New York Red Bulls: Were not enough risks taken in leg one?

The New York Red Bulls dominance in leg two showed their cautiousness in leg one and put them at a loss to take control of the two legged series before it even started

The build up to Tuesday’s New York Red Bulls vs Chivas game was intense. Jair Pereira’s suspension appeal, comments about refereing favoritsm, Chivas’ complaints about their trip to New York, and the spill over from El Piojo’s comments on MLS and Liga MX.

But when it came down to it, there was a game to play. And The Red Bulls seemed unaffected by the pregame chatter, coming out the gates gun-blazing. Marsch’s side was listed pre-game in a 4-2-3-1, but it was far from their normal shape.

The New York Red Bulls desperately needed a goal, and got their wing-backs forward, pinched in their wingers, Derrick Etienne and Daniel Royer, to play as make-shift forwards. BWP dropped back deep and played the #10 role, which he has never done before. Valot pressed all over the field, while Davis sat in front of the back four.

It was essentially a 3-4-3 when they pushed forward in the first half. And it worked extremely well. Jesse Marsch put together a team that tormented Chivas. But Red Bull failed to do what mattered most, score.

What They Did Well

The New York Red Bulls dominated the first half with 12 shots, 5 on target, and 5 off target. Due to Red Bull’s relentless high pressing, Chivas could not get out of their own side of the pitch in the first half. Chivas was forced to make 20 clearances meanwhile Red Bull only made 2. Hugo Almeyda’s side struggled to deal with Red Bull’s wingbacks, both Adams and Lawrence got forward and created havoc from the outside. Chivas’ clearances gave way to long throws which became a consistent source of set pieces.

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Florian Valot was buzzing around the midfield, regaining possession when lost and swooping in when the initial press was broken. In a role we never saw before, Wright-Phillips slotted back and spread the ball around to on running players like Etienne and Royer. Aaron Long, Tim Parker and Michael Murillo were intimidating and commanding. The backline’s strength allowed the rest of the team to chase a goal, and force Chivas on the back foot.

So what didn’t they do well? Nothing, really. But naturally at the end of the game, the team faltered and ran out of energy. After the 65th minute, Chivas gained a slight edge in possession and Red Bull was forced to play hopeful long ball, after long ball. The game felt over and the subs of Kaku and Rivas couldn’t do much about it. The connection between defense and attack was non-existent late, and Chivas had opened the game up. Sean Davis and Valot could no longer check back to the ball effectively to distribute, and at that point the chances petered out.

The Better Team Across Two Legs By Far, Why Give Chivas So Much Respect?

ZAPOPAN, MEXICO – APRIL 04: Rodolfo Pizarro of Chivas fights for the ball with Tyler Adams of New York RB during the semifinal match between Chivas and New York RB as part of the CONCACAF Champions League at Akron Stadium on April 4, 2018 in Zapopan, Mexico. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)

The New York Red Bulls were overwhelmingly the better side in leg two, but in leg one they may have also had the slight edge.

The gameplan in the first leg was to give Chivas the ball and allow them to pass the ball out of the back. Jesse Marsch wanted his side to force a mistake, and snatch a goal against the run of play. And it could have worked, but it didn’t, instead it was Red Bull who gave away the goal. After 180 minutes, in 2 matches, it was just Tyler Adams’ giveaway that dictated the whole tie.

Chivas created one meaningful chance in 180 minutes. They couldn’t boss the game at home, even

when given the change to do so.

But it was the mentality in-game one which set Red Bull back. The mentality was survive, not win. Go down to Mexico and grab a goal on a counter, keep it scoreless, or worst case go home down 1-0, which they accomplished. Jesse Marsch voiced his cautiousness pre-game before leg one,

"Obviously it rewards teams that are aggressive on the road (away goals), the danger with being aggressive on the road is now you can be hurt in the other direction. So, I think we will have a very intelligent game plan, we’ll be very aware of what Chivas will be trying to accomplish and what they are good at. They are going to have to adjust to what we do, and things that we are good at and for sure in moments we will be very aggressive to attack, very aggressive on set pieces, theres areas of the game we think we can gain advantages but we always have to do it with the idea in mind that we don’t want to expose ourselves because specifically the attacking players for Chivas are very talented."

My point, is not to play without caution, but play with confidence, play with the ball at your feet. And I think in both legs, Red Bull proved they were the better side of this tie. If you are the better side, you go down to Mexico and play with confidence. New York gave Chivas too much respect, historical Liga MX giants or not, they are struggling and in 15th place of the Mexican Clausura. Their form sparked Liga MX to abandon relegation in fear of losing their biggest club. Chivas’ form and morale was at an all-time low.

In Leg One, other than the lone goal of the game, Red Bull defended well and attempted more passes in Chivas’ final third than Chivas did in their’s. They kept them at bay, and allowed them to have possession in harmless areas.

Michael Perez (R) of Mexico’s Guadalajara vies for the ball with Bradley Wright-Phillips (L) of New York Red Bull during the CONCACAF Champions League first leg semifinals match at Akron stadium in Guadalajara, Jalisco State, Mexico on April 4, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / ULISES RUIZ (Photo credit should read ULISES RUIZ/AFP/Getty Images)

But when they had the ball, they consciously lumped it forward. Afraid of being pick-pocketed in midfield, and getting caught on the break. On the road, at altitude, you need to play smart, I get it. But in hindsight, it was too conservative, too passive, especially against a vulnerable team with the pressures of a whole nation on their shoulders. The lack of risk taking ultimately backfired, New York had just 37% possession. A passing accuracy of 53% and a measly 39% accuracy in the final third. Bypassing the whole midfield, to where a midfielder who played 90 mins, Daniel Royer, only attempted 13 passes. Alex Muyl only attempted 11 passes.

The long ball plan caused the New York Red Bulls to run senselessly for 70 minutes, before Collin’s red card, and not get into rhythm. If only Marsch chose intervals of the game to attempt to control the game, and utilize the 5 man backline. Get his outside backs forward and get his midfielders in opportunities to create, get BWP service.

Leg One was the leg to take risks, leg two they could have sat back and played long ball, not the other way around. Red Bull missed an opportunity to come home and defend in place where they haven’t conceded in all of 2018.

What if?

If the New York Red Bulls were able to get a goal on the road playing their game, it would have been Chivas with the pressure on at Red Bull Arena. Even if Chivas had won leg one, 2-1, they could have been the team with their backs against the wall.

It’s all what-if’s now, and MLS play is now the only priority. The Red Bulls now come crashing back to reality. And their efforts in CCL were valiant. But its tough to see, Toronto vs New York could have been thriller.

Nonetheless both Red Bull and Toronto made statements in leg two of the semis and 2018 CCL put Liga MX on notice that MLS is finally here to compete.