Luke's aeroplane celebration... yea or nay?

Take a deep breath folks; the Red Bulls took home all three points tonight… but just barely.  In a win that was very much different from the two matches that preceded it, New York played an incredibly strong first half that saw Luke Rodgers get on the board once again.  However, the second stanza saw a complete swing in momentum, with KC piling on the pressure and maintaining the majority of the possession.  Nonetheless, it’s a return to the top of the East for the Red Bulls.

With the South Ward rocking, the game got underway.  From the get go, New York looked like they had picked up right where they left off after their big wins against San Jose and D.C. United.  The Red Bulls played the same type of possession soccer that has characterized this team thus far.  They knocked the ball around and forced KC to chase the game.  By the looks of it, it was only a matter of time before the Red Bulls would get by KC’s infamously porous defense.

The Red Bulls would have their first chance after Dwyane De Rosario felt a tug on his back and dropped to the deck.  The referee pointed to the spot and a penalty was awarded.  With Thierry Henry missing their last and only PK on the season (opening day), it was Rafa Marquez who stepped up to try to give New York the early lead.  After a stutter step that fooled no one, Jimmy Nielsen dove correctly and stopped Rafa’s (rather weak) strike at goal.  Say what you will about Juan Pablo Angel beefing up his goal totals from the spot, but at least he converted them.  I say give the ball to DeRo.  He’s proven to be good in the past, and putting a goal under his belt might be just what he needs to start being another offensive weapon for New York.

Fast-forward to the 22^nd minute, where the Red Bulls would draw first blood.  After Dane Richards got fouled at around midfield, Teemu Tainio stepped up to strike the free kick, but Rafa played the ball forward quickly off the restart before Tainio got a chance to make his move.  He found Henry who played a clever one-touch pass forward to DeRo who made his run down the right flank.  Very reminiscent of his second goal, Rodgers collected the ground pass from the right side and banged it home to give the Red Bulls the eventual game winner.  From start to finish, the goal was a thing of beauty.  The vision from all those involved was something to marvel at, and the execution was picture perfect.

Throughout the rest of the first half, the Red Bulls kept the pressure and peppered Nielsen with shot after shot, but couldn’t find that second insurance goal.  With just the one goal advantage, New York headed back into the locker room, presumably feeling confident after a strong first half.

The second half would unravel much differently than the first, with Hans Backe removing Rodgers and Tainio for Juan Agudelo and Carl Robinson.  Both players received yellow cards in the first 45, but they also both picked up knocks that forced Backe to replace both players.  As the half went on, it became more and more apparent just how important Tainio is in the heart of the New York midfield.  Robinson filled in admirably and played a strong game, thwarting many KC attacks and working well with the back four, but it’s clear that he doesn’t have the same distribution skills that Tainio does, and the possession game suffered in his absence.  KC, who boast the league’s best offense (as well as defense) created opportunity after opportunity as Tim Ream and Rafa were forced into making some important stops.

Teal Bunbury and Kei Kamara threatened the New York goal and kept many fans at the edge of their seats.  In a game where the Red Bulls seemed to have everything under control, they suddenly found themselves with ten men behind the ball, defending for their lives.  Bouna Coundoul played a sharp game, earning his 3^rd shutout of the 2011 campaign.  In the waning moments of the match, Ryan Smith burned past Roy Miller on the right side and sent in a dangerous low ball across the goalmouth, but Bouna came out to claim it, signaling the end of a hectic match.

Lost in the shuffle of the Red Bulls’ recent scoring explosion has been the stellar play of the defense.  Giving up just two goals in seven games is remarkable, and even those two goals came on flat-out blunders that could have been easily prevented.  Not the game I was expecting, but a win in any event.  The first-place Bulls head out to LA next week for a crucial, prime time match up with the Galaxy.  What are your thoughts on the KC match?  Who was your MVP of the match?  Let me know down below.

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What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against Kansas City?online surveys

Who should take PKs the rest of the year?customer surveys

The Red Bulls came into the game full of confidence and fresh off a road win in San Jose to put them up 1-0 aggregate, meaning a tie would send them through to the next round.  Hans Backe said pregame that sitting on their lead would be a mistake and that they would undoubtedly go for the win.  For the players that remained from the 2008 team, they knew it wouldn’t be easy.  New York was in San Jose’s shoes as the lowest seed in the playoffs two years ago and went on the MLS Cup Finals, so no one would be taking the Quakes lightly.

Backe chose to go with the same starting XI as he did in San Jose, but it didn’t result in the same outcome as it did on Saturday, with Bobby Convey leveling the aggregate in the 6^th minute, hardly the start New York was looking for.  Off a poor clearance form Roy Miller, San Jose whipped in a cross that eventually fell to Convey who buried it leaving Bouna Coundoul no chance.  Rafa Marquez was seen inexplicably petitioning for an offside call with his arm raised instead of marking his man, Convey, which led to the goal.  After a fairly sloppy start, the Red Bulls settled down a bit and started to maintain more possession on a wet and slick evening at Red Bull Arena.  Going into the second half, New York must have felt confident that they’d be able to find the match equalizer to send them to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Bulls came out flying, putting pressure on the Quakes backline but continually failed at the crucial moment, having crosses blocked or shots saved by Jon Busch.  Rookie Juan Agudelo did well to beat the defense but rang a hot shot off the woodwork representing New York’s best chance of the night to that point.  NY hearts would be crushed in the 76^th minute as Convey struck again, beating Tim Ream and Coundoul to push the Red Bulls to the brink of elimination.  But as he has done so many times in his career in New York, captain Juan Pablo Angel netted a header of a feed from Agudelo to level the aggregate score once again just two minutes later.  Red Bull Arena erupted and the Bulls playoff hopes lived on.  It turned out it just wasn’t New York’s night, as the hectic 5 minutes between the 76^th and 81^st ended with Golden Boot winner Chris Wondolowski finishing a header off a feed from, who else, Bobby Convey.

Throughout all this mayhem, head coach Backe neglected to make even a single sub, leaving DP Thierry Henry on the bench.  The crowd began to chant for the Frenchman’s entrance, and eventually Backe obliged.  In the 84^th minute, all three subs entered the game including Jeremy Hall, Salou Ibrahim, and the aforementioned Henry.  But it turned out it wouldn’t be enough.  Henry saw a floating ball find him at the back post, but his diving misdirection flew over the bar, proving to be New York’s last true threat.

San Jose celebrated in Harrison as the Red Bulls were left to ponder what could have been as their 2010 campaign came to a close on Thursday.  Had they capitalized on their plentiful opportunities they had in San Jose, this would be a non-issue.  This may be one of the most disappointing endings to a season in Metro history, all things considered.   3 DP’s, a brand new stadium, top spot in the East, but still nothing to show for it.  As great as RBA is, it is clearly not the fortress that Rio Tinto is in Salt Lake.

All in all, New York should still keep their heads up as they are arguably the most talented team in the league and will certainly be among the favorites to take home the cup next year.  Henry and Marquez will have a full preseason with New York and will only get better.  Perhaps the saddest part of all of this is that Mike Petke, Seth Stammler, and Angel have played their last game in a Red Bulls jersey.  Clearly not the way they would have hoped to end their careers in New York.  The result is depressing and now we have only next year to look forward to.  What did think of the game last night?  How far did you expect NYRB to go in the playoffs?  Tell me in the comments below.

Who’s To Blame for the Red Bulls’ Early Playoff Exit?customer surveys

For the answer, look no further than Mike Petke. In a year that can be described as nothing short of a disaster, Petke has lead by example in the back field, desperately trying to right the course of a franchise that tapped out on the playoffs months ago.

This weekend, Petke will be honored for his hard work and perseverance alongside Juan Pablo Angel in a post game ceremony for breaking into the MLS’s top 10 minutes played list. He was kind enough to share his thoughts on this distinct honor, the 2009 season and his career moving forward.

DM – Last we spoke, you expressed how happy you are that your career has come full circle, and you have found yourself once again in a New York kit. This weekend, the Red Bulls will be honoring you with a post game ceremony to commemorate your latest accomplishment, breaking into the MLS’s top 10 all time minute leaders. What does this achievement mean to you?

I would gladly change with whoever is at the number 100 position in this category if it meant that we (Red Bulls) were preparing for the playoffs. And that is the truth. With that being an impossibility, I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t happy to be in the top ten in this category. One thing that I never did throughout my career was to think that my spot was guaranteed. Even when I was at my best or hurting with an injury, I never took it for granted or wanted to be in the trainers room. That is why I respect guys like Juan Pablo Angel and John Wolyniec so much. They are cut from the same cloth as me in that category. When they go down like they have recently, you know they are really hurting. So what this accomplishment means to me is that I have battled and lasted for twelve years without ever giving up.

Is the accomplishment at all soured by the fact that the team has struggled so mightily this season?

Like I said before, I would gladly give this up if it meant that we were off to the playoffs. So yes, absolutely it sours it tremendously.

I have thought about what happened to us this season constantly. Thank god my wife is a former player and as competitive as me or else she might have left a long time ago. The one thing that I cannot let go of is this. I have played on a few “BAD” teams in my 12 years and the truth is that we WERE bad. We simply didn’t have quality players. With this team, across the board we have talent. And that’s what I can’t seem to let go of. One of the worst things that you can do is to waste talent. And that’s what we did this year.

What do you feel caused such a talented team to waste its potential?

You can’t put your finger on just 1 thing. It was many, many things from EVERYONE. Obviously I am not going to disclose any locker room info. At the end of the day we ALL need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves if we did everything possible that we could have. And if we are honest with ourselves then it can only help us moving forward.

Any words for former Top 10er, Mark Chung, as you pass your ex teammate?

Hey Mark, how are the Mona Vie sales doing?

Looking back on this season, and your career, would you be content hanging up the cleats now, or do you feel that one last hurrah, with a more successful season, playing in a new stadium, would be the proper way to close out the Mike Petke years?

Hanging up the cleats is the farthest thing on my mind. If I was somewhere else, like say Colorado last year, then even though I know that I still have a lot left to give, I might be considering moving on. However, you have to understand how I feel about playing in my hometown for this organization. Whether you call it the Red Bulls or Metrostars makes no difference to me. I plan on being on the field next season to help right the ship and I plan on being involved with the organization until the day I leave this world in some capacity. Only time will tell what capacity that will be.

How long until we can all be referring to you with the monicker of “General Manager” or “Communications Director” somewhere in the MLS? In other words – would you be willing to trade in the shorts for a suit?

Wow, you really know how to flatter someone. I will say this; I am looking no further than MLS cup 2010! As far as next year goes, I wouldn’t trade my shorts for anything short of my wife and kids good health. That’s how committed I am.

The 4-5-1 – big fan or HATE IT?

I don’t hate it, however you have to have the right team in order to play it. Having a lone striker is extremely difficult unless 10 others are on board and understand there roles to a T.

FILL IN THE BLANK: 2009 would have been a better year for this team if ____________

We didn’t go and Fuck up a great opportunity!

You have made Metro Bull history a few times, but tell me what your specific favorite and least favorite memories are playing for the New York franchise:

Top 3 in each. Here we go.

FAVORITE:

3. Adolfo Valencias goal in Game 3 of the Eastern Conf
Championship in 2000 in Chicago. MLS CUP here we come.
2. Scoring the first goal of the 1999 season to beat the crew 1-0
and thinking we were a great team.
1. Being drafted to NY in 1998.

LEAST FAVORITE:

3. 10 seconds after that goal realizing it was called offside. Chicago advances
2. 1999 SEASON!
1. Being traded a few days before Christmas, 2002. Although it was for the best at that time, it absolutely crushed me.

The Red Bulls will be closing out their Giants Stadium years this weekend against Toronto FC.

img credit: Mike Stobe/Getty Images for New York Red Bulls

Here is an excerpt of the entry:

Now fast forward to Aug. 21. Just another practice for the Red Bulls in Montclair, N.J. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Same warm-up, same passing drills, then on to a 9 versus 9 scrimmage. Coach Juan Carlos Osorio was his usual self. Nothing felt different. However, upon returning to the locker room we were informed that our GM was there and we would be having a meeting. I didn’t think much of it because we have meetings all the time. When we were all gathered in the meeting room and ready to start, Osorio walked in and, with a few words, resigned. He thanked us for our hard work, wished us well and walked out. The place was silent. And so a new season started at that moment.

Our longtime assistant, Richie Williams, was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season and had one day to prepare us for our game against Dallas. He stood up and spoke. I can’t tell you exactly what he said, but I can tell you that they were the right words. Everyone walked out of that meeting knowing what was expected of them and that every game remaining is a final.

Richie Williams is reigniting this teams passion to play, after one of the worst starts to a season in MLS history. And the team seems to be buying into his message. The case for Head Coach 2010 continues to build in Little Richies favor . . .

Similarly, the Red Bulls have been mired by losses all season. The team has been playing behind for the better part of the campaign, and the situation just keeps getting worse and worse. Much like the Galaxy, the team has tried everything and is running out of ideas to achieve success. As Donovan alluded to, it is during these hard times that leaders are needed most.

So leadership has now become a question amongst the struggling teams fan base. The Post Soccer Blog recently interviewed a fuming Mike Petke, who shed some light on the subject.

From the Post:

“Juan Pablo leads by example. You can say whatever you want about him not scoring goals this year, but he’s a guy that leads by example,” Petke said. “If guys like Mac (Kandji) and (Matt) Mbuta followed him around the whole year and did what he did, these guys’d be superstars, or have the opportunity to be. Juan is one of the best captains I ever had.

Strong words of support from the passionate Long Islander. But Petke isn’t beloved by the fan base without reason. His ability to speak his heart has always made him a person for the team to rally around as well.

“It’s not about soccer anymore the rest of the season. Its about heart, it’s about how you want to be remembered. It’s about where you want to go as a person. Do you want to be a loser? I don’t want to be a loser,” Petke said.

If you weren’t already endeared with Petke, you will be after you take in the rest of the interview. Take a minute and click the link above.

Not to be outdone, the bastion for all things New York soccer, BAS, has an interview with Kevin Goldthwaite (another must read!).

Goldthwaite is a bit of an unsung hero around these parts. For the better part of the past two years, “Goldie” has been one of the most positive contributors to the team, but a past which included some less than inspirational play on the Bulls defensive flanks cast a shadow on his accomplishments. Slowly but surely, through his fight and determination, he has managed to earn his respect with the fan base and media. Goldthwaite has found himself in an unexpectedly natural center back role, anchoring and directing the backline, which has been under attack all season. The maturity on the field seems to be translating in the locker room.

From BAS:

“Your pride has to take over when the playoffs are out of the picture. At that point, if anyone has given up, I’ll probably be the first one to call him out on it.”

Though the season may already be a lost cause, it is good to know there are players in the locker room that still care, and believe.

The frustration is finally reaching a boiling point all around. And the muzzle on the seasons misgivings, if only for a brief moment, have been lifted. What has been revealed is a team that is at a loss for answers, with a group of leaders that are desperately trying to coral the herd and get them back on course.

This bye week may be exactly what the team needed. The schedule for this season has been a challenge in itself, featuring large clusters of time at home, but equally large clusters away. A few days off to reflect on the season, the failures experienced on their recent road trip, and the passionate words of their team leaders may do them a lot of good.

But only time will tell.

Image Credit: (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

That’s right. Mouthed off.

He will be unavailable an additional two games and has been fined $500 bucks for the infraction. And don’t forget; Kevin Goldthwaite is out for tomorrows game with yellow card accumulation.

Insane.

What more can I say? Maybe you guys can help me think of what Petke may have said that could have been so egregious!

A three game verbal ban. How laughable.

(Photo by Robert Giroux/Getty Images)

MLS Puts up alot of great youtube videos from around the league. This one features, among other things, a quick shoot with Mike Petke, showing the boys taking the train to Boston to play the Revs.

Want a funny moment? Look around the 1:30 mark, and check out Dane Richards sleeping . . . . with his hand in his pants. Making a joke out of that is too easy – so I’ll leave it to you guys.

Enjoy!

PS: The saves of the week include Danny Cepero stealing one from Danny Dichio. Blink and you will miss it.

His arrival to the Red Bulls was celebrated at Nevada Smiths earlier in the year by 100’s of RB faithful. But already 8 games into the season, Petke has only seen the pitch twice, starting once at home and on the road.

I had a chance to catch up with Petke and ask him his thoughts on the Red Bulls current form, and his return home:

* * * * *

DAVE: If one thing was made perfectly clear this weekend, it has to be “Petke = Wins.” Thoughts?

MIKE PETKE: If Petke equals Wins, then I would have 12 MLS Cup rings…

What was the biggest difference in the teams turnaround this week? Besides you of course . . .

Partnering Mac Kandji up front with JPA really made a difference. Even though we have pushed our outside midfielders up top like wingers in past games, JPA has pretty much been alone up there. It doesn’t matter how great a player JPA is, you can’t expect him to do the work of 2 for 90 minutes. Albert Celades was another huge difference. He makes the game look so easy to play.

This was your first start at Giant Stadium in over 6-7 years. Though it may have taken a bit longer than you would have liked, what was the experience like for you?

It was great to suit up for NY again after all these years. My career has come full circle and I am very happy about that.

Though you were part of a successful win, the season hasn’t started out as you had planned, watching a lot of games from the bench. How disappointed, if at all, are you with your lack of playing time this season?

Of course I have been unhappy with my lack of playing time. As a highly competitive person it has been tough to swallow. But Coach Osorio is going to make the decisions that HE feels are right. The one thing that I wasn’t going to do was go into his office everyday to bitch and complain because the Red Bulls are much bigger than Mike Petke. That’s not to say that I didn’t have a few talks with him. I just kept working hard in practice and was happy to get the start against SJ, because I earned it.

How painful was sitting out the DC game?

Sitting out the DC game wasn’t any more painful than sitting out the other games. I want to be a part of every game, scrimmage and competition that we have.

Was it a tactical decision to sit you or were you chained up in Osorios doghouse?

What I was told by coach is something between him and I, although I can say that I am not aware of any Dog House.

Do you see yourself picking up more starts again after this weekend?

I hope I am starting this weekend but as I said before, coach Osorio is going to do what HE feels is best for the team. At the end of the day I may not like the decision but that is how life is sometimes.

Finally, what is it going to take to sustain a winning culture throughout this season for the Red Bulls?

I don’t feel that there is any secret ingredient to winning. As long as every player on the team is committed to playing their role, and not taking any short cuts or making excuses, then winning should come. The minute that players look for shortcuts, or pass off responsibility, or more importantly do not give everything they have for the team, that is when the downfall comes.

(Photo by Robert Giroux/Getty Images)