Once A Metro: All Posts by Gregory Martinez

Red Bulls Matchday Preview: Toronto FC

2022-06-17T11:10:00-04:00

Lewis Morgan gave Toronto a seriously hard time in their last meeting in March. | Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

What to watch for as the Toronto team the Red Bulls beat 4-1 in March comes to Harrison

I was conversing a friend of mine when I somehow mentioned the Infinite Monkey Theorem in passing. For the unenlightened, it states that if an infinite amount of monkeys hitting keys on typewriters are given an infinite amount of time to hit keys, eventually one of them will type out the entirety of Hamlet. Somehow I had gone my entire life thinking that this fascinating product of human creation and scientific progress was common knowledge, and that my reference would be readily accepted by said friend. It was not accepted at all. I was mortified. Perhaps it was a lesson to stay away from Wikipedia sprees for a while, and focus on being a monkey at a typewriter, hitting random keys until I get a preview. A valuable maxim for all to follow. Read about these tactics while you ruminarte over it.

TACTICS BOARD

The Red Bulls welcome their northern neighbors as Toronto FC come to town, the Canadian club coming off a critical win against bottom of the table Chicago Fire that leaves them third to bottom. It’s not been a great campaign for Bob Bradley’s men, his baldld head unable to inspire the team. Heavy squad overhaul over the last offseason, with Jozy Altidore, Yeferson Soteldo, Richie Laryea, and Justin Morrow all departing to greener pastures, has left the once dominant club in a transition year. Despite promising investment from ownership in the form of a certain Lorenzo Insigne, 2022 is very much a stepping stone for the club as they phase out some of the older core that helped the organization achieve such success from 2015 to 2017. Nonetheless, the team will be frustrated as the still promising players remaining have been unable to get performances anywhere near competent.

Looking at Toronto’s stats sheet, the first thing that stands out is their defense. 27 goals conceded is the worst record in the East, and the second worst in the league, and an Expected Goals Allowed value fo 31.8 shows much deeper problems than just bad luck. The defense has been error prone, losing their man, miscommunicating, or leaving Lewis Morgan wide open. Bob Bradley has typically relied on individual performers in defense rather than a particular system, but he has not quite found his stalwart in Toronto. Even in their latest win against Chicago the team still managed to concede twice, with the Toronto attack often forced to simply outscore the other team if they want to win. Unfortunately, the strategy hasn’t paid off, only 4 wins on the year leave coaching staff looking for answers on the trip down to Harrison.

Bob Bradley has opted for a 4-2-3-1 at Toronto, a solid formation that the club’s used to varying success levels for years. The deep-lying midfielders, typically coach’s son Michael Bradley and Jonathan Osorio, form a tandem that provides both defensive support and late arriving runs to help out the offense. Osorio in particular has been active on the offensive front, scoring three times and assisting three times on the season, with the latter statistic being the joint-lead on the squad. This would be impressive on paper for a defensive, but his trademark bursts into the box will make life difficult for the Red Bulls as they have an extra factor to contend with on crosses. New York’s central midfielders will have to stay alert to track back when necessary, making sure that none of Toronto’s frequent crosses cause any problems. Toronto in their current state are a beatable team and should be a welcome opponent for a Red Bulls side looking to get back on track after early season promise soured in recent weeks.

KIT CONTEMPLATIONS

I’ve learned a lot about myself in this MLS season. Seriously looking at MLS kits every week takes a toll on a man, makes him reevaluate a lot. Toronto’s away kit made me realize this. The half and half design has long been a bane of my existence, it just looks terrible and seems like some knockoff design in an obscure video game. And if there’s one thing that I dislike more than half and half kits, it’s grey kits. No explanation needed. And yet when I saw Toronto’s kit, the monochrome mish mash of grey, white, and black; the jersey that looks like it was just a white kit until hours before the deadline when an intern woke up in the middle of the night and frantically emailed his boss with his bold new idea of slapping some grey on it; I thought, “It’s out of the box.” Shame on me. Shame on Adidas.

7/10 for sheer originality.

SQUAD SUPERLATIVES

Waking The Red’s Managing Editor Anthony Khoury helps out to provide the most ludicrous labels on the Toronto squad.

Most likely to get a mullet — Alex Bono

Most likely to forget their shin guards — Kahkeele Marshall-Rutty

Most likely to break someone’s shin guards — Carlos Salcedo

Most likely to steal your girl — Ayo Akinola

PREDICTED LINEUPS

New York Red Bulls (4-2-3-1)

Toronto FC (4-2-3-1)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Lewis Morgan

Toronto fans will remember the name Lewis Morgan, after he scored a worldie-filled hat trick against them in the second matchday of 2022. The Scotsman has only scored three times in league play since, but is still the top scorer and very much one of the more dangerous Red Bulls attackers on his day.

Despite a tendency to overdribble, his speed and work rate make him the perfect Red Bull, evidenced by his seamless transition into the squad after a trade from Inter Miami. He’s shown great promise in his limited time at the club, and will certainly relish the chance to face off against the club he feasted on in the last encounter. While he’s played all over the pitch in 2022, if lined up at his typical right wing spot he could have a crucial matchup against Toronto’s Homegrown left back Luca Petrasso. The 22-year-old Canadian academy product has become a mainstay in his first professional year, frequently found high up the pitch where Bob Bradley likes his fullbacks. This of course leaves an abundance of space in behind that Petrasso will have to be wary of, as Morgan will pounce on any free territory he can get.

If Petrasso is instructed to play more conservatively and stay back, not only is part of Toronto’s attacking threat missing, but there might still be trouble defensively as the youngster’s dribblers tackled percentage of 40.9% being rather low for MLS fullbacks. Morgan should have ample opportunity to get the better of Petrasso, and thus may once again make an impact against poor Toronto.

Jesus Jimenez

The Red Bulls will know about signing important non-Polish attackers from the Polish league, so it should come as no surprise that Toronto opted for the same route when attempting to replace club legend Jozy Altidore. Jesus Jimenez is a long way from completely replacing the former MetroStar, but his 7 goals and 3 assists in 14 games have certainly started to endear him to the fanbase. The Spaniard has been a bright spot in yet another disappointing campaign for the Canadians, his finishing instincts playing a large role in why the season hasn’t been as bad as it could have been. Perhaps a little lucky, with his 4.5 xG on the year not implying a continuation of his steady form, but with the role he plays as a lone number 9 one could more kindly call him a poacher.

Despite having not scored in his last 5 games, he’ll still be one of the most dangerous men on the pitch for the Red Bulls center backs. His movement and knack for being in the right place at the right time always make him a looming threat to grab a goal even when the team is playing poorly. Toronto’s offense has not been spectacular on the year, but they’ll still be hoping that Jesus can be their saviour on Saturday.

FINAL PREDICTION

The Red Bulls attack was stifled against Charlotte, but against a much less solid Toronto the creative combinations should return in the space that Toronto frequently leaves. A 2-0 win is in order as New York fall back into their rhythm.

Red Bulls Matchday Preview: Charlotte FC

2022-06-10T10:00:00-04:00

Patryk Klimala feasted on the Charlotte defense in the Open Cup last month. | Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Just two weeks after dismantling them in Montclair, the Red Bulls are facing the Carolina expansion side again in the league

MLS is back, it’s time to go find the TV remote or computer mouse or phone faceID thing. Not that you haven’t been enjoying watching the USMNT beat up a nonchalant Morocco and seeing fans not know what to do about a good performance from an MLS player. But it’s ok if you secretly just looked at reactions online to form your opinions. Your secret’s safe here. As long as you read about these tactics.

TACTICS BOARD

They’re back! The Red Bulls face off against Charlotte FC just seventeen days after their last Open Cup encounter, a convincing 3-1 win that saw New York into the quarterfinals. However a lot can happen in 17 days, and in Charlotte’s case “a lot” turned out to be a reported dispute between a mysterious Designated Player and head coach Miguel Ángel Ramírez turning into Miguel Ángel Ramírez no longer being the head coach. Life comes at you fast.

Not many details have come out about what ultimately happened, with ownership remaining cautious with releasing details about the situation, Charlotte’s sporting director Zoran Krneta citing only a desire to “change direction.” Regardless, the expansion club faces the unique challenge of gelling as a team and an organization at the same time it gels into new interim manager Christian Lattanzio’s new system. However it may prove to be a blessing in disguise, despite showing promise under their former coach tactically the team seemed to have many issues, as ever-humble expert reporters will tell you the side often relied too much on wide play to really break down teams. The expansive 4-4-2 allowed for lots of interplay between central midfielders, wide midfielders, and fullbacks, but provided little support for strikers that were often left isolated in the box, or any central midfielder wishing to play through the middle. Christian Lattanzio is a complete mystery box, as the former technical coach at Charlotte has never held a head coaching position in his career. He’s by no means inexperienced, the 50 year old Italian has spent times as an assistant at OGC Nice in France and NYCFC, but at the top level he remains untested.

Interim coaches are rarely there to radicalize clubs, they seek to stabilize sinking ships and patch up any immediate problems before handing the reins off to the flashy new foreign coach. Unless you’re Ole Gunnar Solskjær, but that didn’t really work out anyways. Lattanzio will likely seek to work with what he’s got, keeping the same ideas that Ramirez drilled into the side with some wrinkles that he believes will fix the most important issues. Predicting these wrinkles, however, is difficult, and it’ll largely be a coaching battle as Struber attempts to counter Lattanzio’s setup without the benefit of prior scouting.

Perhaps Lattanzio chooses to give specific instructions to his central midfielders, allowing them more positional freedom with the hopes they can find space in between lines and create more central attacks. Perhaps Lattanzio switches up the formation somehow, sacrificing a striker and flooding the midfield in an attempt to encourage more buildup. Maybe he’s feeling more adventurous and sacrifices a defender instead, opting for 3 in the back to still flood the midfield but retain danger up top. Or maybe he tells his players that anyone that leaves the middle third of the field with the ball at their feet has to do 5 laps around the pitch after the game, prompting an immediate dismissal from the club and a peaceful retirement in USL. We really don’t know. But we can guess. And isn’t that the beauty of sport?

PREDICTED LINEUPS

Charlotte FC (4-2-3-1)

New York Red Bulls (4-2-3-1)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ben Bender

Besides having one of the best names in the league, and some of the best hair in the league, Ben Bender is also a pretty decent soccer player. The first overall pick in the 2022 SuperDraft has shown himself well in his debut professional season, 2 goals and 3 assists in 14 games, a team-second 30 Shot Creating Actions, the creatively gifted box-to-box midfielder has slotted right into the high-energy, progressive dribbling inclined system played at Charlotte. While Lattanzio is sure to change some things up tactically, 21-year old Bender is exactly the type of player one wants to build a team around. He’s gifted on the ball, able to drive forward with purpose before picking out a pass, and always has a knack for being at the right place at the right time. But honestly, his best trait is his hair. Long flowing locks reminiscent of an Andrea Pirlo, or the Hemsworth siblings. His ability to glide past defenders before putting in a cross is surely aided by said defenders being distracted by his beautiful blonde curls, mesmerized at how it consistently stays perfectly inside his headband. I wish I was his barber.

Sean & Dylan Nealis (Neali)

It’s a unique quirk of MLS that international windows sometimes overlap with the regular season, with the league sometimes seeming to exist outside of the realms of the rest of soccer. Teams face the challenge of being depleted by international rosters, and the Red Bulls will have an Aaron Long-shaped hole against Charlotte. Busy being the best center back in the country, the club captain will be unable to travel to Charlotte as he will be in the middle of figuring out if the Nations League is important or not. 2021’s breakout star Sean Nealis has accompanied Long in 13 out of 14 MLS games this season, and will likely be called upon against Charlotte. With surefire future starter Matt Nocita yet to fully integrate into team, the only other healthy natural centerback on the roster is Lucas Monzon, whose 23 minutes in 2 seasons as a Red Bull do not show much promise for a start on Saturday. The elder Nealis’ partner will likely be “right back” Tom Edwards, who deputized in the role for most of 2021 and performed admirably. This leaves the right back spot open for the younger Neali, who has had moderate success as a backup at the role. Both Neali will be essential to the Red Bulls gameplan, with Sean tasked with being a leader in the back and dominating aerially against the long ball enthusiasts that Charlotte FC are, and Dylan being tasked with maintaining the offense in wide areas, potentially attacking an area of weakness in Charlotte’s error prone left back Christian Fuchs. And who doesn’t love a good brotherly duo?

Christian Fuchs

As a Premier League champion with Leicester City, a lot of things were expected of Christian Fuchs. Given the captains armband, he was entrusted with being a veteran prescence in the dressing room, providing experience from both his title-winning days in Europe and his 78 caps for Austria. He’s likely done this, but on the field he’s been prone to errors and has shown his age in high-pace situations. Nonetheless he’s still a asset to the side, able to play both center-back and left back, and the club still holds faith in him, playing 13 out of Charlotte’s 14 games. In a time where the team has become so disorganized and confused after the chaos that’s ensued in the post-Ramirez era, a real leader is needed to unify the players and keep them focused on the campaign at hand. Fuchs seems to have taken that role, speaking to the media on the player’s behalf on multiple occasions, but he’ll need to set the example on the pitch as well. Lattanzio will be counting on his captain to set the tone for how Charlotte’s new era will begin, and will hope that the Austrian can turn back the years against the Red Bulls.

Cristian Cásseres Jr.

Fresh off international duty with Venezuela, Cristian Cásseres will be looking at the Charlotte match as an opportunity on multiple levels. The somehow-only-22 year old midfielder is in his fifth season as a Red Bull, his development has been clear to see as he’s worked his way from young prospect to full fledged starter. Always earmarked as one to move to Europe eventually, he made the jump in 2021 to seriously be considered for a move. Circumstance has kept him in the United States for now, but as summer creeps in and the European transfer wheel starts turning the rumors are sure to come. Cásseres has had a good campaign so far, starting 9 games and usually playing solidly in a double pivot along with Frankie Amaya. Scouts will be watching him more closely as teams abroad search for potential moves, so he’ll be relishing the opportunities that are only going to increase after Charlotte. Expect Casseres to play a substitute role against Charlotte if he makes the squad after a game against Saudi Arabia on Thursday, but look closely at him as his motivations increase in the following weeks.

PREDICTED RESULT

Aaron Long will be sorely missed by the team, but expect little drop off as the Red Bulls slalom to a comfortable 2-0 win against the MLS newcomers.

Red Bulls Matchday Preview: DC United

2022-05-28T12:50:12-04:00

Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Just two weeks after a beatdown in the cup, what should the Red Bulls expect from DC in the league and at home?

Do you know how many world flags have the red-white-blue color scheme? Of course you do. Twenty-nine. Twenty-nine! Meaning that when vowel enthusiasts Lynyrd Skynyrd sung their famous song they very well could have been singing about Luxembourg. Johnny Van Zant should have specified, now the world will never know. At least we’ll know DC United’s tactical setup and one man’s opinions about their uniforms.

TACTICS BOARD

The Red Bulls play their last match before the international break against a familiar foe in DC United. The historic rivals have already faced off in Open Cup play in 2022, a 3-0 win for New York against a largely second-string DC team. The first-string DC team has not fared much better, currently 4-2-6 in MLS and 11th in the Eastern Conference. Despite being one of MLS’s most historic teams, times have been rough for the capital-based club with playoff qualification falling their way 6 times in the last 14 years, never making it past the Conference Semifinal and acquiring 3 Wooden Spoons in that time period. Overachievement has not been in DC United’s history for a long time, and the mediocrity has continued into 2022 as interim coach Chad Ashton has struggled to make DC into anything special.

The Atlantic Cup rivals can accurately divide their 2022 season into two eras: Before Taxi and After Taxi. The arrival of Greek playmaker Taxiarchis Fountas has notably improved DC’s season, with the club going 2-0-4 in Before Taxi time and 2-2-2 in After Taxi time. Goals Scored, Expected Goals, you could pick the attacking metric of your preference and it’s more likely than not it’s gone up since Fountas arrived from Austrian club Rapid Wien. He’s brought new life to an organization that has floundered so long, and while results are far from consistent, DC United fans have more reason to hope for a better future. Steady improvement can be seen tangibly, attacks seem to flow better with MLS’s Greek Freak on the pitch, his classy finishing and fantastic off-the-ball movement has been the missing link to an attack that misfired so frequently in the early stages of the year.

Chad Ashton has set the team up in an expansive 3-4-3, a system designed for attacking with flair and style. Focused on stretching the field and playing from side to side, DC want to be everywhere all at once when in possession. The club has above average numbers in “switch” passes per game (17.4) and crosses per game (13.3). It’s a very direct style of play, the third-least amount of dribbles with the ball leaguewide shows a side instructed to touch and pass, letting the ball do the work and covering distance. There are very few touches on the ball, players are encouraged to release it quickly to go as fast as possible. These tendencies, coupled with a low average possession of 46.3%, make for a side skilled in transition but one that struggles against lower blocks. Sound familiar?

The transition system is an effective and valuable resource when it works, but modern coaches that study their opponents well in advance know that the most harmful thing that can be done to DC is to give them the ball. In their 12 MLS games DC have averaged 44.25% possession in their wins, 46.5% possession in their draws, and 47.83% possession in their losses. The pattern is clear, however with the Red Bulls suffering from many of the same weaknesses it’ll be a mental battle as well as a physical one, as both teams try to impose their mirror systems on the other. The Red Bulls, currently winless in their last 4 MLS games, will be motivated to dominate against a historic rival. DC United are winless in their last 3 MLS games, and will also be motivated to dominate against a historic rival. It should be fun.

KIT CONTEMPLATIONS

What do you get when you get the creative liberty bestowed by away jerseys, one of the United State’s most historic clubs, and the vibrant culture of one of the country’s most historic cities?

A white shirt.

1/10, a point awarded out of respect for the club employee who put more effort writing out the paragraphs of explanations about the kits hidden meanings and symbolism than into the actual kit.

PREDICTED LINEUPS

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ola Kamara

It doesn’t get much simpler than this, Ola Kamara has been a weapon in MLS ever since he joined the league in 2016, scoring 79 goals for some of the league’s finest in the Columbus Crew, LA Galaxy, and his current DC United. The experienced Norwegian has lead the DC attack for three years, and is always the man to be stopped whenever clubs travel to the nation’s capital. A specialist in off the ball movement and ruthless finishing, Kamara has never been one to get on the ball much. He’s consistently ranked in the lower tiers of MLS strikers in touches per game in his DC career, rather than aiding in the development of his sides attacks he prefers to play as the archetypical striker of yesteryear, the focal point and final cherry on top of every offensive move. In 2021, Kamara was DC’s top scorer with 19 goals, 13 goals ahead of his closest competitor in Paul Arriola. The now-32-year-old has a simple task for Ashton’s side, to get the ball in the back of the net when it comes near him. The Red Bulls will have to make sure it gets nowhere near him, and if they do then they’ll have much less to worry about on Saturday evening.

Patryk Klimala

Oh, he’s good now? Good to know.

Back in fans’ good graces after his goal and assist against Charlotte FC in the Open Cup, Patryk Klimala is once again one to watch in the Red Bulls lineup. The Red Bulls’ striker woes have come up periodically during the 2022 season, and the roundabout has turned back to Klimala as the organization seeks someone to really lock down the role of being the XI’s main man up top. With Ashley Fletcher out injured, Tom Barlow being lovingly inconsistent, and Zach Ryan being limited to cameos, Klimala’s only competition is himself. Flaky finishing has plagued him in his Red Bulls career, but with a lengthy run seemingly incoming it’s the perfect opportunity for the Pole to go on a run and gain some much-needed confidence.

PREDICTION

DC United always produce feisty encounters against the Red Bulls no matter what form they’re in, and with Taxi Fountas on a rampage, and the Red Bulls winless at home and winless in 4, a 1-1 draw seems to be in sight as the team looks to reset during the international break.

Open Cup Matchday Preview: Charlotte FC

2022-05-25T08:00:00-04:00

The Red Bulls will face Charlotte FC for the first time in history in tonight’s Open Cup tie. | Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

What to watch for in tonight’s knockout game in Montclair

Sometimes it’s hard to understand how different professional athletes really are. Fans are often desensitized to the phenomena of the modern pro, we take it for granted that players can play consistently, at a high level, in such a congested schedule. Take Sean Davis in 2021, for example. The ex-captain played 35 games in 217 days, not coming off for a single minute. That’s a full, 90 minute match every 6 days. And the run was just taken in stride, perhaps used as a commentary line or two. Could you run that much? Probably not. Here’s some tactics to read about while you ponder the various forks in your life and when exactly your path diverged from those inherently more capable than yourself.

TACTICS BOARD

The Open Cup? It’s still around? For the first time since 2018, the New York Red Bulls are a part of the final 16 Open Cup teams, and the club can reasonably hope to see the quarterfinals for the first time since 2015. A cup run would be great for a young team looking to pounce on the potential that’s been promised ever since Struber’s arrival, and the side will certainly be feeling pleased after avoiding NYCFC and the New England Revolution in the draw.

New kids on the block Charlotte FC are the latest result of Major League Soccer’s neverending expansion, the North Carolinians joining the league after years of clamoring for a professional team in the city. Expansion teams are pretty hit-or-miss in their inaugural seasons, sometimes you get a 2017 Atlanta United, and sometimes you get a 2019 FC Cincinnati. Charlotte seems to have struck a comfortable balance, excellent roster construction has led the side to a more than respectable 7th place in the East so far.

Often times the recipe to a good expansion team is the initial roster construction. Building a club from scratch is a rather uniquely American experience, but there are certainly better ways to do it than others. Some choose glitz and glamour, attempting to sign high profile players in order to achieve quick success and highlight reels. Others take a more patient approach, taking advantage of the multitude of drafts available to newcoming teams and using all the best acronyms MLS trade regulations have to offer. Charlotte most certainly took the latter approach, targeting solid contributors castaway from other teams. Karol Swiderski was signed from Greece, Kristijan Kahlina from Bulgaria, and Ben Bender from the… SuperDraft (feel free to shudder). There’s a common theme with their key contributors, all were smart, frugal deals that were evidently heavily scouted prior to their signing.

The goals have been slow to come, 12 in their opening 13 MLS matches is the second-lowest record in the league, as many expansion teams do they’ve struggled to find the cohesiveness to finish off attacking plays. However on their day they’ve looked solid, displays such as their statement 3-1 win against the New England Revolution was a ruthless encounter, all three goals coming off sweeping, fluid moves and concluding with clinical finishes. In a similar vein their last Open Cup game, against USL League One side Richmond Kickers, was a commanding 5-1 win that included mostly backups.

However their modest strengths can be seen in the defense. An emphasis on the backline since the beginnings of the organization has paid dividends, as the squad has conceded a mere 15 times in 12 games. Emphasis was placed on the back ever since the organization’s founding, with the first signings being primarily midfielders, defenders, and goalkeepers. Despite conceding 6 times in their opening 3 games, head coach Miguel Ángel Ramírez tidied up the back as players grew more accustomed to each other’s tendencies. The Carolina club looks to play adventurously, on the higher end of passes under pressure league wide, they are not intimidated by more experienced teams as they frequently look to maintain possession. The risky approach has generally worked, opponents have a 27.6% successful pressure rate against Charlotte, as positional awareness and an experienced core have generally prevented mistakes from coming. A compact style of play makes Charlotte difficult to break down, leaving the attack as the main issue plaguing the side.

Ramírez sets his side up in a rather mundane 4-4-2, sometimes listed as a 4-1-4-1 or a 4-1-3-2, but always maintaining the crucial wide midfielders. They’re very important in the setup, Charlotte frequently look to the wings when attacking, seeking to stretch the field and dizzy opponents as they go from side to side. The club has played the second-highest amount of “switch” passes in the league, preferring to play wide than try to build centrally. When attacking they maintain the same rhythm, they put cross after cross in the box, attacking fullbacks (Christian Fuchs and Jaylin Lindsey) and the aforementioned wide midfielders (Ben Bender and Alan Franco) are all on the higher end of touches teamwide. Wide play is a great tool to have in a team’s arsenal, however Charlotte find themselves too attached to the attacking route.

Oftentimes they look to play wide too often, leading teams to adjust and defend accordingly, leaving wingers stranded and forced to take on defenders in disadvantaged situations where they’re typically outnumbered. An overreliance on Bender and Franco’s dribbling has lead to a lack of actually getting the ball in the box, as Charlotte’s total touches in the opposing penalty area is the third lowest amount in the league. They’ve struggled to complete moves from wide areas when unable to cross directly, leaving striker Karol Świderski isolated. Part of the issue is a lack of central options, there is rarely anyone to drop into half-spaces and receive the ball, and thus when attempting to build through the middle a long ball is forcibly the only option. Charlotte approaches the long ball with just as much fervor as crossing, however their decidedly mediocre 60.1% success rate on said long balls suggests they should tone it down. As the team grows together and adds some finishing touches to the roster, attacking moves should become more cohesive and varied, but for now the Red Bulls have only a sputtering offense and a solid-but-breakable defense to contain in the midweek.

KIT CONTEMPLATIONS

The Red Bulls exit the wastelands of the Chicago Fire and Inter Miami uniforms and finally see something nice in Charlotte’s inaugural attempt. Expect to see the home uniform in Montclair, a beautiful concoction of baby blue, white, and black. Most of the shirt is in the eye-catching shade of blue, the calm and aesthetically pleasing club color. The white is integrated seamlessly into the design, taking up the entirety of the sleeves to create a contrast within the shirt. A complementary blue stripe near the hems of the sleeves is a nice touch tying everything together. However the designer must have been feeling bold, including an extraordinary third color on the shirt. The shoulders are accented with three black stripes, contrasting the more prominent white but still combining well with the primary blue. Faint black outlines can also be seen on the colar and the sleeve stripes, keeping everything well organized and meshing perfectly.

8/10, attention to detail is the standout in the disappointingly-named “Carolina Kit”.

PREDICTED LINEUPS

CHARLOTTE’S CRUCIAL COMPETITORS

Ben Bender

The revelation of Charlotte’s opening campaign, the University of Maryland alumni has enjoyed a good start to the campaign, however his pleasing aesthetic is surely his most important feature. A box-to-box midfielder in college, long, flowing hair, and standing at exactly 6 feet tall, 2022’s first overall SuperDraft pick has become a fan favorite in his brief tenure in Charlotte. Deployed as a wide midfielder, his tireless running and ball progression skills have made him a standout for the club. He’s appeared in every MLS game so far, tallying a goal and 3 assists in merely 9 starts. Only 21, Bender’s evident potential will certainly be seen against the Red Bulls.

Jaylin Lindsey

Charlotte native and former US U20 international has become one of Charlotte’s most important players in 2022, after being traded from a rotation role at Sporting Kansas City the right back has found new life in the Queen City. A very attack-minded fullback, Lindsey has been an offensive force for the club’s forays into wide areas. Dangerous crossing and exceptional pace make him a weapon, his 17 shot-creating actions leave him fourth on the Charlotte roster in the statistic, only behind attacking midfielders Jordy Alcivar and Ben Bender and striker Karol Swiderski. Certainly not short on confidence, the young American will be bombing down the right flank with aplomb, and with the left side of defense recently an area of concern for the Red Bulls as starter John Tolkin struggles with health issues, it will be interesting to see how Struber adjusts to minimize the impact that Lindsey has on the match.

THE ROTATION BULL

Caden Clark

The kid is back! Again! Having been out for an extended period of time due to recurring injuries, the young wunderkid made his MLS return with a brief cameo against Inter Miami on Sunday. He’s been advertised as the next big thing to come out of New York, already on the books at sister club RB Leipzig, he returned stateside on loan for another season ahead of 2022 after being deemed too raw for Germany’s top flight. He was expected to slot into the starting lineup and be the central figure for the club before finally departing on his European journey, but injury problems have once again kept him from unleashing his reported potential.

Like 2021, he’s shown flashes at times, but needs extended runs in the team in order to fully get into form. Gerhard Struber is very cautious with injuries and will likely not start the young Minnesota native as he works his way back to 90 minute fitness, but one can reasonably expect an early second half appearance. Clark will be looking to get on the field as quickly as possible, with the attacking triad of Luquinhas, Omir Fernandez, and Lewis Morgan looking more and more solid, as well as Cameron Harper making a return as a substitute weapon, he’ll need to move quickly if he has any chance of returning to his role as a key cog in Struber’s setup. As Charlotte’s legs give way late in the match, and space starts to open up, Clark will have ample opportunity to showcase his talents if given a runout in the Cup.

PREDICTION

The Red Bulls will be extra motivated to start winning silverware through the Open Cup, and with a (respectfully) lucky draw against Charlotte, I see a nerve-wracking but ultimately comfortable 1-0 win in the cards.

Red Bulls Matchday Preview: Inter Miami

2022-05-22T12:22:28-04:00

Sean Nealis and Gonzalo Higuain exchange pleasantries in last season’s matchup in Harrison. | Tom Horak-USA TODAY Sports

New York returns to the friendly confines of Fort Lauderdale

I guess you could say that the New York Red Bulls game this week should be… Inter-esting. Yeah, I know. The creative juices aren’t exactly at my Beckham call right now. Here are some tactics.

TACTICS BOARD

The Red Bulls arrive in Florida a little early for Rolling Loud, but right on time to see other showings of debauchery and weirdly placed celebrity endorsements. For the fourth week in a row, New York has a short turnaround after a midweek fixture, this time facing off against David Beckham’s side hobby Inter Miami. The club has been underwhelming after its long-hyped founding, finishing 10th and 11th in its first two seasons despite large financial backing and the arrival of decorated European stars like Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi. The organization has been criticized for its lackadaisical approach, entering the league with no stadium and a seemingly half-built roster more focused on glitz and glamour than actual ability. The team was extremely top-heavy, flashy, mostly foreign attacking names like Higuain, Rodolfo Pizarro, and Robbie Robinson were contrasted by castaway in-league defenders. The results were not pretty, Miami conceded a shocking 1.52 and 1.56 goals per game in 2020 and 2021 respectively, among the highest in the entire league in both seasons. Often times the team looked lost defensively, getting torn apart in transition and leaving far too much space for opposing attackers to feast on.

In 2022 the organization decided to reset, backing away from the flashy beginnings and adopting a more long-term, sensible approach. Designated Player Rodolfo Pizarro and longtime captain Leonardo Gonzalo-Pirez left on loan to Mexico and Argentina respectively, Federico Higuain was traded to Columbus, his brother Gonzalo was essentially stripped of his undroppable status, and Lewis Morgan was traded to a small team of New Jerseyans. Head coach Phil Nevile transitioned from an attempted free-flowing 3-5-2 to a more practical 4-2-3-1, trying to stabilize a defense that conceded 3 or more goals a whopping 7 times in 2021. The failures of the opening two years were fully recognized and credit must be given to the organization for forging ahead with the bold reboot, however the club is certainly not the finished product in 2022.

Inter Miami have been operating on a streak-based performance plan, going 0-1-4 in their first five MLS games, 3-0-0 in their next three, and 0-2-2 in their four following. Streaks like these often point to psychological issues within the squad, with results extremely affecting the team’s mentality so that the same results keep compounding, which can be expected after years of disappointment and organizational uncertainty. Defensively issues have remained, as 21 goals conceded in 11 games is the joint second-worst defensive record in the Eastern Conference. However this may just be a surface issue, their Expected Goals Allowed total is a much more respectable at 16.7. Their transition defense can still cost them at times, but slow improvement can be seen, at least on data tables.

Former England women’s coach Phil Neville has preferred a 4-2-3-1 in 2022, attempting to absorb pressure and play directly with the ball. It’s essentially a neutered version of the Red Bulls, very low possession is the norm with an average possession of 44.1% (RBNY average 43.5%), and their attempted pressure statistics are at average levels. However much of their struggle has come precisely from the pressure, their successful pressing percentage in 2022 is a shocking 26.5%, the second-worst percentage in the entire league. Poor organization leads to teams being able to easily play out of Miami’s press, and as Miami are caught forward the aforementioned transition defense is easily exposed. Players are often spaced incorrectly, leading to difficulties while counterpressing and an abundance of available space for the opposing attack.

Offensively Inter Miami have been blessed with forward Eduardo Campana, on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers in England. The young Ecuadorian striker has scored 6 times in the season so far, by far the top goalscorer on the squad (Gonzalo Higuain is a distant second with 2 goals) and well in the Golden Boot race. He’s vastly outperformed his Expected Goals metric, exceptional finishing has kept Miami in games that they arguably shouldn’t have been in. The team has been mediocre at creating chances, but Campana’s superb form has made them a constant threat. While the Red Bulls shouldn’t have to worry too much defensively, an effort has to be made to starve Campana of any opportunity, as the red-hot striker can cause problems in an instant.

Inter Miami have blown hot and cold in 2022, but their weaknesses largely align with the Red Bulls strengths, making the game a winnable one for Struber’s men. As they face yet another quick turnaround after the midweek draw against the Chicago Fire, the Red Bulls will still not have it easy as they attempt to keep the road streak going. Nonetheless, expect a fun and open game in Fort Lauderdale, both sides willing to go all out attacking the other.

KIT CONTEMPLATIONS

The Adidas design intern that makes every MLS kit was likely jumping for joy when Inter Miami fell on their desk, as Beckham had given a blessing in the form of the club colors. Floridian fans must have been salivating when the logo and colors were announced in 2018 prior to the club’s founding. Beckham, whose forays into fashion have been well documented, brought his very best to the table with the black and pink combo. Pink is radical, almost never used in historically hyper-masculine sports, it’s fresh and bold, stands out on the pitch and with the right shading can look as clean and aesthetically pleasing as your average reds and blues. Black is classy, imposing, sleek and modern. Think Ajax in 2019. Think Real Madrid in 2019. You cannot go wrong with a black kit. The home kit was handled, a classy pink offering is a good statement to design majors everywhere. The Red Bulls will likely face off against the away kit, given that the light shade of pink used on the home kit may clash with both Red Bulls uniforms. An away kit gives designers even more room to play around, to experiment and try new things. The intern had the creative liberty to do something spectacular with the away kit, play around with the beautiful black and pink combination.

And… it’s a black shirt. Some pink highlights. Life is disappointing. 5/10.

PREDICTED LINEUPS

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Gregore

Gregore de Magalhães da Silva, or Gregore for those with time constraints, has been a mainstay for Inter Miami since his arrival in 2021. The 28-year-old had spent most of his career bouncing around his native Brazil, and despite a lack of real expectations he stood out enough to be named the club’s MVP in his debut year. The defensive midfielder is a warrior in the heart of the pitch, an expert tackler who can snuff out fires at levels comparable to some of the best in the league. Tireless without the ball, Gregore is in the top 5 percent of most per 90 defensive statistics compared to fellow midfielders, including pressures, successful pressures, tackles, tackles won, dribblers tackled, and percentage of aerial duels won. Massively underrated in the league, the highly physical player played a large part in helping Miami not concede as many goals as they could have, as many lapses in transition were snuffed out by the former Bahia man. Inter Miami will need him at his very best, with much of the Red Bulls strength lying in exploiting transition moments Gregore will need to be everywhere to make sure that his team stays in the game.

DeAndre Yedlin

The prodigal son is home! Except he’s not exactly home, he’s about 3,300 miles and exactly one Conference from home. Yedlin’s adventures, spanning from England to Turkey, have finally returned stateside as the Seattle academy alum finds himself in Miami.

The veteran has come back to MLS at a crossroads in his career, after a difficult spell of years abroad and a gradual loss of his national team starting role, he’s come home for solace and familiarity. His strengths have long been physical, a deceivingly strong player despite standing only 5’8, his devastating speed has been a weapon for many years. Able to beat defenders off the dribble and place pinpoint crosses into the box, he can singlhandedly unlock teams on his day.

Omir Fernandez

The Bronx native has enjoyed a fine start to 2022, finally claiming a spot in the starting XI after fans had clamored for his inclusion for years. Currently sitting on 2 goals and an assist in 10 starts, the Homegrown has settled comfortably into the attacking triumvirate of himself, Luquinhas, and Lewis Morgan. The trio has all been in good form, however part of the reason that they were as solid as they were was due to the lack of real options behind them. Besides strikers Tom Barlow, Ashley Fletcher, and most recently Zach Ryan, the only depth the club has had at winger has been Cristian Casseres Jr. who… is not a winger. Injuries and a generally thin roster have prevented any real competition from bothering the trio, but the slow decline of the former might spell trouble for the star three. Cameron Harper in particular has come into the limelight, consecutive assists against DC United in the Open Cup and Philadelphia in MLS mere days later have placed him into the conversation as one to watch. Wilkeman Carmona, the promising teenager who played a bit-part role in 2021, should make his return soon after brief appearances with RBII before sustaining a not-too-serious-but-serious-enough-to-mention foot injury. Luquinhas has been sensational after fully acclimating into the squad, dishing out assists or goals wherever he goes. Morgan has been electric down the wings, not as prolific following a hat-trick early in the year against Toronto FC, but still good enough to be considered a starter.

It’s arguably Fernandez who should be most worried about his starting role, taken off at halftime in the game against the Chicago Fire and not starting in the following MLS game against the Portland Timbers, poor Omir may once again find himself chained to the bench. His seat certainly isn’t hot, but it’s warming up and he’ll want to find an extra gear and put something tangible on the field against a relatively weak opponent.

PREDICTION

Inter Miami are not that great, but a congested schedule may see the Red Bulls make things more difficult than they have to be. Give me a 2-1 victory to take back to Harrison anyways.

Red Bulls Matchday Preview: Chicago Fire

2022-05-18T08:15:00-04:00

Luquinhas and Mauricio Pineda chase in last month’s rainy game in Chicago. | Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Just two weeks after their last matchup with New York, we preview how Chicago looks as a visitor

Oh, why hello there Chicago. It’s been a while! How are the kids? Distant you say? I’m sure I saw Gaga running around somewhere, wasn’t he hanging out with that Chelsea girl? Oh, it’s a sensitive topic. I see. My apologies. My Caden used to do these things too, I understand your plight. Young men recognize the value of family and home soon enough, I’m sure they’ll never leave.

TACTICS BOARD

The Red Bulls welcome old friends in a deja vu matchup against the Chicago Fire, an entire 18 days after facing off in Soldier Field. This time the Fire visit Harrison, eager to see the sights and sounds of New Jersey. Since New York saw them last, Chicago Fire have continued their slide, falling 4-1 to Atlanta United and disappointingly losing 2-1 to 2022’s surprise package FC Cincinnati. Currently bottom of the East and winless in their last 7, the floundering Fire are far from fantastic.

Years of disappointment and bad seasons led the organization to try and spark a fresh start in 2022, signing former MetroStar Ezra Hendrickson to the head coaching position. The idea was that the former St. Vincent and the Grenadines international would stabilize a club that had long been defined by chaos on and off the field. As a former defender he’d steady the ship, get the defense working again and guide the club to a solid midtable finish. The hire was always a long term move, with the organization preferring to look towards the future rather than immediate title pushes, and use 2022 as a transition year. The plan was fine, however stability in the present is always needed to work towards success in the future. And 2022 has certainly not been stable.

Offensively the club has been a disaster. Despite the big-money signing of Xherdan Shaqiri, the club has failed to create anything sustainable, scoring a league-lowest total of 8 goals in 11 games, their Expected Goals not much better at 10.6. Part of it has been a lack of chances, they are among the lowest creative sides in the league using the Shot Creating Actions metric; but a lack of efficiency can also be cited with a pitiful 25.8% shots on target percentage, the second lowest in the league. Personnel is not the problem, Shaqiri and new signing Kacper Przybyłko have both shown their talents at high levels, while fellow signee Stanislov Ivanov and homegrown Brian Gutierrez are both promising, having shown great ability in the Bulgarian league and youth levels respectively. Rather it seems to be a systematic issue, the Fire struggle to impose themselves in dangerous areas, their touches in the attacking third total the 6th lowest in the league, and their touches in the attacking penalty area the 4th lowest. Moves simply break down too soon, a stray pass or a lack of options leads to a loss of possession and a loss of the opportunity. Offensive stagnation is certainly an issue, but the defensive side of the ball is what really leaves Chicago in the state that they’re in.

Hendrickson was not concerned with a complex tactical setup to stop the sinking ship, the defense was an immediate priority so he came up with a simple plan. A low block. Simple, but frustrating when done right. Not too much pressure on the ball is necessary, the Fire prefer to play in transition and absorb any attacks that come their way, with a 4-2-3-1 the deep-lying midfielders can sit in front of the center backs and provide vital defensive support. If executed well this is a boring but effective system, however the Fire have not been able to find the levels of focus and discipline necessary for this to work. Too often simple mistakes have cost them, looking at their most recent loss to FC Cincinnati, the first concession, a freak own goal by Rafael Czichos, was caused by a wild back pass that was forced by an inability to play out of the Cincinatti press. The second was a misplayed pass by young goalkeeper “Gaga” Slonina, who erred in possession and played a pass straight to Luciano Acosta, who finished clinically inside the box. Both were easily preventable, a theme that can be applied to many of Chicago’s conceded chances. Slonina has saved them on many occasions, as the 13 goals conceded are actually among the better totals in the league, but an ultimately average dfense and a completely stagnant offense have been the recipes for disaster for Chicago.

Meanwhile (in case your forgot) Red Bulls are still winless at home, and the poor Fire are exactly the team the Red Bulls will want to face to try and break the duck. Poor under pressure, not a threat going forward, if there’s any time to break the streak it’s on Wednesday night. The Fire can still cause problems on their night, as the crazy matchup 18 days ago will attest to, but Struber’s men are more than capable of earning an important victory, both psychological and literal. With the depth chart starting to gel, the Red Bulls have a great opportunity to make a statement to the league that they’re here to stay, and a team for the present rather than just promise.

KIT CONTEMPLATIONS

The Chicago Fire did not strike gold with their home kit this campaign, as expert reporters have expounded upon. Chicago will likely ignore my warnings and opt for the “Water Tower” design once more, a choice made slightly more reasonable by the atrocity that is their away kit. It’s a white shirt. Nothing more, nothing less. Some Adidas designer earned their paycheck by adding thin blue stripes that run horizontally across the kit, which look fine on promotional photos but can’t be seen unless you’re a hopeless defensive midfielder chasing after Xherdan Shaqiri. Released in 2020 as part of the club-wide rebranding campaign that included a change in stadium, name, and controversially the logo, the jerseys meant to signify a new era for the organization evidently were forgotten. It’s a white shirt. Maybe the Water Tower wasn’t so bad after all.

1/10.

PREDICTED LINEUPS

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chris Mueller

The former Orlando City player must have forgotten his wallet in the States, returning to MLS four months after he debuted for Scottish Premiership side Hibernian FC. Perhaps distraught he wouldn’t be able to receive head-shaving tips from Alexander Gogic, perhaps affected by issues at a club struggling to keep up with Scotland’s elite, the Chicago native has returned to his hometown club in an effort to turn around an offensive slump that has largely affected what was supposed to be a stabilizing year for the organization. The lowest goalscoring total in the league has been a big part of why the Fire are fighting for the Wooden Spoon this year, and the return of a player who was a fearsome opponent in his Orlando days will hopefully spark a turnaround.

Mueller’s career has been an unconventional one, a late bloomer thanks to his lengthy collegiate career, he quickly went from afterthought SuperDraft pick to mainstay in the starting XI in his debut year, and was a large part of why Orlando was so successful in 2020. His pace, directness on the ball, and fantastic finishing was put on display in his excellent 2020 campaign, as he scored a career-high 10 goals to drag the club to a silver medal at the MLS is Back Tournament and a Conference Semifinal at the end of the year. Despite struggling for playing time in Scotland, the 25-year-old can still be a threat, his fringes of the national team quality is a headache for any MLS defender. In a World Cup year where the USMNT is still in need of some finishing touches, the once-capped Mueller will be looking to showcase his quality this season as one of Chicago’s new main men, and start his new journey against the Red Bulls.

Brian Gutierrez

A gem from the moderately successful Chicago Fire academy, the American youth international is in his third year as a professional, having made his debut at 16. He’s been used intermittently so far by coaching staff, but his ceiling is sky high and he seems to be making a breakthrough in a Chicago Fire side slowly becoming more youth-centered. Gutierrez is a highly technical player, excellent on the ball and has an eye for a pass. Central midfield is not for the faint of heart at such a young age, but the teenager has made it work, earning plaudits for his creative spark from coaches and pundits alike. He is capable of playing as a traditional 10 or as a more reserved 8, however in his brief time at Chicago’s first team his quick feet have made him an option at winger. Gutierrez is far from the finished product but can still make an impact now, and it seems Hendrickson has decided that there’s no time like the present, starting him in Chicago’s last 4 matches. Expect to see him against the Red Bulls, as Chicago’s free-fall means that coaching will be trying new things in an attempt to turn things around. And expect Brian Gutierrez to be mildly annoying for New York’s fullbacks, likely adding to his quickly growing highlight reel.

Cristian Casseres Jr.

Back from his brief vacation, the Venezuelan will have a tough task in the midweek fixture, his fresh legs likely to be tasked with containing the ever-dangerous Xherdan Shaqiri. The Swiss playmaker has not been great in 2022, but his undeniable quality always makes him a focus for opposing teams. Staying with him throughout the game and making sure he doesn’t have enough space to cause problems will be vital in making sure New York doesn’t have too much to worry about defensively. As half of the defensive midfield duo, he’ll either be tracking Shaqiri’s runs or cutting off passing lanes to prevent any chances, and he’ll need to have a high-energy performance in order to stay focused and attentive. With Dru Yearwood and Daniel Edelman ramping up the pressure behind him, Casseres will be looking to make an influence on the game as well as make a statement for the rest of his season.

PREDICTION

Chicago is sure to be low on confidence after the heartbreaking loss to Cincinnati, and with the Red Bulls flying high after an exhilarating draw to Philadelphia expect the cracks to show as New York storms to a 3-1 win, a Mueller goal serving as consolation for Chicago as they grant Red Bull Arena its first win for the home team of the year.

Red Bulls Matchday Preview: Philadelphia Union

2022-05-14T09:00:04-04:00

The Red Bulls and Union have gotten to know each other well in recent years. | Mitchell Leff-USA TODAY Sports

With first place on the line in Chester, we break down what to expect

There’s no rest for the wicked as the Red Bulls return to MLS action against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, three days after the blowout win against DC United in the Open Cup, and three days before a matchup against the Chicago Fire. Cristian Casseres Jr. had the right idea, having earned suspensions against Hartford Athletic and the Portland Timbers he was able to enjoy a week off and skip the hectic week. The not-as-young-as-you-might-think Venezuelan knows that the hamster wheel of life does not stop spinning, that the relentless train of productivity and labor does not have brakes. My father taught me this lesson as a younger, more naive version of myself asked him why he watched movies on his second monitor while he worked from home. As I admired the pop-up advertisements plagued the hopefully legal website of my dad’s choosing, he explained to me that life was short and the workday was long, and that this movie was not for kids and I should get out of the room. Somewhere along the line this anecdote lost its meaning, just like how the geographical proximity of the Philadelphia Union and the New York Red Bulls have not prevented the “rivalry” from losing its meaning. Here’s some tactics, and maybe some better segues.

Tactics Board

The Red Bulls welcome their distant neighbors as the Philadelphia Union come to Harrison, a familiar foe that Red Bulls fans will know all too well. New York has played Philadelphia 37 times in all competitions since the latter joined MLS in 2010, with the overall series tied at 15 wins for each club. Recent encounters have left a bitter taste in New York’s mouth, having been tragically eliminated front the playoffs by the Union thanks to a late, late Jakob Glesnes goal. The Red Bulls went 0-2-1 against Philadelphia in their other three matches in 2021, head coach Jim Curtin having an answer for Struber’s every move. While matches have not had the intensity or roughness that “real” rivalries have, recent heartbreak and pent-up frustration will certainly provide some animosity on the Red Bulls end.

The Union have quickly become a dominant force in the Eastern Conference, careful planning of a now elite youth academy and the timely appointment of Jim Curtin have propelled the Pennslyvania side to the upper echelons of MLS. Curtin boasts a 38.6% win rate in his time at his hometown club, higher than the organization’s two prior head coaches. His seamless integration of academy graduates into his organized, high pressure system has cemented the club as consistent Supporters’ Shield candidates, with players like Brenden Aaronson being prime examples of his legacy. The organization has a clear path from talented pre-teen to full fledged professional, the pipeline from the world class youth academy, to the reserve team, and then the first team is a commonly traversed one. 7 Homegrown players are currently on the roster, and Curtin gave nearly 3000 minutes to Homegrowns in 2021. The Union are committed to being self sufficient, and Curtin’s effective tactical setup brings the best out of his team.

One of the advantages of youth is energy, and Jim Curtin takes full advantage of this with his high-pressing system. The Union have constantly been in the top tier of pressing numbers since Curtin’s arrival, and are currently second only to the Red Bulls in pressures per game. The organization has fully hopped onto the gegenpress train and doesn’t look like its letting go. They’ll close teams down quickly and recover possession as quickly as possible, and then fly in transition the other way. One of the things that has made the Union approach so successful has been the 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield that Curtin opts for. The diamond midfield uses a lone defensive midfielder, two more advanced wide midfielders that flank on either side, and a lone attacking midfielder operating as a classic 10. The wide midfielders are the key to the transition game, as they help defensively but are also instructed to burst forward when given the chance. This season it has been young German-American Leon Flach on the left, and veteran Alejandro Bedoya on the right. The tireless duo do their defensive duties, pressuring opposing midfielders and trying to break up play, and when possession is recovered they drive forward with purpose, and as their respective fullback comes up with them it creates an overload on the wings that’s difficult to deal with.

Philadelphia are a very good team with a very good coach that currently lead the Supporter’s Shield race, and despite bursting out of the gates 5-1-0 in their opening 6 MLS games, the team has slumped slightly as they’ve been winless since, going 0-3-1 as well as an Open Cup loss to Orlando City. Expected Goals and the eye test says they’ve just been unlucky and are not to worry in the long term, however the psychological impact that a 5 game winless streak has is not to be underestimated, especially after their latest MLS match was nearly won before a late LAFC goal crushed their hopes. Not only are players burdened with the fact that they seemingly haven’t played well, but an overexuberance to attack and break the curse can lead to a lack of focus, and further frustration when results don’t go their way. Saturday’s clash will be a fight between two mirror images, as both incredibly similar styles will come in contact. Neither the Red Bulls or the Union particularly want the ball, the sides averaging 43.9% and 38.5% possession respectively this season. Both want to win the ball back and play in transition, so it’ll be a test of which coach can force the other’s hand.

Kit Contemplations

Philadelphia should roll out their new “For U” primary kits against the Red Bulls, the name reminiscent of a debut single from an early 2000s boy band that ultimately turned out to be a one-hit wonder. The music industry may be harsh but the kit is not, the dark blue shirt with gold accents reflects the club colors and creates a clean, smooth look. However here at OaM we’re not content with pretty colors, something more is needed, an element of surprise or an ounce of creativity. Adidas has pulled out all the stops with a bold single stripe on the left side of the kit, a daring “Signal Blue” that is supposed to reflect Philadelphia’s flag. The monochrome color coordination between the bright blue stripe and the dark blue shirt wouldn’t work without the well placed gold lining around the stripe, matching the collar accents and the shirt sponsor to create an aesthetically pleasing blend. Overall the kit is well made, not too complex but unique enough to stand out and be memorable.

A comfortable 7/10 for one of Adidas’ bolder attempts.

Predicted Lineups

Players to Watch

Jakob Glesnes

Take a moment to tremble, the sharpshooting Norwegian center back is returning to plague Coronel’s net. Glesnes played heartbreaker for New York in 2021, an intense and dramatic playoff opener that had the Red Bulls on the cusp of escaping to a penalty shootout was ended by his ridiculous goal in the 123rd minute. The half-volley wasn’t even the best goal Glesnes has scored that season, an absolute rocket that equalized a game against Atlanta United taking that honor, and a casual 40-yard free kick against LAFC in 2020 further padding his resume. Aside from goalscoring, Glesnes does some defending on the side, a physical player that can handle the toughest of strikers.

But his real strengths lie in possession, his passing numbers put him in the top 25% of most relevant statistics, and he averaged nearly 1 carry into the attacking third per game in 2021. Against the Red Bulls pressure Philadelphia will be glad to have the Norwegian on hand, he is able to play under pressure and connect passes with ease, and is also capable of breaking lines himself and driving forward to play in a teammate or rip a shot from distance himself. He’s exactly the type of player one needs in the back when playing against the Red Bulls, good on the ball, and his effectiveness will play a large part in keeping the Union out of trouble in the back.

Aaron Long

From one center back to another, Aaron Long might not have the goalscoring prowess of Glesnes (though one would be fooled by his clinical finish against Portland), but he’s been one of the standouts in the Red Bulls defense. The Californian has picked up right where he left off after recovering from the Achilles injury that kept him out last season. Somehow only 29, the natural leader has captained the best defense in the league and made sure they’ve been organized and effective.

Despite succeeding for a long (pun intended) time with the Red Bulls, his national team hopes have varied throughout his career. He was a regular before his injury, but since returning the rise of several younger, European based center backs have been threats to his playing time and his spot on an eventual World Cup roster. Walker Zimmerman of Nashville and Miles Robinson of Atlanta have been the de facto starters for the US XI, but just last week Robinson was badly injured, coincidentally hurting the same Achilles tendon that kept Long out. Robinson will most likely be out for the World Cup, and the discourse on who should replace him has exploded. Names like Mark McKenzie, Chris Richards, and even Cameron Carter-Vickers have been thrown into the pool. Long will not be pleased that these younger, inexperienced, and arguably lower quality options are being thought of before him, so every MLS match from now until Qatar will have the added bonus of being an opportunity to prove himself to Gregg Berhalter. A minor injury suffered in the Open Cup may rule him out from starting against Philadelphia, but Long will be certainly be looking in the long (pun intended, again) term.

Dylan Nealis

The younger of the Neali has not enjoyed himself recently, as on-loan Tom Edwards came fully into the fold the Englishman convincingly replaced him as the starting right back, and Nealis has been reduced to small substitute appearances since. For now he is the obvious backup, and a starter at wingback when Struber opts to play 5 in the back, but competition always looms. Nealis can look to 2023 to establish himself as a starter as Edwards will presumably return to his parent club, but he needs to play well now and be given chances in order to stay on the roster. With Edwards ruled out of the Open Cup tie due to a hamstring problem, he’s unlikely to be fit enough to start against the Union, creating a brief window of opportunity for Nealis to show what he can do. He’s been strong defensively and has played well when called upon, but offensive output will be required if he’s to partner John Tolkin as a two-way fullback.

Daniel Gazdag

The Hungarian playmaker has been the main man for Philadelphia in 2022, leading the squad in goals, shots, and shots on target. He operates as a classic number 10 at the tip of the diamond-shaped midfield four, receiving the ball constantly and looking to create chaos. He’s a composed finisher and technically gifted, and is capable of moments of magic. Gazdag had a difficult first year at Philadelphia in 2021, but he’s already eclipsed his goalscoring total from last year and is looking like the dominant force he was in the Hungarian league. If there’s anyone on the field that can provide the X-factor to push either side to a win on Saturday, Gazdag is certainly one of them.

Prediction

The current Supporters’ Shield leaders are not the club the Red Bulls fans will want to see in a phase of the season where the squad still has many things to figure out, but consider me an optimist as I see a statement 0-0 draw in the crystal ball.

Open Cup Matchday Preview: DC United

2022-05-09T18:05:00-04:00

Dru Yearwood is likely to play a key role on Tuesday night with Cristian Cásseres suspended. | Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports

Expect heavy rotation as New York dives deeper into a dense May schedule with Tuesday’s rivalry tie

There once was a Bull that was Red

And from it results at home fled

But an Open Cup came

DC came in its lane

“Please play sexy” said Struber’s bald head

Tactics Board

The Open Cup is back! Rejoice, bring the champagne, renew your streaming subscriptions. For the first time since 2018 the Red Bulls find themselves in the second round of the historic tournament, and find themselves a familiar MLS opponent in DC. United. The capital club are technically still among New York’s chief rivals, contesting the Atlantic Cup, and despite there now being a lack of real geographical proximity between the two clubs, meetings are often still ridden with intensity and fierceness. Even as the teams’ form and fortunes have diverged, games are always entertaining.

The 2022 MLS season has been a rollercoaster for DC United, currently sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference. They won their first two games, went on a four-game losing streak, welcomed Greek attacker Taxi Fountas to the side, and won two of its next three. But despite MLS struggles, the Open Cup has already proven to be fruitful for the black and red. The 3-0 win over Flower City Union in the third round broke the team’s month-long losing streak and since then things have looked better.

The win over Flower City didn’t come without cost however. Despite the positive result, head coach Hernán Losada was fired the following day in what appeared to be the culmination of many conflicts in the locker room and front office. Interim head coach Chad Ashton has stepped in valiantly on short notice, though considering he’s been a DC United assistant since 2007 it wasn’t as though he was unfamiliar with the system.

The club aligns itself with the hip new pressing trend that the Red Bulls practice with zealous fervor, on the upper end of the pressures per game statistics league wide, they prefer to spend most of their time without the ball and play quickly in transition when they recover it. Three out of their four MLS wins have come with a loss in the possession battle, only retaining the ball for 33% of the game in their 3-2 win against the New England Revolution. Like the Red Bulls their system performs best without the ball, however the fourth worst goalscoring record in the East shows some flaws in the execution. Their successful pressure percentage is only 29.8%, a mediocre rate when compared to the 31.5% success rate of the 2022 Red Bulls and the 33.1% of the 2021 Red Bulls. Something’s not coming off, and it translates to the attack more tangibly when one looks at the 5th worst shot total in the league, and the 3rd worst shots on target total.

However something special has come in the form of the aforementioned Taxi Fountas, with the Greek attacker arriving from Austria to immediately impact the club with 4 goals in as many games. New signings can often have that impact, bringing a psychological feeling of renewal along with extraordinary sporting talent. DC United will hope that Fountas continues his good form against the defensively sound Red Bulls. DC and the Red Bulls seem to be mirror images at this point. Both high pressing sides have implemented their system but have failed to make it click offensively, and while both show promising records they’ll be looking to make a statement in the Cup. It’ll be up to Struber and his men to show that their offense is less bad than DC’s, and perhaps even get away with claiming it’s good.

Kit Review

Expect United to come out in their all black home with red trim home kit on Tuesday night. The “Black-and-Red kit” ditched the team’s vertical black bars and instead focuses on simplicity, keeping one solid color. The only departure from this trend (besides a handful of mandated white stripes) can be found on the collar and sleeves where red outlines the edges sharply. D.C. describes the kit as “streetwear meets self expression” but… it’s just a black shirt.

For the first time in eight years, United isn’t sporting a military IT company across their chest. The team signed a 3-year deal earlier this year for crypto asset network XDC Network to take center stage. So if New York scores a goal, gone are the days of worrying about an unmanned drone retaliating. Now we can all just worry about being approached by every D.C. crypto bro trying to sell off a limited edition Pablo Maurer NFT.

3/10, Crypto is a scam and so is D.C. United.

The Rotation Bull

Dru Yearwood

Omir Fernandez has been freed from the shackles of inexplicable omissions from the starting XI in 2022, but it seems Dru Yearwood has taken up his burden as the bench’s Atlas. Having started the team’s first 6 MLS matches, he was promptly relieved of his duties upon the return of Cristian Casseres to full health, and has averaged 21 minutes per game since. Yearwood’s form did not seem to be an issue, he had formed a formidable partnership with Frankie Amaya. He’s been healthy enough to come off the bench, so it seems that Struber simply prefers Casseres. The Venezuelan is suspended for the Open Cup clash after a late red card against Hartford Athletic, leaving the second defensive midfield spot up for grabs. Interestingly enough, Casseres has not been at his best levels since returning to his more natural defensive midfield role, so a commanding performance in the cup could lead to the Englishman being reinstated as Amaya’s partner in crime and possession.

Daniel Edelman

I could honestly copy and paste the paragraph from the last Open Cup game here. I could say it was ironic, that it was a satire of the repeated questions surrounding Edelman’s omissions. I could pass it off as humorous, as jest. Some people on Twitter would laugh. Most people wouldn’t notice. Life would go on.

The teenage defensive midfielder has been shackled to the bench as well, although the reasoning surrounding it is much clearer than other omissions. The RBII prodigy has enjoyed a rapid rise through the academy and into the first team, however like many professionals do he’s had to bide his time for his full entry into the first team. Struber likes him enough to keep him with the first team, occasionally sending him to USL to stay sharp, but has been reluctant to test him at the MLS level as of yet. Struber is not a fan of rotating for the cup, and will be even more reluctant to do so in a high-stakes game against an MLS opponent, but the suspension of Cristian Casseres means that Edelman is more likely than ever to see significant minutes against DC. United. The high demands of the defensive midfield position make it a challenge for even the most physically fit athletes to play 90 minutes game after game, and for a midweek fixture at least one of the two starting double pivots will exit early. Even if Edelman doesn’t start, a halftime change for either Amaya or Yearwood would see the Homegrown as the first man off the bench. He’ll relish the opportunity to show the coaching staff that he deserves more of a look, and resume his Tyler Adams-esque rise to the top.

DC’s Decisive Disciples

Taxi Fountas

The other Greek Freak has started to hit his stride since joining Major League Soccer. United’s newest designated player only became part of the regular rotation in Mid-April. But since then, he’s become a standard target and dangerous threat for every team he’s faced. Fountas had his second match with two goals in three games over the weeked in United’s 2-0 win over Houston Dynamo FC.

Fountas has connections to the Red Bull system. He spent four seasons with the Austrian FC Red Bull Salzburg (2013-2016) but spent a majority of his time on loan. His only cap was in the Second Round of 2013–14 Austrian Cup against 3rd Division FC Lankowitz where he nearly played a role in a historic upset. As a second half substitute, he earned two yellows and forced the other Bulls to play a man down for most of extra time with the score tied 1-1. They needed to win via shootout, 6-5, and it was the only game in that tournament (minus the final) that eventual champion Salzburg didn’t win by six or more goals.

Interestingly, he did make seven appearances with Salzburg’s reserve team, FC Liefering, in late 2013. The same team Gerhard Struber would go on to coach in 2017. The world, and Austria’s soccer scene, is small.

Julian Gressel

The German has been a standout for DC United in his surprisingly brief tenure there, having joined in 2020 and made himself a star in the struggling side. The former Rookie of the Year has been the main man in a side that can name Wayne Rooney among its alumni, his pinpoint accuracy with his preferred right foot always looming as a threat. His passing is a famous strongpoint of his, despite playing as a right midfielder he ranks among the best in progressive passes and shot-creating actions, many of DC’s goals are created by his fearsome crossing ability. His vision is excellent, able to see open runners and find them with ease through his almost trademark curling balls behind the backline. While not a prolific scorer he’ll be the man the Red Bulls want to limit on Tuesday night, as stifling his creativity can come a long way in silencing the already tame DC attack.

Predictions

Gregory: Good form doesn’t lie, and the road Bulls should be fine as Taxi Fountas’ heroics are not enough to prevent a 1-0 New York win at Audi Field.

Michael: D.C. and New York have both found a stride since the last round of the USOC. RBNY is unbeaten on the road in 2022 and DCU have won their last two at home. Give me a 1-1 draw with RBNY winning in penalty kicks.

Red Bulls Matchday Preview: Portland Timbers

2022-05-07T09:30:00-04:00

Sean Nealis is one of the few remaining Red Bulls from the last time they played Portland in 2019.

The struggling Timbers are enticing opponent as the Red Bulls seek their first home win of 2022

Disclaimer: Video-assisted refereeing will be discussed in the following introduction. Reader discretion is advised.

The Red Bulls embraced their chaotic side on Saturday, playing an absolutely absurd encounter with the Chicago Fire. A surreal night at Soldier Field may have extended past some Red Bulls players curfews, but the game had it all; a weather delay halfway through the game, confusingly structured halftimes, two red cards within three minutes, and a reminder from MSG that Mike Magee was a pretty good soccer player.

However one of the more excruciating moments of the match came on the penalty shout in the dying moments of the match, as the redeemed Patryk Klimala was taken down on the edge of the penalty area. The alleged foul took place in the 86th minute, and it was a 4 minute wait as referee Jon Freeman consulted with VAR officials, and then the monitor, before the penalty was finally taken. VAR technology has had its fair share of criticism, but one of the less talked about aspects of the system has been the time it takes to make decisions. Not necessarily the length of time taken, but the time itself. The time spent waiting for VAR decisions to be made is a separate reality in itself, a limbo that doesn’t even feel real. It has no beginning, television audiences typically spend a few seconds in confusion over whether or not a play is being reviewed or not, and in-person crowds may not ever know.

As one slowly realizes what is taking place, the clandestine nature of the VAR room creates an air of mystery and dread. Who is in there? Are they talking to the referee? Their conversation remains a mystery to all, they could either be talking about the nuances of the modern handball rule or the results of the Mets game. You’re never quite sure how long it’ll last either, not sure if you have time to go grab a snack or switch the channel to said Mets game. You wonder if you could fix your relationship with your father, walk the dog, and before you know it the handball is awarded. The rhythm of the game resumes, you sink back into the soccer vortex, never finding out if the Mets won. What you can find out, however, is the Portland Timber’s tactics. Here they are.

TACTICS BOARD

The Portland Timbers visit New York in a conference cross-over this Saturday, and the team will certainly be looking to take advantage of their trip out East. The organization has had one of the longer histories of MLS teams, originally existing as a team in the original NASL in the 70s and 80s, before the dissolving of the league saw the organization bounce around various experimental leagues and the USL before hopping on the MLS train in 2010.

Since then the organization has had one of the most successful runs of any expansion team, winning their first Western Conference title four years after joining the league, and an MLS Cup two years later. However despite always being contenders, they had an inconsistent streak about them as brilliant, dominant seasons can often be followed by disastrous ones. Both the first Western Conference title and the MLS Cup seasons were followed by seasons where they failed to make the playoffs, leaving the famously passionate supporter group baffled.

In 2018, Portland made the surprising decision to hire Venezuelan coach Giovanni Savarese to fill their head coaching position. The former MetroStar player and academy head was fresh off an eight-year stint with NASL “club” New York Cosmos, where he had much success in his early years before significant financial woes led the team to struggle. Savarese had never managed in MLS, and for a club that had just won their second-ever Western Conference title the move was shocking to say the least. However he quickly made himself at home, dragging the club to an MLS Cup silver medal in his first year. The team exited in the first round in 2019 and 2020 before returning to the MLS Cup in 2021, again losing out to their Eastern opponents. Savarese has stabilized the club, made them solid playoff contenders year after year. However despite always being dangerous, one gets the sense that they’re really good, but never great. They have good players and are always a hard team to play against, but at the highest level they’ve fallen time and time again.

Portland fans have enjoyed attacking soccer since their founding, and Savarese has not been one to change that. Portland’s classic 4-2-3-1 has brought them success over the years, the attack built around longtime starter Diego Valeri has been among the top 3 scorers in the West for the past 3 years. The team is monstrous in transition, playing directly and quickly to swarm opposing goals. There won’t ever be a full 90 minute press, but the squad can turn on the jets in an instant and raise their intensity. Savarese has squeezed the very best out of his veterans, this season alone he’s given 2610 minutes to players over 30 years old. Many of their best players over the last few years have had some grey hair, the aforementioned Diego Valeri was 27 when he joined the Timbers and left at age 36 as arguably their best ever player. Sebastian Blanco and Diego Chara have both had crucial roles at the club for years now, currently aged 34 and 36 respectively. Management values experience highly, and a club that knows what it’s doing and when to do it is always a tough one to beat.

But after the MLS Cup run in 2021, it seems old age is starting to catch up to the Timbers. Valeri is gone, off to a final swansong at his boyhood club Lanus. Blanco has only managed to start 3 games, struggling to put 90 minute shifts in, and other elder statesmen such as Larrys Mabiala and Dario Zuparic have been unable to keep the same levels they did in 2021. Diego Chara is timeless and youthful as ever, but the club is very much in transition in 2022.

A poor start to the season sees them currently 10th in the Western Conference, nowhere near the force they once were. The attack has only scored 10 times in as many games, and the defense has been leakier than the elite levels expected of them, conceding the 4th highest in the Conference. It’s still early days, and Portland’s habit of starting seasons inconsistently leaves them in no way in a full blown crisis, but the team will be itching for a return to what has become normality against the Red Bulls. Perfectly adept at soaking up pressure, Portland have the tactical flexibility to go toe-to-toe with Struber and his team, leaving it up to the Austrian to figure out how to break them down. They have the quality to give the Red Bulls serious problems on their day, and are also more than capable of producing some stinkers such as their not-great 2-0 loss to a 10-man Colorado Rapids last week. The matchup should be a fun one, as the Red Bulls attempt to get their frustrating home campaign on the road.

KIT REVIEW

Some Adidas designer must have really good memories in Portland, because the Timbers have been gifted with not one, but two great kits for the 2022 campaign. Against the Red Bulls they’ve opted for their home kits, a natural, rugged forest green shirt and pants combo, completed with classy gold accents. The shirt is split down the middle, a slightly darker shade of green adorning the left side. Everything, from the perfect shades of gold and green, to the smart button look, coalesces for one of the finest in the league. The team certainly benefits from an outstanding color scheme, but it’s often easy to fall into the trap of simplicity. Portland’s selection is clean and elegant, minimalist in an iOS sense rather than a Warner Brothers one.

But despite the brilliance of the jersey, the unjustly ignored away kit has to be celebrated as well, a bold and unique design, decorated with flowers and a rare pink coloring. The “Heritage Road” secondary jersey was released to great aplomb in 2022, and for good reason. It’s a risk, plain and simple. The colors are radical but fresh, besides Inter Miami and the singular Real Madrid away kit no professional soccer team really wears pink. And yet Adidas has doubled down on the color, using a soothing lighter shade on the jersey itself while a darker shade serves as contrast for the trim. If the color wasn’t shocking enough, the zealous designer added a floral pattern to his madness, the roses that adorn the kit paying homage to the Portland’s moniker “City of Roses”. Everything about the kit is out of the ordinary, completely bursting the bubble of the normally monotonous MLS kit template. And yet despite all the chaos, it works. It just works. One can only wish Savarese’s men could find a way to wear both kits on Saturday, perhaps adorning one for each half, or splitting the team in two and playing the inaugural game of three-way soccer. The kit appreciator community would be all the better for it.

A resounding 10 out of 10, with an extra point for having a good alternative in case of emergency.

LINEUP PREDICTIONS

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Patryk Klimala

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but the starting striker spot at the New York Red Bulls is up for grabs. The 9s at the club seem to be alternating bad and promising stretches, and the position that’s been a talking point for weeks has in no way been set in stone. Klimala was the original starter, after a dry run and the arrival of Ashley Fletcher the Englishman seemed to be the new main man. But despite promising beginnings against New England, the early hype has slightly worn off as Fletcher failed to make any tangible impact on performances despite showing good hold-up play and passing. The Englishman leads the team in shots per 90, but puts a very low percentage of those shots on goal, hitting the target with 22.2% of his shots (For reference, Tom Barlow leads the team’s shooting percentage with 60%). And when Patryk Klimala is able to come on as a substitute and score two comeback-securing goals, one has to imagine that the Pole is once again the frontrunner for the spot. He’s once again thrust into the spotlight as he made the first step in reclaiming his starting role against Chicago, and one has to assume he’ll be given the chance to make his second. Or maybe Struber ditches both Klimala and Fletcher and starts Tom Barlow. With the Austrian, one never knows — especially with the news that Klimala was covid-positive this week and missed multiple days of training.

Yimmi & Diego Chara

The Columbians have found a home together in Oregon, becoming dual stars in a respectable Timbers squad. Diego, the older of the two, joined in 2011 as the organization’s first ever Designated Player, and has since established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the league, continuing his dominance even at age 36. Yimmi, a dynamic winger who bounced around South America for years before joining his brother in 2020, found himself a regular starter in Savarese’s system in 2021. Together the pair have become mainstays in the starting XI despite increasing in age, and are likely to play again against the Red Bulls. Diego can dominate midfields on his own; he’s constantly on the ball, in the 97th and 92nd percentile of MLS midfielders in touches per 90 in the defensive penalty area and defensive third respectively. Despite standing only 5’7, he’s incredibly strong and able to win the ball back consistently, whether the referee approves or not. Yimmi evidently took the attacking genes in the family, a quick and lethal bicycle-kick enthusiast, he’s in the middle of most Portland attacks, averaging 2.61 key passes per game in 2021. Not since Sean and Dylan Nealis (the Neali) has MLS seen such a potent brotherly duo, but besides the fact that they’re brothers on the same team, they are each fine players in their own right that New York should be worried about. Diego will be looking to break up anything the Red Bulls try to create, with the Timbers happy to absorb pressure and give the Red Bulls the task of breaking them down, he’ll be more than happy to act as a wrench in the gears of the Red Bulls creative forces. And if the Red Bulls are caught in transition, Yimmi will be more than happy to drive forward and cause problems for the backline, already leading Portland in goals. Both will be key to Portland’s success on Saturday, and will look to be known as more than just a trivia answer on gameday.

Wikelman Carmona & Cameron Harper

Carmona and Harper were both acquired with great hope in 2021, and while neither fully lived up to the promise in their debut seasons, they are still two talents to watch for the Red Bulls. Carmona was by far the more successful of the pair, amassing 15 starts, but his final tally of 1 goal and 1 assist left much to be desired from the Venezuelan teen. His confidence and creative energy shone through, but an obvious lack of experience kept him from earning more minutes. Harper was… not as great. He started the season with some late substitute appearances, had a strange encounter with the New England Revolution where he was substituted on in the 59th minute before being taken off in the 85th, and promptly spent the rest of the year with Red Bulls II. Advertised as a pacy, direct winger with boatloads of dribbling ability, the young American was seen as too raw by Struber and his staff, and was never really given a chance. Both Carmona and Harper have been out injured since preseason, and coincidentally both made their returns with Red Bulls II on the same match in a loss to Detroit City last Saturday.

The young duo will be looking to make their return to the senior bench against Portland, and may be looking for a chance farther ahead. Carmona is the most natural central attacking midfielder the squad has, and despite the solidifying of the Luquinhas-Fernandez-Morgan attacking trio in recent weeks, Carmona can look to build on earlier promise to make a case for being the first man off the bench. Harper does not have as much to build on, however his positional versatility was one of the reasons he was given the prestigious distinction of being nominated by yours truly to be the squad’s breakout player in 2022. Winger depth is currently thin, in recent weeks Struber has opted to switch to two-striker formations after taking out a member of his attacking trio, mainly due to not having any wingers to maintain the triadic setup and not trusting Zach Ryan to slot in at attacking midfield. Besides the more defensively oriented Christian Casseres Jr., Harper is the only natural winger that can fill up the bench, and could also feature at wingback when Struber fancies playing three in the back. Carmona or Harper will almost certainly not start against Portland, and they more than likely won’t play at all. However if they are selected to look on from the bench, it could mean that reinforcements are on the way sooner rather than later for the Red Bulls.

PREDICTION

Portland will be no easy match for New York, but recent struggles in Cascadia should be enough for the in-form road Bulls to take the 3 points in a 2-1 win.

Red Bulls Matchday Preview: Chicago Fire

2022-04-29T12:00:57-04:00

Caden Clark and Boris Sekulic battle during last year’s visit by the Fire to Harrison. | Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Will a simple formation and heroic goalkeeping give the Red Bulls potent away attack problems?

A college professor interviewing me for an honors program I was applying to told me a story about Harvard students as we closed the session. The professor had studied history at the esteemed university, and mentioned how he noticed that many of his Ivy League classmates dropped out of the school after receiving a C on their first test, not being able to cope with what for many was the first academic “failure” in their lives. It was a fascinating insight into the mind of the overachiever and the struggles many face when transitioning into adulthood, but more importantly it was an interesting metaphor for this week’s preview.

For after scoring 7 times in the opening two matches, New York Red Bulls fans were drunk on power. We sung the praises of our boys from Harrison, fully bought into the high press system and rejoiced at the return of goals to New York following a difficult 2021 scoring campaign. But when the goals dried up upon a return to home, the early joys were forgotten. Many, a group in which I ashamedly partially admit myself, hopped off the hype train and lambasted the system, blaming certain Polish strikers and the lack of attacking ideas beyond transition. 4 goals in 5 games felt like a desert in which we could not escape, a pitiful showing from a pitiful club that found itself only third in the Conference. Too soon the fans, spoiled in the early days, abandoned the offensive cause. The good times may be back after the dominant 3-0 win against Orlando City, but we must not forget how quickly we betrayed the team. We are no better than the Harvard students, receiving a C in goalscoring and doubting the larger process. Although in all fairness, many of us have accepted that we’re not better than Harvard students, so perhaps a better metaphor could have been chosen. I’ll stick to tactics. Here are Chicago’s.

TACTICS BOARD

The Chicago Fire have had a rough time of it in recent years, a long MLS history not coinciding with much success at the league level. The organization could be considered the league’s first expansion side, joining in 1998, and unexpectedly winning the MLS and Open Cup double in its first year of competitive play. The league title win would prove to be its only one, despite solid seasons the team fell in the playoffs time and time again, and around 2010 the side had fully lost its luster, settling as a struggling midtable side sliding down the totem pole as years passed. Turmoil with coaching, ownership, and fans saw the team see the playoffs only 2 times from 2010 to 2020, finishing last in the Conference twice in the process. Aside from a fluke 3rd place finish in 2017 no real progress was being made, so the organization turned to art majors in search of an answer.

A massive rebrand was announced in 2019, accompanied by a return to Soldier Field in Chicago where the team had spent its early years, as the head management attempted to cast away the shadows of a disappointing existence riddled with turmoil. Billionare businessman Joe Mansueto had bought the club, and he wanted a fresh start after the decades of fan discontent with longtime owner Andrew Hauptman over poor transfer strategy and a lack of money put into the club. The breeze of change seemed to blow over the Windy City with the new ownership, and hope returned to the club.

Chicago have still struggled since Hauptman sold the club to Joe Mansueto in 2019, but promising signs have shown. Front office has spent money like never before, with 8 of the club’s 10 most valuable signings having come after Mansueto took over. Soccer is a business at times, and if you want to stay at the top you have to be willing to make an investment, something that longtime fans felt wasn’t happening under Hauptman.

The academy started bearing fruit, it had not produced more than 2 Homegrowns in a year since its first promotion in 2012, but 4 Homegrowns were signed in 2019, and 6 in 2020. Things were going well on the surface, but results were still yet to come. The team came achingly close to playoff soccer in 2019 and 2020 under Hauptman-appointed coach Raphael Wicky, missing the postseason line by a point in the latter year. Wicky’s team was stubborn but vulnerable, and the Swiss manager was let go at the end of 2021 after inconsistency left the team with little visible improvement. The club finished the campaign 12th out of 14 in the East with interim manager Frank Klopas, and hired Ezra Hendrickson for 2022.

Hendrickson, a name sure to ring a bell for Red Bulls supporters after his 8 matches for the MetroStars in 1997 that were bizarrely followed by his being cut from the roster in the middle of the season, has had an inconspicuous but promising resume in his brief coaching career. He started his career bouncing around the a Seattle Sounders organization in its peak years, acting as an assistant coach to the first team and then a head coach for the second. He briefly took an assistant role at the LA Galaxy and then moved to Ohio in 2019, where he was once again an assistant at the Columbus Crew, also in its peak years. He’s earned experience at some of the best teams in league history, and certainly is qualified for a Chicago job where his main goal is to stabilize.

Hendrickson is not trying to reinvent the wheel, he’s brought a solid 4-2-3-1 with him from Columbus that’s going to solidify a defense that has been mediocre at best historically. He won’t be pressing too much, so far in 2022 Chicago find themself in the lower half of MLS teams in pressures per game, and the 6th lowest in the league in pressures in the attacking third per game. Chicago prefer to defend in a low block, allowing teams to come onto them and compressing space when they arrive, a more traditional approach that’s not used by all simply because of its passivity when it comes to transitioning into attack. Chicago can rely on their backline and defensive midfielders, as well as star goalkeeper Gabriel “Gaga” Slonina, to keep them safe in the back. And already the new system seems to be garnering results, desite the small sample size, the jump from 1.59 goals conceded per game in 2021 to the 0.63 conceded per game in 2022 is remarkable. Defensively, Hendrickson’s plan was to be compact and solid, and offensively, the plan was to get the ball to Xherdan Shaqiri.

The well traveled Swiss star arrived in Chicago to much fanfare in 2022, the front office shelling out a club record 7.7 million dollars on the playmaker. The idea was that Shaqiri would lie as the classic 10 in the middle of the “3” section of the 4-2-3-1. He’d get on the ball frequently, and use his extraordinary vision and technical ability to create shots for his teammates. Shaqiri has definitely gotten on the ball, having the fourth most touches per game on the Chicago roster.

However the attacking spark hasn’t quite come off yet, with the former Liverpool man unable to bolster an attack with the fifth least Shot Creating Actions per game in the league, the second least shots on target per game, and the least amount of goals in the league. While the ball has gotten to Shaqiri, nothing much has happened past that, leaving Chicago 10th in the Eastern Conference and still looking for offensive answers.

Hendrickson, a former defender, chose the defense as the first subject to his revolution of the club. Attacking play has suffered, but Red Bulls fans will know from Struber’s early days that stabilizing things on the defensive side will eventually lead to the attack working out. Hendrickson has quite the project in Chicago, and it seemed to be going well in 2022 as the team burst out of the gates to go undefeated in their first 5 games, conceding only once. Whatever spell Hendrickson had put on the defense seemed to have worked, and the initial part of his plan seemed to be working. However looking deeper, one can see that issues were evident. In that initial 5 game run, despite only conceding once the team was statistically expected to have conceded 3.8.

High differences between goal counts and expected goals typically indicate luck or extraordinary performances, and looking at the Chicago roster it’s easy to see that young goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina has likely been providing the latter. He’s been in superb form this season, gaining many plaudits for his performances and the age at which he’s giving them, but his run of form may be covering up bigger cracks in the Chicago system.

The cracks have started to show after Hendrickson’s honeymoon period ended with a poor 1-0 loss to Orlando City where the Floridians could have scored many more. The team followed their first loss with a low-quality draw against the LA Galaxy, an embarrassing Open Cup exit to third division side Union Omaha, and a bad 3-0 loss to Minnesota United. The Minnesota game in particular is worrying for Chicago; as all three goals, a long range effort from Emmanuel Reynoso that was closed down not nearly quick enough, a snap header from an unmarked Kevin Arriaga, and an effort from a Robin Lod in far too much space, were all caused by defensive lapses. Slonina cannot hold Chicago together forever, and although the Red Bulls have struggled against low blocks like the one Chicago employs, underlying numbers show that there’s room to break it down. The Red Bulls will likely hold the majority of possession at Soldier Field, and will be tasked with breaking Chicago down without really having to worry about anything going the other way.

KIT CONTEMPLATIONS

Chicago have opted for their home “Water Tower” uniform, the jersey released ahead of the 2022 campaign. It’s a… simple design, the classic blue that Chicago have worn for years adorning the shirt and pants, with a red trim complimenting it and paying homage to the other team color. It’s main calling card is a subtle design that can only be seen in promotional pictures, featuring a drawing of a local staple, the Chicago Water Tower, that runs along the shirt. While a nice touch, it’s the only element of spice to a very bland and unoriginal kit. Going with a single solid color for both shirt and pants is a risky endevour if you don’t have the right colors, as the 1995-96 Manchester United side will tell you, and the blasé navy blue is not the color to break the curse.

One of the less thought out efforts from Adidas earns a 3 out of 10.

PROJECTED LINEUPS

Chicago Fire (4-2-3-1)

NY Red Bulls (4-2-3-1)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Gabriel Slonina

What were you doing at 17? Gabriel “Gaga” Slonina is the definition of a prodigy, made the second-youngest Homegrown in MLS history after signing at the age of 14 in 2019, and making his senior debut last season at the tender age of 17 years and 81 days, the youngest starting goalkeeper in MLS history. Standing at 6’4, one wouldn’t mistake him for a youngster as he’s commandingly taken over the Chicago spot since his debut, garnering attention leaguewide. He’s the latest in a long tradition of American goalkeepers, and his ceiling seems to be sky-high.

As expected for a player of his height, he’s utterly dominant in the air, stopping a higher percentage of crosses than 75% of goalkeepers in the league. He’s capable of spectacular saves, with his incredible reflexes enabling him to stop shots fired from close range and at velocity, frequently keeping Chicago alive. One-on-one saves are a speciality, his incredible stop in the dying moments of the opening game against Orlando City (that ended up being offside and not mattering) impressed online. He’s been compared to the legendary Gianluigi Buffon in ability and prodigiousness, and while he’s likely to head off to Europe eventually, Chicago will be glad to have him around while they can.

It was offside but damn Slonina's good. pic.twitter.com/wQBmrrkcSA
— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) March 6, 2022

Luquinhas

The Brazilian Designated Player has gotten off to quite the start in New York, providing a desperately needed creative spark to the side. Fully acclimated to the side now, he’s taken up a regular role on the left wing in Struber’s 4-2-3-1, given full license to cut inside and roam in the name of wreaking havoc. He’s lived up to the billing with a goal and an assist in his 3 MLS starts thus far, adding another assist in his Open Cup game. It’s been a relief for Red Bulls fans to see an attacking player in such good form, and he’ll be needed against Chicago. Their defense has been one of the tougher ones thus far, desite the high xGa numbers they’ve still managed, and Slonina will be a wall even if the Red Bulls can get through the low block. The combination of the low block and a goalkeeper in form will be tough for a Red Bulls side that has historically struggled when given the ball, so the Red Bulls will need to maximize the amount of shots and chances created in order to give themselves a better chance of beating Slonina. Luquinhas is the most in form attacker on the roster, his vision and dribbling ability will be key to unlocking Chicago.

Dru Yearwood

Yearwood will be wondering what went wrong in 2022 after an interesting turn of fortunes. The Englishman started the first 6 matches of the campaign, pairing with Frankie Amaya to create a highly effective midfield duo. Yearwood has shown flashes of brilliance at his time in the Red Bulls, and even his average days are impressive. He’s an excellent dribbler, able to progress the ball forward almost effortlessly. He’s a very underrated defender, averaging 2.5 tackles winning possession per game in 2021, placing him in the 97th percentile of MLS midfielders in the category. Yearwood can win the ball deep and drive forward, and when he gets in stride it’s very hard to stop him, as his speed and close control enable him to retain the ball until he decides to release a well-weighted through ball or take a shot himself. All of these qualities had been on full display in 2022, his partnership with the fellow dual threat Amaya seemed to be blossoming into something undroppable.

But interestingly, he was droped from the starting XI against FC Dallas in favor of Christian Casseres, who had just returned from an injury that had sidelined him thus far. He returned to the lineup for the Open Cup game, but then was surprisingly omitted again against Orlando City, again in favor of the Venezuelan. Gerhard Struber has long been a fan of Christian Casseres, shunting him in a wide midfield role for much of 2021. And it seems that upon his return to the squad in 2022, he’s been restored to the starting lineup, with Yearwood being an unfortunate casualty. Yearwood will certainly feel hard done by, after such positive performances he’ll be concerned to have been replaced by a player well liked by the coaching staff. Yearwood can function as a playmaker from deep, so while he’ll be looking to help with the breakdown of the low block if he plays, he’ll also be looking to the match as a statement to the staff that he won’t lose his spot without a fight.

PREDICTION

Expect another spectacular, and frustrating, performance from Slonina on Saturday, accompanied by a less impressive Chicago defensive performance that ultimately costs the stubborn side a 1-0 loss to the road Bulls.