SPEED KILLS

While we learned New York is a resilient team, we also were treated to it’s most glaring weakness: speed.

And that, folks, is on both sides of the ball.

Defensively, the Red Bulls could not catch up to the rapid fire counter attacking game of the Timbers. Those young legs, even in Dike’s case, seemed too much for the veteran laden Bulls. Miller’s giveaway on the first goal and the movement in the second only served to make the case.

Offensively, the team lacked a penetrater. Since Dane Richards was shipped away, New York hasn’t had that wing threat who can take on defenders, draw them in and create space on mere speed alone. Lloyd Sam may be the team’s long term answer, but without him on the pitch, it is tough to predict he will be.

Hans Backe included Le Toux in the hopes that his speed and pouching ability would make up for the Jamaican’s absence and add a different dimension to the attack.

It hasn’t.

Lost amongst the positive headlines over the past two victories is the way the team’s defensive wings collapse under speedy pressure. Clearly, that can not sustain in a grueling MLS Playoff system. And the lack of a fast option up top hinders the team, especially in tight games like this.