ORANGEBURG, N.Y. — As first impressions go, New York City FC midfielders Yangel Herrera and Jesus Medina made pretty good ones.
Herrera, now 20, was solid last season in the Venezuelan box-to-box midfielder's first MLS campaign. And the 21-year-old Medina had a goal and an assist in his MLS debut this March after arriving as a Designated Player signing from his native Paraguay.
Although both have suffered recent dips in form, it's not enough to concern NYCFC coach Patrick Vieira.
“Honestly, I’m not worried about the level they are at the moment,” Vieira said after training Wednesday.
Vieira insists Medina's recent stumbles owe to an adjustment to a new league, team, tactics, culture and even language.
“He started fantastically well and it is true, he’s not as sharp as he used to be, but the talent is still there,” Vieira said. “For me, it’s just something that I had the choice to protect him before and I didn’t do it, but knowing that, we will go through a difficult period.”
After one-on-one discussions with Medina and observing recent training sessions, Vieira believes a recovery is coming following what he called the “collective nightmare” of a 4-0 derby loss to the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.
“He’s young, but he has the experience and he’s a really smart kid,” Vieira said. “I am not worried at all, honestly, about him or about the other players on the team because I saw the reaction the last couple of days that I was expecting.”
As for Herrera, Vieira said he’s willing to let him play through his problems because of the physical presence he provides.
“Yangel is far away from his best, but it’s the process that you have to go through,” Vieira said. “You have to manage the confidence and the over-expectation from people. And people were expecting Yangel to do better, but he’s still really young and I’m still really happy with him. He will get even better.”
The duo have only missed out on Vieira's starting XI once this season, when both were rested in a 3-0 midweek loss at the Portland Timbers as a result of fatigue.
That could be the case again Sunday in NYCFC's cross-country trip to face LAFC (8:30 pm ET | FS1 - full TV & streaming info) . Vieira has a fully healthy and deep squad at his disposal with Ismael Tajouri-Shradi and Ronald Matarrita training fully this week.
Ebenezer Ofori would most likely be the best candidate to replace Herrera, while Vieira could opt for Rodney Wallace or Tajouri-Shradi on the right wing in Medina's spot.
“I think we started quite well and we are a little bit maybe some of them tired I would say, but we are only 10 games and we have other players who can play as well,” Vieira said. “I’m not worried at all about the physical conditions of the players.”
