The Impact returns to MLS action this weekend, as an opponent from the most recent playoff run, the New York Red Bulls, will be at Stade Saputo (TICKETS – TVA Sports 2, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690). If the Bulls’ squad changed a bit since then – with notably Chris Duvall now patrolling the right flank for the Montreal defense –, their playing style is quite similar. Here are 10 things to know about head coach Jesse Marsch’s team.
Context
The Red Bulls are currently sitting on the red line, synonymous with playoff qualification. Iconic captain Dax McCarthy’s departure is probably amongst the reasons why they are not at the top of the Eastern Conference standings: New York’s differential stands at -5 with 20 goals against. After a tough spell at the start of May, when they suffered three consecutive losses, they started to weather the storm in the past two games.
Current form
W-L-L-L-D-W
Head coach
Jesse Marsch (40-25-17 as Red Bulls head coach, 52-41-23 all-time) has been New York Red Bulls head coach since Jan. 7, 2015. He won the 2015 MLS Coach of the Year award after leading the club to its second-ever Supporters’ Shield and to the Eastern Conference Final. Marsch became a coach after a 14-season playing career that started with D.C. United picking him up in the third round of the 1996 MLS College Draft and ended with a trophy haul of three MLS Cups, two Supporters’ Shield and four U.S. Open Cups.
Current top scorer
Bradley Wright-Phillips (6)
Players to watch
1. Sacha Kljestan (#16) – With six assists this term, Kljestan is in the middle of many successful attacking actions for the Red Bulls.
2. Alex Muyl (#19) – A relentless winger, Muyl works tirelessly on the defensive side of things, and offers a decent attacking contribution.
3. Felipe (#8) – Montreal supporters know what Felipe can do. With the ball, he takes risks that bear fruit. Without the ball, he is a constant, disrupting presence.
Team profile
The Red Bulls want to play in the opposition’s half. They love having the ball, even on the road. Their midfield mainstays, Kljestan, Felipe and sometimes Davis, sometimes Adams, who take McCarty’s role, enjoy moving the ball quickly with short passes, but will play a more direct ball into space. The aim is to play forward as much as possible, which can translate into costly lost balls or clear chances down the middle. This is the gamble that the Red Bulls are prepared to take. These situations can release the wingers, who enjoy cutting inside (especially Grella), or centre forward Wright-Philips. BWP is also useful in the air, in transition and on set plays, one of New York’s favourite weapons; they have scored more than a third of their goals on set pieces. They may be efficient down the middle, but the Red Bulls also manage to exploit the flanks, especially Muyl’s. Defensively, the Red Bulls’ play has followed their season’s trends. With six early losses, they had to commit numbers forward to try and mount comebacks, which allowed the opposition to punish them on the counter. Conversely, now that they have returned to form, they are more likely to concede when the opponent is pushing the game into their half – but they’re starting to make opponents pay when they leave space behind.
In 2017:
<strong>Shots on target*</strong> |
<strong>Goals score from inside the penalty area</strong> |
<strong>Goals scored from outside the penalty area</strong> |
<strong>Goals scored on headers</strong> |
<p>8th (60)</p> |
<p>12th (15)</p> |
<p>22th (0)</p> |
<p>=10th (3)</p> |
<strong>Possession (%)</strong> |
<strong>Big chance conversion (%)</strong> |
<strong>Successful passes in attacking third (%)</strong> |
<strong>Duels won (%)</strong> |
<p>6th (53,6%)</p> |
<p>18th (42,1%)</p> |
<p>15th (62,5%)</p> |
<p>7th (51,4%)</p> |
*Source for all data is Opta
Tactical formation
The Red Bulls have only gone away from their 4-2-3-1 once recently, during the game against Toronto FC, on May 19, at Red Bull Arena. Lineup against New England Revolution (May 27): Robles; Lawrence, Long, Perrinelle, Zizzo; Felipe, Davis; Grella, Kljestan, Royer; BWP.
Most recent games against the Impact
After 20 games unbeaten for the New Yorkers, the Impact was standing in their way at the Eastern Conference semifinals stage in the past MLS Cup playoffs. Matteo Mancosu let fly an 85kph half-volley at Stade Saputo to end this streak, before Nacho Piatti sent the Bleu-blanc-noir through to the next stage, one week later, in Harrison.
Injuries, absences and call-ups (as of June 1)
D Aurélien Collin (abdominal strain)
D Gideon Baah (broken leg)
M Tyler Adams (international call-up)
Upcoming games
New York Red Bulls v New York City FC (US Open Cup, June 14)
Philadelphia Union v New York Red Bulls (MLS, June 18)
New York Red Bulls v New York City FC (MLS, June 24)
