After a season-ending 3-1 aggregate loss to Atlanta United in the Eastern Conference championship, head coach Chris Armas has gotten plenty of stick. Most of that criticism concerns the way Armas set up his team in the first leg in Atlanta—a 3-0 loss that the Red Bulls couldn’t overcome in a 1-0 win at home on Thursday. If the Red Bulls hadn’t ceded possession in Atlanta, things might have been different, the thinking goes. Or maybe if the team had left back Kemar Lawrence healthy, an MLS Cup appearance would be in the cards.



But the blame shouldn’t be pinned on starting lineups, or tactics, or a system implemented in one particular game. Rather, the fault for the Red Bulls’ exit lies in a club-wide philosophy that doesn’t translate to success in knockout competitions where impact players are expected to shine. And the Red Bulls, simply put, lack those kind of players on their roster.



That’s not to say they don’t have a...