This is one in a series of team previews preparing fans for the 2023 MLS season. Check out the full list; teams will be revealed in predicted order of finish from Feb. 10-24.
What New York Red Bulls did last year
Exactly what you’d expect. They pressed, they struggled to find a reliable striker and then the dust settled and they were in the playoffs for the 13th straight season. The formula works, y’all. Except in the playoffs. It never works in the playoffs. Please stop asking them to make it work in the playoffs.
Key additions
Forward Cory Burke (free agent), defender Kyle Duncan (loan from K.V. Oostende), forward Elias Manoel (transfer from Gremio), forward Dante Vanzeir (transfer from Union SG).
Key departures
Midfielder Caden Clark (loan expired, moved to RB Leipzig), forward Patryk Klimala (transfer to Hapoel Be’er Sheva), defender Aaron Long (out of contract, moved to LAFC)
Making the case for New York Red Bulls
Ok, now is the part where I prepare everyone for the M. Night Shyamalan twist at the end of this.
[ahem]
Their final ranking in the group voting does not reflect my personal opinion on the 2023 New York Red Bulls.
Got it? Ok, good, now we can move on to talk about why I’m pretty high on this team heading into the season.
The case for the Red Bulls is extremely straightforward. They’ve made the playoffs for 13 straight seasons because Energy Drink Soccer, for all its flaws, raises your floor in MLS. The system keeps you from bottoming out, and as long as you’re competitive in nearly every game you play in this league, there are really good odds that you’ll have some level of success.
That’s a double-edged sword of course. That high floor is a great way for the team’s leadership to convince itself that it doesn’t need to change anything regarding how they build out their roster. However, it seems like they may have had their perspective changed by yet another playoff exit in a lifeless Red Bull Arena last year.
They went out and grabbed super-sub striker Cory Burke from Philly, brought back promising forward Elias Manoel, and, the big one, signed DP striker Dante Vanzeir from Union SG. If any of these guys hit in any way at striker, the Red Bulls have the kind of Red Bullsy squad to put together a huge season. Yes, they have to make up for the loss of Aaron Long. But in some sense, their system should do that for them. What’s really important here is that they find a reliable goal scorer up top. It’s been bleak since Bradley Wright-Phillips left.
If they can get Vanzeir going though, that should allow winger Lewis Morgan and attacking midfielder Luquinhas to thrive in kind. We genuinely might see the best version of the Red Bulls since 2018 if Vanzeir is legit.
Players to watch
We hit on the big trio of Morgan, Vanzeir and Luquinhas already. So let’s instead just remind everyone that left back John Tolkin is a style icon, a future USMNT player and the next Red Bull to make the jump to Europe.
A nerdy tidbit
Per Second Spectrum, the Red Bulls had the fewest passes of any team in the league per possession at just 3.12 passes. They will lead the league in this metric until the end of days.
A fun tidbit
John Tolkin dyed his hair blonde again.
Also, a few weeks ago, he paid tribute to the Lo'eau LaBonta goal celebration that was one of NWSL's most enduring 2022 moments.
Something to brighten up your Monday morning, courtesy of JMi pic.twitter.com/0CgKToffQ6
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) January 23, 2023
Projected finish
13th in the East
I strongly disagree with this one! Although I understand how folks got there. The East is stacked to the point where it feels like any team could finish somewhere between second and 13th. I just really, really don’t think it will be the Red Bulls. We’ll see.