With the New York Red Bulls and New England Revolution set to square off in the decisive second leg of the MLS Eastern Conference Final, each side will lean upon veteran leadership in the biggest test of the season. The match may well come down to a key matchup in the midfield – New York’s field general, Thierry Henry, against New England’s Jermaine Jones.
With New York trailing, 2-1, on aggregate and needing at least two away goals to have a shot at advancing, the Red Bulls have no choice but to push forward. The offense will be orchestrated, as it has all year, by Henry – a world-class forward who has reshaped the Red Bulls offense this season by moving out to the left wing, allowing him to find space out wide or to drift in behind his striker. This move has allowed Henry to spend more time facing the opposition’s goal, serving as the provider of dangerous crosses and clever through balls, which has increased the offensive potency of the Red Bulls as a whole.
Henry finished the regular season with ten goals and 14 assists, tied for second in MLS, and has a league-high four assists through four playoff games. Despite his elite goal scoring ability, Henry has always taken pride in being a set-up man as well as a finisher. If the Red Bulls are to have success in New England, it may well come off the foot of the captain, one way or another.
One of the men tasked with stopping Henry and the Red Bulls is central midfielder Jermaine Jones, the German-American and U.S. National Team player who moved to MLS on the heels of a strong World Cup performance.
Since his arrival in late August, Jones has helped shored up New England’s defense with his gritty, physical play in the midfield, and has been a spark on the counter attack as well. Beginning with his first appearance on August 30, the team went on a 9-1-1 run to end the regular season after an 8-12-3 start.
Like Henry, Jones is a both a tactical and emotional leader for his side. In addition to his defending, Jones has taken control of the midfield and had a large influence on where and how the Revs play. While Lee Nguyen has garnered headlines with his attacking prowess, Jones provides midfield stability and box-to-box distribution that has transformed New England’s play through the midfield and into the attacking third.
The first leg saw several one-on-one matchups between the veterans. With the stakes raised and their sides needing them to do what they do best, Henry and Jones will be focal points on Saturday afternoon. It’s nothing new for either player. Though they find themselves here after markedly different career paths, each has played on the biggest stages, and provided highlight reels of brilliant moments for both club and country.
The return leg of the MLS Eastern Conference Final is set for Saturday, November 29 at 3:00 p.m. at Gillette Stadium (TV: NBC Sports Network, Univision Deportes).
