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Kreis removes Villa from NYCFC-Red Bulls match as a precaution

David Villa New York City FC 24

photo by Noah K. Murray/USA Today Sports

By FRANCO PANIZO

HARRISON, N.J. — David Villa noticed his number was up on the electronic board. He was being subbed off by head coach Jason Kreis, and was none too thrilled about that.

New York City FC suffered its latest defeat on Sunday night, falling, 2-1, to a 10-man New York Red Bulls team in an intense match at Red Bull Arena. One of the game’s biggest talking points occurred in the 68th minute, as Villa was taken out of the match and replaced by Patrick Mullins.

Surprised by the move, Villa looked towards the bench as he began to walk off the field. He exchanged a few quick words with Kreis before ultimately looking away and making his departure. Villa was not angry with the move, just disappointed.

Kreis did not immediately give Villa a reasoning for the substitution, but did tell the Spanish striker after the match that it was a precautionary move to protect a valuable player who has had his share of injury issues this season.

“I wanted to keep playing in that moment, but he did it to look after me,” said Villa. “I’ve been out injured for a few weeks, and I can’t be away from the team because the team needs me. He was just looking out for me, trying to limit how many minutes I played so I can continue to recover and get healthier every day.

“In that moment I didn’t understand it, but he explained it to me after and he did it for the good of the team and me.”

Indeed, Villa has been in a constant battle to stay healthy for much of the season. The 33-year-old forward has missed three of NYCFC’s 10 games this year, and been limited in two more prior to Sunday’s clash with the Red Bulls because of multiple injuries.

Villa first dealt with an adductor strain that he picked up during the first week of the 2015 campaign, and then had problems with his hamstring. He only recently recovered from the latter injury, with Sunday marking his first start for the expansion club since April 16.

Despite the renewed clean bill of health, Villa struggled to impose himself on the Red Bulls’ defense on Sunday. The Designated Player did not look very threatening on the few occasions he had the ball, even after the hosts were reduced to 10 men following the ejection of young centerback Matt Miazga in the 35th minute.

Mullins also failed to overwhelm the Red Bulls’ disciplined back line, but did score NYCFC’s lone goal in the 76th minute to pull level with Villa with two goals apiece this year.

“I think David was a little frustrated on the night,” said Kreis, who has seen NYCFC go without a win in eight straight games now. “I think he’s coming back from an injury and he has a little bit of rust he has to knock off. At the end of the day, we have to make decisions that are a little bit more future thinking than just about trying to get a result tonight.

“At 70 minutes, the decision was made: Let’s protect him for the next one and keep him healthy.”

The next one comes on Friday when New York City hosts the Chicago Fire at Yankee Stadium. The Eastern Conference affair will give NYCFC another opportunity to snap this dreaded run of futility, and also another opportunity for Villa to get back to playing his best.

“I thought I was fit enough to play 90 minutes, but it’s not all about how you feel physically,” said Villa. “I’ve been suffering from a hamstring injury in recent weeks, before that the adductor injury. I might find myself fit and I think I was ready to go the distance, but (Kreis) didn’t want to run the risk of me re-injuring myself.”

Comments

  1. Villa took 2 touches the entire game…one when he took a free kick and second when he took a corner kick…so yeah healthy or not for what he get paid and what he contributed last night he didnt belong on the field for 90 mins just because his name is David Villa and he once won a WC.

    Unfortunately this team will turn around and start doing good once Lampard gets here and I say unfortunately because as a team they still suck but will rely on a difference maker who will be available due to Arab oil deep pockets that paid for him.

    Reply
    • So bringing in an old guy to help out the other guy who is past his prime and has been one walking injury is the answer?

      I will take the other side of that.

      Reply
  2. Raul > Villa

    Worst team in NY right now is NYCFC (Man City USA)…the Brooklyn Italians might even be better than them right now,

    Reply
  3. Kreis suffered so that you don’t have to Villa. You should trust him more and give your life to him.
    The Kreis of all mankind knows your pain.

    Reply
  4. I see no reason not to take Kreis at face value. There was really no upside in leaving the guy on the field.

    Realistically, how many 33-year old strikers are 90 min players at all, let alone a guy who’s already battling multiple injuries and has missed three games? Villa has all kinds of health risks and they have to be managed prudently.

    NYCFC don’t look like a playoff team, but that could change. They aren’t awful and they still have Lampard coming. Far better to have a healthy and dangerous Villa in the last 10 games than to chase a lousy point in May by leaving him on the field in a game where he was mostly ineffective.

    Reply
    • NYCFC don’t look like a playoff team

      Considering 12 out of the 20 teams get into the expanded playoffs – this metric/figure of speech doesn’t really hold any value for me.

      Reply
      • Old School,

        I don’t like the current number of playoff teams, MLS is a parity league so 50% would work fine.

        But they still do not look like a playoff team.

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