PURCHASE, N.Y. – A year ago, they were two of the biggest names for New York City FC.
Now, finding the field is difficult for Mix Diskerud and Kwadwo Poku under coach Patrick Vieira.
Playing more in his natural position in the center of midfield, Diskerud had a bright start to his second season in Major League Soccer. The US national team regular had a goal and two assists in the first two matches and started five of the first six matches, playing all but one minute in those starts.
But since a 3-2 loss to Columbus Crew SC on April 16, Diskerud has been relegated to the substitute’s bench, playing a combined 40 minutes in the next three matches and he was an unused sub in a 2-0 win at D.C. United Sunday night.
Vieira, instead, has favored a Federico Bravo-Mikey Lopez-Andrea Pirlo partnership in midfield.
“I was really pleased with the way we played in the midfield in the last few games and of course Mix played some of the games in the beginning of the season,” Vieira said. “I was really happy with his performance, but I just wanted to bring more physicality to the field.”
Bravo is suspended for Sunday’s match against the Portland Timbers (7:30 pm ET, FS1) because of yellow card accumulation, which seemingly opens the door for Diskerud’s reintroduction to the starting lineup.
But that spot isn’t guaranteed.
“It will be all depending on how he will be training the next few days because I have Mehdi [Ballouchy], who is doing really well at the moment, I have Poku, who I can use as well. I have different options on the field and I haven’t made a decision yet,” Vieira said. “Mix is an important player for us and I will make a decision, like always, the day before or the day of the game.”
Diskerud is disappointed and frustrated, but those same emotions are perhaps shared with any player not seeing the field.
“Every soccer player wants to play. Of course, you can’t be satisfied when you’re on the bench and not playing,” Diskerud said. “That’s the mentality every soccer player should have if they want to become as good as they can be.”
Making this a bit more complicated for Diskerud is that the Copa America Centenario is less than a month away. He’s made the US preliminary 40-man roster for the competition, but USMNT head coach Jürgen Klinsmann has stated he wants his players to see regular first team action and that’s currently not the case for Diskerud.
“I don’t focus on that at all,” Diskerud said. “I’m just trying to do as well as possible with the team. I don’t think about that too much. He has to make a decision soon probably on the squad. I’m happy to make the first roster and I’ll just cross my fingers and hopefully get to see my friends again there.”
And then there’s Poku, the cult hero who regularly had fans chanting for his inclusion a year ago. Playing time has been difficult for Poku, who has no goals or assists in four appearances, two starts, this season as he struggles to acclimate into Vieira’s new formation. Poku has been an unused sub the last three games and wasn’t in Vieira’s 18-man squad at D.C. Sunday night.
“It was just a decision based on what I thought was good for the team,” Vieira said.
