PREVIEW: Decision Day as Red Bulls Win Guarantees Playoff Berth

photo by Matt Kremkau

by Anthony J. Merced

It all comes down to this! The New York Red Bulls will play their 34th and final game of the 2023 season with their destiny squarely in their own hands. A win over Nashville at Geodis Park will give them 43 points and push them into either the eighth or ninth playoff spots. While a win my seem like an easy prospect, Nashville is one of the better home teams in MLS with only three losses all season.

"We have to defensively find our structure," said head coach Troy Lesesne. "What we did against DC and Cincinnati was we didn't make any unnecessary mistakes, for the most part, in those games. And if we did, we were able to find a way to score goals ourselves or be able to mask some of those situations that we found challenging during the match. I think we have to do that versus Nashville."

Red Bulls have won back-to-back games for the first time in 2023 with wins over FC Cincinnati and Toronto. This, along with results around the league, means that the team can qualify for a playoff spot with a win but will need help to do so with any other result. The team has earned this ability to have it at their finger tips, a chance to continue one of the longest playoff streaks in American sports, 13 consecutive seasons.

All that stands in their way is a Nashville team that still has something to play for. Despite a win against New England, Nashville have only one win in their last five games, with the team unable to score goals at home in their last two home games. New York has seemingly found the ability to score again, with multiple goals in three of their last four games.

"You've seen some of our best results in terms of goal production," said Lesesne about his team's recent offensive form. "I want us to feel free in these moments. I want us to feel like we want to go for it and we know that by going for it and getting three points, we achieve something that is really special in getting into the playoffs."

Red Bulls play Nashville SC on Saturday night at Geodis Park on the MLS Pass on Apple TV.

Comments

Red Bulls Announce Fan Experience Improvements

by Garry Redman On top of the theme nights announced this season, something new has been added the next time the season ticket holders and supporters step inside The Cathedral... The state-of-the-art LED lighting system at Red Bull Arena will provide higher on-field light levels for enhanced visibility and safety and introduce new entertainment features that heighten the overall experience for spectators. Built around Musco's Total Light Control—TLC for LED™ technology, the new system is designed to provide exceptional playability and uniformity while minimizing glare. Cleaner, whiter light will elevate the broadcast quality for fans watching around the world. Color-changing fixtures and Show-Light® Pro entertainment technology will allow the Red Bulls to wash the stadium in different colors and synchronize light shows to music, heightening the fan experience during goal celebrations, player introductions, and other big moments. If you have no idea what this means, click here t

Rumor: Dru Yearwood to be Traded to Nashville SC

photo by Matt Kremkau by Anthony J. Merced More trade rumors are circulating as Red Bulls midfielder Dru Yearwood is linked to a move to Nashville SC according to Tom Bogert of the Athletic . What Red Bull will receive for such a trade remains to be seen. However expectations are that the move will be finalized by the end of next week. Yearwood joined New York in 2020 from Brentford in England. Along the way he has made 86 appearances for the club, including 55 starts. In 2021 and 2022 he made 18 starts, scoring three goals and three assists, his total output for the club in Major League Soccer. In 2023 Yearwood found his position in the club to vary greatly. At times he played in a defensive midfield role next to Frankie Amaya and other times higher up the field, almost as a second forward. After the departure of Cristian Casseres Jr. earlier in the year, it appeared as if Yearwood's minutes would increase. However Daniel Edelman stepped into the role, relegating Yearwood to more

Rumor: Sandro Schwarz Set to Become Red Bulls Coach

photo by Matt Kremkau by Anthony J. Merced Former Hertha Berlin and Mainz head coach Sandro Schwarz is rumored to become the new manager of New York Red Bulls according to the German publication BILD . The news comes after the release of head coach Troy Lesesne and the parting of ways with Sporting Director Denis Hamlett earlier this week. Schwarz has a long history, specifically in the Bundesliga where he managed the Mainz reserve team before becoming their head coach in 2017. He was with the club until 2019 when he took over at Dynamo Moscow where the team finished runner-up in the Russian Cup in 2022. From there he returned to the Bundesliga with Hertha Berlin but he was unable to keep the club in the first division as they were relegated at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. Schwarz is a German-born coach who is only 45 years old despite his significant experience. While most of it has been in Germany, we have seen such coaches transition well into other leagues around the world. Sho

Red Bull News Network

Search This Blog