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tBG.) For people of a certain age (myself included), the New York Cosmos will always be synonymous with names like Pele and Beckenbauer. Is this something that benefits or detracts from the Cosmos today?
TAC.) The Cosmos seem to be trying to keep themselves associated with some of the big names of their past as much as possible. I highly doubt they'll ever get out from under the shadow of guys like Beckenbauer, Pele, and Chinaglia, because they just don't want to.
That history is both a blessing and a curse for the club. There won't be many neutral fans as far as the club is concerned. Opposition supporters are either going to love them or hate them, though I suppose fans in cities like Colombus probably couldn't be bothered either way. At the same time, there will be fans immediately drawn to the history of the club, as it's as interesting as you'll see.
2.) We all hate Red Bull. What was it like beating your cross-river rivals in your first ever match against them?
TAC.) I've never been much of a Red Bull fan, so I was really hoping the Cosmos would do themselves proud in that match. That said, I was absolutely shocked by what I saw.
The 3-0 victory could have easily been 8-0, and it was as one-sided a game as I've ever seen. The fact that the lower division side was the dominant one was my favorite part, as there's just no way any Red Bull fans out there can really believe they were ever in that game
3.) What can the Union fans expect to see from the Cosmos?
TAC.) Expect a slow, methodical attack based on tons of possession, and an organized back line. The formula has been the same since the Cosmos began play last fall, and they've got a fantastic defensive record because of it. At times, though, they can struggle to score goals.
Lineup Prediction: Jimmy Maurer, Hunter Freeman, Carlos Mendes, Roversio, Ayoze, Sebastian Guenzatti, Joseph Nane, Danny Szetela, Diomar Diaz, Alessandro Noselli, Mads Stokkelien
Marcos Senna starts for Nane if healthy, while Hans Denissen might get the nod for Noselli.
Score Prediction: For those of you that haven't seen them play much, it's not a title-winning MLS side, but that group would likely be a legitimate playoff contender.
