alonso Martínez, one of those four international call-ups. Is the match at Lower.com Field a golden opportunity for Mounsef Bakrar to prove his worth to new coach Pascal Jansen? Will NYCFC get its first away win vs the Crew since back in April 2017, given that Columbus will be missing multiple key players due to international duty, suspensions, and injuries?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We start with a rundown of all the festivities at the home opener meant to mark the 10th anniversary of NYCFC's on-field debut, with pod producer Andrew Leigh providing a boots-on-the-ground perspective on the nostalgic night at Yankee Stadium that included visits from Andrea Pirlo, Kwadwo Poku, and others.

Then it's time for hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan to review the much-needed 2-1 win over Orlando City, which was heavy on the storylines. Mark was impressed by Hannes Wolf scoring the match-winning goal and thinks this will be a turning point for the Austrian, while both he and John rave about the Player of the Match performance in the midfield from 17-year-old Jonny Shore.

The discussion then moves on to Matchday 4's visit to Yankee Stadium from the New England Revolution, a team with zero goals scored in three MLS matches played so far this season. Can New York City build on that home-opener win and maybe target a first clean sheet of the season against New England's struggling attack? Easier said than done in the weird world of Major League Soccer, but confidence is growing with one win now under Pascal Jansen's belt.

Listen to the full episode and then make sure you’re following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and reading all our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Before getting into all the excitement and build-up to the first NYCFC home match of the 2025 season, hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan break down the 1-0 away loss to LAFC. That means attempting to understand the lack of decent NYCFC scoring chances, trying to figure out all that went wrong on that 86th-minute Ryan Hollingshead goal, and focusing on some individual players who stood out for the right and wrong reasons for New York City in its first loss of the season.

Season-opening road trip sorted out, the episode then shifts focus to the big 2025 home opener at Yankee Soccer Stadium in the Bronx. Despite the winless start to the season and the in-flux state of the roster, optimism abounds about the year's first home match. We get into the specifics of the match-up and offer predictions about who plays and who doesn't, but we also get nostalgic about past home openers and past meetings with Orlando City.

Maybe that's because NYCFC has been busy celebrating its 10th anniversary leading up to this game, trotting out Andrea Pirlo and harkening back to the team's inaugural campaign. That the home opener against Orlando City will be played on the same date these teams played the first competitive games in each of their existences back in 2015 will be a nice cherry on top of the nostalgia sundae.

Listen to the full episode and then make sure you’re following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and reading all our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan cover big points like the gut-punch Miami equalizer in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time, Mitja Ilenič's clever set-piece goal and Messi-trolling Cristiano Ronaldo celebration, and the first big in-game moves made by new NYCFC coach Pascal Jansen.

Discussing Jansen's moves means spending some time talking about 17-year-old Homegrown midfielder Jonathan Shore's MLS debut right at the start of the second half, Justin Haak's slide back to center-back in place of an almost-sent-off Strahinja Tanasijević, and a continued reliance on ageless playmaker Maxi Moralez.

Talk then shifts to a Matchday 2 preview of the game at BMO Stadium against LAFC. We marvel at the toughness of NYCFC's two road matches to start the 2025 MLS season and try to figure out what, if any, changes Pascal Jansen might make to his lineup or his approach for this second competitive game in charge.

Listen to the full episode and then make sure you’re following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and reading all our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We start by discussing two players who won't be on the 2025 NYCFC roster, Santiago Rodríguez who is about to join Botafogo in Brazil, and James Sands, who just suffered a rough injury while away on loan in Germany.

Then we preview the first match of the 2025 season, a trip to face reigning Supporters' Shield winners Inter Miami. Will their midweek Concacaf Champions Cup game in the extreme freezing cold in Kansas City give New York City FC a slight edge over Lionel Messi and company? More importantly and more uncertainly, how will NYCFC even line up for their first match of the season? There are Starting XI predictions and eventually score predictions shared for the big season opener in Fort Lauderdale.

There's also some time spent reflecting on what the expert MLS pundits out there think will come of this New York City FC season. Expert sentiment is that Pascal Jansen has a fringe playoff team on his hands, and we get into whether that's a fair assessment or not while dropping a few of our own predictions for how the 2025 season shakes out.

Episode 26 wraps up with our final preview of a specific group of NYCFC players, this time the team's forwards. Our big questions for the attacking players involve who starts on the wings, how much better Hannes Wolf can be in his second season, and if Alonso Martínez and Mounsef Bakrar will really see the field at the same time.

Listen to the full episode and then make sure you’re following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and reading all our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 25 begins with an unpacking of all that a Santi sale would mean for NYCFC and some attempts to figure out what's actually going on with his rumored big-money move.

The Santi talk leads our hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan into a discussion of NYCFC's ongoing preseason, which is noticeably missing Santi Rodríguez but is full of other storylines. Will Pascal Jansen really deploy Alonso Martínez in his attack at the same time as fellow striker Mounsef Bakrar? Will any of the unsigned MLS SuperDraft picks start the season by earning contracts with the NYCFC senior squad? 

It's also new 2025 MLS kit week, so time is spent discussing the bright New York City skyline-inspired Excelsior Kit just unveiled by NYCFC. That includes a lot of talk about the fact that the old NYCFC club crest remains on this year's new jersey despite the team unveiling a redesigned crest during the summer of 2024.

We wrap up our 25th episode by continuing our series of 2025 previews for different NYCFC position groups, this week covering the team's midfield. The absence of James Sands is a big topic, as is the need to figure out a non-Maxi Moralez option in the central attacking midfielder role, especially if Santi Rodríguez does end up leaving.

After you’ve listened to this episode, make sure you’re following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and reading all our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

That included Jansen laying out his goals to give his team more edge, intensity, and sense of invincibility, a "bulletproof mindset" as he put it, which all made him sound, to us, like a coach ready for the challenges of Major League Soccer and New York City.

Our hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan also sounded encouraged by David Lee's insistence the team will be signing some new players, but they wonder whether the Sporting Director is making the right move by waiting until possibly beyond the start of the new season to bring any major new reinforcements in for Jansen and company.

Talk then shifts to one player who will not be reinforcing Pascal Jansen's squad: Jovan Mijatović, as we discuss the young striker's departure on loan for OH Leuven in Belgium. With the Jovan saga concluding (for now), we took a few more minutes to offer shakes of our collective heads over just how badly his time with NYCFC went.

Episode 24 wraps up by continuing to preview the 2025 New York City FC squad, this time by taking a deep dive into the defense. We single out the defenders we expect to stand out this season and all share our preferred defensive lineups. That lineup-making also leads to us continuing the years-long debate over who should be the team's starter at right-back: Tayvon Gray or Mitja Ilenič?

After you’ve listened, make sure you’re following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and reading all our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Both those Cup competitions just got new and slightly complex qualification criteria, and we spend the early part of Episode 23 trying to make sense of who gets into the Open Cup, who gets into Leagues Cup, and who gets left out. Given that we're talking trophies, we also answer the burning question: Which Cup would we pick if we had to choose one for NYCFC to win in 2025?

Another big topic this week is another player leaving New York City FC, this time 18-year-old Homegrown defender Christian McFarlane. There's talk of what's in store for McFarlane now that he's a Manchester City FC player, how his departure impacts the 2025 NYCFC team, and what to make of another deal between two City Football Group teams.

We wrap up this episode by starting in on a series of position group previews ahead of NYCFC's 2025 season, putting a spotlight on the team's goalkeepers. There's a no-doubt starting goalkeeper in place in Matt Freese, but with Luis Barraza gone, questions linger over who serves as Freese's backup on NYCFC matchdays. Will it be Alex Rando, or Tomás Romero, or maybe Greg Ranjitsingh?

After you’ve listened, make sure you’re following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and reading all our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode starts with an attempt to get to the bottom of why we've seen so little transfer activity from NYCFC during this offseason, an offseason that has seen lots of big-name talents – like Wilfried Zaha and possibly Miguel Almirón, to name two – make the move to the MLS Eastern Conference.

We cover NYCFC's tendency under Sporting Director David Lee to make their winter signings closer to or after the start of the MLS regular season, but also wonder if this quiet winter is a side effect of the team's heightened transfer activity during the winter of 2024 and summer of 2023.

There's also the Pascal Jansen factor, as in: Could NYCFC be holding off on making more roster changes until the new coach has joined up with the team for preseason and has had a chance to get a better feel for his new squad?

After our big transfer window chat, we wrap this episode up with a discussion of the United States men's national team, specifically how little we saw of NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese during this January USMNT camp. Freese didn't play a single minute in either of the team's two friendlies and was the only previously uncapped player in January camp to not make his senior national team debut. Mauricio Pochettino, that is no way to treat the 2024 MVP of New York City FC!

After you’ve listened, make sure you’re following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, and reading all our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The 19-year-old is still in Europe and not joining up with his teammates for preseason while rumors swirl about a potential loan transfer from NYCFC to a European club. Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan have lots of thoughts about the difficult Mijatović situation, wondering why it's gone so poorly for him with New York City while also speculating on how this drama between Jovan and the team will resolve itself.

Not content to only discuss a potential Jovan Mijatović transfer, things then shift to the moves New York City has already made, like re-signing Maxi Moralez, adding a backup goalkeeper, and formalizing Homegrown contracts with two young players. There's also some discussion of a possible Matt Freese transfer since the NYCFC goalkeeper finds himself in the rumor mill, linked with interest from clubs in the Netherlands and Germany.

Episode 21 wraps up with the show's producer Andrew Leigh running through numerous changes to the MLS roster rules the league announced before the start of the 2025 season. No MLS podcast episode is complete without a discussion of new twists on player trading and allocation money, contract buyouts, and oh so much more.

After you’ve listened, make sure you’re following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, and Twitter (X), and reading all our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We have a lot to say about Freese's opportunity and our hopes of seeing someone from the NYCFC roster grow into a regular presence with the USMNT, maybe in time for the 2026 World Cup.

Episode 20 also includes more talk about Pascal Jansen, as we react to his official unveiling as the sixth head coach in New York City FC history. Among other Jansen topics, we discuss his past success at AZ Alkmaar and elsewhere in the Netherlands coaching up promising young players and wonder about his impact on NYCFC's crop of Homegrown and Under-22 signings.

Things wrap up this week on a less-than-cheery note as we discuss Jovan Mijatović crashing his car into a pedestrian while spending his offseason in Belgrade, Serbia. A scary accident that's left us wishing for the best for the pedestrian and hoping that Mijatović can get something good to break his way in the wake of what's been a rocky first year as a NYCFC player.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

That happens when news of a new New York City FC coach and James Sands's second departure break on New Year's Eve and Day, respectively.

First, hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan discuss the reported arrival of Pascal Jansen to replace Nick Cushing as NYCFC manager. There's talk of what the Jansen hire means for New York City, the statement of intent made not just in hiring Jansen but in buying him out of his contract with Ferencváros, and what we might expect from his NYCFC based on his previous coaching stints.

After first impressions of the newest coaching arrival, we shift into goodbye mode and react to James Sands's loan move to FC St. Pauli in the German Bundesliga. It's all praise for Sands, who our hosts say earned his move back to Europe, but his exit raises lots of questions about how New York City FC will look in 2025. Is a defensive midfielder now the team's most pressing need during this winter transfer window?

To wrap up Episode 19, we discuss the five players NYCFC recently selected in the MLS SuperDraft, with some unanimous hype around First Round pick Max Murray out of the University of Vermont.

After you’ve listened, make sure you’re following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, and Twitter (X), and reading all our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Before the conversation turns to a review of 2024, there's news to discuss and it's about Leagues Cup. The tournament between MLS and Mexico's Liga MX is changing in 2025 and our episode starts with a discussion of one major change that's been confirmed, namely that Leagues Cup will no longer be played during a month-long break, but will shift to a midweek tournament played while the MLS and Liga MX seasons continue concurrently. 

This being the MLS offseason, we also touch on some juicy transfer news and rumors, like NYCFC selling midfielder Nicolás Acevedo to Bahia, rumored interest from Brazilian clubs in Santiago Rodríguez, and reports of a return to MLS for former NYCFC head coach Ronny Deila, this time with Atlanta United FC.

John and Mark then conclude our final 2024 episode by handing out their final grades to NYCFC's top and bottom performers, and to the team as a whole. How harsh of a curve are we grading on? You'll have to listen to find out.

Once you've listened, make sure you're following Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, and Twitter (X), and reading all our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan discuss what a loss in the league's championship game means for the legacy of the Red Bulls franchise, as well as what it means for the always-entertaining rivalry between Red Bull and New York City FC fans.

With MLS Cup discussion done, talk moves to the offseason, which has started in earnest with signings, trades, and rumors. NYCFC has contributed to the rumor mill already with the trade of goalkeeper Luis Barraza to DC United and the ongoing negotiations over a possible return in 2025 for midfielder Maxi Moralez.

John and Mark also touch on the simmering rumor that former Philadelphia Union coach and longtime NYCFC rival Jim Curtin might be a candidate to replace Nick Cushing. How welcome would Curtin be as New York City FC coach?

Episode 17 concludes with one final bit of early offseason drama: The MLS Expansion Draft, which saw NYCFC lose Brazilian winger Thiago Andrade in a classic MLS transaction, with Thiago drafted by San Diego FC but then immediately traded to Toronto FC.

We once again are left scratching our heads at the absurdity of the Expansion Draft and the MLS roster rules, but that doesn't stop us from breaking down this strange turn of events for a player who had been loaned out by NYCFC during each of the last two seasons.

When you've finished listening, be sure to follow Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, and Twitter (X), and read all our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 16 then shifts to some New York City FC roster talk, specifically as it pertains to the upcoming MLS Expansion Draft in which San Diego FC has a chance to pick five eligible players from five different MLS teams. Mark has a lot of thoughts on the concept of expansion drafts, mainly that they shouldn't exist, but he and John also get into some of the tough decisions NYCFC faces while making a list of 12 players to protect from possible selection.

Things wrap up with a discussion of Etihad Park, which had its ceremonial groundbreaking and is shovels-in-the-ground as it moves toward opening in 2027. Maybe the positive future soccer stadium vibes will be enough to hold you over during the cold, quiet days of the offseason.

When you're done listening, be sure you follow Hudson River Blue on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, and Twitter (X), and read all our coverage of NYCFC and beyond at HudsonRiverBlue.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 15 begins with a gut reaction to the news that Cushing is out after 107 games in charge of NYCFC, relieved of his duties by the team. Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan discuss just how surprising or unsurprising this decision was, and wonder what main factors might have contributed to the decision to cut ties with Cushing.

Then we shift into postmortem mode and reflect on the season-ending 2-0 loss NYCFC suffered at the hands of the New York Red Bulls in the first-ever Hudson River Derby staged in the MLS Cup Playoffs. That includes a discussion of what went wrong in that game at Citi Field, but also what NYCFC and the now-departed Cushing could have done differently to prevent this unfortunate ending to the season.

With the derby disappointment dissected, the conversation shifts to the long offseason ahead, with a first discussion of some of the big decisions NYCFC will face before they kick off the 2025 MLS season. That includes deciding on the future of club legend Maxi Moralez, with varied opinions on whether or not he should return to the team for another season.

There is a lot going on with NYCFC as the 2024 season draws to an end and we tried to break down as much of it as possible in this episode. Listen, visit HudsonRiverBlue.com to read more of our coverage, and follow us on social media over on Bluesky, Twitter (X), Instagram, and Threads.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

To prepare for the big playoff clash between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls, hosts John Baney and Andrew Leigh had to turn to an expert of New York soccer and of MLS Cup Playoffs soccer.

Enter Gio Savarese, a studio analyst for MLS Season Pass on AppleTV who you also know for his tenures as head coach of the Portland Timbers and New York Cosmos, and for a playing career that included prolific seasons scoring goals for the NY/NJ MetroStars in MLS.

Savarese discusses the significance of the first postseason meeting between NYCFC and the Red Bulls, what each team's head coach will need to do to get their team ready for the unique realities of a playoff derby game, and the huge importance of managing emotions in this kind of high-stakes match against a major rival.

We then have a pod installment of Oppo Research, with Matthew Mangam chatting with Red Bull writer Michael Battista about some of the keys to a potential road victory in Queens.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

First things first, and that means a first-ever playoff Hudson River Derby, which will be played at a less-than-full Citi Field. The news that capacity will be capped due to closures of the upper levels of the stadium as it begins its process of offseason winterization spurred lots of spirited discussion between hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan. They share their thoughts on the cap on crowd size and how it's a missed opportunity to draw a big crowd to watch NYCFC play the New York Red Bulls in the rivalry's most important game to date.

Episode 13 wraps up with the beginnings of a preview of that Eastern Conference Semifinal against the Red Bulls, with some key numbers and trends called out from across the history of the rivalry game that are worth noting while anticipation continues to build for the first playoff clash between the teams.

After you've listened to this episode be sure to go read all of our latest coverage at Hudson River Blue.com, and follow us on Bluesky, Threads, or maybe even Twitter (X), if you're still into that.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This special installment of the Hudson River Blue Podcast was recorded immediately following the 0-0 draw turned NYCFC shootout win at TQL Stadium to close out the best-of-three Round One playoff series, so get ready to excitedly re-live the 18-kick penalty shootout in all its messy glory.

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan discuss the bend-but-not-break performance from NYCFC in the 90 minutes of regulation time that came before the penalty shootout. There weren't many attacking chances created by New York City, but was it always in the game plan to force this thing to penalty kicks?

While the clinching win over Cincinnati is the main focus of this episode, we also look ahead to what will be the most important rivalry game to date between NYCFC and the Red Bulls. Given the anticipation around this first-ever playoff Hudson River Derby, it's never too early to start with the previews, even if the game won't take place for another two weeks. Who has the edge, and which team does this game mean more to?

Listen to Episode 12 as you ride the high of a playoff series win, and be sure to read all of our coverage at Hudson River Blue.com, and follow us on Bluesky, Threads, or maybe even Twitter (X), if you're still into that.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan highlight what went well during NYCFC's 3-1 win to even their best-of-three series, with a lot of discussion about the club's standouts in defense, namely Mitja Ilenič and Justin Haak, along with some talk of the role Citi Field played in providing a home-field advantage.

Episode 11 then shifts focus to the upcoming massive Game 3 at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, a place where NYCFC have lost five straight matches, but will need to win to extend their season. Our hosts think all the pressure is on the home team heading into Game 3, while they also acknowledge that NYCFC has, historically, thrived when cast in the underdog role during the MLS Cup Playoffs. The records and recent history make New York City underdogs but that might be exactly where the team wants to be.

This episode wraps up with an eye on what might be next if NYCFC can pull out a win and advance: A first-ever playoff meeting with the rival New York Red Bulls. How much of an extra motivator will it be for NYCFC to know that a win books them a home game against the Red Bulls for a spot in the MLS Eastern Conference Final?

Let Episode 11 be part of your pre-Game 3 preparations, and then please go read all our other coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on Twitter (X) and Instagram.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan spend much of this episode dissecting NYCFC's 1-0 loss away to FC Cincinnati to open the best-of-three Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs, a match that packed a lot of intrigue into 90 minutes.

Episode 10 explores what went so wrong with New York City FC's attack in that loss in Cincinnati, with the team putting up one of its worst showings of the season at the exact worst time. There's also some good discussion around key moments in this match. Those included a non-call for a foul on Santiago Rodríguez leading up to Cincinnati's one goal, a denied penalty claim for a foul on Alonso Martínez, and a late red card shown to Tayvon Gray that will keep him out of Game 2 at Citi Field.

Things wrap up this week by previewing NYCFC's home leg of this series, what's now a must-win if the season is to be extended to a decisive Game 3 back in Cincinnati. What changes should Nick Cushing make to his lineup to make sure his team's season continues?

Check out Episode 10 and then please go read all our other coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to follow us on Twitter (X) and Instagram.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Decision Day didn't go New York City FC's way, so Episode 9 begins with a little talk of what went wrong in Montréal in the MLS regular season's final match before hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan shift their attention to Round One of the playoffs.

The good news: NYCFC's one home game in Round One will be played at Citi Field, an actual home-field advantage that could help the team's chances of advancing, according to our hosts. The bad news: The loss to Montréal halted some of the team's momentum and set up this meeting with the Eastern Conference's Third Place team, FC Cincinnati.

That match-up with FC Cincinnati then gets a very special segment dedicated to it, as HRB writer Matthew Mangam brings in guest Laurel Pfahler of Queen City Press to discuss the Cincinnati team she covers. Matthew and Laurel bring you up to speed on what's been going on with Cincinnati, a team that slumped late in the MLS season but one that might be getting its defense in order just in time for the playoffs to begin.

Episode 9 concludes with hosts John and Mark reacting to a surprise twist of a news item: Nick Cushing's potential, rumored departure from NYCFC to become head coach of Arsenal Women. Not exactly ideal timing for a coaching change rumor to break on the eve of the playoffs, is it?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

That includes the uncertainty that surrounds where NYCFC might play the home match(es) in Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs, thanks to the looming potential for a meeting between the New York Yankees and New York Mets in the World Series. What would it mean to the team and its fans to have to host a potential playoff game at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey?

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan also discuss the debut of Mauricio Pochettino as head coach of the United States men's national team and tell you exactly how much stock you should be put into Pochettino's first-ever loss as coach, suffered away to arch-rivals Mexico by that too-familiar 2-0 scoreline.

Episode 8 wraps up with our hosts wondering: Who really deserves to win the MLS MVP award this year? Lionel Messi has piled up the goals and assists when healthy, but he also missed dozens of Inter Miami CF matches while injured. We break down who might be MLS MVP from a group that, in addition to Messi, also includes Columbus Crew striker Cucho Hernández, DC United striker Christian Benteke, and Portland Timbers midfielder Evander, among a few others.

Listen to Episode 8 and then go read all our other coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to follow us on Twitter (X) and Instagram.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 7 begins with a discussion of the workmanlike 3-1 win over Nashville SC, which featured a star turn from Santiago Rodríguez. Santi's two goals have us wondering: If there was an alternate MLS without Lionel Messi or Cucho Hernández, would the NYCFC attacker be in the MVP conversation?

The scenarios at play on the final day of the MLS regular season for NYCFC get broken down, as do the potential playoff match-ups that could await once the playoffs begin. Episode 7 wraps up with some discussion of 17-year-old NYCFC defender Christian McFarlane earning a spot on the MLS 22 Under 22 list and just how good the team has been at finding and developing talent at the fullback position, plus a rundown of all the international call-ups that arrived for NYCFC players this October.

Listen to Episode 7 and then go check out all our other coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on Twitter (X) and Instagram.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There's time spent savoring that 5-1 exclamation point of a win in the Hudson River Derby, with lots of talk about the local New York City products, Tayvon Gray and Justin Haak, who played key roles in the emphatic win over NYCFC's biggest rival.

Episode 6 also gets into the momentum that's building with NYCFC's second straight win, the 3-2 triumph over FC Cincinnati, and wonders if the team is hitting its stride just as the MLS regular season draws to a conclusion. Things wrap up this week with a look ahead to the weekend meeting with Nashville SC, a match that will have major ramifications for the race for home-field advantage in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Listen and then go check out all our other coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on X and Instagram.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Before the rivalry match talk, Hudson River Blue's senior editor Andrew Leigh joins hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan to recap his visit to the team's new Midtown Manhattan space dedicated to showing off the future soccer stadium in Willets Point, Queens (tiny replica included), which also meant a chance to speak with New York City FC CEO Brad Sims about the stadium and recent club developments like the change made to the team's badge.

From there on it's all Red Bulls-NYCFC preview, as John and Mark look first at the big implications this match carries for the MLS Eastern Conference playoff race, and how it finds both teams in poor runs of results and looking for some late-season momentum.

The conversation then shifts to how New York City might line up at Red Bull Arena given the forced absences of Santiago Rodríguez and defender Strahinja Tanasijević, and the injury question marks that remain over Birk Risa.

Episode 5 will get you ready for the 29th installment of the Hudson River Derby, and you can find all our coverage, derby and otherwise, at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on X and Instagram.

Listen now and find all our coverage, at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on X and Instagram.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The conversation begins with reactions to the result and what the last-gasp James Sands equalizer could mean for this year's NYCFC squad — could this end up being their version of a season-changing goal? John, Mark, and Matthew also get into Lionel Messi's individual performance, with the Argentine legend kept quiet in front of many people at the game solely to see him play. 

Talk then shifts to the surreal experience of watching Messi and Co. play in the Bronx in front of a crowd of 44,738, including discussion about the in-game atmosphere, that Barbie-themed tifo unveiled in the NYCFC supporters' section before kickoff, and the great performance of the NYCFC fans throughout the stadium and even outside the stadium pregame.

Things wrap up with a look ahead to next weekend's Hudson River Derby, which is always big but feels even bigger this time given the closeness of the two rivals in the Eastern Conference table as the MLS Cup Playoffs draw near.

Enjoy this Messi-centric Episode 4 and find more of our coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on X and Instagram.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

John and Mark also discuss the arrival of billionaire Marcelo Claure as part of New York City FC's ownership group before shifting focus to what lies ahead on the field, specifically the two home matches against Eastern Conference rivals Philadelphia Union and Inter Miami CF. 

That includes some discussion of the spectacle that awaits when Lionel Messi steps onto the Yankee Soccer Stadium pitch for the first time, which will cost you a pretty penny to see in person — and which will be a big test for a struggling NYCFC side.

The final portion of Episode 3 features a guest appearance from Hudson River Blue's senior editor, Andrew Leigh, who joins John to provide a post-match reaction to the lopsided 5-1 home loss to Philadelphia Union, which made it eight straight MLS matches without a win for NYCFC. What will that heavy defeat mean for New York City as it heads into the final five matches of the MLS season? 

Listen to Episode 3 for more on that, and find more coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on X and Instagram.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 2 also has us again wondering what life might be like with Luis Barraza – he of the less-than-stellar recent performances in Leagues Cup and in MLS NEXT Pro – as the NYCFC starting goalkeeper, pending the health status of Matt Freese after his injury suffered against Columbus Crew.

The episode wraps up with a preview of DC United preview, and the dangers posed by New York City's Eastern Conference rival and their MLS Golden Boot contender, striker Christian Benteke. We close out with a discussion of Mauricio Pochettino's hire as the next head coach of the United States men's national team, with Mark sharing a Spurs-fan perspective on the new USMNT leader.

You can read more at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to follow us on X and Instagram.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Looking ahead, they break down this next run of games as NYCFC have to run the gauntlet in their hunt for a top spot in the Eastern Conference. It means staying ahead of DC United and Philadelphia Union, two dangerous teams that are desperate to make the playoffs — and that are New York City's next two opponents. Finally, they celebrate Alonso Martínez, whose talent for finding the goal is turning him into one of the most effective and ruthless strikers in MLS.

You can read more at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to follow HRB on X and Instagram.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.