Posted by Brian Markowitz

About the only thing that looked hideous for New York Red Bulls last weekend in London were the yellow shorts the team wore for Sunday’s game with Arsenal.

In a performance that hasn’t been seen in weeks by fans, the Red Bulls looked like the best – or least worse, at the very least – team at the Emirates.  In two matches that belied their recent struggles in MLS, the Red Bulls hung with some of the big boys in European football and became the first non-European side to win the Emirates Cup in the first year non-European clubs had been invited to the preseason tournament.

In the first match against nouveau riche Paris Saint-Germain, New York looked the more composed side for most of the match, despite having far less shots on goal.  However, it was Hans Backe’s side who created the meaningful chances, and midway into the first half, it was all-star Joel Lindpere who converted one of the few quality chances of the match, slotting coolly from fellow all-star Juan Agudelo’s slide rule pass.  In the second half, it was New York’s defense that clung on to the lead, with PSG proving wasteful time after time, helping an already composed defense.

Dax McCarty and Teemu Tainio again partnered successfully in midfield, though this was also a rare sighting for New York fans, as it was only the fourth time they had paired together in close to ten games together.  Tainio was content sitting back while the energetic McCarty linked successfully with the offense time and time again.  New acquisition Frank Rost also looked comfortable in goal, although PSG did make it easy for him on many occasions.

In the tilt against Arsenal, things were much different.  In a New York lineup that lacked the midfield steel and experience of Tainio, the Gunners were easily able to dictate play – to the tune of 66% possession through the first half.  It was Robin Van Persie who put the Arsenal up toward the end of the first half, and with the way things were going, that could have been enough.  However, on his return to London, it would not have been a game without Thierry Henry significantly involved.  With the match coming to an end, Henry sent a pass in for defender Roy Miller, whose shot was deflected off young Gunner Kyle Bartley and into the net.  The goal sealed the draw and the championship for New York.  While it was utter embarrassment for Arsenal, in what was likely their only legitimate shot at silverware this season, it was the exact opposite for New York, who had a thousand-pound gorilla lifted off their back. 

            One can only hope that the cup win will spur a late resurgence in Harrison, yet the road ahead is still tough.  Domestically, Red Bulls had won just three games in all competitions heading into The Emirates Cup and have slipped to third in the Eastern conference.  Just about every match left on the schedule is against a team in contention for MLS Cup playoffs and New York will have to be at its very best against the likes of Real Salt Lake, FC Dallas and that team from Philadelphia.  Further, forward Luke Rodgers will miss at least three more weeks with nagging injuries, meaning New York will be missing its second leading scorer and will likely start a front line of two very similar players in Henry and Agudelo.

But if there’s some known quantity coming out of the weekend, it’s that the Red Bulls will finish with some silverware and that yet again, Arsenal did not get any trophy.



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