Harrison, NJ (March 8th, 2014) – The New York Red Bulls open their 2015 regular season the same way they closed out their 2014 schedule – on the road in Sporting Park, facing Sporting Kansas City. It almost seems that is one of the short list of things that remain the same going into this season for the Harrison club. This is the only meeting for the Red Bulls this season, as SKC has moved to the Western Conference as part of expansion realignment.
The offseason saw the departures of the incomparable Thierry Henry, head coach and local folk hero Mike Petke, assistant coach Robin Fraser, defenders Jamison Olave, Armando, and Ibrahim Sekagaya. With the exception of newly minted captain Dax McCarty, Peguy Luyindula, and Lloyd Sam, the entire midfield was remade by the additions of USMNT midfielder Sacha Kljestan, Felipe Martins, rookies Leo Stolz and Sean Davis. The back four will be anchored by French and English Premiership veteran Ronald Zubar and Matt Miazga. The outside backs remained the same, with Roy Miller and Chris Duvall looking like the choices on the overlap.
Most notably, the tactics have changed. Jesse Marsch has taken the reigns from Mike Petke and created an attack that seems a great deal more eloquent than what it was last year, with creativity and improvisation replacing the vertical runs that were made while Henry created havoc in opposition defenses.
Speaking of defenses, Sporting KC’s defense seems to be replenished after a difficult end to the 2014 schedule. SKC looks to avenge back to back losses to the Red Bulls to close the season, one that saw Bradley Wright-Phillips tie the record for goals (27) scored in a single season, a record he shares with Roy Lassiter, and Chris Wondolowski. Bradley Wright-Phillips will be once again looked to be the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation, it seems, and much of the offensive production will rest on his shoulders. Time will tell if he is up for the task after arguably the best season of his professional career. The last season he led his team in scoring he followed that campaign by scoring exactly once. Now, that was then, and this is now. BWP seems focused, bristling at Red Bulls Media Day earlier this week when asked about the pressure for follow up. The Englishman is no longer haunted by his past, and seems settled into his role as a leader on the field, and offensive powerhouse.
Heading into the first match, Coach Marsch focused on the challenge ahead: “The guys have committed themselves in a big way to what’s new and what’s happening now. (That commitment) will get tested early. Sporting Kansas City is a good team… (but) I think the players are ready to play on the big stage.”
Newcomer Sacha Kljestan, who is restarting his MLS career after spending time in Belgium with Anderlecht, echoed those sentiments. “We’re going to test ourselves early against a very good team.”
Defender Chris Duvall may have benefited the most from the time off and the preseason. He seemed to run out of gas late last season, specifically having difficulty against clubs like LA Galaxy. Time in development and a full year’s experience under his belt may find Duvall significantly improved in both play and conditioning. Duvall said as much at a media function earlier in the week. “It was fun to get out there… and build chemistry with the guys. It was great to get out there twice a day to better ourselves and get better as a team. It makes it even more exciting to get out there and play a meaningful game.”
Indeed.
The Red Bulls had a fairly successful preseason, however they closed out their competition at the IMG Academy in less than glorious form, dropping a 3-1 decision to local rival Philadelphia Union. That match saw the defenders look a bit more disjointed than anyone might have expected. The Red Bulls can ill afford another showing like that, where every move will be scrutinized by the fanbase. The new regime is all in, starting with Ali Curtis’ appointment of Marsch and the offseason additions of Kljestan and Martins, to, most recently, the signing of defender Ken Ouimette, who could be seen as another “Marsch guy.”
The defense is the most questionable part of the Red Bulls new look, with only a handful of players returning. Joining Zubar are Ouimette, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, rookie Shawn McLaws, and CCL player Damien Perrinelle. This unit will not have a lot of time to bang out the proverbial kinks, as they’re facing a striker in Dom Dwyer that was hot on Wright-Phillips tail for last year’s Golden Boot.
The Red Bulls seem to find the missing depth on wing by signing former Red Bulls standout, and Prem veteran, Dane Richards. The deal bringing Richards back to New York was not disclosed, as per league rules. Coach Marsch had this to say about Richards, who was a late addition trialist to preseason camp: “Dane came into camp ready. This fan base knows what he can do on the field, but in talking with Dane he’s shown that he has matured and his understanding of the game has improved. We’re still figuring out exactly how he fits into this team, but we think he can be a factor over the course of the season.”
Richards’ European experience didn’t work out quite as one would think. After being traded from the Red Bulls to Vancouver Whitecaps for Sebastian Let Toux and allocation cash, he signed with English Championship side Burnley, where he only made one appearance for Burnley before going on loan to a Norwegian first division side.
So many questions surround the Red Bulls going into the first match in 2015. One has to wonder if these first few games will be a litmus test for Marsch, sporting director Ali Curtis, and the new look club. One has to figure that a lot of those questions will get answered in this first test of their mettle, in the Blue Hell of Sporting Park. The Red Bulls however are undefeated in the last five matches facing SKC, however that was a much different roster. Time will tell if the trend of dominance over SKC will continue into 2015.
Featured Photo: Bill Twomey, Bill Twomey Photography
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