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Go ahead, I dare you to tell me that he sucks after gifting Omar Cummings with that goal.  Yes, it was a bad mental error and Colorado made it count, but there’s no way you can judge his 90-minute performance off of one miscue.  Everything about his play on Sunday indicated that this is a different Rafa.  He took hard fouls and popped right back up, he set up his teammates and controlled the midfield, he even looked to have a good chemistry with his midfield partner, Dax McCarty.  Along with the insertion of Wilman Conde, it’s fairly easy to see how much potential this team has at full strength.  A fully committed and healthy Rafa will go a long way in determining the success of RBNY in the 2012 campaign; you can write that down in pen.  If we get more performances like this (albeit against a Colorado team missing it’s two best midfielders), there’s no reason New York can’t be among the MLS elite all season long.

Speaking of elite, how ‘bout that Thierry Henry guy?  He’s pretty good, I guess.  Two goals and an assist weren’t good enough to earn him Man of the Match honors (losing out to Ryan Meara [who deserved to get his first MLS clean sheet, but I digress]), but his play did earn him Player of the Week plaudits.  It was vintage Henry on Sunday.  After picking off a poor back pass and calmly slotting it home for his first, he set up Kenny Cooper, finally getting his first start, with a beautiful pass into space.  Cooper, who had a brace of his own, touched it around Drew Moor and drove it past a sprawling Matt Pickens to put NY up 2-0 inside seven minutes.

Got a handful of stacks, better grab an umbrella

Although Colorado picked it up for the remainder of the first half, they were no match for New York.  Henry’s second goal, a GOTW nominee was “top class.”  Conde placed a perfect pass over the Colorado defense off a dead ball kick, and Henry opened his hips and slammed it far post.  3-0 NY.  The Rapids got one back due to the aforementioned Rafa gaffe, but Cooper picked up his second in the dying minutes of the match after a Roy Miller pass across the goal mouth found the back of the net.

Cooper has been an offensive force that not many people saw coming when they acquired him in the offseason, which brings me to my next, and quite controversial, question.  Are the Red Bulls better off with Cooper pairing with Henry than they are with Luke Rodgers?  I know, I know.  Almost sounds crazy to ask.  It’s only been a few games, so I’m not ready to crown Cooper as our next great striker just yet, but you’ve gotta be happy with what he’s shown so far.  I’m curious as to everyone’s thoughts (poll below).

All in all, it feels good to get three points, and even better to be back at Red Bull Arena.  Nothing like some home cooking to get you on track.  And with a nice stretch of, what’s the word, softer(?) opposition, look for the Red Bulls to go on a little run here.  Were you impressed with the win?  Are the Red Bulls back?  Lemme know down below or on Facebook or Twitter.

What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against Colorado?

Who is Backe’s best option to pair with Henry?

Haters gon' hate

Ah, the smell of a new MLS season.  A year to forget about past disappointments; a time when hope springs eternal.  Unfortunately for our beloved boys in white (and sometimes blue), it was much of the same.  Poor set piece defense, possession not yielding W’s, lack of attacking spark, blah blah blah.  You’ve heard it all last year.  And although there are some fresh faces peppered throughout this year’s RBNY squad, it looks like they’re the same old metro.

Two games, two losses… not exactly the way I’d have called it thus far.  I’m trying to find some positives to take away from these first two matches, but good Lord is this team making it difficult.  When arguably your best performer (aside from Henry, but we’ll get to him later) was playing A-10 soccer last year, not such a good thing.  And that’s taking nothing away from Ryan Meara, he’s played out of his tree, despite what his 2.0 GAA might imply.  Aside from a poor clearance or two, he looked like a grizzled vet out there and kept New York in both matches when they probably didn’t deserve to be.  And as good as Meara’s been, the defense, despite the supposed upgrades made during the offense, has been a mess.

With Wilman Conde still out (expected back for the home opener), Backe sent out a backline of Stephen Keel and new-addition Markus Holgersson.  Color me unimpressed.  Keel seemed to hold down the fort as well as you could have expected, but the new Swedish signing was pretty awful against Dallas.  It was his failed clearance (coupled with Dax’s flub) that lead to the first goal, forcing NY to play catch up for the majority of the match.  He didn’t look very comfortable as far as positioning, but I guess I can give him a bit of a free pass considering it was his first start in MLS. Either way, I think it’s time to start up the official “Bring Back Tim Ream” petition.  Oh, and if I’m the one that has to start pointing out the silver linings and issue “free passes”, that speaks volumes to the current state of the RBNY fan base (just go read the MF boards), but anyhow…

Now, let’s get to the aforementioned Frenchman.  If I hear one more person bitch and moan about how he seems disinterested or upset with his teammates to often, I’m gonna smash my laptop in half.  For the love of God, how many times does this man have to drag this team, kicking and screaming all along the way, to any sort of respectability.  I really can’t wrap my brain around all the criticism; it’s unreal.  Remember this goal, or maybe this one.  He’s done it countless times.  He puts the team on his back, doe.  Don’t tell me about how he drifts to far into the midfield, that’s what happens when the offense becomes stagnant.  He needs to become a playmaker because that’s what the game flow dictates.  Don’t tell me he’s disinterested or full of himself.  All he ever does is refer to the accomplishments of the TEAM, never himself.  My favorite was the “uproar” created by this interview Simon Borg.  Yeah, I really hate when the best player and captain of my team takes a loss to heart and is upset with their performance.  I wish he would complain about the lack of service more and say that this team is not worthy of his time.  Honestly, to all you people complaining about TH14, kindly shut up.

Now that I got that out of my system, we can look forward to the home opener against Colorado.  The cRapids will be missing arguably their most important player, Jeff Larentowicz, after he picked up a red card against the Worms last week.  Score one for New York.  The Red Bulls should also be bolstered by the return of the always polarizing Rafa Marquez, who returns from his three game suspension for pegging Landycakes last year (yes, this is a good thing).  As much as I want to like Victor Palsson, that give away leading to RSL’s second goal last week was atrocious.  With Teemu Tainio still nursing that ankle bruise picked up last week, the addition of Rafa back into the center of the park should be huge for New York.
Despite the crap start to the season, I like New York’s chance on Sunday.  This may be the week they get their act together (and some Luke Rodgers news wouldn’t hurt, either).  What do you think about the 0-2 start?  Predictions for Sunday’s match?  Lemme know down below or on Facebook or Twitter.  Hang tough, fans.  We can’t give up on this mess just yet.  I’ll be chillin in Sec. 232 on Sunday.  See you there.

Who deserves the most blame for the slow start this season?

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First and foremost, does a good coach fit his players around a set formation or his formation based on his players’ skill set?  The latter seems to be the obvious answer; whether Backe will do the same is very much up in the air.  While there are currently trialists down in Mexico (who may or may not make the opening day roster), here is how the team looks to date:

Photo Courtesy of Metrofanatic.com

Does this team lend itself to a 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-1-2-1-2, 4-2-3-1, etc.?  Arguments could be made for a number of different possibilities, but I think a 4-3-3 would work best.  Aside from it being one of my favorite formations to use in FIFA 12, the amount of firepower New York has up front would seem to work well in the attack-minded formation, on paper that is.  Here’s how I would roll out my starting XI, for what it’s worth:

Vuolo

Solli, Holgersson, Conde, Miller

Marquez, Tainio, Lindpere

Richards, Rodgers, Henry

In a perfect world, Thierry Henry would have the flexibility to drift back into the midfield and collect the ball, allowing him to play distributor when the game dictates.  The pace of Dane Richards on the right flank speaks for itself.  Although Lindpere could be deployed at left wing, I think he’d be most effective running the game from a deeper midfield position.  His relentless work rate paired with the tackling ability of Tainio and the distribution skill of Marquez would be a great combination.  Coming off the bench, Backe would have the option to deploy Juan Agudelo virtually anywhere in the front three, and Kenny Cooper would be available to slide in for Luke.  With the likes of Dax, Mehdi, and possibly Pallson as central midfield subs, the long sought after depth for New York could finally become a reality.

What do you think?  Different formation? Different starting XI?  Lemme know down below or on Facebook or Twitter.

What formation do you think suits the Red Bulls best?

Soler Swag for days

After what can only be described as a highly disappointing season in 2011, the Red Bulls, and more importantly their front office, certainly had their work cut out for them.  A roster filled with so much talent but woefully underachieved had to be revamped somehow.  And it was Erik Soler’s job to fit together the right pieces to assert New York as a top team once again.  So obviously selling Tim Ream was the logical next step… Wait, what?

So yeah, we’re down an MLS All-Star at center back, but have no fear, in Soler we trust.  Now remember, the centerback tandem that Backe rolled with for most of the 2011 season featured Ream alongside everyone’s favorite DP, Rafa Marquez.  However, it’s been well documented that Backe plans on featuring the beleaguered Mexican international in the midfield (causing a bit of a discussion as to personnel at CM and possible formations, but that’s a topic for another day.  What that essentially meant to Mr. Soler was that, lest he start Stephen Keel and Sacir Hot at center back on opening day, two more defenders were certainly on the Red Bulls wish list during the offseason.

The first pick up came from, where else, Scandinavia.  The country of choice this time?  Backe’s homeland of Sweden.  Enter Markus Holgersson.  I’m pretty sure his job is just to be tall… and I think he’ll be pretty good at that.  The 6’ 2” Holgersson could prove to be a useful target for Red Bull set pieces, and perhaps more importantly, a stalwart on preventing set piece goals on the other end.  And we all know how that went last year.

The second piece of the center back puzzle came in the form of Wilman Conde.  Yeah, remember him?  He was with the Fiiiii-yerrr from 2007-10 and an MLS Best XI defender in ’09.  Everyone’s favorite tactician, JCO, brought him to MLS in ’07 and was rumored to make the switch to NY along with Osorio, but the deal never quite happened.  Now he’s finally here, but which Conde will New York be getting?  If healthy and at the top of his game, there’s no question he’d be critical piece in helping to solidify a leaky Red Bulls’ defense.  Color me skeptical.  I don’t know how healthy Conde will be nor his form, as he was not at his best last season in Mexico with Atlas.  His play will go a long way to easing the pain of losing Ream to the Bolton Wanderers, or exacerbating it.

As for the 2012 SuperDraft, Soler continued to place little value in picking up up-and-coming college prospects as exemplified by trading yet another pick.  This time, Soler got some insurance on the forward line after making a deal with Portland for Kenny Cooper.  Cooper scored 8 goals in 34 appearances for the Timbers last season, but apparently Backe thinks his was mismanaged by John Spencer and that he will be much more effective in New York’s system.  Backe claimed that Cooper was signed due to an uncertainty that Luke Rodgers and/or Juan Agudelo would return for the 2012 season (visa issues and transfer speculation, respectively).  Now, the Red Bulls have a plethora of attacking options that allows for plenty of variability in formation and personnel choices, as stated earlier.  Without the Gold Cup this year, Backe should have plenty of weapons at his disposal (safe from any injuries, or his own disdain of substitutions).

What do you think of Soler’s moves this offseason? Net positive or net negative?  Is this team ready to compete with the MLS elite for an MLS title?  Lemme know down below, or on Facebook or Twitter.

What grade would you give Soler’s moves thus far this offseason?

Don’t tell anyone, but New York have now won three of their last five matches.  I know, I know, try to keep it on the DL, don’t wanna let it get to their heads.  On a night where DPs such as Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane would not be a factor, it was the Red Bulls whose star power shined the brightest.

Once again, it was Luke Rodgers who got the festivities started with a goal off a rebound in the six.  Hey may not always score in the prettiest way, but who cares.  The fact is, New York is a different team with the Englishman on the pitch, and there’s no debating that.  Hey always seems to get the job done when his team needs him.  After his goal, New York controlled the match and there was no looking back.  As Backe said post game, it was perhaps the most complete performance of the season, and the Bulls sure did look impressive.

With Rafa Marquez back in the midfield for the second consecutive match, there were plenty of skeptics as to how he would bounce back after a subpar night at TFC.  Here’s your answer.  Say what you will about his off-the-field comments and apparent appearance to not give two shits, but the man can still get it done.  I don’t know too many players in MLS that would see that pass, let alone get it to Henry with a perfectly weighted ball (that chip wasn’t too bad either).  Rafa and Tainio paired well together, building attacks and spraying the ball around the pitch helping to unlock LA’s stingy defense.

Unsung hero of the match? Gotta be Dane Ricahrds.  We all knew he had pace, but he was absolutely tearing up the wing, burning by anyone who dared to stand in his way.  The difference this year is that the speedy Jamaican isn’t just sprinting to the end line and losing the ball (usually), but actually feeding his teammates and creating chances.  Runner up goes to Frank Rost, who continues to impress and justify his DP contract.  He’s shored up the defense and lead New York to yet another clean sheet. I’m trying not to get too excited about this result.  After all, this was a weakened LA side.  But you can’t tell me that this team can’t go out there and beat anyone in this league with a performance like that.  That was an team win, from top to bottom.  Could the Red Bulls be hitting their stride at just the right time?  Is this a turning point in their season?  Lemme know down below.

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P.S. I’m looking to sell three tickets to the Philly game in October.  Reach me by email, Twitter, or Facebook if you’re interested.

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What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against Los Angeles?

Coming off a nice win, you’d think they’d have some momentum, but you know how the old saying goes, “One step forward, get in the car, pop it into R, put a brick and the gas pedal, and let it fly”… or something like that.  This team has uncanny ability to pick you up and throw you down; tricking you into thinking they’ll turn it around (or maybe that’s just me being way too naïve).  Playing against an in-form Salt Lake side, it wasn’t a shock to see the Bulls get out played (despite RSL missing their captain, playing at home, and coming off of a win).   The season now hangs in the balance, with a tilt against Portland likely to determine New York’s playoff fate.  Yet despite the magnitude of the importance of this next game, one player stole the show… and for all the wrong reasons.

When Rafa Marquez first signed with New York in the summer of 2010, he became the teams 3^rd DP (behind Henry and JPA).  There were high hopes for the Mexican captain and Barcelona star.  He offered a calming presence to stabilize the defense and distribution skills to hang with the best in the sport.  Upon joining the Red Bulls, he had a respectable year, but much more was expected in his first full year with the squad (and a return to his favored position at CB).

Then came the 2011 season, and the Rafa of old never showed up.  The only Rafa fans saw (when we have seen him, playing in only half of RBNY’s matches), was a lethargic, uninspired, and arrogant player.  He and Ream never seemed to be on the same page all season.  Their poor communication led to many goals conceded, followed by displays of disgust to his teammates.  He even wore the captain’s armband a few times, despite showing no signs of being a leader.

Fast forward to Wednesday.  Marquez missed New York’s match in Dallas due to yellow card accumulation, yet the team still got the win.  With Rafa available for selection against RSL, Backe opted to throw him back in the starting XI.  The Bulls came out flying in the first seven minutes or so, but it didn’t take long for RSL to get on the scoreboard.  For some reason, Teemu Tainio was marking Saborio on a corner kick, and was easily out-muscled by the Costa Rican and found the back of the net.  No one particularly at fault there, just a good goal.

The last two, however, are a different story.  On both of Espindola’s goals, Ream and Marquez left Frank Rost out to dry.  Ream inexplicably gave the ball away in the six for an easy tap in.  And in the 21^st minute, a lofted through ball caught the New York backline flat-footed, but don’t worry, Rafa was there to flail his arms in disapproval.  Top-notch stuff.

Post game, Dave Martinez of Empire of Soccer caught up with Rafa (who was booed mercilessly all night) to get his thoughts.  Here are some of his quotes (you can check out the full article here, video here):

• “If you watched the game, there were individual errors that you can’t do anything about.  If we look at statistics, I stole a lot of balls. I think I made two or three bad passes out of 30 plus attempts.  I almost didn’t commit any errors, so I am not worried. I think I am playing at my maximum level, and doing everything I can.  I don’t have, unfortunately, four defenders on my level that can help me out.”
• “Tim is still a young player with a lot to learn.  He still has quite a lot to learn, and well, he has committed errors that are very infantile and cost us goals.”
• “I think that this is a team game, and unfortunately, there isn’t an equal level between perhaps (Thierry Henry) and myself, and our teammates.”

Wow, I honestly was in shock.  You gotta have some big balls to say that.  Exactly how you’d expect a leader and veteran to act, right?  In all honesty, I would much rather have Carlos Mendes or even Stephen Keel start at CB.  They may not have half the talent Rafa does, but they’ll give you their all every time, and that’s something the stats won’t show you.  All of this is coming from someone who’s been in Rafa’s corner longer than most other Red Bulls’ fans.  Now, I’ve just about had enough.  If you watch the game recap, Luke Rodgers addresses the fans booing Rafa, and sticks up for his teammate.  Bet he said that before he heard how much of a fan Rafa is of his fellow teammates not named Henry.

I gotta say though, lots of credit to Backe for suspending Marquez for the Portland game.  It was the right decision and absolutely needed to be done.  It’ll be interesting to see how this affair affects the team tomorrow.  Do you think the team is better off without Rafa?  Has the Rafa Experiment been a failure?  Lemme know down below.

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P.S. I’m looking to sell three tickets to the Philly game in October.  Reach me by email, Twitter, or Facebook if you’re interested.

Twitter – http://twitter.com/OffsideNYRB

Facebook – http://facebook.com/OffsideNYRB

What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against Salt Lake?

Do you prefer Rafa in the starting XI?

Leading up to the Dallas match, the season outlook was bleak.  With the Red Bulls fading fast and coming off yet another disappointing tie, it looked like there was nothing to look forward to in these last few games.  To make matters worse, New York would be missing four starters (Henry, Marquez, Solli, and Miller).  Not exactly a formula for success.  Luckily, FCD had some issues of their own, playing without Brek Shea and Marvin Chavez.  But for the Red Bulls, this game was more about returning players than those absent from the pitch.

Making his triumphant return to the starting XI was the Tank, Luke Rodgers.  Plain and simple, the Red Bulls are a different team when the Englishman is playing.  He worked relentlessly up top with fellow strike partner Juan Agudelo and netted the game’s only tally to secure the win for New York.

Rodgers exited at halftime for precautionary reasons, and the Bulls immediately went on the defensive.  Thank God for Frank Rost.  The man was a beast between the pipes.  Up until now, he’s been a bust, but on Friday, he showed just why he commands DP money.  He made some huge stops to keeps New York in the game and played the role of general, directing a makeshift (and All-American) backline.  Gotta say, I was impressed with Stephen Keel.  Yeah, that’s right.  He held his own, made some big stops, and sent a nice through ball to Agudelo to set up the game winner.  Mendes also filled in admirably, playing out of position at left back.  I don’t know about you guys, but I wouldn’t mind seeing last year’s CB combo of Ream and Mendes again, maybe put Rafa in the midfield (because you know the bench isn’t a realistic option).

When all is said, it’s a big step in the right direction.  New York still has two crucial games this week against RSL and Portland.  6 points from those two would do wonders for their playoff hopes.  As of today, the Bulls have the tenth and final playoff spot, but DC and Portland are on their heels.  The home stretch is here, how will New York respond?  Lemme hear your thoughts down below.

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P.S. I’m looking to sell three tickets to the Philly game in October.  Reach me by email, Twitter, or Facebook if you’re interested.

Twitter – http://twitter.com/OffsideNYRB

Facebook – http://facebook.com/OffsideNYRB

What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against Dallas?

Will the Red Bulls make the playoffs?

But before we move forward, let’s look back on the Top 5 plays thus far as voted by the fans.  Do you agree with the order?  Did the fans miss a top play?  What gets your vote for #1?  Lemme know down below.

P.S. My snubs include Henry’s amazing run and finish against Portland (with great passing from Lindpere and da Luz), Rodgers’s sidewinder rip against TFC, and Tainio’s goal line bicycle clearance against Portland. (Henry’s goal vs. Fire gets honorable mention for looking like he was using a finesse shot in Fifa 11).

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