Pascal Jansen did not apologize for their defeat against the Houston Dynamo and called on his side to “change our mindset” prior to the trip to Nashville SC.
NYCFC was surpassed on Wednesday when they lost 3-0 to Houston in the pouring rain at the Yankee Stadium at home.
If some coaches were to use it again as a defense for their party's display, Jansen is not there.
He acknowledged that NYCFC “Much faster, much faster, should have played much more aggressive”, complain that they “created nothing at all”.
Instead of the weather, he said, “That is because of us.”
Nashville is the next time and Jansen added: “We had a bad game. We knew that Houston is a good team. Now we have to change our mindset.
“We know that Nashville is coming this weekend and we will try to win that game.
On the way to the 615 pic.twitter.com/9019OX4MOJJ
– New York City FC (@NewYorkCityFC) May 29, 2025
“In games such as this, where there is not much attacking game, the pressure will always be there. I think you should prepare for this kind of competition, and you have to face them in the best possible way.”
Nashville should offer a similar test and introduce this meeting in nine in all matches in all matches after showing their decision in a 2-2 draw with the Columbus crew.
“Credit to the group,” said Hany Mukhtar. “We fought. I think it shows the mentality of this group.
“If we are not aware of a team, we are still fighting and it is very difficult to break down.”
Jansen can reasonably enter into those comments, unless NYCFC show much more in their attacking game.
Players to watch
Nashville SC – Sam Surridge
Surridge's early goal against Columbus brought him to nine for the season, so he quickly ended with the career-best count of 12 league goals last year.
Yet the former Nottingham Forest could have improved that return even further. His goals come from opportunities worth 10.6 expected goals that the 10.2 xg he recorded in 2024 already surpassed.
If Surridge can restore the form of last season for the goal and can perform his XG better, he could mix it with the leading punters of the competition.
New York City FC – Alonso Martinez
Martinez is in a similar position as Surridge. In 2024 he scored 16 times from 10.2 xg, but this year he only has nine out of 11.5 xg.
That 11.5 xg leads the competition, but only Brandon Vazquez has underperformed its XG with a wider margin.
Now that NYCFC is struggling for fluent attack at the moment, they need their most important man to take his chances when they come.
Match forecast: Nashville Win
Even if NYCFC Midweek had defeated in Houston, the form for this fixture would have given little reason for optimism.
Nashville is unbeaten in Zeven in MLS and are particularly dominant at home and this season gather the most home points of each team in MLS (20).
And no road team ever won in this fixture. Nashville has indeed won three of three at home at NYCFC.
Opta Match Prediction
Nashville – 43.3%
Drawing – 26.7%
NYCFC – 29.9%