If he wins the Rookie of the Year Award, this match will doubtless be central to his highlight reel - because if he does better things in 2014, he'll be the league MVP.

He had a hand in four of Fire's five goals. Each was a little bit fortunate in its own way, but good players make their own luck. This was the game which validated the hype building around Chicago's homegrown sensation. The kid is good, the Fire is lucky to have him.

RBNY's Defending

Thierry Henry pointed out this isn't the first time this year we've seen the Red Bulls' defense get shredded by a visiting team. It's just the first time a visiting team has really made RBNY pay for its frequent mistakes at the back. Luis Robles didn't make a single save, but if you're blaming him for this defeat you are letting the men in front of him off way too easily.

The team is coached by two former defenders, Mike Petke and Robin Fraser, but the problem doesn't look tactical. Under pressure - as for Chicago's second, third and fourth goals - defenders are making the wrong decisions. That's down to the individual player, with perhaps some reference to the instructions of the coaches (why did BOTH Jamison Olave and Kosuke Kimura think they shouldn't just clear the ball when under pressure?).

We've known about this since RBNY started the season by getting spanked in Vancouver. Now, basically a third of the way through the schedule, it feels like we may have to live with it.

No one, least of all the man himself, was in the mood to celebrate BWP's second consecutive hat-trick at Red Bull Arena. Nonetheless, that is a special achievement - even if it was overshadowed by Shipp's hat-trick (and this match stands alone in MLS history as the only one to feature two hat-tricks).

BWP is the best striker in the league right now. Though there would appear to be some reluctance to acknowledge this fact. Clint Dempsey scored seven goals in four games and won Player of the Month for April.

BWP has eight in his last four.



