The start of the 2023 season seemed to be a continuation of the prior one. In their opening match of the season, Red Bull created all the chances in the world and failed to finish any of them against Orlando.
Moving onto match day two of the new season, Nashville SC comes to town. Red Bull will look to show that their home performances in 2022 were an outlier and come away with all three points in their 2023 home opener.
This will be just the third match all-time between the two clubs. Their last match-up against Nashville came back in 2021, with Red Bull coming away victorious.
Goals from current Red Bull Kyle Duncan and former fan favorite Fabio gave Red Bull the 2-0 win on the day, as this year's squad will look for a repeat performance on Saturday night.
At Red Bull Arena last season, the boys finished with a record of 6-6-5 and lost their first home playoff match since 2018. That is not acceptable from a Red Bull point of view, as the club boasts the BEST home team in the league since the Arena opened in 2010.
Photo Credit: Daniel Rebain/Area Sports
What Red Bull does have on their side going into this game is that theyāre 16-6-5 in home openers in their Metro Stars/Red Bull history. Thatās a positive at least.
The fans will get their chance to get back down to the Arena on Saturday for the first time since that playoff loss to Cincinnati. But according to reports midweek, the current total of fans expected at RBA for the opener is around 12.5k, about half capacity.
If this is true, it will be a terrible look on the franchise and completely unacceptable. The organization needs to figure out how to get the Arena filled up to 20k, let alone the full 25k in the future.
With that being said, the players will play 100% for all the fans that will make the trip down to Red Bull Arena.
Projected Red Bull XI
Red Bull should stick with almost an identical lineup they had down in Orlando with just a couple of tweaks with more players now available.
Kyle Duncan is set to return to the XI after being unavailable in week one. The RB was able to train in full this week and was given the green light by the medical staff.
Still, it wouldnāt be surprising to see Struber return to Cameron Harper after his solid performance in week one. But Duncan is the projected starter, if heās healthy, expect the veteran to be in the XI.
The only other change could be Dante Vanzier for Tom Barlow.
Stuber seemed to indicate that once Vanzierās paperwork cleared, he would be inserted into the lineup, and based on Red Bullās social media activity involving Vanzier this week, it looks like he will be good to go for the home opener.
The only situation to monitor for Saturday is Lewis Morgan, who popped up on the injury report with a āhipā issue and is listed as āquestionableā.
It would be a huge blow for Red Bull to lose Morgan as he led the team in scoring in 2022 and is a vital part of the attack. If Morgan does miss, expect Harper to be introduced into that role as we saw during the preseason.
Photo Credit: Daniel Rebain/Area Sports
Nashville Scouting Report
Nashville is a very "structured" team that is led by superstar and 2022 MVP Hany Mukhtar.
In 2022, Mukhtar continued where he left off the season prior, netting 26 goals and adding 8 assists in all competitions. Very much like the Orlando game with Facundo Torres, the goal will be to limit Mukhtarās space.
"Hany is very smart that will come into spaces that is not so easy to defend. We have to be very focused to give Hany absolutely no time and space to create something", said Struber pre-game on to slow down the reigning MVP Mukhtar.
CB Andres Reyes was very aggressive whenever the ball was near his area, and heāll need to reproduce his match-day one performance of 11 aerial duels and 13 challenges won if Red Bull wants to have a chance at stiffing Nashvilleās counterattack.
Setting up in a low block with USMNT CB Walker Zimmerman and Jack Maher in defense, Nashvilleās goal every game is to frustrate the opposition to the point where they switch off defensively and break with numbers offensively.
They have the pace to do that with Mukhtar in the middle and Fafa Picault & Randall Leal bombing up the wings.
In week one, Nashville had a very easy time limiting an ST-less NYC before making the away side pay on a set piece with Zimmerman opening the scoring.
Late in the match, a not-fully-fit Mukhtar was subbed in a made an instant impact with an assist to Jacob Shaffelburg to put the game away. By the way, Mukhtar is available from the start against Red Bull according to Nashville manager Gary Smith.
Nashville is a very disciplined team, so unless Red Bull is able to unlock their defense, it will be another long and disappointing game for the home supporters at RBA.
Match Day 2 Prediction
With their low-block defensive system, Nashville will look to frustrate Red Bull as most teams accomplished last season at Red Bull Arena.
According to Daniel Edelman, to combat that Red Bull was working all preseason on more of a ābuild-up out of the backā system for games just like this when teams sit back at home.
Look for Red Bull to start this game full throttle and take this game to Nashville and try to get a goal early. If Red Bull is able to create like they did down in Orlando, odds are they will see the ball go into the back of the net.
The goal is to stay patient. A goal will eventually come if you are creating chances. If Red Bullās defense over-commits, Mukhtar will make them pay and it will be 2022 all over again.
Good thing Dante Vanzeir will start and will grab a goal and assist in his first career appearance in MLS.
*I have no knowledge Vanzeir will even dress for the game, but Tom Bogert said early Saturday that he "expects" the Belgian to make his debut in Red Bull's home opener*
Score Prediction: 2-0 Red Bull (Vanzeir, Morgan)
Availability Report
reported by Seeing Red's Mark Fishkin (@MarkFishkin)
Game Information:
When: March 4th, 7:30 EST
Where: Red Bull Arena, Harrison, New Jersey
How to Watch: MLS Season Pass- Apple TV+
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