After this season, Andrea Pirlo will be gone. Yangel Herrera may return, but it seems likely that the Venezuelan national will be gone as well. These two players represented about 25 percent of New York City FC’s midfield minutes this regular season. They were also two of the usual suspects to fill the no. 8 role in the 4-3-3, linking Maxi Moralez and Alexander Ring.
Enter James Sands. He is returning from the U-17 World Cup after the United States lost to a very strong England squad.