Altidore scored 1. Mathis scored 11 for the USMNT while a MetroStar. Atlanta won 3-0 to move 2 points ahead of us with 6 games left each. After our game today and Atlanta's game at San Jose on Wednesday, the two clubs will have 5 games left, and they will play on the same days the rest of the season. After the fourth-to-last game is head-to-head, Atlanta ends with three easy games. They host New England and Chicago and go to Toronto. The head-to-head game is September 30 at 1:00 P.M. on ESPN, with all the MLB teams ending the regular season after that starting sometime from 3:05 P.M. to 3:20 P.M. I have a party that Saturday night, so I'm happy the Red Bulls are playing that Sunday.
I'm going to try to find out if he's the first player to score 3 tying goals in one game. He's the first player to do that this year.
True. But I stupidly read your post while I was watching the game on DVR. And when it was 3-3 in injury time, I imagined that your post might've meant he scored 4. Oh well it was a good game. And not a bad point earned. But we might be letting Atlanta slip away from us.
We lost control of our destiny for the Supporters Shield. If we win every game and Atlanta wins every game except for losing to us, Atlanta wins the Supporters Shield. Atlanta has an easy schedule. Other than playing us, they host Real Salt Lake, who is 10th in points per game but 14th in points per game away, and have four games against clubs in the bottom eight in points per game. They are at eliminated San Jose tomorrow. They end against New England, Chicago, and Toronto, at least some of whom will be eliminated by then.
Sometimes the hopeless bottom-dwellers still have a way of throwing a spanner into the works. We can only hope that happens to ATL. For a while I've been considering going to RBA for the ATL match on 9/30, hoping that it could be a conference/shield decider. But with our points dropped in DC, and if they win at San Jose, those hopes will be all but dashed. Hmm.
I'd rather see and MLS Cup 2018 banner in between the two supporter's shield banners. The SSS is by far the easier of the two to win. If taking some hard lessons from a game like the last are what it takes to be ready for the playoffs, I'll gladly trade the points lost with a mental toughness gained. Atlanta have been running downhill most of the season, but the playoffs are a different animal, a new season, where every game is tougher. San Jose through a monkey wrench in the Red Bulls playoff hopes a few years ago after they had qualified through a cross-conference wild-card. It can certainly happen again.
I thought "SSS" was for Soccer Specific Stadium. And "SS" is mostly associated with Nazi Germany. p.s. Of course I too would gladly give up the Shield in order to win MLS Cup. But the planets would have to align in a way that they never have. There's always hope though.
I would just further emphasize that Atlanta is still a relatively new team. While they have a lot of momentum right now, the playoffs are a different animal. You have to have experience, and mental toughness, not just a high octane offense. The good news is the Red Bulls can actually Atlanta's tempo in midfield, and I think their defense is beatable. It is more a question of whether the defense can steel itself to withstand the onslaught. It is actually good if the field gets stretched a bit. NYRB really get bogged down when they have too much possession and it becomes a half-field game. And that exposes Tim Parker to getting beat on a counter. It is better if there is a bit more back and forth, and New York are able to clean up attacks with the opportunity to get out quickly on the counter.
I'm gonna be in NJ tomorrow so I may try to convince the fam to join me for a last minute visit to RBA. Sort of a must win to keep the pressure on ATL. Edit: Ultimately they weren't up for it, so I'm watching it live now on TV. COYB?!
Well not the prettiest, most dominant game we've everplayed, and a shame about BWP's stupid yellow/suspension, but we take the 3pts and run.
I don't care for the shield either. I want an MLS trophy for F-ing once!! Nothing else matters. We have enough moral victories and other nonsense.
The Intertops odds produce these probabilities that add up to 100.1% due to rounding: Red Bulls win: 37.1% Draw: 27.3% Atlanta win: 35.7% With NYCFC's 2-1 loss at Minnesota, we clinched a bye.
I say go for both! Personally I place great value in finishing the regular season with the best record. Maybe that's because it requires such prolonged consistency and quality. Or because virtually every other league in the world determines its champion that way. A cup would be fantastic and long long overdue, but don't marginalize the shield.
If we play Atlanta in the Eastern Conference Final, would hosting the second leg be much of an advantage? We won by 2 home and away. We're probably going to have more points than anybody in the West to host MLS Cup if we make it. Would you rather play Columbus (who is the only club to beat us in our last 12 home games) or NYCFC in the Eastern Conference Semifinals?
There are definitely some advantages to playing that second leg at home, I just don't think Red Bull should spend too much time navel gazing about taking the number one seed. Given present form, I think City is the weaker opponent. I also wouldn't want to look past anyone. Even the likes of DCU and Montreal can give this team fits. The real struggle will be in reaching MLS Cup, but for once it looks like a realistic opportunity. I wouldn't discount the effect that Atlanta's whining is going to have on the officials. I've seen it happen before where in the playoffs all of sudden, the refs drop the hammer on the Red Bulls. And the Metro knock-offs certainly carried an air of pissed off entitlement out Sunday's game. I saw Marc Rzatkowski get slammed in the face right in front of the ref with no call. But I expect plenty of flopping and whining from the Red and Black next time they face New York.
I doubt the team is thinking about specific playoff opponents or routes. The first trophy in front of them is the Shield, and I expect they're going for that. Then, after that is settled, they'd shift attention to the Cup. At least that's how I would do it, if I were boss.
Great win at San Jose. They never looked like coming close to us tonight. Let's just pray the 2-week break doesn't impact our momentum.
Did anybody notice when the clock on the screen was 20 seconds ahead of the clock in the stadium on the right side? 34 and 40 minutes in, the clock on the screen was 20 seconds ahead. 50 minutes in it was fixed.
The 3 vs. 6 playoff game could be between our rivals NYCFC and D.C. The Red Bulls claimed 31 of 36 points against the West. That's much better than Toronto's 24 of 33 last season.