The NY Red Bulls (32 pts.) find themselves clinging to the final playoff spot by a mere point over arch-rival DC United (31 pts.). After finishing best in the East last season, the most expensive team in the league began positively, but the Red Bulls have fallen from 1st place all the way to 5th place in the Eastern Conference; a full 3 points behind the Houston Dynamo (35) and upstart Philadelphia Union (35), 5 points behind Sporting KC (37), and 8 points behind East-leading Columbus (40).
The class of the league continues to be the LA Galaxy who lead the league with 55 points in 28 games played, and they became the first team to clinch a playoff berth with their 1-0 win over defending champion Colorado on Friday. Mercifully, the sold-out derby game between the Galaxy and Red bulls at Red Bull Arena was postponed by Hurricane Irene to October 4. The Vancouver Whitecaps now come into Red Bull Arena to face a well-rested team (last game on August 20, 2-2 draw at New England) looking to break a 7 game winless streak. During that stretch the team has gone 0-3-4, and their last win was a 5-0 drubbing of lowly Toronto at Red Bull Arena on July 6, 2011.
The Whitecaps are the polar opposites of the Galaxy in the league having the distinction as the worst team in the league with a mere 21 points from 26 games played, and are winless on the road all season. So, step one for the Red Bulls is not to allow Vancouver to get their first win on the road; step 2 is to secure a 1-0 lead; and then final step to dismantle them with a similar drubbing as they gave the last Canadian team to set foot in Red Bull Arena…Remember Red Bull Arena is Our Home Your Hell!
Bottom-line nothing less than a dominant and convincing performance and win is acceptable at this point in the season by a team that considers itself worthy of being in the playoffs when facing a team out of the playoff picture. Especially, in a league where the playoff picture can turn on a single win or lose.
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