Vote for Mike Grella: MLS Goal of Week 4

Vote for Grella!

The New York Red Bulls beat Columbus Crew in Week 4, and Mike Grella's match-winner was memorable.

Vote Grella! Because that was a helluva strike.

It was also RBNY's 1,000th goal in all competitions. Vote for history!

Yes, the other four nominees this week have their merits.

But only one of those goals was scored by a New York Red Bull. From outside the area. With a first-time shot. A shot that was about placement, not power.

And in the unlikely event you are given pause for thought by those who seek to describe Grella's goal as a "gift" or a fluke: don't buy the hype. The only reason Grella was on the field at all is because he came into preseason hot, doing things in training the staff couldn't stop talking about and scoring goals in friendlies.

He isn't going to chip the 'keeper from 25 yards very often, primarily because head coach Jesse Marsch has instructed the team to play a high-pressing game that is intended to force turnovers and mistakes in the final third, creating scoring opportunities close to goal. Be assured Marsch likes the fact Grella is capable of taking and landing extremely difficult shots from unlikely parts of the field. Also be assured the coach wants the bulk of his team's chances to be a lot easier to finish.

Still, in point of fact, it was BWP's perfect execution of the high press that put the ball at Grella's feet in the first place. And Grella chose to shoot first time.

The goal came from a deliberate tactic that put the ball in front of a player only signed because of the scoring ability he showed in preseason. A gift? Sure - if we're saying it's blind luck when coaches pick players who can execute tactics and new signings bring what they're showing in training into a competitive game - it was a gift.

Give Grella the gift of your vote for MLS Goal of the Week!