2017 Record: 14-12-8, 50 points, sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Red Bulls lost to Toronto FC in the MLS Eastern Conference Semifinals
Coach: Jesse Marsch
Key Additions: DEF Tommy Redding (Orlando City SC), MID Marc Rzatkowski (Red Bull Salzburg-On Loan), MID Cristian Casseres (Deportivo La Guaira), MID Ben Mines (New York Red Bulls II) MID Vincent Bezecourt (NY Red Bulls II), MID Kaku (Huracan), FWD Stefan Bonomo (New York Red Bulls II), and FWR Amando Moreno (Tijuana)
Key Departures: MID Mike Grella (Columbus Crew SC), MID Sacha Kljestan (Orlando City SC), FWD Gonzalo Veron (Independiente)
The Big Question: Can the kids put the Red Bulls over the top?
For many years the New York Red Bulls were viewed as a side that would spend cash lavishly and never really have a long-term plan. But over the past couple of years the club has quietly inserted ‘Baby Bulls’ players from their Youth Academy into their senior roster. Tyler Adams and Sean Davis are obviously two of the most recognizable names but others like Derrick Etienne, Conor Lade, and Alex Muyl have also made their impact. This offseason saw another infusion of young talent with Bezecourt, Mines, and Bonomo all making the jump.
While on paper this all sounds like a great idea it is a very big gamble for Marsch and the Red Bulls. In the past the club had more of a mixed group of young players-veterans. But with the insertion of so many young players and with Grella, Kjlestan, and Veron all leaving the balance of this club (particularly in the midfield) in a bit of a flux. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing especially when you consider that this group of Baby Bulls won two USL titles and had done everything that they could at that level. But there are growing pains when adjusting from division to the next. Despite all of the strides that USL has made in recent years one of the things that we still hear from players in making that shift is there is still a difference in the physicality and the speed in MLS.
Marsch will still have plenty of veterans to help bring up this newest crop of Bulls with goalkeeper Luis Robles taking over as captain. But this is still a team in transition and the longer that it takes some of the younger players to adjust the more difficult it will be for New York to climb the standings.
Area to keep an eye on: Center midfield
Adams will take over for Kljestan as the playmaker for the Red Bulls in 2018. That is a bit of a change for the 19 year old who previously worked more on the outside using his speed and dynamic first touch to crush defenses. While his physical skills will certainly set him apart from pretty much every other center midfielder in MLS he is going to have to work on his passing and his timing, particularly in building a partnership with Bradley Wright-Phillips. Working with Kaku, the Argentine midfielder whose journey to New York from Huracan would have given even Jules Verne headache, will also be something that he is going to have to focus on early in 2018.
Outcome: Third place
While the Red Bulls might be making a gamble with their youth movement playing long game may benefit them at the end of this season and in the years to come. Adams looks destined to be one of the best Center Midfielders in Major League Soccer and given how flexible BWP is at creating attacking chances, his learning curve won’t be too steep. While Kemar Lawrence’s continuous flirting with Europe may have some Red Bulls supporters where his head is at there are very few left backs that can dictate the pace of a match like the Jamaican international. That, and Robles may be one of the scariest goalkeepers in MLS.
The key for the Red Bulls is patience. There are going to be some serious growing pains for this side early on, in particular with transitioning from a defensive posture to an attacking one. But given their talent and Marsch’s ability to get the most out of every player it is more of a matter of when than if this side will climb the standings.
New York Red Bulls
MLS
