Tag / Red Bull Arena

by Frank Maduri

New York Red Bulls: The End of the Run

The New York Red Bulls marketing department had, in my opinion, a very catchy slogan for the team and their MLS Playoff campaign called: “Run With Us”. The team marketed this slogan on billboards, on their internet advertising, on their website, print materials, and on social media. The use of the hash tag on Twitter was prevalent in the days leading up to the playoffs.

 

Well, last night the “Run” for the Red Bulls ended as did the marketing campaign and, most importantly the Red Bulls aspirations of advancing in the playoffs. New York lost to the Houston Dynamo in the 2 game Eastern Conference Semifinals Series by an aggregate score of 4-3.

 

I was there in the stands at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey and I could not believe that the magical season for the Red Bulls ended last night.

 

Opportunities Lost

 

The Red Bulls had numerous opportunities in this game to put away the Dynamo and they fell short. New York controlled the entire game, outplaying Houston in every facet. They took a lead early in the game on a cross by Lloyd Sam which the Houston goalkeeper, Tally Hall, mishandled and fumbled to the feet of New York forward Bradley Wright-Phillips, who promptly kicked it into the net for a goal.

 

The crowd at Red Bull Arena exploded following the goal, the feeling in the stadium was that this game would be the end to the Red Bulls streak of consecutive losses in a row at home in the playoffs which stood at 6 games going into the game last night (www.mlssoccer.com).

Then, about ten minutes later, New York defender Ibrahim Sekagya made an ill-advised and errant pass inside his own penalty area which was intercepted by Houston team captain Brad Davis. Davis drilled a close range shot past Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles, and the game, as well as the series, was now tied.

 

New York had numerous attempts to recapture the lead in the game and reverse the tide of the series and could not capitalize on them. Tim Cahill deflected Thierry Henry’s initial shot but Hall made the save for Houston. The fans in my section could not believe that they missed a goal in that sequence.

 

In the 65th minute, Henry had a header go off the crossbar and miss scoring, and he had an incredible bicycle kick in overtime which was steered away wide of the goal by a diving Tally Hall. In total, the Red Bulls had 23 scoring attempts to Houston totaling just 9 (www.mlssoccer.com).

 

New York had 9 shots on target and Houston had 3. New York outshot Houston 19 to 7, and had 42 crossing passes to Houston totaling just 13 (www.mlssoccer.com).

 

Observations from the Stands

 

In my view from the stands I observed several aspects of this game that stood out to me, and having watched this Red Bulls team compete all season over nine months I have come to know them very well.

 

The officiating of this match was terribly inconsistent, and calls were made on both sides that were questionable. The New York fans were irate at certain points of the match as well over some dubious calls by the referee. Overall, there were too many fouls called, a total of 36, which completely disrupted the flow of the game.

 

The inconsistency also was present in numerous challenges and tackles for possession of the ball which looked like a foul had taken place and no foul would be called; only to have a subsequent play which looked innocuous and a foul would be issued at that point.

 

The Red Bulls looked tentative during most of this game, Head Coach Mike Petke made comments after the game that his players rushed their passes and crosses at times (www.mlssoccer.com). I would agree with that assessment, the crosses from where I was sitting looked as though the timing was disrupted on them.

 

I expected the Red Bulls to come out flying after Houston tied the score and they did not, they did not go full throttle after some balls I thought they could have made plays on, I did not understand their hesitation. New York knew that the Dynamo would leave three to four players back on defense to avoid losing the game since they were the road team, and that is the strategy most road teams would employ in that situation.

 

Therefore, in order for the Red Bulls to generate scoring chances they would have to bring forward several players to get a numbers advantage on the Dynamo, I do not think they did that enough in the later minutes of this game.

 

The red card suspension of Jamison Olave from the first game of the series on Sunday loomed over the game last night, I could not help but wonder if we would have had a different result with his presence in the lineup. The Red Bulls did play well on defense though overall, they just made a few mistakes at critical junctures.

 

From my vantage point in the stadium I did not get a very good view of the deciding goal scored in overtime by Omar Cummings. I actually thought that it was saved by Robles until I saw the Dynamo players celebrating in a group. I was still hopeful at that point that the Red Bulls could score a goal before the end of overtime, they had some chances, but in the end it was not their night.

 

Moving Forward

 

I exited the Red Bull Arena last night surrounded by fellow Red Bulls fans, and it was very quiet. Most of us, myself included, were in shock that the season was now over.

 

Many questions remain unanswered about this team. Some of those questions will be answered in the offseason which begins now for New York. Will this same roster of players return next season? Will the front office make some changes to the role players? Will they add a star player via trade or outside acquisition?

 

So many questions, and the weeks ahead will provide the answers. Some members of the media today have questioned whether the Red Bulls season should be looked at as a breakthrough or a disappointment? (www.nydailynews.com)  I am not sure I know the answer to that question yet either.

 

Other reporters have pointed out that the elimination of the Red Bulls cost MLS the opportunity to have their championship game played in the New York area. That is a valid point, the game being played in New York would have brought enhanced media attention to the MLS Cup.

 

Last night as I exited the stadium into the dark night, fans were throwing the promotional cards that read: “Run With Us” on the sidewalk. The brisk autumn wind kicked up and scattered those cards in the air like leaves. I watched them flutter through the air, filled with disappointment, when I realized that this team had turned a corner.

 

I began to think about all of their dramatic victories this season and realized that there will be more of those games and performances to come. I look forward now to next season when myself and my fellow loyal Red Bulls fans will begin another “run” with this team that we all are so passionate about.

 

 

 

 

by Frank Maduri

New York Red Bulls: A Must Win Playoff Tonight

 

The New York Red Bulls enter very treacherous waters tonight in the second leg of their Eastern Conference MLS Playoff series with the Houston Dynamo. The Dynamo, by virtue of their two unanswered goals on Sunday in the first leg of the series, have made this a winner moves on, and the loser goes home match here in the second meeting (www.mlssoccer.com).

 

The Dynamo are no strangers to playoff pressure, as they have advanced to the MLS Cup Final the past two seasons in a row (both times as a wild card team) only to lose both championship games to the L.A. Galaxy (www.mlssoccer.com).

 

Conversely, the Red Bulls have been known more for their playoff shortcomings than anything else in their history. The late season lapses for this team have been notable in recent years. The franchise approached this season with a revamped roster and a new head coach, Mike Petke, on a mission to change that playoff losing trend.

 

Supporters Shield

 

The Red Bulls won the Supporters Shield for the first time in their 18 year history this season meaning that they had the best record in the 34 game regular season across all of Major League Soccer.

 

The trophy and the best overall record provide the Red Bulls with home field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs, including in the championship game should they advance that far. That advantage will be critical tonight as New York will play in front of their loyal and loud supporters at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.

 

The Red Bulls are a much better team at home in their own building than they are on the road, that is why the fact that the team squandered a 2-0 lead on the road in Houston last Sunday will loom like a large swath of dark clouds over this game tonight.

 

Tonight’s Second Leg Match

 

The match tonight will be the biggest one the Red Bulls will have played in a very long time. If they do not win, they will be eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs then the media and the fan base will ridicule this team for throwing away the magical regular season, which earned them the critical home field advantage in the playoffs.

 

New York will be without their best defensive player, Jamison Olave, who was ejected by a straight red card in the first leg of this series on Sunday following a tackle along the sideline. The announcers on NBC both felt the referee was wrong to issue a straight red card instead of a cautionary yellow card. The loss of Olave forced the Red Bulls to play short a man for the rest of the match and, more importantly, the suspension will cost them Olave’s exceptional defensive presence tonight in the second leg.

 

Entering the playoffs I was the most nervous about the Red Bulls having to face the Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference playoff draw because of their past experience and very strong team chemistry. They also have an outstanding coaching staff which will have this team well prepared to play tonight against New York.

 

Houston Dynamo – Key Players:  (all stats courtesy of www.houstondynamo.com)

Will Bruin (Forward) – 8 goals, 7 Assists

Ricardo Clark (midfield) – 4 goals

Kofi Sarkodie (defender) – 7 yellow cards

Brad Davis     (midfield) – 4 goals, 9 assists

Tally Hall       (goalkeeper) – 95 saves

 

The Dynamo got a huge goal from Ricardo Clark in the first leg match on Sunday, and will rely on him to move the ball through the midfield into the open space created by their playmakers up front. His ability to get the ball to Will Bruin in particular is going to be something that the Red Bulls will need to prepare for in this game.

 

The other aspect worth watching is if the Red Bulls can bait Kofi Sarkodie into losing his temper and picking up a card in this match. If they can get an early yellow card on him, then he will be forced to tone down his aggressive defensive style. Then, the Red Bulls can make attacking runs into their defensive area targeting Sarkodie because he will have to choose between backing down or getting ejected from the game.

 

One final note on the Dynamo, is Brad Davis, if you are going to watch the game at home tonight (MSG Network 8 PM) and you have not seen Davis play, he is a truly exciting and electric talent. He is the Captain of the Dynamo, and he is also on the U.S. National Team, he has a wonderful well rounded game. He is particularly dangerous in the attacking third of the field, and the Red Bulls have to mark him very aggressively on defense in this match.

 

Key Players – New York Red Bulls: (all stats courtesy of www.newyorkredbulls.com)

 

Thierry Henry – (Forward) – 10 goals, 9 assists

Tim Cahill (Fwd/Midfield) – 11 goals, 5 assists

Jonny Steele (Midlfield) – 5 goals, 6 assists

Luis Robles (Goalkeeper) – 103 saves

Markus Holgersson (defender) – needs to play huge in absence of Olave

 

Cahill continued his clutch play this season by scoring a goal in the first leg of this series. His ability to get past the Dynamo defensive group is going to be crucial tonight.

 

I think Henry was conserving energy late in the first leg game to have a huge performance tonight. His height is a problem for the Dynamo, and I think New York should exploit that by having other players take the corner kicks to allow Henry to get a head on the ball inside the penalty area.

 

Jonny Steele has played very well and I think his passing and ability to take the wing on overlapping runs with other players is going to be a very important aspect of the Red Bulls offensive strategy tonight.

 

Outlook

 

The Red Bulls have never lost at home to Houston (www.mlssoccer.com). I think that New York will find a way to win this game behind their passionate fans. The loss of Olave is key, but the team will rely on other guys to step up and fill the void.

 

The Red Bulls had a lot of success moving the ball into their attacking third by countering the moves made by Houston to advance the ball. I think that New York can capitalize on those counter-attacks and get the ball to Henry, Cahill, or Steele to make plays in open space.

 

This is it for the Red Bulls, the stakes could not be any higher. A win tonight will move them closer to their goal of winning the MLS Cup on their home field. A loss will bring back all the old ghosts which have haunted this franchise in the past. I predict a Red Bulls win 2-1 in a nail biter with the home field and home crowd being the deciding factor.

 

by Frank Maduri

New York Red Bulls vs. Real Salt Lake : A Huge Match for Both Teams

The stakes could not get much higher for a regular season game in Major League Soccer (MLS) than Saturday night, when the New York Red Bulls host Real Salt Lake at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ at 7 PM.

 

MSG Network will have the TV coverage in the New York / NJ metro market, and believe it or not, the local ABC affiliate in Salt Lake City will be airing this match live for that market and their loyal fans.

 

Background

 

The Red Bulls enter the match in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference tied with the Montreal Impact with 32 points (www.mlssoccer.com). The last game played by New York was on July 20th which ended as a 0-0 tie in Toronto.

 

The Red Bulls have allowed 0 goals in their last two games and they trail Sporting Kansas City for first place in the East by 4 points (www.mlssoccer.com).

 

Real Salt Lake (RSL) enters this match as the top team, not only in the Western Conference, but the top team in the league with 37 points. They hold the lead in what is known as the Supporters Shield which is the name of the honor given by MLS to the team with the best overall regular season record (www.mlssoccer.com).

 

The team from Utah is a powerhouse team with a record of 11 wins 6 losses and 4 ties. The match on Saturday night will be the only regular season meeting between the two teams this season.

 

The two teams met last season in Utah in the second game of the season in March 2012, and RSL defeated the Red Bulls by a score of 2-0 (www.nbcsports.com). The all time head-to-head record for the meetings of these two teams has New York with a record of 3 wins, 5 losses, and 7 ties. The Red Bulls have won all three of those games in the series at home against RSL, the information on the records was provided by MLS archives on their website.

 

A Fan’s Perspective

 

My perspective as a fan that watches the Red Bulls frequently is one of excitement and cautious optimism for this big match. New York plays really well at home in front of their dedicated fans at the Red Bull Arena.

 

The Red Bulls are coming off a disappointing result to Toronto FC where they could not score a goal against a team which is one of the worst defensive teams in the MLS. So they need this game as a “bounce back game” or as former NFL legend and soon to be Hall of Famer, Warren Sapp, would call it a “get right game”.

 

Red Bulls head coach, Mike Petke, will have his team prepared well for this match. He knows RSL coach Jason Kreis very well as they are contemporaries having played in MLS during the same period of time, and then moved into coaching immediately after their playing days ended.

 

I have seen Real Salt Lake play a few times here and there this season, and have read the news coverage around them throughout the season. The team was my preseason pick to win the MLS Cup championship this year. My prediction looks pretty solid right now.

 

RSL is a very talented team with incredible depth. They will need it on Saturday night because, in another key reason why I like New York to win this game, RSL will be travelling east very short handed.

Beckerman, Beltran, and Rimando (their starting goalkeeper) will all miss this game because they will be playing for Team USA in the international tournament called the Gold Cup (www.nbcsports.com).

 

Then, Saunders (their backup goalie), Salcedo, Schuler, and three other role players are out for this game due to injury. Finally, Chris Wingert, who is a key player for their side, is suspended due to his total of yellow cards for rough play (www.mlssoccer.com).

 

Analysis

 

In watching Real Salt Lake play, and having played soccer myself and with my tactical knowledge of the sport; I have observed some things about their approach and strategy. They are very well organized, they play excellent defense, and can be very well disciplined.

 

They tend to stay pretty narrow through the midfield, using shorter, more precise passes to transition into the attacking third of the field. They have very talented forwards, notably Robbie Findley, Olmes Garcia, and Joao Plata. That trio is very dangerous and the Red Bulls need to be prepared defensively to combat their attack.

In the midfield, they have in my opinion, their most talented player in Javier Morales. Morales is a dynamic playmaker and passer, who can also put shots on goal with great accuracy. He is a very difficult player to defend, and the Red Bulls are going to have to determine their best man to defend him pretty early on in this game.

 

Their fullbacks also have a tendency to slide up into attack position, particularly their outside fullbacks, which can create problems for their opponents. However, I think New York has the personnel to counter this element of their attack.

 

The big wild card in this game is Jeff Attinella, he is their number 3 goalie, but because of the injuries and the players missing from the Gold Cup, he will start in goal for RSL on Saturday night. He has very limited experience, and I think the Red Bulls can capitalize on that inexperience to win this match.

 

The Red Bulls looked very tight when I saw them play against Montreal on July 13. The offense looked incredibly crisp, and defensively they played very well and had excellent structure in that game against an outstanding offensive opponent.

 

The key players for the Red Bulls are: Fabian Espindola, Tim Cahill, Thierry Henry, Dax McCarty, Jamison Olave, and their goalie Luis Robles.

 

McCarty makes that list because he may have to mark up and defend Morales. Espindola is playing against his former team, having spent many years with RSL, it will be his first game as well as Olave’s first game against their former teammates since the offseason trade which landed them both in New York.

 

Olave looked solid to me in the Montreal game, he was all over the defensive third of the field making plays on the ball. The play of Robles too was very impressive, he was very good at protecting the goal, particularly on corner kicks. He will be tested early and often by RSL in this game.

 

Tim Cahill should be able to make some plays through the midfield to transition the Red Bulls in this game, and I think Henry is determined to have a great performance against RSL, who he has always respected. If you remember, it was Henry that really engineered that trade for Espindola and Olave because he liked the RSL style of play and wanted those guys with him in New York.

 

Henry and Espindola both being “on their game” in this match could be too much for a shorthanded RSL side to handle.

 

Prediction

 

I think the Red Bulls win this match by a score of 3-1. I like that they have the home field advantage, a more talented group of 11, and RSL has an inexperienced goalkeeper. It should be a great match, which could be a championship game preview. I look forward to watching on Saturday night, and reviewing it next week. My favorite team, the Red Bulls against the best team in Real Salt Lake. This is MLS soccer at its best.