Are the New York Red Bulls back to being a dominant MLS team?

After a rough start to the MLS season, the New York Red Bulls are chugging along nicely. Friday night’s 2-0 win over Nashville SC a sign of a club that is clearly pointed in the right direction.

And, at the end of the day, the New York Red Bulls might in fact be one of the top teams in an Eastern Conference that is a bit muddled at the moment.

Outside of the New England Revolution and the Philadelphia Union, no team has staked themselves to a place of authority in the Eastern Conference. With Friday night’s win over Nashville, the Red Bulls are 4-4-0 (12 points). All 12 points have come from their last six games, now with consecutive wins boosting them up the table. This comes as they eye a midweek match at the conference-topping Revolution.

The roster overhaul for the Red Bulls led in part to a slow start that began with two losses from their first two games. Only three players from Friday’s Starting XI would be considered major contributors to last year’s team under then head coach Chris Armas.

Blending together essentially eight new starters (Caden Clark was a late season signing who didn’t feature under Armas and left back John Tolkin didn’t see any minutes last year) is not an easy task. But the New York Red Bulls seem to be coming together and improving by the week.

“Yes, I think, also, we can remember our whole preseason was very difficult was from the, [with] the whole COVID situation. Yeah, it was challenge not only for us also for other teams,” head coach Gerhard Struber said following the match.

“And I think for us it’s so important that we have so many new players with so many new young players from different cultures, and I think it’s game time it is very, very important and I think right now, we make the necessary steps and.

“But of course, I think we stay in this moment also in the start points I can see so many good topics what we realize right now but also we have many of the tools to improve and also today. Yeah, and I think, yeah we on a, on the right way, but I think I realized the whole, the quality from many players in my in my roster and we have to bring every game, a different level a higher level and in the end the highest standard. And this is what I expect from my players.

“I think today was the next benchmark and I think right now it’s the right time also a way to pick up points and realize a peak performance.”

The New York Red Bulls have consistently been one of the best teams in MLS the past decade. They haven’t missed the playoffs since Red Bull Arena opened in 2010 and they have three Supporters Shields during that stretch.

They are beginning to look like a feared side yet again.

Last year’s team, arguably the weakest roster this organization has had since the ill-fated 2009 campaign, was still competitive. But the Red Bulls have a unique blend of depth and newcomers that seem to have the club far more competitive than the also-rans who made up the gameday roster under Armas last year.

Most importantly, however, it seems like the offensive production is starting to round into form. Fabio, whose loan was extended earlier this month, scored his first goal in MLS in the 37th minute.

And for a second straight game, fellow forward Patryk Klimala had an assist. If the team can become dangerous in front of goal – something they lacked in 2020 – then this roster could be dangerous come the playoffs.

“Yeah, I think for every striker it’s important in the end to score goals and what I think I can see today that Patryk and Fabio, they have a good connection together they, they make many, many good movements,” Struber said.

“They are. I think it was very, very difficult to manage the game from Nashville, I think, Yeah, play a very interesting. Patrick with his outstanding movements and the pace that he have, I think. Yeah, it’s not easy to handle in the end. Yeah and Fabio I think today. Yeah, very good for him to score and this gives him a big, big conviction for the next big games and for the whole team I think was, was a good feeling that our strikers, make a very good job and in the end also they help us with the right goals in the right time.”

Follow Kristian Dyer of ‘MLS Multiplex‘ on Twitter @KristianRDyer