Frankie Amaya – New York Red Bulls’ midfield tyro

Frankie Amaya is only 20-years-old but has experienced one season of college football at UCLA, being a first-pick in the MLS SuperDraft to expansion side, FC Cincinnati as he began his career as an attacking midfielder before being moved deeper. Most of his early MLS his career has oscillated between a higher attacking role and a deeper-role as he has the capability to play in both roles. The youngster from Santa Ana has experienced a fantastic start to his career at the New York Red Bulls as Kevin Thelwell has sought to make his team the youngest team in the MLS while Gerhard Struber is implementing an energetic high-pressing style.

Amaya sought a trade due to differing ideals on competitiveness with FC Cincinnati as he is at the point of his career where he not only needs regular game-time but also the platform to begin to develop as he has long been a well-known talent in Californian football circles and youth football. Last summer, during the MLS is Back tournament, he added some levity to his side’s dressing room becoming the unofficial team barber which allowed him to bond with his teammates while improving his hair-cutting skills. One of the bigger questions of his career will be due to his role within the team structure as an attacking midfielder or a deeper-lying midfielder. At the moment, he has been playing in the former due to his ability to regain possession quickly while moving the ball sharply and incisively after turnovers. His defensive statistics are in the top percentile in the MLS as his attacking statistics have languished.

Amaya has the ability to be an effective ball-carrier as well as an incisive passer but playing in attacking midfield role under Struber limits this aspect of his game due passing and carrying the ball over short spaces in an attacking midfield role. He can receive possession in between the lines and work short passes while once he regains possession in the ten space during the attacking phase, he will have a paucity of passing options to move the ball to, so he may have to work a sideways pass or hold the ball before releasing a runner. In a deeper-role, he can operate with more passing options in front of him, expertly working wall-passes before threading passes in between the lines, he can also lob long passes forward and engage in lung-busting runs into the opposition half. With his improving ability as a ball-winner as well as his technical potential, he could develop into a deep-lying playmaker as Struber views him as an 8 or 10.

Amaya played as a deep-lying midfielder for FC Cincinnati away to New York Red Bulls under Yoann Damet in the early 2020 season as he constantly dropped deep to create passing angles for his centre-back while his constant scanning before receiving possession was very impressive. He would scan, receive possession, turn and look to thread passes in between the lines as a deeper-lying midfielder who could move his side into the opposition half. After the appointment of Jaap Stam, the Dutchman sought to implement a possession-based strategy with Amaya at the base of midfield but there were issues. Once Amaya received possession in games, the two eights would be behind the opposition line of pressure as there was little movement to create space for the 20-year-old to distribute line-breaking passes into. Amaya would resort to long and sideways passes which would slow down build-up sequences or would force FC Cincinnati to cede possession, especially with long passes.

There would also be situations where Amaya would have to look for space rather than spaces and passing options being created for him to receive possession as he would regularly move to one of the touchlines to take-up a ‘faux fullback’ role to receive possession in space. The wide areas are not the most effective positions for a deeper-lying midfielder to receive possession as the spaces are constrained and forward passing options are limited as this proved to be a hindrance to FC Cincinnati’s build-up play. Amaya would also drop in between his centre-backs to receive possession and look to move the ball forward. FC Cincinnati’s MLS is Back opener against Columbus Crew was a great example of Amaya being restrained to moving around to search for possession without space being created for him to receive possession.

He began the game by making a brilliant sliding challenge out of possession before receiving possession in the six-space during the attacking phase to thread a pass in between the lines to create a shooting opportunity. In a foreshadowing moment for his New York Red Bulls stint, Amaya pushed up to regain possession in the ten space to facilitate a breaking situation for his side. In the possession phase, Amaya had litter glimmers of potential as deep-lying playmaker, receiving possession as he dropped to a right centre-back role to create a three-chain, to play a pass for a teammate who dropped deep before finding Jurgen Locadia in between the lines with a through ball to facilitate an attacking move. In the deeper areas, Amaya has the ability to recognise sequences for wall-passes to attract pressure as well as the vision and distribution to thread line-breaking passes into the ten space.

The 20-year-old also showed off his longer passing as he dropped in between the centre-backs to receive possession before pushing up and recognising Locadia making a run in behind for a lobbed pass that the Dutchman mis controlled. He would then move into his ‘faux fullback’ position to receive possession and lob another pass into Yuya Kubo making a run in behind as the keeper came grasped the ball before Japanese attacker could get a touch. In an MLS home match against his future side, New York Red Bulls under interim manager, Bradley Carnell, he continued to have to search for positions to receive possession with a lack of direct passing options in space when he received possession as he continued to move into the ‘faux fullback’ position but he continued to have glimmers of press resistance.

He would receive possession in the six-space, scanning the winger behind as well as an opposition midfielder pushing up to apply pressure on him, as he swivelled past one marker, cut past another before driving into the opposition half to skip past a third for to lay-off for a teammate who would have a shot deflected into the path of Locadia who went through on goal but sent his opportunity wide. He would then receive a switch ball in the left midfield zone to take a touch and work a pass in between the lines to Kubo in the ten space. The 20-year-old would receive possession from a clearance to take the ball down while holding off a marker to thread a pass past another marker to Kubo to send his team on the counter-attack. Amaya received possession on the right to drive the ball forward and thread a switch to the opposite flank for an overlapping fullback to have a crossing opportunity.

At FC Cincinnati, Amaya showed the ability to step up out of position and make cleanly timed challenges and interceptions to regain possession as he has never been deterred by the nastier side of the game. He also showed that he had the ball-carrying, vision and passing range to operate as a deeper creative player as he could be groomed into a box-to-box midfield conduit or deep-lying playmaker. At his new club, he has only started in a deeper-role once as his ability to win possession in the pressing and counter-pressing phase is integral to Struber’s system, but he is also carrying and passing the ball over shorter distances which has had a negative effect on his statistics in possession.

Amaya would make his New York Red Bull’s debut at home to Chicago Fire as the midfielder began the game by threading passes to the flank as in one situation, he regained possession and worked a pass to Fabio to lob an opportunity over the bar. The 20-year-old also managed to thread a pass to Caden Clark in the ten space before threading another pass to Cassares in order to start a counter-attack. Struber utilized him as an attacking midfielder to mark the opposition defensive midfielder as well as moving into the same vertical line as Clark in possession. He adapted to his duties almost instantly, regaining possession before moving the ball quickly and efficiently showing the hallmarks of a Red-Bull player despite joining the club a few days before.

At home to Toronto, Amaya would open his account for his new side when Fabio laid off a pass to him to drive a strike past the keeper at the near post to open the scoring. Amaya and Clark showed potential, operating in the same vertical line with Amaya flicking a pass to Clark as the teenager’s through ball was too heavy for a teammate to latch onto. He would continue in the same vein of form as his debut, snapping in to make an interception on a second ball as he attempted to thread a pass for a teammate to go in behind, but it bounced off the striker’s heel. An opposition player made an interception in the build-up phase for Amaya to make an interception of his own to cut past one player before spreading a pass to the flank while being fouled by another. The 20-year-old would then regain possession again, counter-pressing in the opposition box so his side can have a shooting opportunity in the opposition box. He would end the game with 1 goal and 9 ball recoveries in midfield as he was good at regaining possession as well as holding the ball and connecting play in between the lines.

Amaya would go off with an injury against Orlando City, but it was what he did during his short time on that pitch that would be impressive. The midfielder was a turnover machine as his anticipation to regain possession in the opposition half was fantastic. In the second minute of the game, he was engaged as the ball moved from one opposition player to another before being perfectly placed to make an interception and play a short pass to Clark. A few minutes later, his reading of the game would prove vital, pushing forward to make a tackle in the opposition half before pushing forward to block a centre-back’s clearance. In the defensive phase, he would shuttle across his zone to make a well-timed tackle showing that his anticipation in regaining possession was applicable to the deeper areas as well as the higher areas. Amaya was everywhere in the opening stages of the game, a blur of a blue-kit, black-hair and red boots as he would slide across to make an interception in the opposition half to prevent Orlando from stringing together a counter-attack.

Another interception would follow, this time in the eight space, sliding across to lunge and intercept a pass from deep, driving the ball forward as he skipped past two players to drive a tame shot at goal with his weaker left foot as his ability to carry the ball effectively was shown. Another ball recovery in the deeper areas would follow as while his deepest-lying midfielder was caught out of position, Amaya would track an opposition marker as he received a pass in behind the midfield line as the 20-year-old recovered to make a clean challenge to shield his defence. By the 23rd minute, Amaya would have accumulated, 2 tackles, 5 interceptions and 4 ball recoveries which would be impressive in 90 minutes let alone in less than 25 minutes. Amaya would add to that almost immediately, making another tackle in the opposition half in the counter-press.

In the 35th minute, Amaya would then make the challenge that would cause his injury covering a tight space to win a challenge for his team to start an attacking move while his opponent followed through with a rough challenge. He would limp around the pitch before having to be substituted after 3 tackles and 5 interceptions as it would have been interesting to see how many recoveries he could accumulate over a longer period of time. Luckily, Amaya was not injured for a long period of time and returned to full fitness very quickly. Away to the New England Revolution, he would have the first opportunity of the game, receiving a lay-off from Patryk Klimala to drive the ball forward and play the ball back to the Polish striker before receiving possession from Dru Yearwood in the ten space to turn have a shot tipped over the bar.

Amaya would then receive possession from the left flank to thread a pass for a teammate in the half-space to spread the ball for Yearwood to cut inside and curl a strike off the post. The 20-year-old would show his ability out of possession when he tussled with an opposition player to regain possession despite falling over to set his side up for a counter-attack. Amaya would receive possession on the left flank to cut away from a marker before threading a cute pass for Yearwood to instigate an attacking move. At home to Nashville SC, Amaya would get the opportunity to play in a deeper-role as he worked a pass into the channels into Clark as well as an incisive through ball to Klimala who made his run too early and was caught offside. He started the game by dropping closer to the centre-backs as he once received possession to turn past a marker and work a pass to Kyle Duncan in the next line while he regained possession in a tigerish manner in front of his defence.

Amaya continued to receive possession in good areas, playing a lovely pass to the flank for Tolkin as in some occasions he could be accused of playing too many back and sideways passes but he will always look for the progressive pass when the option is available. He began to settle and thrive in a deeper-role, elegantly swivelling away from pressure to drive the ball forward and thread a pass into the ten space. He then received a lay-off to weave past a glut of markers onto the edge of the box before spreading a pass to the wide areas. The 20-year-old was involved in Red Bull’s second goal as he won an interception before playing a pass to Clark to turn away from a challenge before switching a pass to Duncan who drove into the centre and smashed a strike home. He also had a moment where he was on the left flank holding possession, allowing a teammate to move across to clear a passing lane into the box before he played an accurate pass to a teammate in the opposition penalty areas. He finished the game with an 85% pass succession rate, accurately playing 87% of his passes in the final third as well as 3/4 takeons.

Amaya has begun to come off the bench as a deeper-lying player with Wikelman Carmona coming through as an attacking midfielder at the moment. In a cameo against Atlanta, some of his passes from the deeper areas were sublime as he played a brilliant pass to Fabio before making an interception and playing a pass to start a counter. The 20-year-old’s future will lie as a deeper-midfielder either as an 8 or a 6 as he tends to be much better when he is facing play with passing options in between the lines. He can also carry the ball fantastically, twisting and turning away from markers with his low centre of gravity as well as driving the ball into the opposition half to attract markers before releasing the ball to a teammate in space. His ability to cover short distances is phenomenal, sliding across zones to make crucial tackles and interceptions to shield his defence. He will need to improve at knowing when to release the ball as he can try to dribble out of situations and get fouled as well as continuing to improve at playing penetrative passes as well as connecting play in between the lines efficiently. At some point in his career, it would be intriguing to see him in a well-drilled possession-based side as a deeper-lying midfielder as he could thrive in such a system.

““Frankie is very important for the whole team,” Struber said post-match. “He has different skills to others. He is good in the No. 10 and No. 8. He is very good in tight spaces. Opponents will find it hard playing against him. He makes us better in the final third,” continued Struber. “You saw that today. Physically he did well too and now it’s about getting him up to playing 90 minutes every week. We will need him.”

“I think I have the ability to switch my speed especially when pressing,” Amaya said about his playing style in a post-match interview after the Toronto match. “I think it works well because everyone is on the same page. I think we have a good group of guys that work hard. Its only our second game together but we’ve been making a good bond so far. I think there will be more to come. I fit Gerhard’s system very well and I think everyone is working well together so far. It’s very good that we are getting wins and progressing forward. Aaron Long is very good and very experienced, a lot of the young guys have helped me too.”

20-year-old Amaya will continue to be an interesting prospect to watch as his game is improving in a more cohesive system at the New York Red Bulls while he will hopefully have more opportunities to play in a deeper role as the season continues. Defensively, he is one of the better midfielders at regaining possession in the MLS while in an attacking sense he will continue to blossom as he has the skill and potential to develop into a top-tier press-resistant midfielder in the MLS. His trade from Cincinnati to New York may seem like a shrewd move in the long term.