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If you've never checked out Once a Metro, do yourself a favor! They are among the premier soccer sites on the network, and happily engaged in some Derby Week banter with us: Be sure to read our "reverse fixture," in which we paid them a visit to answer three questions about the Bronx Blues.
HRB: The Internet has galvanized -- worldwide, in fact -- around trolling New York City FC. The new team is popular for all the wrong reasons. From the Red Bull's position as a long-suffering fan base, what's it like to have such an easy target just across the river?
OaM: The question assumes we don't have easy targets already!
We have D.C. United playing in RFK Stadium that is literally falling down to go after. Having NYC FC is just icing. I mean, City Beats, the unoriginal songbook, playing on a baseball field, there's just a lot there. The hardest thing is deciding which thing to talk about at a given time.
HRB: Should we expect any fan protests on Sunday surrounding Mike Petke's departure or "Red Bull Out" like we've seen at times this year, or does the new rivalry and RBNY's current form square that all away?
OaM: There won't be any protests. Even before the ESC protest at the first home match, a lot of the heat has died down as fans focused on the season. Starting out 3-0-4 before last week's loss helped the angry voice take a back seat as well.
HRB: How do you evaluate the "power trio" of Dax McCarty, Felipe Martins, and Sacha Kljestan, and what should we expect from them Saturday against a NYCFC group still developing its cohesiveness?
OaM: High Pressure, high pressure, and some more high pressure. It's this year's buzzword, but it's also an effective style of play in MLS.
Given that NYC FC is still developing, it wouldn't surprise me to see the NYC FC having a lot of trouble moving the ball through the middle of the field. Also, given their lack of wide play (most likely due to the width of the field at Yankee Stadium), NYC FC will probably have trouble getting the ball in from a wide position as well. Unless NYC FC can hit quickly on a counter attack, they'll have trouble against the Red Bulls.