(Photo courtesy of mlssoccer.com
This past Thursday afternoon, the coaches and stars of NYCFC and the Red Bulls were gathered before US and international soccer journalists alike at the sleek new Heineken House in downtown Manhattan. The event was Major League Soccer’s main appetizer for this weekend’s array of rivalry showdowns, with the main focus on building up buzz for the Hudson River Derby, which is already becoming one of the major rivalries in the league.
The first derby between the two cross town rivals, inaugurated just over a month and a half ago, went the way of the Red Bulls at their home in Harrison, NJ. However, both coaches were quick to note that they expect a much different game this time around. NYCFC head coach Jason Kreis believes his team to be “in a different place” place from when the two teams last met. Indeed, NYCFC are enjoying the best run of form in their young existence in a three game winning streak (two on the road, no less) and seem to have finally begun clicking as the fluid, cohesive team envisioned by Kreis. Coach Kreis’ Red Bulls counterpart, Jessie Marsch, offered his own recognition to his rival’s recent growth, saying “We’re expecting a very different team, a more mature team.”
While form currently seems to be favoring the young New York expansion side, the Red Bulls themselves were able to get back to winning ways in the middle of the week, dominating Real Salt Lake with a misleading 1-0 scoreline. While the two red cards will skew the credibility of the Red Bull’s victory, it takes away from the fact that the Red Bulls dominated from the very first minute of the game, pressing well and consistently looking threatening with possession in a display reminiscent of a team very much on form. That Sacha Kljestan was not even on the field makes the attacking display altogether more impressive.
From a tactical perspective, though NYCFC are playing at home, the small Yankee stadium field (the smallest pitch in the league) is actually more conducive to Red Bulls high pressure tactics against NYCFC’s desire to build possession fluidly out of the defense. The Red Bulls half-ginger, deep-lying midfield duo of McCarty and Felipe will be able to clog up passing lanes much faster with less space to cover, meaning NYCFC will have to keep their passing sharp and secure out of the back, as well as quick and fluid from the midfield into the attack.
However, as important as tactics are, a derby like this will be packed with emotion, and the raucous home support NYCFC can expect to receive Sunday evening will be a very real advantage. With more than 40,000 tickets already sold, Ruth’s house in the Bronx is guaranteed to be rocking around their men in blue when the Hudson River Derby kicks off.
In a nod of recognition to the genuine hype surrounding this game, ESPN is moving their broadcast from ESPN2 to their primary station, with pre-game coverage beginning at 4:30pm Eastern.
