Discussing a big week and look back for Red Bulls

The Red Bulls just played a solid ninety minutes against a very dangerous side in the Los Angeles Galaxy, who not only has a fantastic threat in Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but at the same time a solid manager in Guillermo Barros Schelotto who’s tactics are showing how much of a big threat they are.

But after a fabulous afternoon for the home side, they also have a huge week in front of them, as the club has two sides ready for big matches this week. The first of these big matches will be on Tuesday, May 7th as the 2019 US Open Cup will begin.

The opening round of this current edition will have the Red Bulls U-23 squad in USL League 2 performing against NPSL side FC Motown of Morristown, NJ as they will be playing this match up at the soccer park in Montclair State University.

For some of the USL League 2 sides, this opening round of the US Open Cup, is their first competitive match of the season, before their league schedule begins. But this will be a fantastic match up once again as these sides face each other again in the opening round of the tournament.

Former Red Bulls defender, and head coach of FC Motown Sacir Hot will try once again, to knock off his former club’s kids squad. IF you can’t make it to Montclair State University’s Soccer Park, you can catch this match and now all matches in all rounds, live streaming on ESPN+

Now the big club will have a huge week to earn points against two sides. The Red Bulls now on a two match winning streak will continue to get more and right the ship. In midweek action they will host the Montreal Impact, then take a trip to Big D and take on FC Dallas.

The match on Wednesday back at Red Bull Arena against the Impact, signals the return of ALejandro Romero Gamarra who just finished serving an additional two match suspension for his blasting a ball into the stands on the road at Sporting Kansas City.

While the club showed two gritty and gutsy performances to earn six total points so far, you can tell that Kaku’s abilities were sorely missed, and he needs to know that he can’t lose control of his emotions in that way ever again.

We know that the Impact will be a difficult match up for the Red Bulls, and with a new head coach running FC Dallas later in the week, Chris Armas and company are fully aware of the tactics his side will play against.

But going back to this past Saturday’s match there is a positive and a negative that was working for and against the Red Bulls. The positive first, as we saw the opening goal scored by Amro Tarek.

It’s the quick thinking of Sean Davis to set up a set piece before that ball was converted. After referee Nima Saghafi whistled for a foul in favor of RBNY, Davis saw something that he thought someone else had a better chance to cross the ball inside the Galaxy area.

Calling over Marc Rzatkowski to deliver that ball into the scrum was a selfless act by Davis, and we saw how Marc found Brian White. Then the chest deflection bounced off a defender and Tarek did the rest, as he gave David Bingham a knee buckler.

But now the negative against the Red Bulls and it comes from the officials who should’ve blown the whistle to kill the play dead. While VAR has been helpful at times, it ha also been hurtful at times. This is one of those times it was hurtful.

Before the Galaxy equalized the Red Bulls attacked in the 34th minute to add on to their lead. From my vantage point in the North end press box, I saw Daniel Royer originally in an offside position when the ball was sent from Rzatkowski.

As Royer made his run towards goal, the far side assistant Jose Da Silva kept his flag down. Both men were running down the Galaxy side of the field, as soon as Royer converted his chance into the back of the net, Da Silva’s flag for offside goes up.

If it was a clear offside, then the flag needs to go up right away. You forced Royer into a run and score where the flag was very late. I do understand that they are making sure that Video Review gets a clear look, but once again if the play is truly offside, then the flag should’ve been raised with out making Royer take that un-necessary run.

So a little praise, a little complaint, seeing the future of the club, and two big matches this week for the top side, to go out and earn some more success. A big task for the New York Red Bulls, which we hope to see, go towards the positive side of the ledger.