Three Thoughts Ahead of Red Bulls Preseason
The New York Red Bulls have escaped the cold Northeast to the surprisingly cold state of Florida to begin their 2025 preseason.
The defending Eastern Conference champions have plenty of new faces, lost some old friends, and are only a month removed from playing in the MLS Cup.
The scary thing is they have expectations to live up to now.
1) Cup Hangover
When the Red Bulls take the field against D.C. United on Saturday, it will mark 49 days since they last played in Carson, California. On February 22, the day the team plays FC Cincinnati in the regular season opener, it will be 77 days since that loss in the final.
New York’s yearly tradition of losing in the first round of the playoffs had the hidden upside of guaranteeing a long offseason. Now, the break between seasons is just over two months.
It will be telling to see how Sandro Schwartz and his staff will handle this break. The team has lost multiple key long standing players, like defender John Tolkin, and brought in new faces plenty. Will it be a case of hoping to run it back the same as before? A four-man back line led by the Nealis brothers? Will the backline now be three players with both Tolkin and MLS Cup sit-out Andres Reyes no longer on the team?
Not only will this time be key to determining the shape of New York, but how much give this roster has. The Red Bulls’ biggest issue last season was lack of depth, which reared its ugly head multiple times due to injuries and national team call-ups.
In all likelihood, the team that plays a faux Atlantic Cup in Florida on Saturday could be anything.
2) Striker Future
Since the beginning of December, the following forwards have either left or are heavily rumored to be leaving New York:
- Elias Manoel – traded to Real Salt Lake
- Cory Burke – contract option declined
- Dante Vanzeir – rumored to be returning to Belgium
Even with Burke’s lack of presence on the roster, the three players above represent 16 of RBNY’s goals from last year.
Vanzeir’s struggles within New York over the last two seasons were never going away. The high-profile Designated Player never fell into place, landed in controversy, and was lost starting time late in 2024. A successful playoff run was nice, but he would not be “the guy” in Harrison.
To steal an example from another sport, the Red Bulls would not follow the New York Giants’ example of trusting Daniel Jones.
PHOTO: New York Red Bulls
For Manoel, while not as egregious, the trade to Salt Lake netted New York a healthy amount of GAM for the next two years. Combined with the new rules for MLS surrounding cash transactions, it has a high upside.
That brings us back to preseason right now. The young Wiktor Bogacz and experienced Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting will be called upon to fill up these new holes. While RBNY’s most prolific goal scorers still remain in the midfield, the forwards will have to step up, especially if Lewis Morgan and Emil Forsberg continue to get called up for national team duty.
3) Goalkeeper Thoughts
This is not a story where I assume Carlos Coronel will leave the Red Bulls anytime soon.
AJ Marcucci is back from his loan to Finland, and Jochen Schneider mentioned that his growth as a player was evident. With Ryan Meara announcing his retirement this week, the official backup role is likely falling to the young Connecticut native.
Reportedly, New York is back in the USOC this year. Could that mean starts for AJ in that competition? Is Marcuccu set to make his first team debut when Coronel is off on international duty?
The workload breakdown is going to be interesting to watch.
Preseason is a perfect place for this to start.
PHOTO: New York Red Bulls
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