Football Season Review

New York burnished their credentials as a force to reckon with in the Eastern Conference as they enjoyed another excellent campaign during the regular season only to fall short once again at the first hurdle in the playoffs. With Frank Lampard retiring and Andrea Pirlo limited to a supporting role over the course of the campaign, coach Patrick Vieira searched for a more balanced midfield and all of his three acquisitions proved to be a hit with Alexander Ring, Yangel Herrera and Maximiliano Moralez quickly forging an excellent partnership behind the attacking trio of David Villa, Jack Harrison and Rodney Wallace. New York avoided the temptation of bringing in another big name player to replace Lampard and things worked out well for the club who pushed Toronto all the way for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, only to drop out of the race after a dip in form in the final weeks that saw them win just once in their final seven games. Their poor form continued in the playoffs as well, with New York suffering a heavy defeat at Columbus in the first leg of the Conference semifinals and an improved display in the return leg proved to be in vain. Villa continued his impressive goalscoring record for New York as he top scored with 24 goals and was by some distance their best player over the course of the campaign. There were other positives as well apart from the midfield trip with Harrison continuing to impress while Sean Johnson provided a stable option in the goal, an area where New York had struggled in the first two seasons. One area of concern for Vieira will be in the defense, with New York struggling to keep cleansheets and managed just eight shutouts during both the regular season and in the playoffs. The New York coach will need to boost his options in the center of the defense while a reliable backup for Villa will also need to be found, especially following Khiry Shelton's departure to Sporting Kansas City.

Player of the Season: David Villa