MLS Winners and Losers: Sam Surridge runs riot, Michael Bradley’s Red Bulls get wake up call as James Rodriguez concerns mount

There's nothing flashy about Surridge. And that's exactly why he's such a good MLS striker. This is not a player you turn to for concepts such as dribbling, link-up play, or build up structures. Instead, Surridge is a stone-cold finisher. To ask him to do anything beyond the parameters of the 18-yard box is kind of pointless. And his performance against Orlando City on Saturday was emblematic of why. The first thing worth pointing out is that Surridge scored three in an emphatic 5-0 win over a bad team.

But the way he did it is far more compelling. Surridge had 29 touches, eight of which came in the opposition box. He completed just one dribble, and 13 passes. One of his goals came from the penalty spot, and the other two were from within 10 yards of the net. This was a performance of ruthless efficiency, and not loads else. It doesn't really look like modern football, but with the pieces around him, it's perfect. Nashville battered an Eastern Conference foe. They are now top of the table. Surridge has seven goals on the season. It was a perfect striker's afternoon for a team so well tailored to his strengths.

So, this is what happens when you try to reinvent Red Bull a little bit. To be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with new tactical ideas, or creative expression as a coach. In fairness, MLS is a league that welcomes managers who think a bit outside the box. And, let's face it, if there was a league where you can afford to lose a couple games because you're toying with something a little more grandiose, then this is it.

But that doesn't mean that heavy losses look good. Bradley has made it clear since taking the Red Bulls job that he wanted his side to entertain. They are going to play quickly, they are going to be dynamic, and they are going to press when they don't have it. That's a lovely thought, and at the start of the season, it was pretty effective. The issue is, it's a really hard style to maintain. And when it goes wrong, the results can be ugly. If you ignored the scoreline, and looked at the raw stats, then you might think Bradley's Red Bulls gave a pretty good account of themselves against Charlotte. They completed more passes than their opponent. They had more shots, put more on target, and hit the post a couple of times. This wasn't dominance, but they went man-for-man with a good team.

Yet they also lost 6-1. Some of it is due to individual mistakes. And sure, they also went a man down after 53 minutes - at which point the score was 2-0. But instead of keeping it tidy, they tried to play the same style of soccer against a team that was ready for it. Entertaining? Sure. Effective? Not so much.

Inter Miami's center backs are curious. Maxi Falcon is among the most entertaining players in the league. he's a bundle of energy, equal parts reckless man with crazy hair and pretty solid center back. And, hey, he anchored a defense that won MLS Cup. Last winter, Miami added Micael, an experienced Brazilian from Palmeiras who had spent a stint in MLS, to pair him. It looked a fine duo. But Falcon went down with an injury, and Micael has struggled. At times, in the first few games of the season, MLS has looked a bit too athletic for him.

Yet on Sunday, he turned in a fine performance. It's hard to look at a 3-2 victory and say that the winning side was immense defensively. How can you concede twice and still be happy with your efforts? Well, context is important. NYCFC's two goals came from two brilliant moments of individual inspiration: a Nico Fernandez free kick and a Maxi Moralez through ball. Neither of those could be stopped by any player, at any level, in any leg.

Micael, meanwhile, was excellent in the bits in between. He won his headers. He was solid on the ball. He made a few key interceptions. And to round it all off, he scored the winning goal. Miami will want more from an experienced operator, but this was a nice afternoon's work.

At what point does the seat in Philadelphia start getting really toasty? You have to feel a bit for Carnell. He took a good Union side and coached them to a Supporters' Shield win last season. Eagle-eyed viewers pointed out that they got a little bit of luck along the way and leaned a bit too much on a Tai Baribo hot streak in front of goal. Those are fair points, and Baribo now plays for D.C. United.

But even with that in mind, the drop off shouldn't be this significant. The Union are now winless through five, bottom of the East, out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and lacking in ideas. Carnell's tactics look stale and predictable. Quinn Sullivan, so impactful last year, is out for most of the season after sustaining an ACL tear in the back end of 2025.

Perhaps the worst part - or, at least, the bit that adds the most pressure - is the fact that Carnell has Cavan Sullivan waiting in the wings. There have been calls for the coach to unleash the teenager, who is set to sign for Manchester City upon his 18th birthday. Sullivan, we are told, is a once-in-a-generation talent. And even though he started Saturday's 2-1 loss to Chicago, he has played just 89 minutes in MLS this year. It is not clear if he is the solution, but Bradley might be wise to keep letting the kid play.

Bruce Arena was right. After a New England tenure that ended under controversial circumstances, a few eyebrows were raised when he took a dual-coaching-sporting director role at San Jose. Sure, he was an experienced operator, but could the former USMNT manager still make it happen in MLS? This is a league that values younger coaches, and Arena is, well, not so young.

His first year was something of a mixed bag. But this season, some pretty compelling tactical ideas are forming. And the Quakes are good. They knocked off a trio of weaker opponents to start the season, and a 1-0 loss last week to Seattle seemed a bit foreboding. But Arena and Co. turned things around in style over the weekend. They went to Vancouver - considered the best team in the West by some - and managed a gusty 1-0 victory. It wasn't a pretty affair - San Jose had a lot of defending to do on the night. But they grabbed a goal right before half time, and saw out the win. Perhaps even more encouraging was the fact that they didn't lean on the still-not-yet-match-fit Timo Werner that much. The German managed an energetic 40 minutes. When he's fit, then these guys might be even better.

Perhaps we now know why Minnesota were able to get James Rodriguez so cheaply: he isn’t fully fit. Sure, some players need a chance to get a little sharpness back, or have to be wrapped in cotton wool as they return to the fray. But Rodriguez has barely had a sniff for the Loons this season. He came off the bench for the second straight game on Sunday, and managed 13 middling minutes. Aside from one lovely through ball, his impact wasn't really felt in a sludge of a game where you'd assume a little attacking impetus could have unlocked things.

There are broader questions here about tactical fit. Minnesota were a hard-running, disciplined, set-piece side that won games last year through organization as much as individual quality. Their best player was their goalkeeper, Dayne St. Clair - and that’s a compliment. He’s now at Inter Miami. So where, exactly, does Rodriguez fit into this Minnesota side’s ethos? They are playing a back five again, and the Colombian is a No. 10 through and through.

Watch Minnesota play, see how they set up, and there isn't really room for a luxury player of his ilk. There are, then, two options here. The first is that Rodriguez needs to get fit, adjust, and work his way into the team. The other is Minnesota change for him. It has to be the former, and, right now, that seems primed to take some time.

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