MLS Playoff Contenders: New York Red Bulls
Why New York will make the playoffs:
1. They have made it every year since signing Thierry Henry
The last time New York missed out on the playoffs was in 2009, the year before they signed French superstar, Thierry Henry. New York were one of the worst teams in the league in 2009, finishing in 7th place in the East and were still playing at Giants Stadium. Since that dreadful season, New York has made the playoffs every year, and built a world class soccer-specific venue, Red Bull Arena. The Red Bulls have lost in the Quarter Finals each of the last four years, but nonetheless, they made it to the postseason, which is a lot more than other teams can say.
2. Bradley Wright-Phillips has been unstoppable
Bradley Wright-Phillips has no less than 24 goals on the season thus far. He has proven to the entire league that he can be an elite striker in Major League Soccer, and is more than capable of stepping out of Henry’s shadow. Many believe that Wright-Phillips deserves to be the league MVP, and it is difficult to argue with them. There are few players in the league, let alone the East, that possess the attacking prowess that Wright-Phillips has, and he’s shown that he can score against even the best teams on the planet.
3. Red Bull Arena
Three of New York’s final four matches, including their next three, take place at Red Bull Arena, where they have been virtually unbeatable. They are in a great situation because all the teams they play are in the midst of the playoff race in some capacity, and if they can get results, they could finish as high as third. All their matches are against opposition that should be familiar to them: Houston, Toronto, Columbus, and Sporting KC. Columbus and Toronto sit directly above them and below them in the table, and the Red Bulls should be salivating at the chance to play them in New York. The Red Bulls have not lost on their home grounds since May 24th, and have won their last five league matches at home. New York has made even some of the best teams in the league look silly at Red Bull Arena recently, including D.C. and Seattle. As a result. it is not a place teams look forward to playing at, which is just fine for the Red Bulls and their supporters.
Why New York will not make the playoffs
1. Poor defensively
Only Houston and Montreal have given up more goals than New York has in the East. The Red Bulls have conceded 46 goals this season, including the four that they gave up to Los Angeles on Sunday night. They have tons of firepower up top in the likes of Henry and Wright-Phillips, but have looked shaky at the back on a number of occasions. They have shored up many of their defensive issues in recent weeks, but as the Galaxy proved, New York is still very susceptable in defense.
2. Tough competition
The West might have Major League Soccer’s best two teams in the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles Galaxy, but the East looks to have a lot more depth. With the likes of Philadelphia, Toronto, Columbus, Sporting KC, and even Houston fighting New York for a playoff spot, nothing is a guarantee. New York plays four of the five aforementioned teams in the final matches of the season, and it will be completely up to them whether they get into the playoffs or not.