Paul King - Becoming Royalty

Forlan as a tutor will be a great way to enhance Black's ability as he is absolutely lethal. Great piece there.

FC Cincinnati have ended their long run of five matches away from home with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of New York City FC.

After an impressive opening day win against LA Galaxy to begin FC Cincinnati’s life as an MLS franchise, the Orange and Blue began a road trip of five games, winning three and losing two.

Starting the trip of at CenturyLink Field, the home of Seattle Sounders, Paul Kings side won 4-1. Strikes from Emmanuel Ledesma, Rasmus Schüller and a brace from Brian Black, handed the side the win. A Harry Shipp goal on the stroke of halftime caused some nerves with the Cincy fans but Black, who also assisted the first two goals, ensured the victory with his second half double.

King was evidently impressed with his young strikers performance stating:

“When we selected Brian with the number one pick we knew we had got a talented young player with a lot of potential. What we wasn’t expecting was a player who would be able to step up to the mark and be our starting striker from the get go. Brian proved he deserved the spot early on in Pre-Season and today he proved it even further. He was able to create the first two goals with some brilliant play and then took his chances exceptionally well. His use of pace and movement was wonderful and we couldn’t be any happier with his game today.”

Up next for Cincinnati was a challenge against San Jose Earthquakes, one they once again passed with flying colours. In a tighter game in terms of shots and chance creation, Cincinnati dominated possession and took their chances unlike San Jose. Goals from midfielder Jimmy Medranda and Roland Lamah in the 44th and 83rd minutes respectively, was enough to see Cincy take the maximum points. The game was another indicator of the style of football, manager Paul King is trying to implement this year. Cincy were a side who always pressed hard and made life difficult for their opponents but they have also become a side who looks to retain the ball a lot more this season.

Once again, this new aim of possession based football was clear as FC Cincinnati out possesed Colorado Rapids with 64% of possession. This led to an impressive 3-1 victory for the away side. On a very short turn around from their game against San Jose, Finnish international, Rasmus Schüller, opened the scoring inside three minutes. The game didn’t have to wait much longer for its second of the game as David Cooper, the second pick in the 2019 Superdraft, scored his first for the club in the 9th minute. Right Wing-Back, Daniel Bocanegra grabbed one back for Colorado but Schüller wrapped the game up with a late strike seeing another win to Cincinnati's tally.

Following a very impressive start for the debuting MLS side, winning four out of four matches, the Orange and Black traveled to the Big Apple of New York. The International break came at the wrong time for Cincinnati as they suffered their first defeat to New York Red Bull. Goals from Maranhão and Bradley Wright-Phillips, the brother of former Chelsea and Manchester City winger, Shaun, gave Red Bull the 2-0 win.

After suffering their first loss, Cincinnati got off to a much better start in their second game in New York, as Jimmy Medranda picked up his second of the season in the fifth minute of the game. However, a positive start from the Ohio based side was cancelled out in moments before half an hour in. A lack of communication between goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton and left back Greg Garza, saw the left back put the ball into his own net. Manager Paul King was evidently irate with the equaliser as he said after the game:

“At our level now and where we want to be, that sort of mistake is not acceptable. It took the momentum away from us and gave it straight to them. From senior players who have both played at international levels, I wasn’t happy. But what is done is done and I am sure both boys will have moments and games that effectively win us points throughout the season”

The game saw its final goal when in the 43rd minute from Ismael Tajouri-Shradi sealed the win for New York City at the historic Yankee Stadium. Despite the loss being Cicny’s second of the year, they still sit in second place just behind New York Red Bulls something that pleased their manager.

“It has been an incredible start for us. Many expected us to finish dead last and at most mid table this year. But we have been magnificent from word go. Getting a win against LA Galaxy was a real confidence booster and gave us some real momentum which we showed with our performances on this road trip. It is never easy travelling and we have had to travel a lot over the last few weeks. We are excited to be back home for a couple games now and hopefully we can bring home some momentum from the beginning of our trip to our next few matches” commented Paul King.

FC Cincinnati will now return home as they face Philadelphia Union and New England Revolution before travelling again to ‘Hell is Real’ rivals, Columbus Crew.

Replies

BigMaguire: He is still a young player so as long as he can make some contributions this year we will be happy.
Scott:Forlan will certainly play an important role in Blacks development in my opinion. Brian is currently unambitious which is a shame but with Forlan playing a role I am hopeful that will soon change. His game against Seattle certainly showed how great a player he can be and we are hopeful that becomes consistent over the next few years.
Justice: Oh dear...
Jack: Forlans experience was one of the main reasons I bought him in, he should certainly be a very good tutor for Brian and will play a big part in his development.

A fantastic start to the season, despite this recent loss. Brian Black has really surprised with his performances and it's the sort of thing Paul will be delighted to see. If this consistency can remain, you'll be in a great position come the end of the season. It's all about cutting out the mistakes and I don't think Paul will allow for many more to be made.

Brilliant start to the season! The loss will hurt, but nobody is flawless! Time to prove again why Cinci will become No.1!

NYCFC are always going to be a tough cookie, simple as. That doesn't deduct anything from how good your run was in the first place and the great performances of Black!

A dream start for Paul King despite the loss to MLS Giants NY RBs and NYFC, no shame in losing to them. And good to see Black playing so well!

Eleven games in and already 1/3 of the way through our first season of Major League Soccer. I have been very impressed with how we have played and the results we have gained and it can be seen through our league position currently sitting 2nd. With six wins and three losses, we have, so far beaten all expectations of us.



The results reflect what has been a very impressive start we have had to life as an MLS club, starting off with our sensational 2-0 victory over LA Galaxy. Going in to our first game, we were overwhelming underdogs, with nobody giving us a chance at taking even a point. Yet goals from Julian Gressel and Rasmus Schüller ensured it would be a day the fans would never forget. Our form only continued to improve, wins against Seattle Sounders, San Jose Earthquakes and Colorado Rapids showed we wouldn’t be sitting down and being the leagues whipping boys. The three away games were superb, scoring nine and conceding just two, Superdraft picks, Brian Black and David Cooper scored their first goals against Seattle and Colorado respectively. However, our form came to a stop as we travelled to New York City. Two loses against the New York Red Bulls, Theirry Henry’s former side, and New York City, who have had talents such as Pirlo and Kaka play for them, gave us our first defeats. With March ending on a sour note with the two losses, we travelled back home to Cincinnati for our next game against Philadelphia Union.

A 94th minute strike from Argentinian, Emmanuel Ledesma saw us take home our fourth win of the season. The goal wasn’t without controversy though. With the game at a deadlock and the teams seemingly sharing the points, Eric Alexander drew two men in allowing Ledesma to run into space before he passed the ball into the far corner of the net. With the Union players furious that it wasn’t adjudged to be offside, the ref checked VAR before allowing the goal to stand. We were delighted and rightly so.

Unfortunately we couldn’t take that momentum and really kick on as we never remained consistent, winning once more, drawing two and losing once in the remainder of the games played. Our win against Montreal Impact once again saw Draftees Brian Black and David Cooper get on the scoresheet. Both players have impressed me at times so far this season. Brian is currently our starting striker and has had flashes of excellence especially his game against Seattle Sounders. Cooper, who has been used from the bench numerous times, has scored twice and assisted two more in his game time. Both players are still needing to find consistency and I am sure they will find it soon.

It was a shame to lose to our rivals in Columbus Crew in a game we felt we deserved at least a point from. However, these results happen and that’s life. The fans, despite being away travelled well and didn't stop singing all day long. It made me proud to be the manager of this club.




I couldn’t be happier with the Conference so far. Of course top would be nice, but to be sat in second after 11 games is brilliant. A single point off New York Red Bulls, for a side that was predicted to be in for a long slog of the bottom three, is very pleasing. We now need to continue in this way and not get ahead of ourselves.



In our next eleven fixtures, played between April and June, we will face some more tough challenges. We start the fixtures against Montreal Impact who we face twice either side of Los Angeles FC. Montreal, a side we recently beat 2-0 away from home and therefore we are confident of repeating these results again. We also play Los Angeles FC twice in three games at home before welcoming last seasons MLS Cup winners, Atlanta United.

Atlanta, who only joined the league as an expansion side in 2017, are currently managed by Frank De Boer. Having won the MLS Cup last year they sit five points behind us in the Eastern Conference in seventh. However we won’t be taking them for granted as they are a very good team. We will play Atlanta again later on in the next eleven games on June 1st as we travel to the Mercedes - Benz Stadium, that seats 71,000 people.

Before that away game we face Minnesota United, Wayne Rooney's DC United, Orlando City and Chicago Fire. All four sides are outside of their leagues playoff positions. Minnesota sit in 11th place in the Western Conference whilst in the Eastern Conference DC United are 9th whilst Orlando City and Chicago Fire sit in the bottom two, 11th and 12th respectively.
The set of fixtures will end with home games against Portland Timbers and Houston Dynamo before an away trip to Canada when we face Vancouver Whitecaps. We will be playing all three sides for the first time this season with Vancouver seeming the toughest challenge.

The Canadian side currently sit top of the Western Conference with nine wins a two draws with a further two losses. Vancouver have proven they have an eye for a goal so far this year scoring 27 in 13, with New York City the second highest scorers with 23 in 11. Led by Columbian, Freddy Montero, Vancouver will be a tough side to stop scoring but we are confident against anyone we play.




The standout player so far this year was obvious, key to everything we have done, Rasmus Schüller. The Finn joined at the end of last season via the Expansion draft when we selected him from Minnesota United. In his eleven games so far this season, he has scored four goals and assisted on three occasions, proving his worth to the side week in week out. Making on 80% of his passes so far and 82% of his tackles, Rasmus also works hard and covers every blade of grass, travelling 12.6km per 90 minuets. The 27 year old still has age on his side in this league and we are hopeful that he can continue in this form for the rest of the season as he will be a very key player for us.



In terms of Injuries, we are currently without Emmanuel Ledesma, Forrest Lasso and Tommy McCabe. Thankfully, Emmanuel will be back in training tomorrow as he was given a few days recovery as a precaution. Emmanuel should be in contention for our game against Montreal on Saturday.

Forrest Lasso, a player we are trying to sell, will be back in a weeks time also. He has recovered from his Twisted ankle in the expected time.

Tommy McCabe is however, out for a lot longer than the previous two. The 21 year old defensive midfielder, has shown a lot of potential this year and someone I had given a few minutes (133) before he got injured. Tommy should be back in early June and hopefully it won’t take him long to get back into the match day squad.


In other news, we have signed 22 year old English midfielder Joe Aribo. The youngster has been causing some big teams to take notice over the last couple of years, with Premier League sides like Everton being linked with the Charlton player. With Joe’s contract running out in June we have agreed a deal with him and he will join in a couple of months time. Joe has had a sensational season in League One for Charlton, scoring five and assisting on 11 occasions in his 42 games. We look forward to the midfielder joining us very soon.

The Finances are also looking healthy as we continue to turn a healthy profit throughout the season. After making a loss last year, it shows just how important being an MLS side is with the TV money and sponsorship that come with it.




I am delighted with our start to life as an MLS side. Winning 6 out of 11 games is a brilliant start and leaves us sat just off the top spot in second. Some bookies would of given good odds we wouldn’t of made six wins throughout the year, so to be there after 11 games is pleasing. As I said before, it is now about continuing it on and focusing on the next game to not get ahead of ourselves. I am also pleased with how our new players are getting on and how well everyone is gelling, this will only continue to improve as we go and I am excited to see how far we can go. Finally the finances are going strong and I am happy we are bringing in a profit for the first time in the clubs history.

Replies

Scott: The mistake that led to the New York City goal was terrible, I couldn't quite believe it and hopefully those mistakes will start to be cut out as the team continues to gel together.
Justice: The losses are to be expected, we certainly weren't expected to of got of to the start we have so dropping a few points every now and again isn't the end of the world, especially in this first season.
Jack: The two losses to the New York sides were dissapointing as it saw our great initial run ended, but we are still to be outclassed in a game and they are the two currently in 1st and 3rd so we aren't losing to poor sides.
BigMaguire: Black has certainly started off well, it is now up to him to continue those performances and cement his place within the team.

A quite incredible introduction to the Eastern Conference there! Your reaction to the losses against both NYC teams is a great statement for your side that they can bounce back from tough situations too!

What a fantastic way to kick-off your debut season! The confidence continues to flow, it seems, regardless of wins drying up a little in comparison to the very start of the season. Young players like Black seem to be impressing and the signing of Joe Aribo is an excellent one. He has a lot of quality, despite his tender age and will be, upon his arrival, a great addition to the first-team squad. The finances look to be in a good condition and everything about the club seems to be very, very positive - which is perfect! Schuller seems to be a real work-horse, which is something I love in a player, too.

Absolutely sensational stuff so far! Impressive results, impressive finances, and an impressive signing in Joe Aribo from Charlton, who should be a huge asset in seasons to come!

FC Cincinnati General Manager Gerrad Nijkamp has announced that winger Darren Mattocks and goalkeeper Matt Turner have both been waived.

“It is with regret that we today have to announce the clubs decision to waive both Darren Mattocks and Matt Turner. Both players will be leaving the club immediately and placed within the waiver draft. We wish both lads, the best of luck.”

After reports surfaced that both players handed in transfer requests earlier in the year with the hope of moving on due to a lack of playing time, no transfers were agreed upon for either player. It is believed that both players felt that the management team had attempted to move them on, but the fact they weren’t, upset them. This disruption led to both players being waived by the club and they will now be looking for a new club in the waiver draft.

Darren Mattocks signed for FC Cincinnati, at the back end of 2018, playing in six Cincinnati games scoring twice. The Jamaican international was selected with the number two pick by Vancouver Whitecaps in 2012 where he made 93 appearances and scored 19 goals. Having come out of the University of Akron, scoring 39 goals in 47 games, many were disappointed with his scoring record in Canada. This saw him traded to Portland Timbers in 2016 where, again, he didn’t perform to his high standards set in the college game. In his 43 games at Portland, Mattocks scored just five goals and had his contract terminated in 2017. He was picked up by DC United where he slowly started showing why he was the number two pick, scoring ten in 25. However, the arrival of Wayne Rooney saw him lose his place in the side before ultimately moving to FC Cincinnati in late 2018.
Mattocks’ reputation has taken a lot of knocks over the past few years and it will therefore be interesting to see if he will be given a contract by an MLS side. If he doesn't sign a contract with a side in the next two days his wages will need to be paid for by FC Cincinnati until he signs a new deal or his contract runs out, per the MLS rules.

Matt Turner, a goalkeeper selected in Decembers expansion draft has also been waived by the Eastern Conference leaders. Turner, who showed a lot of promise as a young goalkeeper last year, conceding just 10 goals in his 10 games, however, he saw no competitive action at Cincinnati. With Polish stopper, Przemyslaw Tyton, having an incredible season conceding 9 in his 13 matches, whilst also keeping 6 clean sheets, being the number one at the club. Turner failed to get a chance at the club and handed in a transfer request earlier in the year. With no offers being made for the 24 year old, he has now been waived.

As with Darren Mattocks, Turner, will need to find a club within the next two days, otherwise FC Cincinnati will continue to pay his wages. With a combined wage total of $378,000 a year, Cincinnati will certainly be hoping the pair find a club.

Cincinnati manager Paul King made the following statement on the players departing.

“It is a shame to have to let the pair of them leave the club. Both are talented players, however, we couldn’t guarantee them 90 minutes of football every week. We have a lot of top class players here, as shown by our league position, so it is just not possible to give everyone what they want. We have agreed to waive the players and hopefully it doesn't take them long to find new clubs.”

With Turner leaving it is reported that FC Cincinnati have offered a contract to former Sporting Kansas City and Montreal Impact goalkeeper, Eric Kronberg, to be the clubs back-up keeper.

Two big losses, but if you cant give them the game time they need and they become unhappy, its best for them to move on. Good business overall, as it gives you more wage now to embark on signing new, fresh players

If both players aren't receiving the game-time they'd like and are unhappy, it's only logical they are moved on. I'm familiar with Mattocks and in my mind his goalscoring record was a lot better. Tyton is a well-established goalkeeper in Europe and I'm not surprised to see him performing well and keeping a younger option sidelined. He has a few years left, I would imagine, so long may this form continue.

Doing incredibly well in the conference. The two NY clubs challenging for top spot, as expected. I'm slightly surprised to see Atlanta as low as they are, but anything can change in a couple of games' time.

Doing really well so far mate. Sandwiched nicely in between the New York teams. I’m sure there’s a pun there, but I’ll leave that to Justice. Look forward to your next updates.