New York Red Bulls

After years of countless playoff failures, the New York Red Bulls were able to advance out of the conference semifinal round of the MLS Cup playoffs. 

Mike Petke's side did lose 2-1 on the day to D.C. United, but it advanced on aggregate thanks to two goals in the first leg a week ago. 

Although New York did see Roy Miller commit a hideous high challenge to earn a red card in the 79th minute, which reminded many of mistakes made in the past, the Red Bulls were able to fight off their past postseason demons. 

There was also the late goal scored by Sean Franklin, but that came too late in the match to concern the Red Bulls due to the away goal they earned in the 57th minute. The win handed the Red Bulls a spot in their first conference final since 2008, when they beat Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference final. 

The player who handed New York a comfortable cushion on aggregate was Peguy Luyindula, who cashed in on a terrific cross from Thierry Henry. It was Henry who was supposed to come to New York and bring the franchise to the promised land. But it was not until the capture of the 2013 Supporters' Shield that the Frenchman delivered something truly meaningful to the club.

Despite being the best team in the regular season a year ago, the Red Bulls went down an all-too-familiar path in the conference semifinal round and lost to the Houston Dynamo. 

The Red Bulls entered the MLS Cup playoffs this season as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. They were seen as an outside favorite to advance past D.C., which put together a tremendous worst-to-first turnaround in the regular season. As Goal.com's Seth Vertelney points out, the Red Bulls won as the wild card a year after losing to the wild-card team. 

But as we all know in any American sport, seedings are thrown out the window when the playoffs begin. Just like so many American teams in the last decade, the Red Bulls earned momentum from the MLS version of the wild-card game. 

The Red Bulls began to control their own playoff momentum with a 2-1 win over defending champion Sporting Kansas City in the knockout round on Oct. 30. The win was earned thanks to a tactical call made by Petke to enter Luyindula into the match. 

Luyindula played a role in creating both goals scored by Bradley Wright-Phillips in the final 13 minutes of the match to earn the second home win in franchise playoff history. 

The second win in four days at Red Bull Arena came in the first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinal, as New York dominated its longtime rival thanks to the efforts of Henry. The former Arsenal and Barcelona player assisted on both goals in the 2-0 win to hand his side a sizable advantage. 

It was Henry who once again played a role in delivering the knockout punch, as his cross from the left side of the pitch found Luyindula for his 57th-minute strike. Luyindula has two goals and two assists in his three playoff matches, per MLSSoccer.com's Franco Panizo: 

The win marked only the third playoff series win in the club's 19-year history. It did make it all the way to the MLS Cup final in 2008 before losing 3-1 to Columbus in California. 

With an attack firing on all cylinders and a manager playing all the right cards, the Red Bulls do stand a chance against either New England or Columbus in the next round. Advancing will not be an easy task, but they carry a ton of momentum at the moment. 

They will be without Miller at left back, but that may seem like a minor deduction to the lineup if Petke can get the best out of Ambroise Oyongo.  Petke has proven with his usage of Luyindula over the last few weeks that he has a terrific understanding of his players and what roles they are best suited for. 

If the next round goes just like the Red Bulls want it to, we could be quieting the talk of their past failures for good to focus on their newfound success. 

Follow Joe on Twitter @JTansey90. 

MLS' New York Red Bulls made one of their classiest signings yet, and it helped fulfill the dreams of a five-year-old girl. 

Red Bulls brought on Irelyn Maloney on a one-day contract. Young Irelyn was born with Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), which is a rare genetic disease that has prevented her from competing in sports. 

Irelyn always wanted to become a footballer, so the Red Bulls helped her make good on that with a contract. She even scored in training! 

She donned the No. 31 shirt of her favourite footballer, Luis Robles, and got her own locker. 

"If she could play soccer every day, and every minute of every day, she would," he mother, Shannon, told the Red Bulls' official website. "She wears her cleats to school, she wears her cleats to the food store and to the doctor's. She just absolutely adores it." 

She added that Irelyn's had 40 hospital stays and six surgeries in five years. 

In spite of this, prior to her visit with Red Bulls, she got to compete in an actual match. Earlier this month her sister's team held a special game that she competed in as part of the Twin County Soccer Association. 

[New York Red Bulls]

Thierry Henry is being tipped to leave the New York Red Bulls at the end of 2014 but could look beyond the lure of retirement if his MLS exit is confirmed.

Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated provided information that suggests Henry is coming toward the end of his four-year spell with the NY-based club:

Red Bull soccer boss Gerard Houllier hinted at things over the summer when he said that he didn't think Henry would extend with New York, and a source with knowledge of Red Bull’s plans now tells SI.com there is "zero chance" that Henry will sign an extension. (That doesn’t necessarily mean that Henry will retire, however.)

Wahl also indicates that Red Bull's willingness to be involved in the club is beginning to disappear due to the dwindling global profits of the team. "Don't look for Red Bull to be involved in MLS in the long-term future," Wahl writes, per SI.

Franco Panizo, writer for MLSsoccer.com, tweeted a statement from Red Bull in response to Wahl's report:

Henry's exit would likely halt the interest of many onlookers and could see the side's profits deplete. His shirt sales in MLS were second only to David Beckham in 2012, and he remains a major draw for both American and European audiences.

The Frenchman made the move to New York at the right time and has managed to prolong his career by joining a division that is less intense than Europe's best. He remains a classy finisher, extremely assured with his own ability, and the type of player who can pop up with something special at any time.

His loan return to Arsenal in 2012 highlighted the hubbub that still surrounds Henry when he heads back to England, suggesting the Red Bulls will struggle to find a bigger star. Their potential rivals, New York City FC, have Frank Lampard and David Villa waiting on the books, meaning interest could turn to the Manchester City-affiliated club when it begins competitive play.

LA Galaxy legend Landon Donovan highlighted the importance of Henry, per the Red Bulls' Twitter feed:

Tim Cahill would remain the one true Red Bulls star if Henry left should we judge on appeal outside of the MLS. Even prolific striker Bradley Wright-Phillips isn't particularly well remembered in England, struggling to make it in the Premier League and eventually going on to enjoy his best spells with Plymouth, Charlton and Brentford further down the football league structure.

Letting Henry leave without a fight could quietly mark an end to the Red Bulls era, especially as Wahl notes the club and stadium would be sold "within 48 hours" if $300 million was offered. Should Red Bull decide to cash in, major questions will be asked over the club's long-term prospects, especially if Henry departs and NYCFC find some early success.

Earlier this year, the 37-year-old admitted that he would like to become Arsenal manager one day. His profile is so defined at the Emirates that he could walk into the job once Arsene Wenger moves on, so the striker's potential decision to depart Red Bulls could yield him a non-playing role in England.

It would be a smart way to ease Henry into the duties of coaching—much like we've seen with Ryan Giggs at Manchester United—and his reappearance in north London could provide the entire Arsenal squad with a morale boost.

Things appear to be bubbling under at the Red Bull Arena right now. The side is mid-table in the Eastern Conference and has lost momentum after winning the division last year. Henry's rumoured departure could act as a catalyst for the foundations to crumble and may see New York dominated by light blue quicker than expected.

Bradley Wright-Phillips has had to deal with various struggles during his career such as disciplinary issues and serious injuries. The New York Red Bulls striker has put that behind him with his 20th MLS goal of the season against the Montreal Impact.

No other Red Bulls player has scored as many as Wright-Phillips in one season, a record the Englishman broke on Saturday. He's now leading the Golden Boot race by four goals.

While in England, Wright-Phillips had some problems off the pitch. Both he and former Southampton teammate Nathan Dyer were charged with burglary in 2008. Dyer was sentenced, while his accomplice was acquitted. A year later, Wright-Phillips was accused of assaulting a Saints supporter. 

Wright-Phillips' problems extended to the pitch. He started just once in the Premier League with his previous club, Manchester City. In three seasons with Southampton in the Championship, he scored 23 goals in 112 league appearances.

Wright-Phillips didn't fare much better at Plymouth Argyle after being released by the Saints. He struggled with injury, but when he did play he was a lethal forward.

In 2010/11, Wright-Phillips had 13 goals in 17 games in League One but was sold to Charlton a few weeks later. It looked like the Man City youth product wasn't going to soar to new heights.

All that changed when the Red Bulls signed him last summer. He contributed two goals in nine appearances in the regular season and playoffs during his shortened first campaign in MLS.

This year was an unexpected turnaround for Wright-Phillips. He became the first Englishman to score a hat trick in the league's history.

He didn't stop there. His 18 goals eventually led to a selection to the MLS All-Star team to face Bayern Munich in Portland. Wright-Phillips scored the eventual winner in a 2-1 victory for the All-Stars. That performance led to the forward being linked to a future England call-up, per Keith Hickey of Goal.com.

Wright-Phillips has denied those claims outright, but his campaign has been extraordinary. He has never had this kind of individual success in his professional career, so he's proven that it's possible to be a late bloomer.

His ability to make runs and get into position in order to finish chances is unmatched. Wright-Phillips also has a lot of pace, which goes unnoticed at times. 

The Red Bulls sit precariously in the MLS standings. New York is in fifth place but lie only a point above the red line for the final playoff spot. If it wasn't for Wright-Phillips' exploits, the club would be in a much lower position.

Regardless of what happens to the Red Bulls this year, Wright-Phillips' season should go on record as being exceptional.    

Wright-Phillips has proven that sometimes all a player needs to excel is a fresh start and some confidence from his team. The Englishman certainly received that from New York, and everyone was surprised and thrilled by his sudden breakout.

Maybe other clubs will look at troubled players with talent and perhaps take a chance that the individual can turn it around with discipline and a change of scenery. Once trust is gained, encouragement does go a long way.

Red Bulls head coach Mike Petke has taken this philosophy and applied it to his star striker. It's paying dividends that could continue into the postseason.

The New York Red Bulls are in the midst of an important Eastern Conference Semifinal showdown in the 2013 MLS Playoffs with the Houston Dynamo, and it's all coming down to a second-leg match on Wednesday night.

The two sides finished Saturday's opening leg with a 2-2 draw in Houston, where goals by Tim Cahill and Eric Alexander helped the Red Bulls cancel out a red card and come back to Red Bull Arena playing for an appearance in the MLS semifinals.

Here's everything you need to know for the upcoming match. 

Date: Wednesday, November 6

Start Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: Univision Deportes

Live Stream: MLS Live

Red Bulls Player to Watch: Thierry Henry

The international star was quiet in the first leg on Saturday, but don't expect that to be the case at home in this crucial match.

Henry finished the season with 10 goals, second on the club behind Tim Cahill—who scored in Houston Saturday. His last appearance of the regular season produced a goal in a 5-2 rout over Chicago.

The Dynamo kept New York's offensive attack to just two shots on goal, both of which were scores. But that won't be the case on Wednesday with everything on the line, as Henry will show why he was one of the world's best in his prime and come up big in the clutch. 

Henry came to the MLS to win championships, and he hasn't done so just yet. There's no doubting that he's hungry to stake his claim this season, after winning the Supporters' Shield for the league's best regular season record. 

The Red Bulls are on a mission this season, and it's being led by experienced veterans Cahill and Henry. Look for the Frenchman to make his presence felt in this showdown. 

Dynamo Player to Watch: Will Bruin

After taking care of business against Montreal, the Dynamo face quite a bit tougher of a test against New York and they found that out on Saturday. It took a 90th-minute goal to secure a draw against the Red Bulls, who were playing with just 10 men. 

Despite the comeback, usual star Will Bruin was not one of the scorers even though he took three shots on the contest—none of which were on goal.

Bruin was scorching in the regular season, posting 10 goals, and the Dynamo will need more of the same if they want any chance at advancing to the conference finals and keeping their MLS Cup bid alive. 

The 24-year-old continues to dazzle and evolve into a MLS star, and he has his biggest chance yet at building his legend on Wednesday. 

Prediction

Even in a draw to open the playoffs, the MLS' best team in 2013 still found a way to look good on Saturday by drawing on the road with 10 men.

Returning home, it's hard to see the Red Bulls' offensive attack do anything other than improve. You can't count on Henry not impacting the game in two straight appearances.

Red Bulls 3, Dynamo 1

The New York Red Bulls may be the Supporters’ Shield winners and riding high with a current eight-game unbeaten streak, but anything can happen come playoff time.

The Red Bulls will face off against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday in the Eastern Conference semifinals. As with any postseason showdown, there are plenty of intriguing storylines to keep an eye on.

Let’s dig into a few.

New York’s Head-to-Head Dominance

New York ran rampant through much of the MLS this season—hence the Supporters’ Shield—but it was particularly strong against Houston.

The Red Bulls knocked off the Dynamo all three times they met by a combined score of 9-1. What’s more, two of those games took place in Houston. That’s the type of dominance that could come into play mentally for both squads if New York gets off to a quick start on Sunday afternoon.

It is worth noting that the Red Bulls also won in Houston in their lone postseason meeting there five years ago, but that won’t have as much of an impact as this season’s head-to-head matchups.

It will be important for Houston to get off to a quick start so potential self-doubt doesn’t creep into its players’ minds as the game wears on.

Will Bruin’s Postseason Goal Scoring

Houston had the tendency to go into scoring droughts this season—especially at home—but Will Bruin will look to continue his goal-scoring momentum and find the back of the net against New York.

Bruin scored twice when the Dynamo defeated the Montreal Impact in the knockout round. It was the second time in his career that he scored multiple times in a playoff game (he did so previously against the Chicago Fire).

Bruin has six goals in 11 career postseason matches and will look to add to that impressive total against the Red Bulls. If he can't, though, the Dynamo will have issues keeping up with New York.

Dynamo’s Makeshift Defense

Injuries are always a concern in the postseason and Houston will certainly feel their effects on the back end.

Jermaine Taylor is out for the remainder of the playoffs after fracturing his left foot, meaning Eric Brunner will be asked to play central defense. Fortunately for Houston fans, he did so in the last game against Montreal and the defense kept a clean sheet.

In an interview with MLSsoccer.com, teammate Bobby Boswell expressed his confidence in Brunner’s ability:

He knows what he's got to do, and as a unit we know what we have to do. I've played with him in CONCACAF games, Open Cup games, things like that, so it's not like this is going to be our first test.

 

Luis Robles’ Injury

Luis Robles’ injury is nowhere near as severe as Taylor’s, but when such an important player is anything but 100 percent, it is worth keeping an eye on.

Robles appeared in all 34 league matches as goalkeeper for New York, but suffered an injury to his left knee in the season’s final game. According to the MLSsoccer.com article above, the injury is not something particularly serious, but his lateral movement could be of concern.

If the Red Bulls do have to look elsewhere, they have Ryan Meara waiting in the wings. He is talented in his own right, but Robles is still one of the best in the league and critical to New York’s title hopes.

Thierry Henry has gone viral, following in the footsteps of NFL star Tim Tebow and golf's Jason Dufner, after fans started messing around with his goal celebration for the New York Red Bulls.

So first things first: What is Henrying?

Where Tebowing was getting down on one knee and praying, and Dufnering was more of a slouch and sit, Henrying is leaning with arm on hip after a job well done.

You would have thought that after winning just about every major title in football, the 36-year-old would be able to rest on his laurels—as it turns out, it becomes an internet meme even when he does.

According to Sports Illustrated, the celebration has become an Henry staple in recent weeks (or that he's done it twice, and that it's now a trend).

The folks at KickTV came up with the meme concept, and have explained it handily for you here:

The result was a series of somewhat impressive feats of Photoshopping, and we've picked out a few of the best below:

#Henrying pic.twitter.com/BKN3yptf4Y

— AFC Fisher (@AFC_Fisher) September 19, 2013

Thierry #Henrying like a #WreckingBall #Miley #RBNY pic.twitter.com/fePWWn1p9h

— Michael Milberger (@mmilberger) September 19, 2013

"Diego, chill. I got this." #Henrying pic.twitter.com/415LhBms2B

— Samuel (@samuelj29060) September 19, 2013

He's had enough. #Henrying pic.twitter.com/s1Kw9R8E6n

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 19, 2013

#Henrying he was there. Knew it. pic.twitter.com/z3kgrR4Xpo

— Özil.11. (@StewartM23) September 19, 2013

#Henrying pic.twitter.com/FGvjAkwe7n"

— LÜCA AFC (@mishal771) September 19, 2013

When New York F.C. takes to the field, MLS will be fielding 20 clubs. That's enough for four five-team divisions.  

So, is this a good idea?

Well, the MLB, NHL and NBA currently have six divisions, and the 32-team NFL has eight.

However, most other premier leagues around the world don't have divisions at all, including the English Premier League, which also has 20 teams.  

However, most other worldwide leagues have a smaller geographic footprint than the MLS (usually only one or two time zones instead of four), and many also have fewer than 20 teams. Though some of these leagues (including the EPL) play a double-round-robin regular-season schedule, other leagues have unbalanced schedules.

And how would the divisions ultimately line up?

Well, for starters, one team is going to have to move from the East to the West. Houston and Kansas City are the most likely targets for movement. I'd move the Dynamo to the West so it could be in the same division as its Texas derby rival Dallas.

Dividing the MLS is complicated by the fact that the MLS has a different geographical distribution than the "Big Four" leagues. With six teams on the west coast, the Whitecaps will have to be in a different division than the Galaxy or Chivas.  

The MLS also isn't fielding a team in the Southeast right now, and only fields three teams in the Midwestern United States.  By contrast, the MLB and NFL are each fielding nine teams in the Midwest, and the NBA is fielding six teams in the southeast.

Assuming mostly geographically distributed divisions (i.e. nothing like the AL/NL or AFC/NFC dichotomy, no "zipper"), here's what I perceive to be the only feasible scenario for a four-division MLS: 

I know that these might not be the first divisions that come to mind, but on closer examination, they make a lot of sense, if for no other reason that they preserve many of the MLS' clásicos.

Start with the Atlantic Division. You have Red Bulls and their traditional rivals in the Revolution and D.C. United, plus their future Big Apple stablemates and Philadelphia because it fits in geographically. Looks almost like the NBA's Atlantic Division, except with Washington instead of Toronto.

Obviously, things look a little different in the West in that it's divided north-south instead of east-west. However, this way preserves the most rivalries: you've got a Northwest Division consisting of the Rocky Mountain and Cascadia Cups. It looks very much like the NBA's Northwest Division did from 2004-08, but with Vancouver instead of Minnesota.

As for the Southwest Division, you have the Honda SuperClasico, the Texas derby and the California Clásico.  It consolidates most of the MLS' large Hispanic markets in a single division, and shares four markets each with the current AL West and the final incarnation of the NHL Pacific (no teams in Phoenix or Seattle).

But, as you may have guessed, the Central Division is where it gets wacky. Composed of the five teams that couldn't find a place in the other divisions, its two farthest members (Montreal and Kansas City) are separated by over 1,300 miles. Only one clásico exists between these five teams: the Trillium Cup between Columbus and Toronto.  

Frankly, the Central Division alone is enough of a reason not to have divisions in the MLS.

Bottom line: Because of what the Central Division would end up looking like, and because most Premier Leagues operate without divisions, I don't believe splitting into four divisions will be necessary for the MLS at this time.