New York Red Bulls vs. Atlanta United Red Bull Arena - Harrison, NJ November 29 - 7:30 pm ET FS1 MLSsoccer.com preview here. AJC.com United page here. Note: Today's preview will come in two parts as I scurry away to work for a few hours before offering some more thoughts and a prediction. We all know the script and the stakes so I'll start with the warnings: - While no team has won a series after losing Game 1 by 3 goals, RB:NY is the team that set the MLS regular season record. If anyone can do it they may be the ones. - RB:NY went 14-2-1 at home in the regular season, including a comprehensive 2-0 victory over Atlanta. They averaged 2.1 goals per match at home while conceding only 0.6 goals per match. - It's not an excuse for how badly they lost but the absence of MLS Best XI defender Kamar Lawrence did affect how the Bulls played, particularly in how and where they could effectively press. There is a chance Lawrance returns tonight, but even if he doesn't expect the Bulls to be more aggressive up high and restore their Plan A attack plan. At the least they'll want to see more players play the way they're used to performing. - RB:NY will look to flip the script on Atlanta and will be all about creating more chances, so while Atlanta knows they can bunker down the question is do you really want to risk that knowing how aggressively the Bulls will be attacking? And how capable they are of scoring? NY needs at least 3 so they will be coming in waves in an all-or-nothing approach. - It will be cold. Game time temps should be below 40'. Combined with the away fans this will be anything but the cozy confines of the Benz. Fortunately Atlanta has had the perfect climate this week to practice for cold weather. Lawrence's injury (meniscus) is not one I suspect endowing a quick recovery but we'll see. Regardless RB:NY will no doubt have emphasized hustle in their practices this week in hopes of bettering their last home match vs Atlanta. They'll be relying heavily on Royer, Adams, and Kaku to improve their performances from Sunday and do a far better job upsetting the Atlanta attack. And they'll definitely want to undo the mark about not starting any attacks in their opponents third, as that's the bread and butter of their high press. All week the Bulls have implied the 3-0 lead isn't insurmountable and I would agree, for them. If this were, say, Columbus I might scoff but RB:NY scored the 4th most goals in the league and still has the foremost striker in the league. It's not hard at all to imagine RB:NY nipping one early and having that set the complexion for the game. Admit it: You'd be nervous if that happens. ...
Atlanta has now shown in three straight games the ability to play a hounding defense that is capable of shutting down strong opponents, including a game away in New York City. regardless of their stated intentions to not sit back they'll absolutely need to keep up that intensity and focus to ensure they don't blow their advantage. We said for Sunday a big factor would be playing mistake free on defense and that remains true tonight. Parkhurst, LGP and company cannot lose their cool or concede easy giveaways like they did the last time they visited red Bull Arena. New York beat Columbus 3-0 at home to come back and win that series so they have confidence they can do it again tonight. Atlanta can't do anything that helps their cause. The trick will be doing that for another full 90 while also knowing how tempting it would be to chase that road goal that would dramatically change the tenor of the game. There are no suspensions for tonight's game and nothing new on the injury front to dictate a change in the lineups. Garza's departure Sunday night has been attributed to cramps so most pundits expect to see the same XI as we saw in Leg 1. It's easy to want more time for Villalba but that's risking the defensive intensity we saw before that featured 3 center backs plus incredible work rates from Remedi and the outside backs. Put another way - If Atlanta is able to replicate Sunday's performance then that should comfortably be enough to secure the result needed tonight. And I think that's the key. Sunday's lineup was designed to counter New York's conventional gameplan by stifling their attacking possessions. That it yielded a 3-0 result was more the benefit of that night's performance than the strategy employed. So even if they can't reproduce the same level of shut-down defense they'll want to use the same players who're focused on that very plan and who did it so well on Sunday. Because while Game 1 wasn't entirely by design it was decidedly different from how they've played New York in the past, meaning their previous losses aren't guarantees from which New York can make assumptions tonight, either. The back three will spend less time pushing forward tonight and will try their best to patiently build from the back, keeping possession as best as possible. early on there'll be more of the same long crosses and passes forward to keep the Bulls defense honest but likely not as much energy spent chasing those down unless they see a decided advantage in numbers. If they survive that first 15-25 minutes then they can look to take the game more to New York. I've been so thrilled with the performances the past 3 matches it's hard to see how that degree of near-perfection can keep going, but this has been an extraordinary run as much by intent as by fate. Martino has pulled all the right levers and the players seem as focused as ever. So long as they haven't allowed Sunday to get to their heads they're fully capable of getting the result needed tonight. New York wins the match, but Atlanta wins the series. RB:NY 2-1 ATL
I stand corrected. Have to go back and find the publication from which I got that line. Thanks for the update.
Almost game time... obviously NY needs to change their game plan, the question is do we need to? I highly doubt we win again by three goals or more, and Red Bulls are going to be out for blood. Personally, I say keep the same game plan. It’s definitely the less riskier path than trying to throw out something weird. Let’s go AtlUtd!!!
They're going to attack you guys like a starving dog on a sausage, sit back and play the speedy counter after they're drawn out and you'll steal a clinching goal and make Garber sick to his stomach.
The New Jersey crowd obviously doesn't believe the Red Cows can win. Deep in the second half, and still lots of good seats available. It is a school night, but I guarantee my seats would be full if we'd been in this situation. It looks like Tata went with Operation Bunker for 90 Minutes today. Seems to be working so far. LGP, usually my least favorite player on the team, is putting in the MOTM performance today.
Congratulations! You clearly demonstrated that Atlanta is the first among MLS teams named United both on the field and in the stands. Keep up the amazing effort through the Cup.
So, apart from Martinez and Parky both leaving the field in less than perfect health this was a vintage "job done" performance. LGP deserves MOTM honors for my money, not the least of which for avoiding the type of silly aggressive fouls such a game usually brings out of him. But he and the whole back 3, 4, 6, whatever, did an amazing job of not giving Red Bull their space. When I saw Wright-Phillips spend so much time tracking back to be closer to the ball in the second half I knew the Bulls were getting frustrated. We knew the circumstances meant NY would attack like crazy and the match would feature more shots from them, but Atlanta didn't give them any easy shots, didn't give them many inside passing opportunities, and cut down on the volume of crosses possible. When crosses did come in Atlanta had the numbers to deal with it. Classic case of bus parking, but seeing as a 2-legged series is about winning the tie... Martinez seemed off and I'd be curious to hear why he mishit that opportunity 12 seconds in. Best guess is misjudging the ball movement on their frosty turf. Remedi had a great game, I feel. His work rate was solid and his rotation with Nagbe and Larentowicz has improved tremendously as the season marches on. Their effort to close down Route 1 forced NY out wide, from which they routinely again tried to cut in instead of crossing. Again, defense wasn't as shut-down perfect as Sunday but last night they absorbed a lot more pressure. It was unremarkable but still very impressive, and at the moment I'm thinking it worked out in Atlanta's favor to get the home match first as that set the tone for the series. As Yoss said, onward!
Agreed. I did notice that in the trophy presentation celebrations, Parkhurst looked to be putting some weight on that ankle, so hopefully it wasn't too bad a knock. Turf could've been an issue but I just think he muffed it. Even had time to take another touch. It was a real stark contrast to the way he took the ball down calmly in traffic and scored in the home leg. I probably would've subbed on Villalba sooner. Nagbe has quickly become my favorite player. I love how assured he usually is in possession and his ability wriggle out of pressure when he needs to.
Martinez mostly looked off because he was all alone up there. Might also have been just nerves and cold weather. We played 11 behind the ball most of the night, including Martinez. We created a few chances just based on speed and skill, but even then we left 9 on defense. I'm very glad we get Portland at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. I've watched a few of their games this season, and they're good at every position. They have a lot of attacking weapons, and they're solid in midfield. It'll be tooth and nail. My prediction is a 2-1 victory for Atlanta in regular time, with at least one red card handed out.
The entire back line was solid, especially considering how defensive we were playing, but LGP was the MVP. He seemed to be everywhere, sliding and shutdown attacks, yet his tackles weren't reckless. I don't think I've seen him play better.
Hard for Martinez to score when we are playing so defensively. I wish he would have scored that early break. I don't recall him missing on a sitter like that. I am guessing he was as surprised as everyone that the ball fell to his feet before the match had barely begun. I just hope he is 100% for the Cup final. Same with Parkhust. We need them both.
Martinez has been increasingly frustrating. He doesn’t combine very well with the attack and he’s missing sitters after sitters. We need better out of him.
A goal on Saturday will work. A friend of mine described Martinez as the laziest striker in football. I couldn't argue, but then I reminded us both that he has the prolific scoring rate in MLS history. Have faith brother.
If you went up to any fan in any league and could promise them "sign this player and they'll score more goals in a season than anyone else in league history" you wouldn't care how they scored the goals, you'd be happy. I'll admit, there are times it looks like he could put more effort into going after some balls or getting back onside. But maybe if he did that he wouldn't have the energy to score some of the other goals he did. The man has earned the benefit of the doubt. He's MVP for a reason (although I'd have picked Miggy, and I think Josef would too).
This. I know I’d like him to play more like Villalba, but I wonder if he became more dribbly he’d take himself out of positions which allow him to get the easy headers and poachers goals. He demolished the scoring record, we should accept him for what he is and have a backup strategy for when he isn’t getting service (and no, I don’t think Romario Williams is that guy)
I'm an Arsenal supporter and used to say the same things about Thierry Henry. I'd piss, moan, and gnash my teeth as he floated about the pitch looking moody and disinterested. Then all of sudden he'd pull out a piece of magic that would drop your jaw. Josef, like Henry, is a without a doubt a diva but the results make the drama worth it