I gotta say, great comedic timing by both parties involved here.  Dropping the trade news on April Fools Day sure had Twitter abuzz, not to mention that I was losing my mind trying to confirm or deny the rumors.  Lo and behold, De Ro is indeed a Red Bull.  Admittedly, I was a big fan of Tchani and it’ll be tough to lose such a talented, young player in our midfield.  However, you can’t deny the quality that De Ro brings to the table.  Soler stated that he wanted to pick up a #10 that would make New York a very difficult team to beat.  The Canadian international certainly fits the bill, and has been one of the best players in the MLS in the past decade.

It has to be said however, that the Red Bulls seem to be in “win now” mode.  At age 32, De Rosario isn’t exactly a spring chicken, but I have a feeling no one will be complaining much if he’s the final piece that can make New York’s offense the formidable bunch that many envisioned it would be.  Sorry Coach Backe, but we all know that Mehdi Ballouchy just isn’t that CAM that you had hoped you were trading for last year.  Admittedly, he’s shown flashes of brilliance, but nothing substantial enough to warrant a full-time role at the top of Backe’s diamond midfield.

On the other end, De Ro has pretty much made a living as the attacking option in a four-man midfield.  He has the ability to take the scoring burden off of forwards Thierry Henry, Juan Agudelo, and/or Luke Rodgers.  Perhaps best of all, De Ro will not take up an international slot thanks to his green card, and our gracious friends north of the border are supposedly picking up a big chunk of his salary, leaving our third DP slot unfilled.

With all the commotion of the trade, we can’t lose sight of the fact that the Red Bulls still have a tilt with the Dynamo on the slate tomorrow.  De Rosario is due to land in New York some time tonight, and will be available for selection in the starting 11.  Regardless of whether he makes an appearance or not, New York will be welcoming back much of their original starting 11, who were away for international duty.  Houston have picked up just a point on the year after losing to Philly in their first game and drawing with Sounders at Qwest Field last Saturday.  With the Red Bulls back to full strength and playing in front of the home crowd, expect an impressive performance and a win from New York.

It’s still uncertain who will be starting tomorrow with Agudelo and Dane Richards coming off of serving time with their national teams.  In the future however, expect the Red Bulls to line up in a 4-1-2-1-2.  Here’s how I see the best-case-scenario-Bulls lining up:

Coundoul

Solli, Marquez, Ream, Miller

Tainio

Richards, Lindpere,

De Rosario

Henry, Agudelo

Damn, looking at that team on paper, that is a very impressive starting lineup, one that will pose problems to every team in the MLS.  I said before that this Red Bulls team might have the most talent of any Red Bulls/Metro team ever.  Now, I feel that’s undeniable.

Notes:

- Manchester United have been announced as the opponent for the MLS All-Stars this year at Red Bull Arena.  The All-Stars will be looking to exact revenge on the English giants after they were dismantled last year 5-2 at Reliant Stadium in Houston.  This team, however, Sir Alex Ferguson will have his entire squad at his disposal without the World Cup keeping key players out of the fixture.  Should be a great match at Red Bull Arena this summer.

- MSG and the New York Red Bulls have finally come to terms on a multi-year TV deal.  Every game will be broadcast in HD, and announcers Steve Cangialosi and Shep Messing will be on-site at all but four away matches in 2011 (in contrast to staying in the studio in New York City, which they have previously done).  There will also be a pre and post game produced by MSG for select Red Bulls matches.  You can watch tomorrow’s match against Houston on MSG2.

P.S. I made a Facebook fan page for those of you who don’t use Twitter.  I’ll post news updates and Offside post alerts here.  (http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-Red-Bulls-Offside/110570442358962)

What Will the Addition of Dwayne De Rosario do for New York?online survey

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

New York got its first taste of MLS competition yesterday when they took on the Chicago Fire in two separate games.  In the first match, the reserve team, aka the Baby Bulls, took the field against Chicago’s second squad.  Now, with all the talk of how deep the team is and the fact that there is competition at every position and how no one’s job is safe, so on and so forth, you’d expect the Baby Bulls to run all over the Fire.  Not quite.  From nearly start to finish, New York was outplayed and outmatched resulting in a disappointing 4-2 loss.  Of course, this is just a friendly, and a reserve match at that, but there are definitely still some things to be taken away from the match.

1. Is Ibrahim Salou officially a reserve now?
   Backe started him with the Baby Bulls and it seems more and more that he’s the likely to be the odd man out.  Don’t be surprised if the team cuts ties with him, with the likes of Corey Hertzog, Juan Agudelo, and Luke Rodgers seeming to be more ideal options to pair with Thierry Henry.
2. John Rooney should take all free kicks.
   Well, maybe not, but he did have an impressive strike from about 19 yards out to equalize for the Red Bulls early on.  While it may have been one of the lone bright spots on the day for the Baby Bulls, it sure was a nicely taken kick.  Perhaps we’ll see more throughout the season…
3. Let’s hope Ream and Marquez don’t get hurt.
   Now I’m not ready to totally throw the defense under the bus, but at times on Wednesday, they just looked downright awful.  It started with a lack of possession by the midfield all game, and the Fire attacks just kept on coming. Orr Barouch, a trialist for the Fire, torched New York for four goals.  That’s something that usually only happens when I’m playing career mode in Fifa 11.  Teddy Schneider and supposed Tim Ream Jr. Tyler Lassister started at centerback and had a bit of a rough game, but expectations are still high.

The next match featured the Red Bulls first team against their Chicago counterpart and the difference was night and day.  New York controlled possession and created chance after chance.  Joel Lindpere scored against the Fire once again as his blast from outside the box found its way past a screened Sean Johnson.  Throughout the majority of the game, New York maintained its shape and passed the ball well.  The Fire were able to equalize in the second half after Patrick Nyarko raced past Danleigh Borman and whipped in a cross that found an unmarked Marco Pappa, who made no mistake.  Bouna Coundoul, who was making his Red Bulls preseason debut after missing out on the trip to Mexico, had a solid match between the pipes.  Bouna preserved the tie for New York after Marquez brought down Nyarko setting up a PK.  He guessed correctly on Pappa’s spot kick and kept the game all square at 1-1.  A few key things that popped into my mind after the match:

1. What to do with Mehdi Ballouchy.
   Ballouchy, who also missed the Mexico trip due to immigration complications, seemed to impress Backe in his preseason debut.  He could prove to be an important piece in the center of midfield this season. “That is his best position, in the middle of the park,” Backe said. “He’s always asking for the ball, and hopefully he’s the guy for the final passes, too.”  Only question is, what to do with the others?  In yesterday’s match, Dane Richards was knocked out to the starting 11, as Jan Gunnar Solli shifted to the right side of the midfield.  Is this the best midfield configuration New York has to offer?  Probably not, but it could work.  However, Backe also said that he could potentially use Richards as a striker, which I think would be a mistake, but we’ll see where that goes.
2. Greg Sutton or Bouna?
   This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while.  We all know Bouna is capable of making crazily athletic saves and is a great shot stopper, but we all know how prone he is to mental mistakes.  Sutton has proved to be a more than capable backup.  He’s been rock steady in the back in all of his appearances and might be viable option for starting keeper.

Now, in case you don’t already know, the new playoff format has been announced… and it’s horrible.  There will now be 10 teams in the playoffs and “play-in” games in the wild card round.  You can see all of this explained with last year’s standings here.   I really don’t like the idea of rewarding mediocrity in the regular season.  This just results in teams like Colorado taking home MLS Cup and furthering the notion that the Supporters’ Shield is the more important accolade.  Are you guys fans of the new playoff format?  What did you think of the Red Bulls two games yesterday?  Let me know in the comments.

**********

Side note, if you don’t already do so, check out Seeing Red, an online radio show hosted by Mark Fishkin and Dave Martinez (who wrote this blog before me).  It’s a weekly show that talks about all things NYRB and it’s a great show.  They answered a question that I sent in via email in their last episode; so go check them out and listen weekly, you won’t regret it.

Who Should Start in Net on Opening Day?survey software

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!

Lots of show highlights, including:

-

- Sheps scathing thoughts on Dane Richards (you would think he was a part of our show with that kind of rant!)
- Jack Nicholson was at Red Bull Arena . . . don’t believe me? Well, then you can’t handle the truth!
- My return (but isn’t that obvious?!)
- A great reader mail section.
- And a ton more!

Click the above banner, or simply follow this link to the newest episode!

And I will be back later with my thoughts on Ze Roberto, Thierry Henry and all the other stuff happening around the Bulls. That is, if I can continue to beat back jetlag.

PS: This little video will help explain alot when listening to the Shep interview:

New York Red Bulls: Cricket Anyone? from Red Bulls Reader on Vimeo.

Danleigh Borman and Andrew Boyens show off their Cricket “skills” at La Manga.

And please, someone tell me what the rules are to cricket, because I simply don’t get it. Cheers.

.

MEANWHILE, Catch my incessant tweeting!
www.twitter.com/DAVEREDBULLS

New York Red Bulls: Don’t Forget the Lyrics from Red Bulls Reader on Vimeo.

Um . . . thanks Red Bulls Reader?! OOOOOF. Is this cringy . . . but I have to admit. Danleigh Borman is better than most boy banders.

Enjoy on this Wednesday morn . . . . eek.

First off, good looks to “BriGuy” for this find on the Red Bulls Reader.

You have to love Danes flip into nothingness – but more needs to be shown of that spectacular goal celebration.

Check out the highlights. Leave your comments.

Put the noose back in the closet. And dont reach for the shotgun with the toe attachment. The season doesnt end on one bad game. I promise.

Lets put the game in some perspective

+ They are walking injured
+ Depth for this game was none existent
+ It was their first away fixture.

Here is another thing to consider – look at the starting lineup(s):

Borman—————-Altidore———–Echeverry
———————–Reyna————————
————-Stammler———Ubiparipovic————
Van Den Bergh–Goldthwaite—–Leitch———-Sassano
———————-Conway——————-

OR:

————Altidore————Echeverry————–
———————Reyna—————————-
Borman————————————-Sassano
————–Stammler——-Ubiparipovic———
Van Den Bergh——Goldthwaite—————Leitch
———————–Conway———————-

2 formations, 2 rookies, 1 sophmore, 1 new forward, 1 key missing forward, and a make shift backline. That is what Dallas beat.

Van Den Bergh having to play the backline shows you just how much havoc these injuries and a ridiculous red card are causing. Freeman, and Brunner are still weeks away. Parke is irreplacable at centerback (at least until they officially sign Innes). The midfield will continue to have a youthful look until the backline gets back into shape and Dane Richards returns from injuries.

But breathe folks.

Angel will be back.

Parke will be back.

And they will be that much more complete.

Heres this weeks game recap:

MAN OF THE MATCH

Kind of hard not to say Kenny Cooper. His mere presence creates an indominable distraction. And kudos to the big man for doing his homework and attacking the Red Bulls soft middle defense.

If there was one for the Red Bulls, you can make a strong argument for Jon Conway. Maybe even Woly for bringing some passion to the attack.

TURNING POINT OF THE MATCH

49 seconds in, Arturo Alvarez showed his form. Much like Cooper, he did his homework, aggressively attacking the middle of our defense for a beautiful slam into the net. The Bulls never recovered. How can you? A minute into a road fixture, and giving away a valuable goal spells 90 minutes of trouble.

WHAT THE?! MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Did you catch that beautiful Conway save one on one against Arturo Alvarez? I thought he would be cooked. Good job by our 6′6″ goliath for stopping that shot cold.

*Runner up – Reynas header in the box, which ricocheted to John Wolyniec, who took a shot straight on net, and somehow missed the entire frame.*

SPECIAL ED PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Though he played stronger than last season (for a second straight game), Chris Leitch got burned on both goals. And its tough to look past that, no matter how hard you play.

*Runner Up – Danleigh Borman – who showed us all he is just a rookie.*

Share your thoughts. And please, dont cry. There is alot of time left to do just that. But hopefully, it wont be necessary.

]]> http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/red-bulls-0-2-dallas-chin-up-folks.html/feed 13 http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/red-bulls-v-columbus-cows-game-preview.html http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/red-bulls-v-columbus-cows-game-preview.html#comments Sat, 05 Apr 2008 16:17:38 +0000 Dave Martinez http://redbulls.theoffside.com/players-red-bulls-news-rumors-opinions/red-bulls-v-columbus-cows-game-preview.html OVERVIEW:

Welcome to game 1! We are dealing with some injuries, starting up to 2 rookies, and are beginning our season a week ahead of everyone else. Good times.

The Cows are in town, headed by Schelotto, Moreno and Gaven.

Let the Mini Clasico Begin!

CURRENT STANDING:

We havent even played a game yet.
But whatever. Here goes:

……………………….PTS
Chicago ……………..4
Columbus ……………3
Kansas City …………3
New England ………..3
New York …………..0
D.C. United …………0
Toronto FC …………0

INJURIES:

Jozy Altidore – Day to Day – Bruised Knee
Hunter Freeman – 6-8 weeks – MCL
Dane Richards – 3 months – MCL

PROJECTED LINEUP:

=======Angel====Echeverry=======
Borman=====Reyna=======Sassano
====Van Den Bergh==Stammler======
===Goldthwaite==Parke===Mendes===
==========Conway==============

BEHIND THE SCENES:

+ This game is referred to by many as the “Mini Clasico” with respect to the legendary River/Boca derby. This is based on the fact that Juan Pablo Angel was a River Plate player, and Schelotto, a Boca Legend.

+ Reports out of Montclair are that Jozy Altidore has hurt his knee. He is questionable for the season opener. This now makes three Red Bull players whom have succumbed to injury preseason, including Dane Richards and Hunter Freeman.

+ Red Bulls / Metrostars have never scored a complete three point opening game in their history.

KEY MATCHUPS:

Borman and Sassano v. Hejduk and Migliorenzi

The rookies take on a fierce tandem tonight. Hejduk is a stifling defender that will, as always, cause fits throughout the game. Migliorenzi has had a good preseason and is said to have matured greatly.

Borman will most likely be on a short leash if he shows a lack of pace – expect Dave Van Den Bergh to either move in, or Magee to come off the bench if this is the case.

Sassano has the tremendous task of replacing the speedy Dane Richards. Though he did show signs of brilliance this preseason, he must do it consistently against this tandem.

Echeverry and Angel v. O-Rourke and Marshall

With Altidore out, and two rookie wingers ready to start, Angel will have to rely on his creative skills more so than the ability of the wings crosses to net himself a goal. Former Metro O’Rourke and young stud Chad Marshall will be playing an extremely physical game with Angel for the full 90. The target will consistently be on him.

That is where Echeverry will be needed. Assuming he gets the nod over Wolyniec or Magee, Ech needs to create enough of an offensive distraction to free Angel from the assured abuse he will receive.

Schelotto v. Mendes

Nuff said. Schelotto is a crafty veteran with a deadly, pin point accurate cross. Mendes is a young defender learning his expanded responsibilities on the right side of a three man back line. It can be a recipe for disaster, or a proving ground for our young back. Cross your fingers.

PREDICTION:

Red Bulls end their winless home opener streak, taking the Cows to Pasture, 3-2.

Goals by:
+ Dave Van Den Bergh
+ Juan Pablo Angel (2)
+ Guillermo Barros Schelotto
+ Eddie Gaven

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