New York City FC (NYCFC) isn’t treating the Coachella Valley Invitational like just another preseason tournament — they’re using it as a proving ground.
Through their first two matches against Sporting KC and San Diego FC, the men in blue have shown a fierce determination to adapt to new coach Pascal Jansen’s tactics, sharpen their chemistry, and prepare for the demands of the upcoming 2025 MLS season.
From testing the squad’s depth to making sure players can adapt to Jansen’s ‘bullet-proof’ mentality, NYCFC is approaching each game with a purpose.
One of the biggest standouts so far has been Maxi Moralez.
The Argentine recently signed a new contract with the Pigeons, which will keep him at the club through the 2025 season. During the team’s first two games at Coachella, Moralez showed why NYCFC opted to re-sign him.
The 2021 MLS Cup winner seamlessly led the attack, dictating tempo from every area of the pitch and running tirelessly to lead the defensive high press. Under Jansen’s 4-2-3-1 system, Moralez is the metronome, slowing down and speeding up the game’s tempo when needed.
Jansen’s tactics demand all 10 outfield players to give their all on both sides of the ball. When playing San Diego, Moralez was the first player to start the defensive efforts, which set the tone for the rest of the team and forced the opposition into multiple turnovers. Despite his age and injury history, the 37-year-old will be a crucial player for NYCFC in 2025.
The midfield, meanwhile, is adjusting to life without midfielder James Sands who left the club this winter on loan to St. Pauli in the German Bundesliga.
As part of a skilled double pivot next to Keaton Parks in the midfield, Sands played an essential role in the team’s balance, defensive strength, and creativity.
Speaking to reporters ahead of their match against San Diego, Parks candidly addressed the loss of Sands and how the roster is still adjusting.
“It’s absolutely a learning curve, just because [James and I] built such a strong chemistry over the years,” the 27-year-old said. “It’s now just about me and Justin [Haak] or [Jonathan] Shore, or whoever is in the midfield with me, and just adapting and building that chemistry with each other.”
Though losing Sands is tough, the Invitational allows Parks and Homegrown talents Justin Haak and Jonathan Shore the opportunity to form a new partnership.
Against San Diego, Shore started the match next to Parks, with Haak slotting in for the injured Thiago Martins at center back. Not only will Jansen have the versatility of Haak to lean on, but also the youthful exuberance of Shore to rotate in the midfield.
Perhaps the most exciting takeaway from these early matches is Alonso Martinez’s dominant performance in NYCFC’s 3-1 win over San Diego.
Lining up as a left-winger in Jansen’s direct and aggressive system, Martinez was used as an outlet in the attack, with the Costa Rican netting twice and assisting forward Mounsef Bakar in his lone goal of the match.
As NYCFC’s highest goalscorer in 2024, scoring 17 times in 30 matches, Martinez will try to replicate that form heading into this season.
With two games left in the Coachella Valley Invitational, Martinez and the entire squad will look to build momentum as they continue to prepare for opening day.
