As inspiring as the team’s late season turnaround and the tenacious performance in Chester were, the New York Red Bulls still had much of their current flaws on display in their playoff elimination at the hand of the Philadelphia Union (or just the foot of Jakob Glesnes) on Saturday night. Though Gerhard Struber’s team defied doubters in recovering from its midseason injury crisis and table dip, its still-disjointed attack and unsettled lineup or formation over the run did not ultimately make for a team of destiny. Even with Struber declaring 2021 a success based on the team’s successful integration on numerous new players into the squad and establishment of a platform for 2022, the 2021 season never truly took off for the Red Bulls — and wasn’t really designed to in the first place.
What did we learn from the latest New York Red Bulls playoff exit?
