New York Red Bulls: Red Bulls’ biggest storylines to follow in 2019
Tyler Adams irreplaceable?
First off, let’s acknowledge how impressive it is I made this far into a New York Red Bulls season preview without mentioning the wunderkind, Tyler Adams. Yes, the midfielder is already off in Germany becoming a star in Bundesliga (thankfully still in that Red Bull red) and has already been long gone from the New York club, despite him leaving just a few months ago.
Since he left, the Red Bulls have done a lot. They still dominated the Champions League and will still likely win at least a few of their first MLS matches. Also, after he left the Red Bulls re-signed Aaron Long who took over as the most important player on the team, again my opinion.
However, that doesn’t mean the Red Bulls go into the 2019 season better off without Adams. He is a star and they will miss him. The club has just done a great job not making a bad situation worse. They have talent.
More. Adams is a massive loss, but do not fear. light
Two viable options to log reps in the mid-field, while neither might stand a chance to cover the ground and play the two way game Adams did, are Marc Rzatkowski and Christian Casseres Jr. While neither of them are guaranteed specific roles, it seems Chris Armas will go with them. He is still capable of changing everyone’s role, I digress.
Really, what the point is that Tyler Adams will not simply be replaced by one particular player. Casseres is a great option and the Red Bulls planned it well, but I don’t think its the Red Bulls’ intention to outright replace the now Bundesliga player.
I think it was their intention to fill his role carefully, using great planning and bringing a player like Rzatkowski back to add midfield depth. Their midfield, as projected by mlssoccer.com could consist of Danny Royer, Kaku, Alex Muyl, Sean Davis, and Rzatkowski.
That is still incredibly stacked and similar to last season. Please note, Rzatkowski was at his best when the summer hit and Armas took over last season, he scored his two goals in July. That is pretty telling considering how it all played out this offseason.
So yes, Tyler Adams could be irreplaceable in terms of his one of a kind ability, but a huge story to follow for the 2019 Red Bulls is if losing Adams really piles up on the pitch as it initially seemed it would.