New York City Football Club are on the road this weekend as they face Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena.
For this edition of 'The Away End' presented by Berkeley College & Rennert International, we spoke to Ben Cork, reporter and editor for Red Bulls blog Once A Metro.
Hi Ben, thanks so much for speaking with us again. How has 2022 been for Red Bulls?
It’s been a good season that has consistently threatened to become a great one without quite doing so yet. After a bizarre early run where the Red Bulls had a perfect away record until May but struggled to get results at home, the form of Gerhard Struber’s team has evened out. Resurgent home form has put the team near the top of the Eastern Conference and in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup, but inconsistent performances on the road have kept the Red Bulls from taking control of the table at various moments in recent weeks.
What has been your highlight of the MLS season?
The Red Bulls have had several high moments including a recent home win over DC United that featured two different goals of the season candidates from Lewis Morgan and Luquinhas. But it’s a 3-0 win over Orlando in April that might sum up the best version of this team — score the first goal, use the opponent’s desperation to lure them into the press, and pick occasional opportunities to break your own numbers forward.
Who would you describe as the team's danger man?
Much attention has been given to Brazilian attacker Luquinhas, whose tenacious dribbling has the capability of changing games. But the most potent manifestation of the team’s danger this year has been the foot (either foot, really) of Lewis Morgan, the Scottish international signed from Inter Miami in the offseason. Whether deployed as a wingback, a 10, a more traditional winger, or even occasionally as a center forward, Morgan’s ball-striking skills have saved the team in several games and is the weapon the Red Bulls win battles with most often in 2022. But even beyond his eye-catching strikes from deep, Morgan has shown a poacher’s instinct as well with multiple set-piece finishes over recent weeks.
Are there any weaknesses you think NYCFC could target?
While it might be antithetical to the way NYCFC has been built in recent years, the tactic that’s given the Red Bulls the most difficulty this year has been plain old parking the bus. Teams who forfeit possession and don’t take the passing risks needed to turn pressing into transition moments will find that the Red Bulls still struggle to break down a conservative defense. Much negative attention has been given to the team’s strikers, but the Red Bulls also struggle to create service in many games, with no true final-ball-playing 10 and energetic wingbacks who nonetheless struggle with end product. Results in recent weeks have been narrowly secured through dead ball moments, but the team’s ability to force danger from the run of play is still in question.
What do you think will be the decisive factor in Sunday's game?
As mentioned earlier, given the tactics the Red Bulls diligently adhere to, scoring the first goal and setting the tone for the game is crucial. If the Red Bulls get an early goal, things can get very messy for opponents — but if teams are able to force the Red Bulls to chase the game, there is often plenty of space and exhaustion to exploit.
Do you have a prediction for Sunday's game?
-I think there will be goals, and the crowd energy will force answers to them from their respective teams. But in the end, I think we see a 2-2 draw as these teams wait to see if there are bigger stakes for their meeting in September
