HANOVER, N.J. – The 2017 season has seen several different formations and alignments for the New York Red Bulls as they’ve had to juggle personnel and injuries to key contributors. But ahead of the second leg of their Eastern Conference Semifinal this Sunday at Toronto FC (3 pm ET | ESPN, ESPN Deportes; TSN1/4, TVAS in Canada), it doesn’t appear that New York has anything too drastic coming along in terms of changes.
Given the 2-1 loss in the first leg to Toronto on Monday night, conventional wisdom would hold that the Red Bulls will need to be more attacking in the away leg. They certainly explored a number of options already this season.
The Red Bulls started the year with a 4-2-2-2 formation, a novel alignment in MLS that may have been too novel, which led to a slow start and a switch back to the 4-5-1 alignment used by head coach Jesse Marsch the past two years. Since late summer, the Red Bulls found their form under a 3-5-1-1 formation that features three central defenders and two outside wingbacks.
While there has been considerable talk this season about New York's varied formations, to Marsch the loss against TFC was less about the set-up and more about the actual quality of play.
“I think our inability to get the job done in [the first leg against Toronto] was less about the formation and more about performances. That being said, a bunch of things kind of went their way on the day and a bunch of things kind of didn’t go ours.
“Listen, it’s halftime, there is a lot to be played for yet. We’re looking forward to Sunday.”
In the first leg, right wingback Tyler Adams had an important role, making several key recovery runs to help limit space for the likes of TFC star Sebastian Giovinco. Adams brought a lot defensively in that match, but may offer some untapped resources in the final third in the second leg.
Adams came up through the youth national team system as a central midfielder with a strong creative and playmaking skillset. As a right wingback, he certainly offers quite a bit in terms of width and overlapping with deep runs.
But perhaps shifting Adams to a more central spot in the midfield would help the Red Bulls' build-up and bring more comfort on the ball in the attacking third?
Adams seemed open to the move if necessary, admitting that “we need to be more aggressive. Anything I can do in the circumstance to try and create a goal or score a goal, I need to do.”
But Marsch was asked about shifting Adams into the center midfield role, and it doesn’t sound like an option for the Red Bulls at this point.
“Tyler’s flexibility and his talents mean he can play just about anywhere but I think he’s been really effective in that right wingback spot. It’s something we can go to, for sure,” Marsch said.
“But we’ve also seen how effective he’s been in that spot. I feel like he can still really help control that part of the field and be dangerous and also help defend. It’s not out of the question but we like him there.”
