u/iced1777

Trying my best to separate the performance from the result, I do think 15 of the 16 Red Bulls who saw the field played pretty well. And at least in terms of their tempo and risk-taking, it was something resembling a sane approach to an away game. Just one of those games where key moments don't go your way.

Credit where credit is due, Cincinnati's #11 was a brick wall against our attack down the right wing to start the game. Hammering away at that side with Cowell and JMR has been the Red Bull's plan A all season, but they couldn't get any momentum going for the entire first half.

The second half set up a bit more favorably for the Red Bulls attack with MDS and Forsberg coming on, Cincy sitting back, and Cowell picking up steam. This lead to a number of chances for Hall that easily could have gone in given his excellent form. Even without the final touch this game, its encouraging to see him look more and more like prime BWP in how he moves off the ball.

Shoutout to Tim Parker for surprising everyone and dropping some dimes behind Cincinnati's defense. However, and in all seriousness, I think my favorite play of his might have been this one. The team has been stubborn to a fault trying to build out of the back this year, and it was a relief to see a vet out there know when its an appropriate time to just blast it as far as you can the other way.

Dylan Nealis also had a stellar game next to Parker with a number of well-timed wins.

I'll keep beating Mosquera's drum this week, who I thought had a nice cameo to end the game. He gives you a little bit of everything you'd expect out of an inverted winger and doesn't look off the pace of MLS.

Where do I even start? This year's team has provided equal parts entertainment and stress in greater volumes than any sports team I've followed. Needless to say I'm not expecting too many 0-0 draws.

Donkor had the game of his career on top of what's already been a stellar season. Amazing to see him get on the scoresheet, but also great to see him end more of these marauding runs by completing difficult passes.

Someone a lot smarter than I could probably write a dissertation on what's going on with the defense right now. I usually focus more on player personalities on the field than tactics, but even on that end of the equation you can see where some clear gaps lie.

Mehmetti is the best #6 this team has had on the ball possibly ever, but defensively his age shows. You can't have plays like this where you fail to so much as get a body on the other player. Berggren, who has like 30 pounds more muscle to throw around, showed the kid how its done in the second half.

In the backline, I think Bradley is simply asking too much of the center backs right now on both sides of the ball. Nealis and Voloder are decent enough in possession, but in a system that clearly discourages ever booting it away, their ball security issues start to show. Defensively, they are a far cry from the athletic freaks of nature we've seen at CB over the past decade of high-press soccer. Many of DC's chances came from simple runs of play where the CBs simply lost a duel or got beat to a loose ball.

Ruvalcaba's best play of the game was clearly returning the favor to a DC defender moments after MDS got megged.

Mosquera looks to me like a kid that deserves some minutes this season to show what he's got. He's a clever, aggressive player. This would have been quite the first career assist as he caps some nifty combination play off with a through ball to Hall.