For the twelfth 12 months in a row, the New York Red Bulls are inside the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Though they've suffered their truthful share of knockout heartbreak, the Red Bulls are regular-season specialists. In all honesty, the Playoffs just wouldn't be the identical without their precise, chaotic emblem of pressing football.
So here's the whole lot you need to recognise about the New York Red Bulls ahead of the publish-season - from techniques to key gamers, and their possibilities of winning the huge prize.
For some time, it gave the look of we had been going to be with out the Red Bulls in the publish season for the first time in view that 2009. But then their defense tightened up, the clicking gained concord and, normal, Gerhard Struber's methods began sinking in.
New York loved a run of simply one defeat of their final 12 games, with seven clean sheets and six one-purpose wins. That got here after a stretch of one win in 11. "Fine margins" is the satisfactory way to describe the 2021 Red Bulls season.
Obviously, Red Bulls press. It's what they're recognized for, and it's what they're high-quality at. No different group in MLS applied greater pressures at the competition than Struber's side (6,531) and at instances, it's miles a virtually magnificent sight to behold.
Struber tends to opt for a 4-2-3-1 formation, giving him a 4-guy ahead line to cut out passes from protection to midfield, whilst two preserving midfielders limit area behind the opposing striker. Full-backs Kyle Duncan and Andrew Gutman are useful attacking weapons, imparting lots of width and provider, even as additionally they do a great job of pinning lower back their opposite numbers.
To beat the Red Bulls you have to be composed, patient, and extraordinarily unique with the ball. In the heat of a Playoff healthy, that's less difficult said than carried out.
Cristian Casseres Jr: Cristian Casseres has constantly been well known for his industry but, this season in particular, he's proved he may be a actual risk with the ball, too. The Venezuelan hit six dreams and 3 assists at some stage in the regular season, ranked 0.33 among Red Bulls gamers for a success dribbles (27), and averaged 0.30 xG+xA per 90 mins - not horrific for a meant 'holding midfielder'. It's hard to see New York doing a lot inside the Playoffs if Casseres isn't on it.
Kyle Duncan: Chances are this may be Kyle Duncan's final MLS Cup Playoff campaign with Belgian side KV Oostende last on a deal. So, he'll want to exit with a bang. To do this, he'll just need to copy the regular season shape that noticed him top out amongst Red Bulls players for interceptions (fifty nine) and successful dribbles (58), and are available 2d for tackles (146). Duncan is a sturdy one-on-one defender and hard to address whilst using into the final third. He'll make matters amusing at least.
