“NY Red Bulls” or “Big Apple Road Kill”?
Why would the NY Red Bulls cross the road?
Fans of New York’s oldest MLS club are likely posing that riddle to one another fairly regularly this 2017 season. That’s because almost every time their team has wandered out of their own backyard this year things have ended in the same unpleasant way.
That’s pretty much what happened this past week. Just ask NYRB head man, Jesse Marsch:
https://twitter.com/NewYorkRedBulls/status/871392362672422912
Takeaway Number 1: Something’s Gotta Change
Red Bull’s favored formation puts a lot of pressure on Bradley Wright-Phillips. He is literally the tip of the spear. Though he had a great chance early in the Impact game, he did not convert.
As MLSMultiplex warned before NYRB latest outing this past weekend, at some point, opponents get wise to the team’s limited offensive options. Once that happens those opponents focus their efforts on shutting down Wright-Phillips and then wait for their own chances.
While BWP generally plays very well as a classic striker, at least on the road Marsch may want to consider changing Red Bulls’ shape. It may do well to pull Wright-Phillips back and try to make more space up front for more options.
Takeaway Number 2: More Production From a Stopped Ball is Needed
The other obvious lacking for Red Bulls is not enough production from set pieces. New York had several chances to put pressure on goal against the Impact from a stopped ball but was completely off the mark more than once.
They seem to have had the most success this year with Felipe over the ball and Royer and Kljestan in the box. Until something better comes along Red Bulls might do well to make it their business to ensure they’ve set themselves in that way whenever a free kick comes along.
Takeaway Number 3: Luis Robles is Good…Very Good
Red Bulls offensive production on the road, as Coach Marsch said, is nearly non-existent. And as a result on paper, the team has one of the worst goal differentials in the league at -6. Putting those 2 facts together, however, means that when they lose, as they do so often as the away side, they don’t lose by much.
That’s exactly what happened in Montréal. If it were not for NYRB’s outstanding goalkeeping that GD would be much, much worse.
Luis Robles with an INCREDIBLE save! #RBNY pic.twitter.com/jYUA2QqJaJ
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) June 4, 2017
Next: Best MLS Players Overlooked By Bruce Arena
Bonus Takeaway: Impact + Blerim Džemaili = Serious Eastern Conference Contender
In the preview for this match, MLSMultiplex also noted the terrific change in Montréal Impact’s fortunes this season since acquiring Blerim Džemaili who scored the match winner against NYRB. The club is now 3 wins of its last 4 matches, with 11 goals scored since Džemaili arrived on loan from Bologna FC 1909 of Italy.
If that trend continues inter-provincial rivals Toronto FC may be in for some heated competition in the MLS East very soon.