What constitutes a rivalry and how do you manufacture one? Major League Soccer has probably pondered that question rather extensively over the past year or so, in preparation for this season’s induction of the New York derby.
New York finally has a ‘proper’ derby
Don Garber’s office wall is most likely a collage of Post-It notes on the subject by this point, plotting the establishment of the league’s latest rivalry. But it wasn’t until Sunday that Red Bulls v New York City FC felt like a real derby.
For the third time, the Red Bulls emerged on top – with goals from Bradley Wright-Phillips and Felipe Martins enough for Jesse Marsch’s men. NYC FC turned in their most competitive derby display yet, which may have proved a factor in the tempestuous atmosphere around Sunday’s class, but there was an added edge to a match which was decided by more than just goals. [THE GUARDIAN]
There was a Jason Kreis temper tantrum following the Red Bulls’ opening goal – complaining that a foul had been committed in the build-up, pained penalty claims, taunting Tifos, a glancing punch from Damien Perrinelle on Jefferson Mena, a number of thunderous tackles and even a pair of ripped shorts. At the third attempt, New York was afforded a real derby – complete with grown men fighting outside the ground like a bunch of school kids.
Both derby games at Red Bull Arena and Yankee Stadium were spectacles, but there was still an element of novelty in their attraction. By Sunday however, that had faded somewhat – leaving behind the New York derby as a pure sporting contest – an engrossing one at that, played between two clubs with vastly differing form.
The visitors failed to make the most of their early pressure in Harrison and struggled to respond after falling behind, with Andrea Pirlo a particular disappointment. We should have sensed something was up with the Italian as soon as he misplaced his first four passes, getting caught in possession a number of times throughout. Indeed, this was Pirlo at his poorest and underlined how he is not always the best man to control midfield matters in such fast and furious circumstances.
David Villa also toiled, although that was largely down to his isolation as NYC FC’s lone striker - with Mix Diskerud, Frank Lampard and Tommy McNamara all ineffective in bridging the space between midfield and attack. Too often they were open to the Red Bulls’ counter-attack, and certainly not for the first time this season, were susceptible to individual errors at the back.
Of course, Sunday’s result did nothing to rebalance a scale which has been weighted fairly heavily in the Red Bulls’ favour this season, as NYC FC continue to await their first derby win. To draw an apology between this derby and another, the Red Bulls have quickly become the Manchester United of the 1990s – with NYC FC, quite appropriately, Manchester City. There is now a sense of genuine rivalry between the two clubs.
It’s difficult to define exactly what a proper derby is, but after the game Marsch came closest to defining it. “I saw two guys yelling at each other on Fifth Avenue the other day, one was wearing a Red Bulls shirt, the other had NYC FC colors. They didn’t even know I was there – but it was great,” Marsch said with smile. “I have never seen the city so alive with soccer. It has been awesome.”
Giovani Dos Santos is the player to complete the LA Galaxy
It was only when he was named in the starting line-up that Giovani Dos Santos’s impact on LA Galaxy became apparent. Of course, Bruce Arena already had the best team on paper in MLS before the Mexican’s arrival, but the former Barcelona and Spurs attacker is the final pin on the StubHub Center tactics board. He didn’t do too badly on the pitch either.
Dos Santos marked his MLS bow with a debut goal, scoring the Galaxy’s third goal in what became a somewhat routine 3-1 win over the Seattle Sounders. The Mexican has been heralded, perhaps a little hyperbolically, as one of the most important signings in MLS history, and he already appears set for a big role for his new team after just one appearance.
Robbie Keane still sets the precedent in Carson on how big-money, big-name signings can deliver big results, but the capture of Dos Santos represents a notable attacking upgrade for LA. Alongside Keane, the Galaxy have used Gyasi Zardes, Alan Gordon, Bradford Jamieson, Jose Villarreal, Edson Buddle and even Ignacio Maganto – with varying results. Zardes will keep his place as more of an orthodox winger, but Dos Santos can now count on an almost guaranteed position in tandem with Keane – especially after his shimmering bow against Seattle. [THE GUARDIAN]
Arena’s side had scored 28 goals in just eight games preceding Dos Santos’ debut, so the need for a forward of the Mexican’s quality was hardly pressing, but that only helps to illustrate the unparalleled strength of the LA Galaxy right now. He makes them, by some distance, the most formidable outfit the North American game has to offer – as the Sounders found out to their cost.
Sure, the Galaxy have had their struggles this season, with the defending champions going five games without a win as recently as May. For long spells of the season it was almost as if LA were simply waiting for their post-Landon Donovan big-names to arrive, only kicking into gear with the 5-1 thumping of the Philadelphia Union on 21 June. Since then they have won five from six, finding the net with frightening ease.
Some might take the Galaxy’s upturn over the summer as typical of an Arena side, but the questions asked of his team earlier in the season were entirely valid. This sort of streak is unprecedented, even by LA’s standard, as is the current quality of their team. Is a Dos Santos-Keane strike force supported by Steven Gerrard, Sebastian Lletget, Juninho and Zardes the best frontline in MLS history? There’s a case to be made for it – and Dos Santos is the player who raises the Galaxy to such a level. [THE GUARDIAN].
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