Following the most dramatic finish of the season in their hard-earned 2-2 draw against Sporting Kansas City last weekend, the Chicago Fire will now take on one of the teams they’re chasing in the Eastern Conference standings – the New York Red Bulls on Saturday night along the lakefront.
Here’s what the colossal matchup will look like…
…BUT CAN YOU BEAT IT?
The Red Bulls probably (definitely) have THE most recognizable style of play in Major League Soccer. It’s because it is a style that spans across three continents all under the Red Bull umbrella. All of the Red Bull clubs - whether they are in Europe, South America or right here in the United States - play with a similar intent. They love being in your face with a high-octane attack and a high-press, and will try to turn you over in your own defensive third to create chances close to goal.
The kids in the academy are told from the very beginning what is expected of them. The amount of running and ground that needs to be covered playing under the Red Bull banner is astounding, and everyone is required to do their part or the system fails.
With all of this said, it’s easy to pick out what New York Red Bulls will try to accomplish and what the game will look like. The question is…can you beat it?
Teams take different approaches based on what they are comfortable with. You can either try to play out of the back and keep the ball on the deck (which is what they want you to do) or you can alleviate the pressure immediately and go play further up the field.
Like most things in life, the answer lies in the middle.
A healthy balance of being patient and going long when you need to is a good recipe for success against Red Bulls, but this is easier said than done.
Sometimes the press is all the way up the field and forcing the ball all the way back to your ‘keeper, then sometimes it is a bit softer and they force your centerbacks to be playmakers.
We saw both in their most recent fixture against Orlando, a 1-1 draw over the weekend. The Red Bulls needed a last-second equalizer from Brian White (sound familiar?) to level things up with the Lions.
Depending on whether or not your centerbacks can play out of the back well or connect long, 40+ yard passes will determine what the New York press looks like.
A mixture of composure and urgency from the Fire, specifically the centerbacks, is not just a good idea but a necessity against this Red Bulls team.
REVOLVING DOOR
It’s anyone’s guess as to who exactly will be rolled out at Soldier Field for interim head coach Bradley Carnell. New head coach hire Gerhard Struber is still about 5-6 weeks away from being able to be with the team, per Head of Sport Kevin Thelwell.
The Red Bulls have shelled out different lineups in almost every match for the past couple of months. Whether defense, midfield, or attack, it has been varying non-stop.
That is one byproduct of having such a uniform style; you can plug and play.
With that inconsistency though, they’ve had to play a lot of young kids, including 17-year-old Caden Clark, who has scored a game-winner and an equalizer in two of his first three games.
They’ve also seen forward Samuel Tetteh come over from RB Salzburg (Austria) on loan, and he’s given them a nice spark.
Kaku remains unavailable after playing with Fire midfielder Gastón Giménez and the Paraguayan national team during the recent CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup Qualifying window. This is a big loss for the Red Bulls, as he is the brain of the attack and can unlock any defense in MLS with one pass if given the time.
Youngsters like Jared Stroud, Omir Fernandez, Kyle Duncan, Sean Nealis, etc. have had to step up in big roles while being led by veterans like Tim Parker and Sean Davis. The term “veteran” is relative in this scenario, as both of those players are still only 27. Aaron Long, the league’s 2018 Defender of the Year, was struggling with injuries a couple weeks ago, but has been an unused sub in the past couple of games taking a backseat to Amro Tarek.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Red Bulls, like Chicago, have not been able to win against one of the top sides in the East, but have put together some solid performances and draws. That includes a recent 1-1 tie against first place Toronto, and their latest shared point with Orlando last Sunday.
I think given the fact that the Fire are still looking to get breathing room above the playoff line and the Red Bulls probably fancy themselves in a non-play-in game (for playoff seeds 1-6), this will have a postseason vibe to it.
How could it not? There are only five games left for the Fire, four for New York. This is the time of year when - even though every point counts the same - these seem to count a bit more and are more tangible in the quest for the postseason.
I expect a game that is going to be rooted in exchanged blows. You’ll see 5-10 minutes of one team asking questions and causing problems, and then flip-flopped. Both teams enjoy pressing and playing further up the field, but are also based in possession.
You’ll see a decent amount of that soft pressure we talked about since Red Bulls will be on the road, but still a frantic style of defending.
The 90 minutes will still require a near flawless game in possession from our centerbacks if the Fire are to prevail.
There will definitely be at least one change to the starting XI as striker CJ Sapong is reunited with his new baby daughter, who was finally able to go home after a long stint in the NICU. What a moment for the new father. We send nothing but love to CJ and his family.
The Fire have their last five games against teams who are all in playoff positions in the Eastern Conference, plus Minnesota in the West. This is THE time to get your first win against a playoff side and make a hard push. This should be a fun one.
