28th on six points: New York City FC miss their expected mark

New York City FC are 28th, and six points from 12 matches is a poor return for a club whose standing suggests seventh. The gap is 21 places; the season has already supplied enough evidence to make it more than an awkward opening fortnight.

Their form reads LDLLL: one draw, then four defeats in succession. That is the immediate arithmetic behind a place near the foot of Major League Soccer, and a long way from the position expected of a national name. No table calculation makes the run kinder.

Omar Covarrubias has been in charge since 9 January. The figures do not explain the causes, but they do make the task plain: turn the next result into something other than another mark in the loss column.

There is time for a season to change shape, especially this early, but 12 matches are enough to establish a pattern. New York City FC need points at a pace their first quarter has not managed. Their expected standing says seventh; the table says 28th. For now, the more persuasive number is the one with six beside it.