Three Thoughts for Union-Red Bulls, Sept. 13, 2014

Should've been a win

Let's get this one out of the way up front: the New York Red Bulls should have won that game. They scored two goals, then let the Philadelphia Union right back into it.

The Pedro Ribeiro goal let them right back into it and in the second half, the Red Bulls were content to counter attack.

Even when the Union put their first team regulars in, the Red Bulls had some promising counter attacks where they could have sealed the deal.

Then, to give up a penalty in stoppage time was idiotic.

One point on the road is nice, but it should have been three.

Alright without BWP

With Bradley Wright-Phillips nursing a hamstring injury, Head Coach Mike Petke opted to put Tim Cahill up front. He did a decent job playing a role that he hadn't played before for this team.

The Red Bulls attack wasn't as threatening as it was with Wright-Phillips in the line-up, but it was alright. Halfway decent. Okay. Whatever word you want to use for it.

Armando the left back

With Roy Miller joining the Costa Rica squad and Amroise Oyongo held up due to paperwork, Armando filled in at left back.

He didn't do the best job, but it wasn't horrendous. But that's not the point. The Red Bulls attack looked much less threatening without Miller or Oyongo bombing up and down the left flank.

Obviously, the field conditions didn't help. It looked like the Lloyd Sam-Chris Duvall tandem were overlapping in a lake during the first half. The less-wet side of the field was occupied by Thierry Henry and Armando, and without Armando overlapping, the Red Bulls became sort of predictable.