Bradley Wright-Phillips has gotten off to one of his patented slow starts. (Adam Hunger/USA TODAY Sports)

By Michael Lewis

Front Row Soccer Editor

If history is any indication, then the rest of Major League Soccer should brace itself for a Bradley Wright-Phillips goal-scoring explosion any game now.

The Red Bulls’ all-time goal-scorer has a history of slow starts and great finishes — in quality and quantity.

The 2017 MLS season has gone true to form as the 32-year-old Englishman has only one goal in four games.

That doesn’t deviate from other so-so beginnings:

* 2014 — One goal in seven games

* 2015 — Two goals in six matches

* 2016 — No goals in seven contests

Of course, there is a tonic just right around the corner in the Houston Dynamo, which the Red Bulls visit Saturday night.

BWP has feasted on the Dynamo for years, connecting for six goals and two assists in seven matches.

When his history with the Dynamo was brought up earlier this week, Wright-Phillips jokingly said: “Don’t jinx it!”

“I’ve been lucky enough to have [scored] against them, but it’s a totally different game, different team,” he added. “I’m sure it’ll be tough.”

https://www.facebook.com/newyorkredbulls/videos/10154289878485264/

When Bradley Wright-Phillips converted a hat-trick against the Houston Dynamo on April 23, 2014

Video courtesy of Red Bulls Facebook page

Of course, there is a flip side to all of Wright-Phillip’s stumbling starts — his ability to get hot during the rest of the season.

So, subtracting those three starts, here is how he has fared the rest of the season:

* 2014 — 26 goals in 25 games for a total of 27

* 2015 — 15 goals in 28 appearances for a total of 17

* 2016 — 24 goals in 27 matches for a total of 24

The 2017 season? To be determined

https://www.facebook.com/newyorkredbulls/videos/10154288219475264/

Bradley Wright-Phillips talks about his contract extension

Video Courtesy of Red Bulls Facebook page

Here is BWP’s game-by-game log of his Red Bulls career, courtesy of MLS:

Date Match Result Appearance MINS G A SHTS SOG FC FS Y R
3/25/2017 RSL @ NY T 0-0 Started 90 0 0 4 1 1 0 0 0
3/19/2017 NY @ SEA L 1-3 Started 90 1 0 3 1 2 1 1 0
3/11/2017 COL @ NY W 0-1 Started 88 0 0 4 3 3 1 0 0
3/05/2017 NY @ ATL W 2-1 Started 90 0 0 2 0 2 2 0 0
10/23/2016 NY @ PHI W 2-0 Started 79 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0
10/16/2016 CLB @ NY W 2-3 Started 88 2 0 4 4 1 1 0 0
10/01/2016 PHI @ NY W 2-3 Started 90 1 0 5 3 2 1 0 0
9/24/2016 MTL @ NY W 0-1 Started 90 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
9/18/2016 NY @ TOR T 3-3 Started 90 2 0 8 4 1 0 0 0
9/11/2016 DC @ NY T 2-2 Started 90 1 0 3 3 5 1 0 0
9/03/2016 NY @ VAN W 1-0 Started 90 1 0 4 2 1 2 0 0
8/28/2016 NE @ NY W 0-1 Started 89 1 0 4 1 2 3 0 0
8/21/2016 NY @ DC T 2-2 Started 89 1 1 4 2 2 0 0 0
8/13/2016 MTL @ NY W 1-3 Started 70 2 0 4 3 0 1 0 0
8/07/2016 NY @ LA T 2-2 Started 47 0 0 3 0 2 1 0 0
7/31/2016 NY @ CHI T 2-2 Started 90 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0
7/24/2016 NYC @ NY W 1-4 Started 84 2 0 3 3 2 1 0 0
7/17/2016 NY @ PHI T 2-2 Started 83 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
7/13/2016 ORL @ NY W 0-2 Started 64 0 1 2 1 1 1 0 0
7/10/2016 POR @ NY T 0-0 Started 90 0 0 2 0 3 1 0 0
7/03/2016 NY @ NYC L 0-2 Started 79 0 0 1 0 2 2 1 0
6/25/2016 NY @ CLB T 1-1 Started 82 1 0 2 1 2 0 0 0
6/22/2016 NY @ RSL L 1-2 Subbed on 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6/19/2016 SEA @ NY W 0-2 Started 90 0 0 5 1 1 1 1 0
5/28/2016 TOR @ NY W 0-3 Started 83 3 0 3 3 3 2 0 0
5/21/2016 NY @ NYC W 7-0 Started 66 2 1 4 3 2 1 0 0
5/18/2016 CHI @ NY W 0-1 Started 86 0 1 2 0 3 0 0 0
5/13/2016 NY @ DC L 0-2 Started 90 0 0 3 2 2 2 0 0
5/06/2016 NY @ ORL T 1-1 Started 74 1 0 1 1 2 1 0 0
4/29/2016 DAL @ NY W 0-4 Started 90 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0
4/24/2016 ORL @ NY W 2-3 Started 90 2 0 6 4 1 1 0 0
4/16/2016 NY @ COL L 1-2 Started 90 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0
4/13/2016 NY @ SJ L 0-2 Subbed on 45 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0
4/09/2016 SKC @ NY L 2-0 Started 90 0 0 9 4 1 0 0 0
4/01/2016 NY @ NE L 0-1 Started 90 0 0 6 3 4 3 0 0
3/19/2016 HOU @ NY W 3-4 Started 90 0 0 4 2 4 2 0 0
3/12/2016 NY @ MTL L 0-3 Started 90 0 0 3 2 0 2 0 0
3/06/2016 TOR @ NY L 2-0 Started 90 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0
10/25/2015 NY @ CHI W 2-1 Started 84 1 0 3 3 2 2 0 0
10/18/2015 PHI @ NY W 1-4 Started 90 1 0 5 1 2 3 0 0
10/14/2015 NY @ TOR L 1-2 Started 90 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0
10/07/2015 MTL @ NY W 1-2 Started 90 0 0 6 2 0 0 0 0
10/03/2015 CLB @ NY W 1-2 Started 77 1 0 3 2 3 2 0 0
9/25/2015 ORL @ NY L 5-2 Started 90 0 0 4 1 1 1 0 0
9/20/2015 NY @ POR W 2-0 Started 90 0 0 3 1 2 3 0 0
9/16/2015 NY @ NE L 1-2 Started 90 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 0
9/11/2015 CHI @ NY W 2-3 Started 85 1 0 3 2 1 1 1 0
8/30/2015 DC @ NY W 0-3 Started 74 2 1 5 2 1 1 0 0
8/26/2015 NY @ CHI L 2-3 Started 90 0 0 4 0 1 2 0 0
8/15/2015 TOR @ NY W 0-3 Started 90 1 0 7 3 0 1 0 0
8/09/2015 NYC @ NY W 0-2 Started 90 1 0 2 2 0 2 0 0
8/05/2015 NY @ MTL T 1-1 Started 90 0 0 3 1 1 1 0 0
8/01/2015 NY @ PHI W 3-1 Started 83 1 0 2 2 0 1 0 0
7/18/2015 NY @ ORL W 2-0 Started 70 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 0
7/11/2015 NE @ NY W 1-4 Started 84 2 1 5 3 1 1 0 0
7/04/2015 NY @ CLB L 1-2 Started 90 0 1 5 1 0 1 0 0
6/28/2015 NY @ NYC W 3-1 Started 90 1 0 6 2 3 2 0 0
6/24/2015 RSL @ NY W 0-1 Started 63 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6/20/2015 VAN @ NY L 2-1 Started 77 0 0 2 2 1 3 0 0
6/05/2015 NY @ HOU L 2-4 Started 90 0 1 1 1 2 2 0 0
5/31/2015 NY @ SEA L 1-2 Started 90 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0
5/24/2015 PHI @ NY L 2-0 Started 90 0 0 6 1 2 2 0 0
5/15/2015 NY @ DAL T 0-0 Started 90 0 0 2 1 3 2 0 0
5/10/2015 NYC @ NY W 1-2 Started 78 2 0 5 4 1 2 0 0
5/02/2015 NY @ NE L 1-2 Subbed on 29 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
4/29/2015 COL @ NY T 1-1 Started 90 1 0 5 1 1 1 0 0
4/26/2015 LA @ NY T 1-1 Started 90 0 0 3 2 3 1 0 0
4/17/2015 SJ @ NY W 0-2 Started 90 0 1 5 1 2 0 0 0
4/11/2015 NY @ DC T 2-2 Started 90 0 0 4 3 3 1 0 0
3/28/2015 NY @ CLB W 2-1 Started 82 1 1 2 1 0 1 0 0
3/22/2015 DC @ NY W 0-2 Started 89 1 1 4 4 1 3 0 0
3/08/2015 NY @ SKC T 1-1 Started 90 0 0 0 0 3 2 1 0
10/26/2014 NY @ SKC W 2-0 Started 90 2 0 7 3 2 2 0 0
10/19/2014 CLB @ NY L 3-1 Started 90 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 0
10/11/2014 TOR @ NY W 1-3 Started 88 1 1 3 2 0 3 0 0
10/04/2014 HOU @ NY W 0-1 Started 90 0 0 7 1 1 1 0 0
9/28/2014 NY @ LA L 0-4 Started 81 0 0 4 2 1 0 0 0
9/20/2014 SEA @ NY W 1-4 Started 58 3 0 3 3 0 2 0 0
9/13/2014 NY @ PHI T 2-2 Unused Sub 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9/10/2014 DC @ NY W 0-1 Started 45 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0
9/06/2014 SKC @ NY W 1-2 Started 90 1 0 2 1 2 2 0 0
8/31/2014 NY @ DC L 0-2 Started 90 0 0 5 2 1 1 0 0
8/23/2014 MTL @ NY W 2-4 Started 90 2 0 6 4 3 0 0 0
8/10/2014 NY @ CHI L 0-1 Started 90 0 0 4 1 0 1 0 0
8/02/2014 NE @ NY W 1-2 Started 77 1 0 3 1 0 1 0 0
7/30/2014 NY @ RSL T 1-1 Started 90 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
7/19/2014 SJ @ NY T 1-1 Started 90 1 0 6 4 5 1 0 0
7/16/2014 NY @ PHI L 1-3 Started 90 1 0 4 2 1 0 0 0
7/12/2014 CLB @ NY W 1-4 Started 82 1 0 5 2 1 2 0 0
7/04/2014 NY @ HOU T 2-2 Started 80 2 0 2 2 2 2 0 0
6/27/2014 TOR @ NY T 2-2 Started 90 1 0 5 3 1 1 0 0
6/08/2014 NY @ NE W 2-0 Started 87 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 0
5/27/2014 NY @ SKC T 1-1 Started 89 1 0 2 2 2 2 1 0
5/24/2014 POR @ NY L 2-1 Started 89 1 0 4 2 3 1 0 0
5/17/2014 NY @ TOR L 0-2 Started 90 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0
5/10/2014 CHI @ NY L 5-4 Started 90 3 0 6 4 1 2 0 0
5/04/2014 NY @ DAL W 1-0 Started 90 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0
4/26/2014 NY @ CLB T 1-1 Started 90 1 0 4 3 2 2 1 0
4/23/2014 HOU @ NY W 0-4 Started 89 3 0 8 5 0 0 0 0
4/16/2014 PHI @ NY W 1-2 Started 80 0 0 3 2 4 2 0 0
4/12/2014 NY @ DC L 0-1 Subbed on 24 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0
4/05/2014 NY @ MTL T 2-2 Started 90 0 0 1 0 3 5 0 0
3/30/2014 CHV @ NY T 1-1 Subbed on 61 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 0
3/23/2014 NY @ CHI T 1-1 Unused Sub 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3/15/2014 COL @ NY T 1-1 Started 86 0 0 2 0 2 1 0 0
3/08/2014 NY @ VAN L 1-4 Subbed on 17 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
10/27/2013 CHI @ NY W 2-5 Subbed on 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10/20/2013 NY @ HOU W 3-0 Subbed on 28 1 0 2 1 1 1 0 0
10/05/2013 NE @ NY T 2-2 Unused Sub 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9/29/2013 NY @ SEA T 1-1 Unused Sub 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9/22/2013 DAL @ NY W 0-1 Started 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9/14/2013 TOR @ NY W 0-2 Started 79 0 0 3 2 1 0 0 0
9/08/2013 NY @ HOU W 4-1 Started 89 0 1 3 3 2 0 0 0
8/31/2013 DC @ NY W 1-2 Started 76 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 0
8/25/2013 NY @ CHV L 2-3 Subbed on 32 0 0 1 0 1 3 1 0
8/17/2013 PHI @ NY T 0-0 Unused Sub 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8/10/2013 NY @ CLB L 0-2 Unused Sub 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8/03/2013 NY @ SKC W 3-2 Unused Sub 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7/27/2013 RSL @ NY W 3-4 Unused Sub 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.