It’s in the title, folks. Every week during the MLS season, Backheeled is here to dive into the biggest Winners and Losers from around the league. Let’s get right to it.
Winner: Michael Bradley’s tactical adjustment
Through 11 matches, first-year Red Bulls New York manager Michael Bradley had been downright dogmatic about his tactics.
It’s been a 4-3-3, with both fullbacks bombing forward at any opportunity and the two center backs looking to push the ball upfield quickly whenever possible. It was fun, exciting, and, judging by their brutal defensive record, often disastrous. Heading into Saturday afternoon’s matchup with the Chicago Fire, only Orlando City had conceded more goals than the Red Bulls. While Bradley’s initial tactical plan was a great viewing experience and had gotten some early results, RBNY hadn’t won in MLS play since April 4th, not least due to their openness.
In Chicago, Bradley finally showed he’s willing to adjust, even if just a bit, as the Red Bulls put on their best performance in a month and got a 3-1 win away from home.
