A big win at Citi Field in Game 2 means that New York City FC will play a decisive Game 3 to decide their MLS Cup Playoff series with FC Cincinnati. This episode of the Hudson River Blue Podcast takes a look back at NYCFC's first playoff win of 2024 while preparing for what comes next in yet another do-or-die postseason game, this one on the road.

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan highlight what went well during NYCFC's 3-1 win to even their best-of-three series, with a lot of discussion about the club's standouts in defense, namely Mitja Ilenič and Justin Haak, along with some talk of the role Citi Field played in providing a home-field advantage.

Episode 11 then shifts focus to the upcoming massive Game 3 at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, a place where NYCFC have lost five straight matches, but will need to win to extend their season. Our hosts think all the pressure is on the home team heading into Game 3, while they also acknowledge that NYCFC has, historically, thrived when cast in the underdog role during the MLS Cup Playoffs. The records and recent history make New York City underdogs but that might be exactly where the team wants to be.

This episode wraps up with an eye on what might be next if NYCFC can pull out a win and advance: A first-ever playoff meeting with the rival New York Red Bulls. How much of an extra motivator will it be for NYCFC to know that a win books them a home game against the Red Bulls for a spot in the MLS Eastern Conference Final?

Let Episode 11 be part of your pre-Game 3 preparations, and then please go read all our other coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on Twitter (X) and Instagram.

New York City FC finds its 2024 season on the brink, so this episode of the Hudson River Blue Podcast is focused on how they got here and how they might still be able to turn things around.

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan spend much of this episode dissecting NYCFC's 1-0 loss away to FC Cincinnati to open the best-of-three Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs, a match that packed a lot of intrigue into 90 minutes.

Episode 10 explores what went so wrong with New York City FC's attack in that loss in Cincinnati, with the team putting up one of its worst showings of the season at the exact worst time. There's also some good discussion around key moments in this match. Those included a non-call for a foul on Santiago Rodríguez leading up to Cincinnati's one goal, a denied penalty claim for a foul on Alonso Martínez, and a late red card shown to Tayvon Gray that will keep him out of Game 2 at Citi Field.

Things wrap up this week by previewing NYCFC's home leg of this series, what's now a must-win if the season is to be extended to a decisive Game 3 back in Cincinnati. What changes should Nick Cushing make to his lineup to make sure his team's season continues?

Check out Episode 10 and then please go read all our other coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to follow us on Twitter (X) and Instagram.

Attention turns to FC Cincinnati and the MLS Cup Playoffs on this episode of the Hudson River Blue Podcast.

Decision Day didn't go New York City FC's way, so Episode 9 begins with a little talk of what went wrong in Montréal in the MLS regular season's final match before hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan shift their attention to Round One of the playoffs.

The good news: NYCFC's one home game in Round One will be played at Citi Field, an actual home-field advantage that could help the team's chances of advancing, according to our hosts. The bad news: The loss to Montréal halted some of the team's momentum and set up this meeting with the Eastern Conference's Third Place team, FC Cincinnati.

That match-up with FC Cincinnati then gets a very special segment dedicated to it, as HRB writer Matthew Mangam brings in guest Laurel Pfahler of Queen City Press to discuss the Cincinnati team she covers. Matthew and Laurel bring you up to speed on what's been going on with Cincinnati, a team that slumped late in the MLS season but one that might be getting its defense in order just in time for the playoffs to begin.

Episode 9 concludes with hosts John and Mark reacting to a surprise twist of a news item: Nick Cushing's potential, rumored departure from NYCFC to become head coach of Arsenal Women. Not exactly ideal timing for a coaching change rumor to break on the eve of the playoffs, is it?

It's days before MLS Decision Day so Episode 8 of the Hudson River Blue Podcast has lots to say about the potential playoff scenarios that await New York City FC.

That includes the uncertainty that surrounds where NYCFC might play the home match(es) in Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs, thanks to the looming potential for a meeting between the New York Yankees and New York Mets in the World Series. What would it mean to the team and its fans to have to host a potential playoff game at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey?

Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan also discuss the debut of Mauricio Pochettino as head coach of the United States men's national team and tell you exactly how much stock you should be put into Pochettino's first-ever loss as coach, suffered away to arch-rivals Mexico by that too-familiar 2-0 scoreline.

Episode 8 wraps up with our hosts wondering: Who really deserves to win the MLS MVP award this year? Lionel Messi has piled up the goals and assists when healthy, but he also missed dozens of Inter Miami CF matches while injured. We break down who might be MLS MVP from a group that, in addition to Messi, also includes Columbus Crew striker Cucho Hernández, DC United striker Christian Benteke, and Portland Timbers midfielder Evander, among a few others.

Listen to Episode 8 and then go read all our other coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to follow us on Twitter (X) and Instagram.

The vibes on the Hudson River Blue Podcast are good as New York City FC has logged three straight wins with only Decision Day now between them and the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Episode 7 begins with a discussion of the workmanlike 3-1 win over Nashville SC, which featured a star turn from Santiago Rodríguez. Santi's two goals have us wondering: If there was an alternate MLS without Lionel Messi or Cucho Hernández, would the NYCFC attacker be in the MVP conversation?

The scenarios at play on the final day of the MLS regular season for NYCFC get broken down, as do the potential playoff match-ups that could await once the playoffs begin. Episode 7 wraps up with some discussion of 17-year-old NYCFC defender Christian McFarlane earning a spot on the MLS 22 Under 22 list and just how good the team has been at finding and developing talent at the fullback position, plus a rundown of all the international call-ups that arrived for NYCFC players this October.

Listen to Episode 7 and then go check out all our other coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on Twitter (X) and Instagram.

New York City FC is riding the high of a late-season unbeaten streak, and Episode 6 of the Hudson River Blue Podcast looks back fondly at the team's two recent victories over the New York Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati.

There's time spent savoring that 5-1 exclamation point of a win in the Hudson River Derby, with lots of talk about the local New York City products, Tayvon Gray and Justin Haak, who played key roles in the emphatic win over NYCFC's biggest rival.

Episode 6 also gets into the momentum that's building with NYCFC's second straight win, the 3-2 triumph over FC Cincinnati, and wonders if the team is hitting its stride just as the MLS regular season draws to a conclusion. Things wrap up this week with a look ahead to the weekend meeting with Nashville SC, a match that will have major ramifications for the race for home-field advantage in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Listen and then go check out all our other coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on X and Instagram.

It's Hudson River Derby week so Episode 5 of the Hudson River Blue Podcast takes a long look at New York City FC's trip to Harrison, New Jersey to face the Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena.

Before the rivalry match talk, Hudson River Blue's senior editor Andrew Leigh joins hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan to recap his visit to the team's new Midtown Manhattan space dedicated to showing off the future soccer stadium in Willets Point, Queens (tiny replica included), which also meant a chance to speak with New York City FC CEO Brad Sims about the stadium and recent club developments like the change made to the team's badge.

From there on it's all Red Bulls-NYCFC preview, as John and Mark look first at the big implications this match carries for the MLS Eastern Conference playoff race, and how it finds both teams in poor runs of results and looking for some late-season momentum.

The conversation then shifts to how New York City might line up at Red Bull Arena given the forced absences of Santiago Rodríguez and defender Strahinja Tanasijević, and the injury question marks that remain over Birk Risa.

Episode 5 will get you ready for the 29th installment of the Hudson River Derby, and you can find all our coverage, derby and otherwise, at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on X and Instagram.

Listen now and find all our coverage, at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on X and Instagram.

In a very special Episode 4 of the Hudson River Blue Podcast recorded live from the press box at Yankee Stadium, hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan are joined by Hudson River Blue senior writer Matthew Mangam to provide a post-match breakdown of New York City FC's 1-1 draw with Lionel Messi's Inter Miami.

The conversation begins with reactions to the result and what the last-gasp James Sands equalizer could mean for this year's NYCFC squad — could this end up being their version of a season-changing goal? John, Mark, and Matthew also get into Lionel Messi's individual performance, with the Argentine legend kept quiet in front of many people at the game solely to see him play.

Talk then shifts to the surreal experience of watching Messi and Co. play in the Bronx in front of a crowd of 44,738, including discussion about the in-game atmosphere, that Barbie-themed tifo unveiled in the NYCFC supporters' section before kickoff, and the great performance of the NYCFC fans throughout the stadium and even outside the stadium pregame.

Things wrap up with a look ahead to next weekend's Hudson River Derby, which is always big but feels even bigger this time given the closeness of the two rivals in the Eastern Conference table as the MLS Cup Playoffs draw near.

Enjoy this Messi-centric Episode 4 and find more of our coverage at Hudson River Blue. Be sure to also follow us on X and Instagram.