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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?

A season that started with so much promise is all but lost now.  After starting 4-1-2 in their first seven games and looking like the class of the league, New York is a pitiful 2-5-14.  Henry said it best after last weeks draw against the Fire, claiming that they are not where they want to be, but where they deserve to be.  Speaking of Thierry, where was he last night?  Oh, that’s right.  His inflammation flared up again.  Shocker.  Get this: the last two Red Bulls road games on turf (Seattle and Vancouver) Henry was absent as well.  I’d put my money on the Frenchman missing out the TFC road trip as well, but that’s just me.

Once again, the Red Bulls have a very clever way of making a tie in a must-win game seem almost acceptable.  This tactic, of course, is accomplished by not giving in a shit in the first 45, then playing actual soccer in the second half and grinding out two goals to walk away with yet another draw.  The fact of the matter is, it’s unacceptable.  Regardless of all the missing players, the Bulls still had plenty of talent to handle the lowly Revs.

God, there are so many things that pissed me off about last night, I can’t even begin to collect my thoughts, but I’ll start with Rafa.  I’ve been in his corner throughout his tenure here, and despite all the criticism he’s taken over the years, I’ve remained confident in his play.  But that’s just it, it’s not his play I’m concerned with anymore, it’s his effort.  Seriously, does he even give a shit anymore (if he ever did)?  Wearing the captain’s armband, you’d expect him to take a leadership role and command the backline and reinforce his teammates.  The only thing I saw last night was the Mexican bitching at the ref constantly and blaming others for his mistakes.  For the amount of money he’s making, it’s unacceptable.

Then there’s the Ballouchy-Backe love affair.  Jesus, does this piss me off.  The guy is shit, that’s all there is to say.  He’ll have a few nice touches on the ball, then give the ball away on another fucking back pass to no one in particular.  Once Auvray came in, the game seemed to open up more and the Bulls attack was more fluid.  Backe, please, take this fool of the pitch permanently.  He’s had chance after chance to prove himself and he simply hasn’t cut it.

Perhaps the only positive to take away from last night was Dane Richards’ brace.  His return to goal scoring is a sight for sore eyes.  He was the beneficiary of a great ball over the top courtesy of Tim Ream for his first and calmly tapped in from close in the 87^th off of a Joel Lindpere cross.  Dane said after the game that he predicted he’d score a hat trick before the game.  Almost, Dane, almost.

New York’s playoff hopes are looking slimmer and slimmer by the week, and although it seemed unfathomable at the season’s inception, we may just witness a post season void of Red Bulls soccer.  Without Tainio next week (red card suspension), New York’s task of beating a hot LA side just got even tougher.  Will New York find a way to make the playoffs?  Is this season a total flop?  Lemme know down below.

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What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against New England?

Talk about a homecoming for Henry.  Amidst the Red Bulls struggles domestically, the Frenchman lead the first MLS team ever to compete in the annual tournament to a tie against his former club Arsenal in a gritty 1-1 draw.  After Joel Lindpere netted the lone goal in a win against PSG, New York was in position to take home the Emirates Cup trophy with just a tie needed against the English powerhouse.  And despite playing like pure dogshit against MLS competition, the Bulls rose to the occasion against superior opponents, taking it to PSG and Arsenal overseas.

While this tournament win will be seen Theirry’s time, let’s give credit where credit is due.  Not only did this team fly out to London just hours after the conclusion of the All Star game, but many then had to play two straight games without any reprieve.  Jan Gunnar Solli comes to mind as one of those grinders who went out and did his job despite the obvious fatigue that was setting in.  Much respect to those who put in 180 minutes over the two-day tourney.

Now the attention shifts back on the MLS schedule, with RSL on the tap.  When I was listening to the PSG-RBNY match, I heard the announcer say something about the Bulls winning just 12 of their last 88 road matches (correct me if I’m wrong).  Sounds about right, considering we didn’t win a match in all of ’09 away from the friendly confines of Giants Stadium.  New York are desperate for points, and there’s not much time left to do it.  Even with games at hand, New York are looking up in the Eastern standings.

Side note: I’ll be live blogging the match tonight, so stop by tonight about 8:45 and put your two cents in.

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Who is your MVP of the Emirates Cup?

The Red Bulls last two games have sent mixed messages, granted they were against very different opponents.  Taking on a rather weak Toronto squad, New York took it to Aron Winter’s squad with an emphatic 5-0 win.  Gotta say, it was pretty nice to see the offense firing on all cylinders.  Henry, Rodgers, Lindpere, and Agudelo all got on the board and all seemed right in the world of Red Bull.  Perhaps most importantly, New York posted a zero on the defensive end.  Yes, that’s right, a shut out for the Red Bulls.  Funny how in the beginning of the year, I actually had the audacity to believe that their defense prowess would hold up throughout the season; el oh el.

Then with DC into, the Scum played a rather solid game and pulled out a win courtesy of a Dwayne De Rosario goal (did you expect anything else)?  But hey, at least we got to hoist the Atlantic Cup, right? Yeah, that’s what I thought.  In a game where New York deserved to at least earn a tie, the Bulls couldn’t find a way to equalize and earn a share of the points.  And although De Ro’s goal couldn’t be blamed on poor goalkeeping, the damage had already been done throughout the balance of the year thanks to the less than stellar work of Bouna Coundoul and Greg Sutton.  With neither keeper proving to be dependable, Erik Soler made his move.

Soler delved into the depths of the Bundesliga and found German keeper Frank Rost.  At 6 foot 4, Rost combines the size of Sutton with the shot stopping ability of Bouna, but it all comes at a price.  The Red Bulls have filled their third and final DP slot to sign Rost, but it could be just what New York needs to get back on track.  At 38, Rost is hardly a spring chicken, nor in his prime.  But if goalkeepers have taught me anything, it’s that age does not define them.  You can look throughout the soccer world to see seasoned vets who still get the job done.  From the recently retired Edwin Van der Sar (40) at Man U, to Brad Friedel (40) at Tottenham, to Faryd Mondragon (40) right here in the MLS who as helped turn the Philly Bimbos into a quality team.  My only concern is how quickly Backe is throwing Rost into the fire.  After signing with the team just a few days ago, he will fly cross-country to LA and start when the Bulls take on Chivas.

What do you think of the new DP? Will the Red Bulls avenge their early season loss to Chivas?  Let me know down below.

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NEWS: There’s no place like home for the Tin Man Greg Sutton, who gets sent to back to his native Canada on loan to the Montreal Impact, his former team.

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Will the addition of Frank Rost solve RBNY’s defensive woes?

Thanks to an own goal and some inspiring football from Thierry Henry, New York finally snapped their winless streak and finally took home the full three points.  Now, before we move on to the tilt against Portland, let’s look back on winless streak.  First off, the Red Bulls were a very depleted squad for the majority of their streak and the bench depth was severely tested.  They showed fight several times in drawing with some tough competition and managed to salvage points in places where other teams may have walked away empty handed.  I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t extremely frustrated with their set piece defense and their inability to close out games, but at times like these, perspective is everything.

With the 2-1 win over the Revs, New York will now look to continue their winning ways on the road, starting with their match against Portland.  With the return of DeRo to the starting 11, the Red Bulls will have that much more of an attacking threat.  And with USA and Jamaica going at it today, the Red Bulls are guaranteed to get at least one more player back (Dane Richards or Juan Agudelo and Tim Ream).  Although the Timbers’s record isn’t all that impressive, they are certainly a team that can be dangerous when given the opportunity.  Keel and Mendes will have to be at the top of their game once again, and let’s hope Sutton doesn’t have to field any more PKs.

So fear not Red Bulls fans, the worst may now be behind us.  As with any streak, it’s important not to get to high when things are going well, and not too low on the opposite side of the spectrum.  How many points are you expecting on this road trip?  Gold Cup predictions?  Let me know down below.

Can Backe right the ship?

The three-game winning streak of last month seems so distant now, doesn’t it?  For that matter, so does my last blog post, but that’s neither here nor there (but apologies, nonetheless).  The Red Bulls now find themselves in a precarious situation.  They are no longer getting the results that seemed to come so easily earlier in the season, and the defense has been suspect to say the least.  The same backline (for the most part) that let in just four goals through eight games has now seen their GAA balloon thanks to poor set-piece defense.  In fact, the last six goals scored against the Red Bulls have come off set pieces.  And with the Gold Cup calling away five Red Bulls away from club duty, this coming month could be a very telling one for the future of New York’s 2011 campaign.

Well let’s take a look at what I missed.  New York disappointed at home, dropping a 3-2 decision to a surprising Chivas USA team in which Justin Braun torched the Bulls for a hat trick.  The home team showed resilience in tying the game not once, but twice, but asking for a third equalizer proved too much.  Dwayne De Rosario got his first goal in a New York uniform courtesy of a PK and captain Thierry Henry continued his hot form, slotting home a wonder pass from Rafa Marquez.  In the end, set pieces doomed New York, as Braun was the beneficiary of some sloppy defending twice on free kicks.  In one night, the Red Bulls had conceded as many goals as they had all season prior.  This game may have been written off as a fluke, if not for the events that transpired in the next few weeks.

Then came the midweek friendly against the Montreal Impact, who will become the 19^th team in MLS next year.  The team traveled north of the border on short rest, which proved to be perhaps an ill-advised move.  The first team played a solid 45 minutes, but Carl Robinson left the pitch with a knock and would not return.  The Red Bulls fell to the Impact 1-0, in what didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, until we fast-forward four days…

Where the team finds itself in Robertson Stadium, home of the Houston Dynamo.  Right off the bat, Dynamo killer Dane Richards took matters into his own hands, putting the Red Bulls up inside the first minute off a blast just outside the 18.  It seemed New York were controlling the tempo of the game until Will Bruin was sprung (from what looked to be an offside position) and was off to the races.  Rafa was fooled on a cut back and took Bruin down in the box.  Dynamo captain Brad Davis stepped up and made no mistake, leveling the score at 1.  Davis again bured the Red Bulls, this time off a corner kick, where Koke tapped in a ball spilled out in front by Greg Sutton, leaving New York reeling.  But just when all hope seemed lost, everyone’s favorite midfielder stepped up big time.  Backe’s favorite supersub Mehdi Ballouchy came in for a rather ineffective Juan Agudelo and promptly tied the game in the dying minutes off of a Joel Lindpere corner (yes, Backe listened to me, again).  That’s right folks; Mehdi Ballouchy saved us from the Rapture.  So the Red Bulls avoided their first losing streak of the young season, and returned home for another quick turnaround against the defending MLS Cup Champions.

Back home at the friendly confines of Red Bull Arena, New York was hoping desperately to get back to their winning ways.  The Rapids came to town looking to capitalize on the now seemingly mortal Red Bulls.  The game led to more frustration, but some hope for future matches as well.  Some poor officiating led to the Rapids getting a PK after Roy Miller committed a foul that was CLEARLY outside the box, but the referee pointed to the spot.  Jeff Larentowicz stepped up, and Sutton parried his shot away.  However, the ricochet sat up nicely for Larentowicz and he tapped it home to put the Rapids up.  In my frustration, I ran to the bathroom cursing under my breath and wondering what has happened to my beloved Red Bulls.  As I stared at the wall, I heard the crowd roaring and cheering, and Steve Cangialosi’s goal call.  Just my luck.  Literally moments after the PK, Henry leveled the score off of a nice feed from De Ro.  However, the lead didn’t last for long, as the Red Bulls fell victim to a set piece once more.  Larentowicz stepped up to take a free kick from about 20 yards out and slammed one through the wall and past Sutton.  The set pieces continue to be the downfall of New York.  Thankfully, Luke Rodgers would have none of it.  After latching onto a Roy Miller through ball, Rodgers chipped the oncoming Matt Pickens and knotted the score.  It was the fastest four goals ever scored in Metro Bull history.  From then on, the Red Bulls dominated possession and had their chances to get the victory, but failed each time.  With just three points in their last five matches, the Red Bulls aren’t looking much like Supporters’ Shield contenders.

Now, the Gold Cup possesses and even bigger threat with Tim Ream, Agudelo, Marquez, Richards, and De Ro all leaving to represent their national teams, New York will have to turn to their bench to get some results.  Vancouver is next on the slate, where the Red Bulls will have to be on top of their game to salvage points in a hostile environment.  What is a fair expectation of points while the team is missing so many starters?  Can the Red Bulls get back on track?  Let me know in the comments, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

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Is the Supporters’ Shield still attainable?online surveys

With both New York and LA leading their respective conferences, this early season clash of Supporters’ Shield contenders was billed as a match of dazzling DPs, East vs. West, Juan Pablo Angel vs. New York, Thierry Henry vs. David Beckham, Landon Donovan vs. Rafa Marquez, and so on and so forth.  From the first minute, everyone knew this game would be something special.  Both teams were out looking for three points and give credit to the Red Bulls for not being afraid to push their tactics despite playing on the road against a top team.

Their perseverance paid quick dividends as New York’s poster boy found the back of the net just four minutes into the match.  After Dane Richards played a through ball into the box (presumably played for Dwayne De Rosario, but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt here), Henry latched onto it, rounded Donovan Ricketts and slotted it home to put New York up early and LA back on their heels.

The Red Bulls, who love to play possession football under Backe’s new approach, struggled to do so at the Home Depot Center on Saturday.  This can be attributed to the pressure that the Galaxy applied to the midfield all night, but more importantly, New York sorely missed their midfield rock, Teemu Tainio.  With out the Finn patrolling the middle of the park, the distribution just wasn’t there and the Red Bulls struggled to keep possession at times.  In place of Tainio was everyone’s favorite, Mehdi Ballouchy.  Clearly out of position in the holding midfielder slot, Ballouchy did not make his presence felt.  I would have rather seen Carl Robinson, who is a natural defensive midfielder, but Backe’s man-crush lives on.

The first half featured plenty of chances for both sides, but LA cashed in minutes before halftime courtesy of a Beckham-Donovan link up via a corner kick.  Beckham’s swerving ball found the U.S. hero on the back post who sent a header flying past Bouna Coundoul (with Roy Miller once again the culprit).  But it could have been 2-1 heading into the locker rooms if not for the play of Tim Ream.  Off of another feed from Beckham, Donovan latched onto a through ball and got by Coundoul who rushed out at Donovan.  With a wide-open net in sight, Landon pushed the ball goal bound, only to watch the hustling Ream sweep it away inches before the ball crossed the plane.  It was a brilliant save and surely saved a point for New York.

Perhaps my favorite story line from the night was the Donovan-Luke Rodgers banter.  After Rodgers had a run in with Ricketts,Rodgers went right over to the big Jamaican and the two had a good laugh.  Suddenly, Donovan comes running over, petitioning to the ref to have Rodgers sent off.  Never one to back away from a fight, Rodgers gets right up in Donovan’s face and lets him know what he thinks of his whining (presumably channeling his inner-Ray Lewis).  That move represents New York and endeared him to the fans even more.

The second half saw the pace of the match slow down and the scoring chances diminish.  DeRo and Richards both had good chances that they couldn’t convert, but LA had their fair share as well.  Overall, 1-1 is a fair result.  Given the cross-country road trip and the star power that LA has, there’s nothing wrong with being content to walk away with a draw.  What are your thoughts?  What do you think of the Rodgers-Donovan spat?  Are you ready for the August 28^th yet?
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What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against Los Angeles?customer surveys

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

Be honest, how many of you were expecting a JPA jump-slash?

Seriously, is there anything better than going into D.C. and stomping them out?  I think not.  If last week’s performance against the Quakes was impressive, than we need to find a new word to describe the show that New York put on in RFK.  Much like last week, everything seemed to click, but it always seems so much better when dispatching United, doesn’t it?

Coming into Thursday’s fixture, both team’s had a fair amount of momentum on their side, both coming off of 3-0 wins, with D.C. taking care of TFC at BMO Field.  Charlie Davies got the starting nod from Coach Ben Olsen as D.C. looked to continue to find the back of the net at their league-best pace.  But Hans Backe countered with the same lineup that dominated San Jose a week before, and the same lineup that has conceded just two goals all year (both on defensive gaffes, but that’s besides the point).  The result was a wake up call United, a reaffirmation for the Red Bulls.

Now there are plenty of reasons to be clamoring after that 4-0 win.  There was Thierry Henry earning his first brace as a Red Bull and setting the tone for the evening, you had Juan Agudelo entering as a late sub and still managing to put one in the back of the net in fantastic fashion (doing his best Henry impression), and another great performance from the backline in yet another shut out.  But far and beyond the performance that stood out to me the most was that of Jan Gunnar Solli.

The Norwegian right back got forward time and time again, linking up with the speed of Dane Richards to wreak havoc on the D.C. defense.  Solli’s well timed runs and precision passing led to three of New York’s tallies, setting up Henry twice and Agudelo once late in the game.  His vision and ability to stretch the defense was something we really hadn’t seen up to this point.  Even from the right back position, admittedly not his preferred spot on the pitch, Solli was able to contribute to the offense countless times by whipping in crosses from the flank and playing 1-2 passes with The Great Dane near the sidelines.

Throughout my first trip to RFK, I made it a point to watch certain players throughout the game, namely Teemu Tainio.  I noticed that OptaJack reported that Tainio was the most accurate passer in all of MLS this season, and he truly is impressive on the ball.  Even with D.C. constantly pressuring him, Tainio was composed on the ball and almost always picked out the open man to play a picture perfect ball.  People may have been worried that New York’s midfield distribution would be hurt by Rafa Marquez moving to the backline, but I’d say that Tainio is even an upgrade from Rafa, as good as he is.  Besides, Rafa and Tim Ream still manage to make purposeful passes from their deep lying positions to kick start the offense (see Joel Lindpere’s goal).

Once again, Mr. Henry thoroughly impressed me.  He was active all night and constantly looking for the ball.  His ability to find open space in the attacking third was impressive (or perhaps it was D.C.’s defensive ineptitude, but I’ll give Henry the credit here).  This is the type of play that we all expected when he first signed last July, and I’m sure every Red Bull fan is happy that he’s finally proving the doubters wrong.  There should be no more questioning as to whether he still has anything left in the tank.

All in all, another great win for New York to vault them atop the table in the Eastern Conference.  Perhaps the most surprising tidbit of info from the night was both Backe and Henry’s praise of D.C. after the game.  Backe said that United was the best team the Red Bulls have faced so far and Henry said that the 4-0 score line wasn’t truly indicative of how the match went.  What do you think?  Were Backe and Henry being gracious in victory or was it truly their honest opinion?  Let me know down below.

P.S. I loved walking in with the RBNY supporters as we sung “D.C. United Went To Rome to See the Pope,” I only wish that I didn’t come with United fans so I could have sat with them.  Oh well, a win’s a win, and I’ll take a D.C. beat down any day of the week.

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What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against D.C?online survey

Given Henry’s recent form, who do you prefer as his strike partner?survey software

First of all, I’d like to thank Hans Backe for making me look absolutely foolish with my previous comments on the forward line.

Backe has discussed possibly starting Luke Rodgers up top with Henry relegating Agudelo to the bench.  I’m sorry, but in what world does that make sense?  Agudelo’s been our most dangerous player in attack, hands down.  He works hard every minute and gives defenders fits with his cutting runs.  So naturally a spot on the bench seems fitting.  I hope Backe comes to his senses and includes him in the starting 11, because if any striker deserves to take a seat, it’s Henry.

This is why I’m not the manager, in a way.  In fact, I was in the middle of complaining about the insertion of Rodgers into the Starting XI as Steve Cangialosi interrupted me with his goal call just two minutes in.  The smallest guy on the pitch managed to head one in off a corner; go figure.  But Rodgers was just getting started.  In the 15^th minute, he struck again after Henry hustled to dispossess Ramiro Corrales.  The Frenchman then slotted a pass across the 18, finding the foot of Rodgers who doubled the lead and New York’s goal total on the year in a matter of minutes.

From then on out, it was it was not even a contest.  The Red Bulls dominated possession and boasted the majority of the scoring chances, as the Earthquakes struggled to solve New York’s defense on a cold and rainy night in Harrison.  It was the complete performance that we all expected see throughout the season.  The possession was there, the defense was compact and efficient, and the finishing yielded three goals (although there could have been plenty more).

Speaking of that third goal, damn was it a thing of beauty.  Man of the Match Luke Rodgers collected the ball near the top of the 18 and held the ball up.  Henry sprinted to the back post and Rodgers sent a curling back post cross that found the captain’s head and fired past a helpless John Busch.  Henry apparently chewed out the South Ward after recording his first tally of the 2011 season, but I can’t really blame him.  We as fans have been all over him since day one, booing every missed shot he takes and complaining after every time he gets injured.  Now I’m not saying that fans shouldn’t hold him accountable, but don’t be surprised if he lashes out.  After all, he’s just as frustrated as we are.  I’ve been all over his case as of late, but he showed a ton of effort all game.

Jan Gunnar Solli leading the stampede. (Photo credit to Hope McCarthy)

Next up, a clash with a D.C. side that’s been gaining some momentum as of late.  Charlie Davies, with five goals already, might pose a problem for the New York defense.  Although if the Red Bulls keep playing like they did against San Jose, no team can beat them.  Period.

According to Backe himself, this is the best the Red Bulls have played under his tenure as coach.  Do you agree?  What do you think about a Rodgers-Henry forward tandem?  What does this mean for Juan Agudelo?  Share your thought’s below.

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What grade would you give the Red Bulls performance against San Jose?Market Research