A collective sigh of relief was breathed by Red Bull fans everywhere when DC beat Houston this past Sunday. I count myself in the annually pessimistic group, sure that the playoffs would be out of reach with the inconsistent nature of the team through the first 4 months of the season. Since August 1st, RBNY has gone on a 7-3-1 run that still has them challenging for a 2nd place finish. Most of the success can be attributed to a change in philosophy and formation. Shifting to a defensive 4-3-3 with Dax McCarty and Eric Alexander sweeping for the back four. The Red Bulls have also been able to counter the counter. The center is no longer really an option for teams coming into Harrison. They are forced down the wings and must rely on speed and the traditional #9 to find success. However, despite the recent success, the Red Bulls must rethink their approach to games in which they hold a lead. If the Red Bulls post-season is to be a success, the second half versus Toronto this weekend offers a lesson.
The first half was even all around the field with the exception of score and shots. The Red Bulls had five shots in the first half, four of which were on target resulting in three goals. It was typical of the games TFC has played all year. No real edge on either side, but an inability to find the back of the net haunted them. They had two shots in the first half with only one on goal, despite having the majority of possession to end the half. All in all, the Red Bulls were fortunate to put their chances away, but they let TFC build momentum that started to tip their way by the end of the half. With a three goal lead, the job was simple. Maintain possession, limit opportunities, make Toronto chase the game, and strike on the counter. Instead, we saw a far more cynical approach that could have ended in a disastrous results. Not just the result in Harrison that evening, but the kind of soul crushing result that could seriously harm this team’s mentality through the end of the year.
The Red Bulls ceded possession from the opening whistle of the second half. When they gained possession they looked for a quick counter. The futility of this style was on display. Worse, it let Toronto find a rhythm. They had two shots in the opening ten minutes of the second half, equaling their total from the first half and finally breaking through for their only goal of the evening. TFC were allowed to play a very high line, which in turn allowed them to break up the counters quite easily. Fortunately for the Red Bulls, Toronto turned to Dominic Oduro to torture the unproven left side of the makeshift Red Bulls lineup. Oduro found lots of time and space, but per his usual, not the back of the net. Oduro had three shots in the second half, none of them even on target. His selfishness negated his best attribute and the Red Bulls kept the lead intact. Toronto finished with nine shots in the second half, with only one on target.
Against better opposition, you would see a score line much closer to the LA game two weeks ago. The backline is capable, but when they are put under constant bombardment due to quick and failed counter attacks, they will begin to break. Towards the end of the game, the focus then shifted to clearing the ball without the hope of hanging onto possession, which increased the problem tenfold. Again though, Toronto managed to beat themselves, something the other teams in the post season are unlikely to do. If we can gain any understanding from history, then surely we understand that defense wins championships, but the offense must be held accountable to holding onto the ball and attacking wisely while maintaining shape. Without learning and growing from this win, the playoffs will not last long for Thierry Henry’s supposed swan song.
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