Given their terrible form towards the end of the regular season, few could have foreseen the New York Red Bulls getting within one match of lifting their first-ever MLS Cup. The LA Galaxy, going for their first MLS title in a decade, will surely make the final hurdle the toughest for the Red Bulls.
By Neel Shelat
Youthful RBNY looking to create history
Weighted by minutes played, the New York Red Bulls have the youngest squad in Major League Soccer this season. Their midfield contingent is particularly youthful, as their starting lineup from the Conference final shows.
Their more experienced attack holds the key to their success, though. At 43.2%, RBNY have the lowest possession average in MLS this season. Their approach is very much centred around defending solidly with a back five and then sending the front three away on the counter. That has served them quite well in the playoffs, as they have scored eight goals and kept three clean sheets in five matches. At least one of their front three has been involved in creating or scoring all but two of those goals.
Will the Galaxy’s attack click without Puig?
After narrowly missing out on the top spot in the Western Conference, the LA Galaxy have been the best team in the playoffs by some margin. They put nine past the Colorado Rapids in two matches to progress from the first round and hit Minnesota United for six in the Conference semi-final before getting a late winner against the Seattle Sounders to reach the final.
Such results surely make them the overwhelming favourites, but there is one big caveat to note. Star midfielder Riqui Puig tore his ACL in the Conference final, though he still managed to play on and get the decisive assist. Indeed, his fantastic and creative forward passing has been the key driving force behind the Galaxy’s thrilling attack.
As the top scorers in the league this season, the Galaxy will hope they have enough to make do without the former Barcelona midfielder. Each of their front three have over 20 goal involvements to their name this year, so they still have more than enough attacking threat to blow any defence apart. So, Greg Vanney will only really have to concern himself with supplying them appropriately.
Summer signing Marco Reus may well be the solution. The Borussia Dortmund legend started the last two playoff matches but had to operate in a slightly unfamiliar role on the right of midfield to keep Puig in his natural area on the left. In the Spaniard’s absence, Reus could well replicate his work on the left.
Prediction
Both the New York Red Bulls and the LA Galaxy like to adopt a transitional attacking approach, albeit in quite different ways. While Sandro Schwarz’s side like to counterattack after defending deep, the Galaxy are happier to keep more of the ball, lure their opposition out and then quickly spring forward. These contrasting approaches could well result in a cagey affair on the big night unless we get some early fireworks.
Whichever way you look at it, the Galaxy have to be considered the favourites, but the Red Bulls’ playoff run shows that they can’t be entirely written off.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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