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

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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?

Amongst all those missing were Dane Richards (Jamaica call-up), DPs Thierry Henry (hamstring) and Rafa Marquez (Mexico call-up), along with each of their respective partners on the pitch (Juan Agudelo and Tim Ream, both with Team USA).  This made the prospect of getting a win in Columbus all the more difficult, considering that the Crew haven’t lost a home opener since 2007.  But this new-look Crew team, bereft of the familiar veterans that once defined them, may just have been the opponent that New York could have hoped for given the circumstances.

Backe and company rolled into Columbus praying for a point, and that’s exactly what they got after a hard fought battle that saw the Red Bulls only mustering two shots to challenge Crew backstop Will Hesmer.  However, it was their defense, lead by the longest tenured Red Bull on the roster and team captain Carlos Mendes, that lead the way to the 0-0 result (go figure).  The Crew out possessed New York and had the majority of the match’s scoring opportunities, but the Red Bull’s “bend-but-don’t-break” mentality saw them through.  With last year’s starter Bouna Coundoul away with the Senegalese national team and last week’s starter Greg Sutton out with a concussion, New York turned to the newly-signed rookie Alex Horwath who came up big in his debut.  His calming presence in net helped to preserve the shut out, with a huge helping hand from the aforementioned Mendes.

Saturday’s match also marked the debuts for several Red Bulls.  Stephen Keel got the start at centerback and filled in admirably.  He cut off several crosses before they could become dangerous and stymied several attacks in the box.  Also getting his first minutes for New York for Luke Rodgers, who was deemed fit for the match.  Rodgers seemed out of sorts for portions of the game and even admitted that he didn’t feel quite himself.  The jury is still out on Rodgers for me, but I’d like to see why exactly Backe was so on high on him preseason.  Hopefully he can return to full fitness soon and begin contributing.  Without Henry and Agudelo, the forward line was in shambles.  Oh and note to Backe, “Never play Mehdi Ballouchy at forward.”  Boy, what a mistake.  He was constantly out of position, dropping down to the midfield to posses and distribute and never looked comfortable in his role as striker.  I really don’t understand why when asked, Backe has nothing but high praise for rookies Corey Hertzog and Tyler Lassister, but doesn’t feel either is ready for the starting 11 just yet, (Hertzog made a cameo appearance late in the game Saturday and was more effective than Ballouchy in his little time on the field, in my opinion).

Joel Lindpere and Teemu Tainio once again had solid games in the midfield, with Lindpere moving centrally and Danleigh Borman inserted on the left wing.  Even with all the injuries, the midfield that New York used on Saturday was effective, and I especially liked Tony Tchani and his ability to get forward (an opportunity he seldom gets in his new role as the holding midfielder).  He was able to use his size and speed to create problems for the Crew defense at times and had one of the two shots on goal for the Red Bulls.  Even though New York failed to find the back of the net, they managed to walk away with a point with a lineup that barely resembled the one from just a week ago.  Does that say more about New York’s depth or the Crew’s ineptitude?  Given the fact that there will be more instances of international call-ups and injures, we may soon see a similar situation to Saturday’s.  How would line up the Red Bulls if you were Hans Backe and the same players were available to you?  Let me know down below.

P.S. How bout that Agudelo kid?  He’s making it hard for people like me to quiet the hype around him.  Three appearances with team USA, two goals.  Quite simply, he has a nose for the net, and the best is yet to come.  That being said, please, PLEASE, don’t get too excited about Agudelo’s success.  Although it’s amazing what he’s accomplished so far, he still has a ways to go.  US keeper Tim Howard reminded everyone of that very sentiment after the game.  Luckily, Agudelo seems to have a good head on his shoulders.  He’s taking it one step at a time and not letting his triumphs go to his head, just as we all as fans should do, as well.

What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against Columbus?online survey

Well, it looks like Backe’s decision to make Thierry Henry the next Red Bulls captain is official.  After seeing Henry wear the armband in Wednesday’s friendly against Atlante, there was some speculation as to whether the decision would be carry over into the regular season.  This one definitely took my by surprise.  We all know that Henry is the most recognizable name on the roster and one of the greatest players of all time, but does that make him fit to lead this club?  I’m not so sure.

Now, this isn’t to say that I don’t think the Frenchman won’t be a good leader, because only the coaches and players out there on the pitch can make that call.  However, I do know that there were also some other deserving candidates that Backe passed up on.  For instance, Carlos Mendes, the most tenured Red Bull on the squad seemed like he would be a good fit.  However, he may not even be in the starting 11 this year, so it’s understandable that he wasn’t chosen to wear the armband.  The one person that I thought would be the best fit for team captain was Joel Lindpere, and apparently you all did too.  About two months ago, I put up a poll asking the very question of who would make the best captain, and Lindpere won in convincing fashion, taking in a little more than 46% of the vote.  Henry, on the other hand, received just 13 votes, good for 16.25%.

Although he is relatively new to the club, Henry has plenty of experience with captaincy, wearing the armband for both club and country (Arsenal and France).  In fairness, those are two names that are hardly anything to sneeze at.  Although this move comes as a surprise to me, I don’t think that this will be as much of a problem as it was when David Beckham took over captaincy for the Galaxy in 2007.  In that case, Beckham supplanted Landon Donovan as captain, causing some controversy within the team.  In New York, there was no clear successor to Juan Pablo Angel’s captaincy, so I don’t foresee too much uproar about this move.  What do you think about Henry being New York’s next captain?  Leave a comment below.

Was Making Henry the Next NYRB Captain the Right Call?Market Research

I just got a look at a few of the highlights from last night’s match, and my first reaction was, “Damn, we have the best back up keeper in the league.”  Greg Sutton was playing out of his mind in the second half making some huge saves including a double save of a close shot and the impending bicycle kick.  However, this did lead my to question whether we can expect to see Sutton in NY much longer.  With the Red Bulls now carrying three keepers, does this make the Canadian backstop expendable, and valuable trade bait?  Personally, I think it’s important to have someone of Sutton’s caliber as a back up, and it also pushes Bouna Coundoul to be at his best at all times, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

I liked what I saw and I can’t wait ‘til I can actually see them in person.  Backe said he was impressed with the defensive effort and I’d be inclined to agree, especially with the young unit that was sent out in the second half.  They seemed to play well off of each other, despite playing together for a relatively short amount of time.  You can read my immediate reaction and recap here.  What do you guys think?  Do you like what you’ve seen so far?  Lemme know in the comments.

P.S. MLS just released the 2011 schedules, go check it out!

Last year, the Red Bulls had an almost perfect preseason, finishing at 7-0-3.  With the new look Bulls on the pitch for the first time in 2011, their undefeated streak continued.  Tyler Lassiter, Corey Hertzog, Salou Ibrahim, and Austin da Luz all converted from the spot to give NYRB their a win in their first preseason fixture.  Unfortunately, the game wasn’t streamed online so I had to resort to following the game on Twitter, but it did the job.  Post game reaction will be posted tomorrow and highlights are to come later in the week.  I’ll get those on the site when I can.

From what I read, it seems that New York played fairly well throughout the game.  However, the defense was under duress for the last few minutes as Sutton was forced into big saves and shots rang off the post.  However, the second half featured an entirely different lineup (aside from the keeper) that was composed of what you would expect to be reserve players.  Here’s how the Red Bulls lined up:

1^st Half

4-1-3-2

Sutton

Mendes, Marquez, Ream, Borman

Tchani

Richards, Lindpere, Solli

Agudelo, Henry (C)

2^nd Half

4-4-2

Sutton

Cortes, Lassiter, Keel, Schnieder

Kassel, Robinson (C), Rooney, da Luz

Chinn, Hertzog

Three second-half subs were inserted at the 71^st minute: Hot, Ibrahim, and Garcia for Cortes, Chinn, and Kassel, respectively.  I’m interested to see how the midfield operated with Jan Gunnar Solli on the left side and Joel Lindpere back in the middle.  Rafa Marquez also shifted from his holding midfield role to his natural position of center back, pairing with Tim Ream.  Among the things that interested me about this game (without being able to actually see the game, of course) was Backe’s decision to give Thierry Henry the captain’s armband.  A sign of things to come in the regular season?

TH14 wearing the armband for NYRB, a permanent move?

Hopefully, I can get the postgame interviews up tomorrow and then post the reacp whenever NYRB releases them.  Thoughts on the win? Surprised by any additions/omissions from the starting 11?  Let me know in the comments.

P.S. Yes, I’ve heard of the Klose rumors.  But as with the Anelka rumors, no need for me to perpetuate the BS that flies around in Eruope.  I’ve already seen the Anelka rumor shot down and I assume the same will be done with Klose sooner or later.  Again, until I get more concrete evidence, I see no purpose in building up people’s expectations prematurely.

Are You a Fan of Backe’s First Half Midfield?customer surveys

Man oh man, what a few weeks it’s been.  Apologies for the brief hiatus but the finals crunch has proved pretty time consuming.  So I figured now would be as good a time as any to introduce a new segment called “In case you’ve been living under a rock…” where I’ll run through all the top events that I’ve missed since my last post.  Now let’s get to it:

• The Colorado Rapids took home the MLS Cup beating FC Dallas 2-1, and who else but former Red Bull Macoumba Kandji proved to be the difference.  His late entrance to the game sparked the offense and his shot was deflected in for the own goal winner… open hand, apply to face, shake head, repeat.
• Tim Ream and Juan Agudelo made their USMNT debuts in Cape Town as they took on South Africa.  Ream got the nod in the starting 11 and played very solidly in his first cap.  17-year-old Agudelo was entered the game on a late substitution, and scored the game’s only goal.  Great day for the Red Bulls and US Soccer…
• …followed by a miserable day for US Soccer, as Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup, a head scratcher to say the least.  Many have cried foul citing that FIFA is a corrupt organization.  While I’m not sure how much truth there is to that claim, it’s pretty certain that this was a deflating day for our nation.
• The expansion draft came and went, and NYRB were completely unscathed as both Portland and Vancouver passed up on all New York players.
• But that’s not to say New York hasn’t lost any players since the last day of the 2010 season.  The Red Bulls are no longer associated with Luke Sassano, Carey Talley, and yes, in case you haven’t heard, this guy named Juan Pablo Angel as they all entered the MLS Re-Entry Draft.  The reality of his departure has just recently set in for me.  The Red Bulls will be without their most prolific goal scorer and their skipper, leaving the question of “who will wear the armband next season?” (You can read more about my thoughts on JPA here)
• Another player no longer in New York is defender/midfielder Jeremy Hall.  The Portland Timbers received hall in exchange for a 3^rd round Superdraft pick.  As a personal fan of Hall (and fellow Terp) I think this was a pretty poor move by management.  Although Hall and an injured plagued 2010 campaign, he showed real promise playing on the flanks as a midfielder.  At the very least, New York could have done better than a mere 3^rd round pick for Hall’s talents, a Generation Adidas player.
• In other international news, midfielder Dane Richards continued his exceptional form for his national side of Jamaica scoring three goals over a five game span in the 2010 Caribbean Championship.  Hopefully, this is an indicator that his form over the latter half of the 2010 MLS season was not just a hot streak, but rather a turn for the better in Richards’ career.

Phew, I think that just about covers everything.  Hopefully we won’t be seeing this segment too often in the future, but you never know.  If I missed anything that you want me to talk about, let me know in the comments, I love hearing your thoughts.  Cheers and Happy Holidays.

P.S. Check out my info page by clicking my name at the beginning of my posts (or right here).  Personal and contact info enclosed for anyone interested.

Who Should Be the Red Bulls Captain in 2011?Market Research

soy-de-metro

With Mendes secured into the fold, the Bulls have added to their CB options, which also include Kevin Goldthwaite, Andrew Boyens and Mike Petke. Goldthwaite is coming off of a career year, featuring play in the center and wings of the defense. Boyens, who took some early gruff for replacing the Bulls first round draft pick Eric Brunner, persevered as the year progressed, and became a valuable asset down the playoff stretch with defensive partner Diego Jimenez. And Petke, though a bit older than the rest of the boys, brings a veteran leadership to a squad that won’t have Jeff Parke to fill the roll anymore.

Even so, many Red Bull fans are clammoring for the signing of a stronger CB option. Recently, Ives bought up the fact that “Trader Mo’s” in Toronto is open for business come MLS Draft Day and may be looking to wheel and deal. With that comes the rumbling of options; can they pull off a trade with Toronto or more teams to find the answers to their needs? Or is the January transfer market just off to a slow start, and are other options right down the road?

I am in the camp that feels one more quality CB anchor would be a definite boost for this team. Goldthwaite is versatile and can adjust if necessary. Boyens was very promising and may show more of that this coming year. And Mendes is still a bit too short for Osorios model of the ideal CB, but he can also fill the roll of a defensive midfielder quite handily. The hope for many is a round about trade to secure Wilman Conde. But that is a pipe dream if there ever was one.

(*editors note: That being said, there has been no stronger a CB tandem for the Red Bulls over the past 3 years than Mendes and Jeff Parke)

Look at the open markets, look at the Bulls line up, and look at the needs of other teams out there; what are the realistic options to go after for CB? Do you feel that the Bulls can survive with the current CB options? Let me know what you think.

img credit: flickr.com

The first half was dynamic, the second, sporadic. And as a result, the Bulls extend their winless streak to 11 games against The Revs.

To be fair though, I would have to blame alot of that on the referees who were clearly seeing a game no one else saw. There were so many calls against the Red Bulls that it became an absurdity. I am sure College kids everywhere were inventing their own “Ricardo Salazar Ridiculous call, take a shot” drinking game. Horrendous. Truly.

And granted, Angel reaggravated his injury and Reynas knee was inflammed.

But that is making excuses. And I am not one for it. No matter how valid . . . the fact remains the team had a long advantage and was not able to capitalize.

Osorio utilized a 4-4-2 that quickly became a 3-5-2 on the offensive, with an attacking Chris Leitch manning the right lines from post to post. And it worked fairly effective. As a matter of fact, it was probably overwhelming an under prepared Revolution squad.

But halftime came, Nichols made his strategic changes, and New England came out better prepared. A Castro red card for kicking Goldthwaite, and the Revolution began to bunker down with defensive changes and strategy. The Bulls did some knocking towards the end of the game, led by Jon Wolyniec and Altidore, to no avail.

Here are this weeks winners:

MAN OF THE MATCH

Matt Reis was a beast. Period. End of discussion. How many times did he rob the Bulls tonite? Come now. He was a main reason for this valuable road point that they did not deserve by any means. Matt Reis should get an award for tonites performance. Way to keep you head with the barrages you faced.

On the converse side, if I had to pick a Bull, Jozy Altidore. Last week, Jozy received so much blame for not producing in the absence of Juan Pablo Angel. And throughout the second half, though he was being directly targeted, he did create chances whenever he could. But you have to admire the way Jozy made Igwe look ridiculous. That one will be in highlights for a while. Beautiful goal.

TURNING POINT OF THE MATCH

The red card that sent Castro off. And for all the wrong reasons. After that well deserved card, kicking Goldthwaite for no reason, the team played a more laid back style, awaiting opportunity. When they finally attacked, they faced a New England squad in excellent form, unchallenged and fresh. The last minute urgency, though effective to an extent, did not produce any goals or success. Wolyniec nearly pulled off some heroics, as did Altidore, and they were both rather fairly robbed. Nevertheless, its imperative this team develop more of a killer instinct if they wish to advance in this years race to the Cup.

WHAT THE?! MOMENT OF THE MATCH

That Jozy Altidore neck krackin’ of Igwe. Wow. He turned him inside out, and beat Reis to the near corner. He should send that goal overseas to every major club, with a simple note attached – “Almost Available . . . “

SPECIAL ED PLAYER OF THE MATCH

This week is special. Very special. For one Man. And his friends.

Ricardo Salazar. And his crew.

Why a ref should blow a game single handedly is beyond me. And the amount of errors were too numerous to recount. I was just disgusted by the lack of clarity in tonites calls. A kick just outside the box, for what?! That was gift wrapped for New England. Period.

And just to let everyone know, Carlos Mendes came back from exile tonite and played a productive game. He looked incredibley tired afterwards, but I am sure he gave a little extra tonite. Someone is always watching.

Take care y’all.

Jorge Rojas, 30, a Venezuelan National veteran with 78 caps to his name, and the infamous Chris Innes, former captain of the bankrupt and dying Gretna FC of SPL, are now on trial with the Red Bulls.

I knew there was a reason I waited till the 13th hour to put up my season preview . . .

Jorge Rojas, whom, if I recall correctly (should google this), assisted and scored a goal in 2 games against Haiti recently, is a left back or left wing – two positions we have coveted for quite some time. If everything falls into order, Rojas would be our starting left winger, moving Dave Van Den Bergh to the CAM role, and Claudio Reyna could join Seth Stammler for a devastating twosome in front of our defenders.

Now that is a step up!

As for Innes, he is actually participating in team training as I write this. He was a major reason for Gretna’s spell in the SPL from ‘05 – ‘08, being largely credited for the ascension into the big leagues of SPL, and being largely credited for their demotion (but only because he was injured during certain spells).

Though Goldie and Leitch played admirably against the Cows, a person of Innes reputation and credentials should be afforded the opportunity to see what he can do. Sure, people downplay the talent or talent level of the SPL, but how many do the same to the MLS? Who know – Chris Innes may be that missing piece to the puzzle that will create the formidable backline we have been dreaming of.

IMAGINE . . .

With these signings (cross those fingers!), they will have a team that could take them to the Cup.

——-Angel—-Altidore——–
———-Dave VDB————
Rojas——————–Richards
——–Reyna—Stammler——-
—-Innes—-Parke—-Freeman—
———-Conway—————

Appetizing no? DVB, as displayed Saturday, has no fear of taking a shot. He will be backed up by Magee. Reyna and Stammler will compliment a solid and experienced backline, which will make 1st year starter Jon Conways life much easier. The wing play, when healthy, will be some of the best in the league (backed by two solid rookies in Borman and Sassano). And with those starting three, we can have a bench with Goldthwaite, Leitch, Mendes and Brunner.

Not bad at all (especially in a league notorious for very little quality depth).

Looks like we may be flexing that allocation money-muscle after all!