Jack Elliott did not score this week, but neither did David Villa or anyone else wearing sky blue on Saturday night. Again and again, New York City FC dropped strikers off the Union back line and tried to play balls in behind to Ismael Tajouri-Shradi. Every time, Elliott was there, pressuring the ball, making the passes difficult, and preventing one of the best in the Eastern Conference from finding any rhythm.
Elliott’s return to the Union lineup now includes two consecutive Team of the Week honors, both well-deserved. Prior to coming up against Elliott and an organized Philadelphia Union defense, NYCFC had gone 14 games without being shutout. With Villa, the club’s talisman up front, returning from injury, they were expecting to run through Philly without issue. Nope.
Over the course of the match, Elliott collected six recoveries, a tackle, and a blocked shot. He also contributed five clearances in the second half alone. Perhaps even more important for the Union, Elliott’s only misplaced pass in his own half went out of bounds — there were no turnovers that led to the quick transitions that NYC often uses to punish opponents.
In fact, there was not much of anything threatening from the visitors. Between the second and 94th minutes, NYC put only one shot on frame, and that was a Villa effort from well outside the box. Philly’s defense was too disciplined, too prepared, and too assured to fall prey to the machinations of Villa, Maxi Moralez, and the rest of New York City’s highly paid attack force.
And that is why Jack Elliott — for the second consecutive week — is in the MLS Team of the Week.
