3 Thoughts: New York Red Bulls tie Orlando City, 1-1

The New York Red Bulls didn't win, but they didn't lose either - and that is an improvement on the first four road games of RBNY's season to date. And a 1-1 result in Orlando extends the Red Bull's current unbeaten streak to three games. A corner does seem to have been turned. RBNY's glass is half full at the moment.

Here are three more thoughts about the team's performance against Orlando City:

1. First road point of the year!

This game provided a lot of talking points: was Cyle Larin offside in the build-up to Kevin Molino's goal? Should Antonio Nocerino have been sent off? Should Aurelien Collin have been sent off? Should Rafael Ramos have been sent off? Should Brek Shea have been sent off? Should Cristian Higuita - who did get a red card - have been sent off? Mostly the questions are about who did and did not get sent off.

But let's focus on what is important to the New York Red Bulls here: for the first time in five attempts in 2016, they did not lose on the road.

Both teams will feel they had the chance to win this game, which is usually the sign a draw is a fair result. And RBNY has certainly put more into 90 minutes and come away with less this season. A hard-won point on the road is an important feature of successful season. If the Red Bulls are to have a successful season, they need a few more of these (not too many, but a few more for sure).

2. We have four defenders again

A notable feature of this week's RBNY effort was a return to a recognizable back four. For too long this season, the Red Bulls persisted with urging their full backs forward, leaving two center backs to cover any counter attacks. There were a lot of counter attacks, and a short-handed back line was too often unable to deal with them.

For much of this match, RBNY kept four defenders back, holding the line and at least ensuring that the defense's coolest head in a crisis - Kemar Lawrence - was close enough to help out when things went awry. But while Lawrence provided several highlights, the entire back line deserves credit for a mostly solid performance under heavy pressure from the home team.

3. Bradley Wright-Phillips found his best form today

There is a standard theory of BWP that reads "he's a sloppy finisher who needs a lot of chances". It is poppycock.

Still, like most strikers, he has his ups and downs in front of goal. When he's out of form, nothing goes in, no matter how many chances he gets; as was the case in the game against Sporting Kansas City last month, when he had nine shots and no goals.

But when BWP is in form, he doesn't necessarily need a lot of chances. And the sign BWP is on his game is when he's reading passes so well, he just follows the ball until he's ready to shoot. This was his only shot of the gameagainst Orlando:

One touch: goal. That is BWP at his best. Or maybe it's the ghost of Thierry Henry; we can't be certain.