Sometimes the surface level stats tell a lot of the story.
New York Red Bulls gave up less than one goal a game in 2018, a rate even better than LAFC’s exceptional 1.0 goals per game this season.
In 2019, the Red Bulls are giving up 1.53 goals per game headed into Wednesday night’s match at Portland and have lost six of their past ten contests. Bradley Wright-Phillips notched 20 goals a year ago, but now the club has no double-digit scorers. Kaku’s assists per game stat has been cut in half.
But the broader worry for Red Bulls, the one that overshadows all the numbers, is this: Nobody’s afraid.