MLS Talking Points Hudson River Derby and LAFCs home encore

One of the league' Rod Langway Jersey s best rivalries makes its 2018 debut, while Los Angeles FC tries to top what was an unforgettable home debut at Banc of California Stadium.
Those are just some of the top headlines heading into the weekend of Major League Soccer's 10th week of action. Leading the way is New York City FC's visit to Red Bull Arena to take on the New York Red Bulls in a clash of two of the league's best teams.
Two of the top teams in the West square off on the other side of the country, as LAFC looks to stay perfect at its new home against an FC Dallas side coming off of its first lo s of the season.
Atlanta United is the hottest team in the league, with six wins in seven matches (6-0-1), but the Five Strips will face a tricky test on the road against the Chicago Fire, a team leaning on rookies to fill some voids, but also on the experience of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Dax McCarty to navigate the tough Eastern Conference.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to embark on a lengthy road trip with the LA Galaxy. It kicks off in Houston, against a vulnerable Dynamo side that has struggled to match the quality shown in their season-opening win against Atlanta United. Wilmer Cabrera's squad has just one win since that Atlanta rout, and that came against a reserve-heavy Toronto FC side.
The Seattle Sounders have become the subject of much consternation in the Emerald City, with a 1-4-1 record and quiet primary transfer window leaving many Sounders fans nervous about the team sliding into obscurity. Brian Schmetzer's squad can put some of those fears at ease with a home win against a Columbus Crew side that has struggled with consistency early in 2018.
Here is a closer look at the key talking points for MLS Week 10:
Match of the Week: New York Red Bulls vs. New York City FC
The Hudson River Derby is back and Saturday's match features what is likely the strongest match-up in the history of the rivalry.
"I think New York City probably has the best team theyve had yet, and I think we have a good team too," Red Bulls coach Je se Marsch told Goal. " Kody Clark Jersey Were still establishing ourselves in the season, and trying to find ways to get better, but yeah, it has potential to be a really good matchup between two really good teams."
Vieira agrees that his NYCFC team is the best he's had since he took over in 2016, but he also sees a Red Bulls squad that is still just as dangerous as ever.
"I watched (the Red Bulls)play in the Champions League. I think they were really unlucky not to win the games," NYCFC coach Patrick Vieira said. "And when you look at their performance lately in the league its been good. I think this is a team who have a clear idea and a clear philosophy and Im really looking forward to the game."
The rivalry has been boosted in recent years by the contrast in styles. NYCFC's po se sion-oriented approach, which often emphasized building out of the back often clashed with the Red Bulls' high-pre sing, physical style under Marsch. Early in the 2018 season, Andre Burakovsky Jersey the two rivals have actually shown more of the qualities of their cro s-river counterparts.
"I think actually, and I dont mean this to be self-serving in any way, but they look more like a Red Bull team than a po se sion team than they used to," Marsch said. "They counter-pre s a lot more. They move their backline a lot more. They look to, I think, be better against the ball Jakub Vrana Jersey , where in the past theyve hadmuch more emphasis on movement and ideas with the ball.
"Theyve always been real interesting to watch, but this year I think its becoming a little bit more similar to the things that we really like," Marsch said. "I admire his ability to teach a team how to be good with the ball and really manage games that way. I think were trying to become a little bit more like them, and I think theyre trying to become a little bit more like us."
Vieira acknowledged that NYCFC has adapted its style in 2018 to incorporate more of the qualities similar to the Red Bulls approach, but is reluctant to give the Red Bulls credit for that evolution.
"I think its just about the goals that we conceded," Viera said. "Obviously we conceded a few against them, but it was more about overall than just one specific game. I think we have to see how can I help the team make le s mistakes and coming up with a way to not be in danger as much. Ithink jumping the line is one of them, but we still need to play and were going to play against the Red Bulls."
Saturday's derby will feature a plethora of juicy match ups, from Jesus Medina versus Kemar Lawrence, and the battle of the central midfields, but Marsch believes the final outcome will be determined by a familiar factor.
"What does this rivalry usually come down to? Is it David Villas day, or is it Bradley Wright-Phillips day," Marsch told Goal. "Obviously that midfield trio for each team can help feed to the succe s of that striker on the day, but these two players, in many ways, have defined this series and I think that will come down to it in many ways again."
Los Angeles FC ready for home encore
How do you top a stadium unveiling like last week's dramatic late win in the inaugural match at Banc of California Stadium? If you're LAFC, you go out and make a few more marquee signings and look to cap the exciting week off with a win against a very tough FC Dallas side.
Bob Bradley enjoyed a heck of a week, following up the 1-0 win against Seattle with John Carlson Jersey the acquisitions of playmaker Lee Nguyen and forward Adama Diomande, helping immediately extinguish any bad vibes brought on by the lo s of Costa Rican forward Marco Urena to a facial injury. Both Nguyen and Diomande Madison Bowey Jersey have played for Bradley before, and their additions give the LAFC attack even more flexibility and weapons to keep scoring goals in bunches.
Goals may be tough to come by this week against an FC Dallas side that has allowed just six goals in seven matches to boast the best goals-against average in the league. That's after surrendering two goals in a lo s to NYCFC last week. LAFC's offense wasn't quite clicking last week against the Sounders, needing Ciman's late winner to salvage a victory, and Bradley will need to adjust things as he deals with the absence of Urena, who hadn't scored a goal, but who had been very important to LAFC's fast start with his hold-up play and movement.
Who will Bradley turn to at forward? Diego Ro si is a good candidate for the role. Bradley could also slide Carlos Vela up top, move Benny Feilhaber up, and plug EduardAtuesta into central midfield. If not Feilhaber, he could move Omar Gaber into Vela's playmaking role. Bradley could also partner Ro si and Vela up top and turn to Gaber and Latif Ble sing in wing roles.
It may be a bit early to expect much from Nguyen, who hasn't played a minute this season