The New York Red Bulls will face the Columbus Crew once again in the MLS Cup Playoffs, and this time around this will not be a typical challenge. Both of these founding members of Major League Soccer have had their big battles in the playoffs or the US Open Cup, and they have had big wins against each other. But honestly, this will be the biggest of them all. The only reason is that this team that Sandro Schwarz and the club will be facing is a well oiled machine that many would say is playing like one of the best sides in Europe, but play in the Capital of Ohio.
Without a doubt, Wilfred Nancy has shown his managing ability is far superior to anyone we have seen in American Soccer since Bruce Arena. To me Nancy is very calculating, demanding, and has shown that he doesn’t care what you are labeled as. He doesn’t see you as a starter or a substitute, he sees you as part of the club and when he gives his tactics, you will follow it from the start to the finish on the pitch. Never will you see him have any doubt inside his technical area, he will take mental notes and adjust accordingly to how the match is being played. He knows when to defend and when to attack.
“I would say it’s clear how they want to play. And for them, it’s also clear how we want to play, to be honest. It’s a team with a with high numbers, especially in ball position, and they are very flexible and but we have seen especially in the second half, when we are aggressive, in some moments, in our principles, in our structure, so then we can also use some moments for us, and that was good for us to have this feeling, to see and also to create our moments.” said Sandro Schwarz, “But now it’s a new game on Tuesday, and it’s a playoff game and on the road, and it’s clear that we need our best performance, best quality individual as well, on each position and to create our atmosphere, to create this energy. This is what we need. It’s not when we play only with 70%, 80%, 90% or something like that, then it’s not that’s not good enough against such a team as Columbus. But when we are in a very good spot on Tuesday and also in our good behavior and the mentality and the energy level, all like this, then we have also our moments, and we can then we can create also our chances.”
This is now the time for the Red Bulls to be on their A game. They can’t have these slow starts like they did with NYCFC at Red Bull Arena for the Hudson River Derby, and they can’t do it against the Crew at Red Bull Arena on Decision Day. If they continue to give up two goals inside the opening fifteen minutes of the match, they will be dead and buried right away. Coming back against this Columbus Crew side will be a detriment and no matter how much they will push back being behind, the Crew will continue to find a way to get by them with that winning goal.
It’s not just on the shoulders of Captain Emil Forsberg, and Lewis Morgan, but on everyone else that is on that pitch for this series. The back line needs to be better, and tighter, and goalkeeper Carlos Coronel needs to be on his game as well. He has allowed silly goals that shouldn’t have gone into his net. Even Sandro must bring the right speech and the right tactics inside his technical area to get his players going. This will be his first ever MLS Cup Playoff appearance, as he signed up for this job. The feeling is that no matter what happens, it’s two and out and it will end at Red Bull Arena this coming weekend, but if that slim chance of hope does creep in, and they can stun the Crew, then it’s a job well done. Hopefully, we can see Dante Vanzeir break out and pull off a goal or two, but until then, let the fingernail biting begin this Tuesday night.