TALE OF2 TEAMS
NYCFC on rise, Bulls falling at rematch
THE TWO LOCAL MLS clubs are quite different than they were seven weeks ago when the Red Bulls won the first-ever Hudson River Derby against New York City FC at Red Bull Arena. The Red Bulls were among the best teams in the league while NYCFC was experiencing growing pains typical for any expansion team in any sport.
With Round 2 of the rivalry on tap Sunday at Yankee Stadium, where more than 40,000 tickets have been sold, the teams have trended in opposite directions. NYCFC (4-7-5, 17 points) has finally found its footing, winning its last three league matches and going unbeaten in its last four. The Red Bulls (5-5-5, 20 points) were on a four-game losing streak before defeating Real Salt Lake on Wednesday 1-0, but they couldn’t find another goal despite having a two-man advantage for most of the second half.
“I think that this group has discovered a little bit about itself, and I think that we are starting to develop an identity of who exactly we are and who we’re going to be for the rest of this season,” NYCFC coach Jason Kreis said. “We’ve now come to the point where we’ve spent the requisite amount of time together so the players have an understanding of how each other plays and where each other are gonna be.”
A healthy and flourishing David Villa and a settled-in back four have keyed NYCFC’s recent turnaround. Four of his six goals this season have come over the last four matches, including two in the team’s 2-0 road win over Toronto FC last Saturday, while the defense has conceded just three goals over those four games. The Spanish star downplayed the idea that NYCFC is out for revenge following last month’s loss to its new rival.
“No, its not personal but we do want to win,” Villa said through an interpreter. “Ultimately we want our fans to be proud of being New York City fans.”
NYCFC’s recent run of good form comes just before the team is set to receive an influx of world-class talent. Frank Lampard can finally join the team beginning Wednesday, and Andrea Pirlo is expected to sign with the club and be available within the next few weeks. Pirlo likely will receive a salary close to Villa’s and Lampard’s $6 million a year.
As the expansion club continues to splash cash, the Red Bulls have seen their spending drop precipitously with the departures of Designated Players Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill. MLS Commissioner Don Garber claims the league doesn’t have any influence on what clubs do and said there are different models for success.
“I think every club’s got to make a decision that’s gonna allow them to succeed on-and-off the field,” Garber said. “The Red Bulls have gone through a process to get better, and they have.”
Well, they had. They won three of their first five games but had won just one of nine matches before their win over Real Salt Lake. Inconsistency in the final third has plagued the Red Bulls as of late, who have failed to capitalize on quality scoring opportunities. Bradley Wright-Phillips, who tied the league’s single-season scoring record last season with 27 goals, missed two penalty kicks two Saturdays ago in a 2-1 home loss to Vancouver.
Captain Dax McCarty admits the team is in a “mental funk” in front of goal and hasn’t played its best while NYCFC has thrived, but he sees a big-game atmosphere as a chance for his club to right the ship in a game he places the Red Bulls as underdogs.
“That’s a good position for us to be in,” McCarty said. “Maybe there will be a little bit more pressure on them and we’ll be able to just play, and hopefully we’ll have our attacking guys be able to bang some goals in and get some confidence back.”