New York City FC take on the Red Bulls this Saturday in an Eastern Conference Semifinal.
For this edition of 'The Away End' presented by Berkeley College & Rennert International, we spoke to James Birle, a reporter covering the Red Bulls for WFUV Sports.
Hi James, thanks for speaking with us again! What did you make of the regular season for the Red Bulls?
Thanks for having me back! The regular season was, to put it bluntly, frustrating for the Red Bulls and their fans. After a strong start in the spring, New York hit a rough patch through the stretch of summer, largely due to the absence of Emil Forsberg who was out with an injury. Despite flashes of attacking prowess and killer instinct in the early part of the season, the same problems that have hurt the Red Bulls for several years came back to haunt them. When Forsberg's unavailability prevented his teammates from receiving elite playmaking, it became clear once again that New York lacked a true goal-scoring striker up front, instead relying on true winger Lewis Morgan to bag 13 goals away from his most natural position. However, after limping into the MLS Cup Playoffs, the Red Bulls, led by a healthy Forsberg, have looked like a different beast, taking two games out of two against the reigning champs with contributions from just about everyone on the pitch in a new 3-4-1-2 structure. Sandro Schwarz clearly figured something out against Wilfried Nancy's historically good Columbus Crew team and it proved successful.
The two teams have previously played each other twice in 2024. What did you make of the previous matchups?
The two previous Hudson River Derbies this year were decisive victories for New York City FC, one more so than the other. Cushing-ball seems to have worked best against City's biggest rival this season. Even in the 2-1 game at Citi Field, the Red Bulls were completely outmatched, constantly seeing their press beaten in three or fewer passes and having very little of the ball in attacking areas. New York City FC’s possession-first system was on full display in the 5-1 beatdown at Red Bull Arena as they were able to pounce on every glaring error the Red Bulls made that September night. Just utter dominance both in their tactical and mental approach on the night, and it felt like the end to an otherwise underwhelming season for most Red Bulls fans. Nevertheless, New York has won some of those doubters back with their Round One win over Columbus as players who were ridiculed for their performances against City, such as goalkeeper Carlos Coronel and homegrown midfielder Daniel Edelman, were key contributors in orchestrating that upset. It almost feels like watching a different team altogether.
How does this being a playoff game, compared to a regular season meeting, impact the overall contest?
The stakes have never been higher. Win and you advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, lose and you go back to the drawing board for 2025. Oh, and you'll have the bragging rights over your biggest rival for a whole year. NYCFC could go a perfect three-for-three against their foes from New Jersey, or the Red Bulls could undo the embarrassment of September 28th in just one game. As we all know, this game would be massive no matter which two teams are playing in it, but for it to be the first-ever Hudson River Derby in the playoffs could mean so much more for these clubs and our beautiful city. Last time I spoke with you, I mentioned that the New York Derby was overlooked by El Trafico and several other rivalries, but now the eyes of the American Soccer World will be squarely focused on Citi Field this Saturday. Each of these teams has the ability to capture the spotlight and, potentially, capture the New York market, if only for a short time. But it might not be for just a short time; we are actively witnessing history unfold before our eyes and with NYCFC's Etihad Park on the horizon and the Red Bulls looking to turn the page on a difficult few years in their club's history, an Eastern Conference Semifinal win on Saturday could be the start of a golden age of New York soccer.
What do you think will be a deciding factor in Saturday's game?
Despite the lopsided victories NYCFC earned over the Red Bulls this season, these teams are scarily close in quality. They were close to level in the league table for most of the season and it looked like a playoff meeting was inevitable, but they took a more complex road to get here than we initially thought. Both teams had to overcome some of the league's best in Round One, going into Ohio and defeating Cincinnati and Columbus respectively. And now we're here. You could realistically point to any part of the pitch and claim the difference lies there. Can Alonso Martinez continue his brilliant run of form? Can Lewis Morgan, who is confirmed to be available to play this weekend, bag in the goals like he did all year? Is Maxi Moralez going to provide a parting gift in what looks to be his final NY Derby? Will we see the Red Bulls stick with their three center backs that were phenomenal against Columbus? Will New York City FC change their approach now that Forsberg will be available from the start? There's just so much that could go right or wrong. For me, I'm perhaps most intrigued by the goalkeeping matchup. Matt Freese has been one of the best goalkeepers in MLS all season long and has started being mentioned as potentially deserving of a USMNT call-up. Carlos Coronel, on the other hand, was heroic in both games against Columbus but looked like a shell of himself for a lot of the 2024 season. It's going to be interesting to see how the keepers perform this weekend, but it's no mystery that every inch and every blade of grass on the pitch will be contested.
What is your prediction for Saturday's game?
Last time, I predicted a Red Bulls win and I looked very foolish when New York City FC thrashed them 5-1 in their own building. And for all the struggles of the regular season, I truly do believe they are playing like a different team right now. There's more belief, desire, and commitment on the pitch and, it doesn't happen a lot, but vibes are high amongst Red Bulls fans. New York City FC fans are feeling the warmth of a playoff run too, though. Label me a centrist for not picking sides here, but I think this one's got extra time and perhaps penalties all over it. And maybe I'm stuck in my echo chamber, but I like the Red Bulls to take it if it comes down to spot kicks. New York City FC could book their third trip to the Eastern Conference Final in just four years, but the Red Bulls can spoil the party and advance to their first ECF since 2018.
